Parent Hacks

links for 2009-01-31

A picture of one's contact info works as a built-in camera ID Thanks for the link, Lee! The Crafty Crow: Feed the Birds! Great birdfeeding projects for kids and grownups. (Via Craftzine.com) Cool Mom Picks - Breaking news - CPSIA delayed! Your amazing efforts made a difference Wow.

Read more →

Wine bottle tote is the perfect shopping bag for baby food jars

MP (well, actually, her husband) came up with a practical way to keep all the baby food jars from rattling in the bottom of the shopping bag. The other week we were shopping at Whole Foods for our daughter's baby food. We took our own bags, including the reusable wine...

Read more →

Momversation: Is "momnesia" real?

I'm the headliner on today's Momversation, and I'm talking about parentally-induced brain impairment: Momnesia: Is it real? Commiserating along with me: Daphne (Cool Mom) and Nataly (Work it, Mom!). There are those who say becoming a mother makes you smarter, and, indeed, I've accomplished some great things -- such as...

Read more →

Amazon: Queen-size AeroBed, Earth's Best organic formula, baby care discounts

Here's what I found in today's Amazon Friday sale : Earlier this week we talked about the AeroBed for Kids, and, while it generally got great PHer reviews, some commented that it's too small to be practical. Looks like Amazon's got an AeroBed thing goin' on, because the queen-size AeroBed...

Read more →

Empty cleaning wipes bottle as safe disposal container for used needles and razor blades

From Kimberley: I recently read the parent hack for storing yarn in an old cleaning wipes bottle. Talk about recycling! Awesome. Well, after reading this I realized that I re-purpose a wipes bottle as well. I have terrible migraines that can trigger a seizure if not treated immediately. Being allergic...

Read more →

Outgrown playard works well as small toy "corral"

Margo's smart playpen repurpose: I recently came up with a new use for the Pack n' Play. My two year-old daughter has outgrown hers. But she's now into playing with all sorts of small stuff that's hard to clean up (uncooked rice, small letters, etc). So instead of fighting with...

Read more →

links for 2009-01-29

Craftzine.com blog: More Harm than Good? More on the CPSIA Excellent perspective from Dale Dougherty, publisher of MAKE: and CRAFT: and all-around smart guy. 11 tips for taking the kids out to a coffee shop | Quit Your Day Job Marita also wrote this list! Thanks for the link, Kristen....

Read more →

Photo valentine saves kids from having to sign each card

Jamie from Travel Savvy Mom offers this smart class valentine shortcut: I'm convinced that for every child that loves making painstakingly handcrafted, one-of-a-kind valentines, there are ten who can barely be prevailed upon to fill in the blanks after "To" and "From". For preschoolers and kindergarteners especially, 20 valentines (plus...

Read more →

How do you talk to a child when a grandparent dies? Talk amongst yourselves.

From Marita: My father in-law recently passed away and I had to tell my 3yo and 5yo. We had some notice that he would be passing away (he was diagnosed several months ago with lung cancer) so I tried to prepare my girls by reading Lifetimes by Bryan Mellonie. We...

Read more →

Plastic wrap keyboard cover protects kitchen computer from sticky fingers

Marisa's hack could single-handedly save the laptop-using population thousands of dollars in repair costs: I stretch a piece of plastic wrap over the keyboard of my laptop (which is in my kitchen) to prevent crumbs, liquids and sticky fingers from damaging it. Every week or so, I just stretch a...

Read more →

Amazon Deal of the Day: AeroBed for Kids

Have you ever slept on an AeroBed? Me neither, because when I have the opportunity as an overnight guest, my kids beg to sleep on it. In that spirit, my mom got an AeroBed for the kids for when they come to visit, and they practically giggle in anticipation of...

Read more →

A "dream book" placed under the pillow at bedtime prevents nightmares

Duane's hack reinforces my belief that a good book cures almost anything: My four year-old tends to complain of bad dreams although she can never articulate what happens in them. This sometimes leads to her not wanting to go to bed. I informed her that if she sleeps with a...

Read more →

MomSpeak: Putting yourself back on your to-do list

I just had one of those synchronicity moments. I've been working hard since the New Year to make time for myself and decided it would be the ideal topic for my final post on the Luvs MomSpeak site. Then, I got my weekly tap from the Momversation folks -- this...

Read more →

links for 2009-01-27

Smart-Bottom Enterprises: "Stained Glass" Valentine Heart Bring on the easy Valentine's Day crafts! Thanks, Darcy!

Read more →

Amazon: Rock-bottom prices on kids' clothes from The Children's Place

One of my favorite chain stores for kids' clothes, The Children's Place, is having its Monster Sale right now, and the prices are unbelievable. For the price, I find the quality to be better than Old Navy for most things. But I had no idea The Children's Place also sells...

Read more →