Parent Hacks

Keep a list of domestic details on your cell phone or PDA

This hack came about as a way to do two things: a) to empty my head of some of the niggly domestic details that are important enough to remember, but not important enough to merit "active" brain space, and b) to be able to take advantage of those random times...

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links for 2009-02-28

Craftzine.com blog: Duct Tape And Cardboard Puppet Theater A little inspiration for all of those Amazon packing crates! Make an easy receiving blanket — Rookie Moms Simple flannel is best.

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Store a granola bar inside a glasses case

Karen, if I were smart like you, the contents of my purse might not be covered in granola dust. I store my daughter's granola bars in a hard-sided glasses case in my diaper bag. They fit perfectly, they don't get crushed, they're easy to find and you can put the...

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Save spring prunings for edging and fairy house construction material

It's sunny in Portland today, and I was out in the garden in earnest for the first time in months. I pruned a neglected hydrangea, and while standing back to admire my handiwork, I naturally started brainstorming about what I could do with the clippings. I'm a cheap gardener which...

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Prolong museum visits with a scavenger hunt

Melynda's hack is perfect for Spring Break prep: If I want to spend a little more time at a nature center or museum than I think my kids might, I'll get on the Internet the night before a visit and make a scavenger hunt. By quickly looking through the web...

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During visits, stash outerwear in a bag so you won't lose bits of it when it's time to leave

Such a simple, smart way to deal with the on-again-off-again winter paraphernalia. From Sara: Just another reusable shopping bag trick. I've been bringing an empty bag into places like the library or a friend's house. When I unwrap us from all our outerwear gear, I shove it in the bag....

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links for 2009-02-26

Penny Pinching Parent: Homemade "Moon" Sand

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Does your kid hate Pedialyte? Try pediatric electrolyte strips.

We're trudging along on the second full week of my son's horrible virus -- so far he has missed a total of eight days of school due to this bug. (This particular illness has emptied out his school -- it's pretty dramatic.) I was at the drugstore last night for...

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Amazon today only: SwissGear Computer Backpack 75% off (great diaper bag alternative)

Back in my diaper bag-toting days, I swore by my backpack. It came in even more handy once I started lugging a laptop with me everywhere I went. If I were to do it all over, I'd go for a well-made computer bag and stash the baby paraphernalia inside. Today...

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Trunki suitcase keeps toddlers entertained during flight delays

Marlene's travel tip for easing the pain of airport delays: A lesson learned from a recent doomed trip which included nine hours of waiting in the airport with sleep deprived children (3 years old and 11 months): The three year-old was thoroughly entertained by our newest travel buddy - Trunki...

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Trunki suitcase keeps toddlers entertained during flight delays

Marlene's travel tip for easing the pain of airport delays: A lesson learned from a recent doomed trip which included nine hours of waiting in the airport with sleep deprived children (3 years old and 11 months): The three year-old was thoroughly entertained by our newest travel buddy - Trunki...

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links for 2009-02-23

Photographing Babies: Tips for Rookie Moms We're not all great photographers despite the cherubic models in our midst. Great tips for capturing the cute overload.

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Stave off sleep deprivation by tag-teaming overnight feeding

Parents of newborns: Jenna's overnight feeding how-to will save your sanity (or, at least, slow its departure): When my daughter was about 5 weeks old, we were going OUT OF OUR MINDS with sleep deprivation. A friend shared this with me, and I swear, its the best single piece of...

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Momversation: Is it ok to fight in front of your kids?

Arguments with your spouse are part and parcel of family life. I mean, there is no way to manage a life full of jobs, kids, emotions, responsibilities, and details without running into conflicts with your partner. But should you keep those conflicts private? Conventional wisdom says "you shouldn't fight in...

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Healthy sore throat soother: frozen blueberries + honey

Lisa's sore throat remedy could double as a lovely snack: Sore throats are difficult to treat in young children because you don't want to give them cough drops or spray them with Chloraseptic throat spray, even when they have strep. I have found that when my 4-year-old daughter wakes up...

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