Parent Hacks

Happy Halloween, Parenthackers!

Your kids will have just as much fun without animatronic zombies in the front yard and Broadway show-worthy costumes. Whether they love the silly spookiness of it all, or they prefer handing out candy with you...enjoy it with them.

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links for 2009-10-29

Books For Treats Give books instead of candy! Just read about this in one of my favorite newspaper comic strips, Luann.

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Draw jack-o'-lantern face with dry erase marker

Yet another pumpkin carving discovery! If you draw the jack-o'-lantern face onto the pumpkin with dry erase marker, you've got clear lines to cut AND you can wipe off the marks with a towel when you're finished! More: Easy Halloween tips

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links for 2009-10-27

Carve a Candle-Friendly Pumpkin Hatch - DIY - Lifehacker DUH. Thanks for this, Jill!

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In the Parent Toolbox: Henry's Alien Attack Slideshow (a PowerPoint Storybook)

I admit I'm a PowerPoint shunner. Having been exposed to one too many boring slideshows, I find I've blamed the messenger. But this addition to the Parent Toolbox (especially after Kristen's amazing slideshow illustrating her husband's deployment for her kids) may have turned it around. Kid's Storybook in Powerpoint by...

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No need to thoroughly wash the pumpkin seeds

The most time-consuming part of roasting pumpkin seeds is separating them from the stringy pumpkin innards -- a slimy job, to be sure. But here's one occasion where laziness pays off: I roasted our seeds last night after a cursory rinse, leaving most of the pumpkin strings attached. Tossed with...

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links for 2009-10-26

Fix Me A Snack: healthy family-friendly snacks You can never have enough... Clear-lidded spice container makes a good die roller! How smart! Keep the dice on the table by containing them in a little clear-lidded tin! Spray paint your pumpkin I like the reverse orange/black look! Smart-Bottom Enterprises: Tissue Ghosts...

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Silicone baking mat as playdough work surface

Natalie's quick thinking saved her plenty of cleanup time: Just this weekend I was looking for a surface on which my three year old could go to town with some new playdough and silly putty. Her art table is from IKEA, the small wooden square table variety with a cloth...

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links for 2009-10-23

method: Pumpkin Stencils! And here I was thinking about carving my Jo'L in the shape of a soap bottle! Cute, and a great jumping-off point for creativity.

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Amazon deal: Halloween DVD sale

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Amazon Friday Sale: Aerobed for Kids, lots of Thanksgiving supplies

In today's Amazon Friday sale : Are you hosting holiday guests this year? Aerobed once again makes a showing on sale: the AeroBed for Kids is 40% off today ($59.99). The kids' version has a 4-inch safety surround to help prevent little ones from rolling off. You'll also find tons...

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Peanut butter as hiccup cure

Stephanie's delicious cure for the hiccups: Here's my totally painless [and high protein! -- Ed.] cure for the hiccups: Give your (older child only please!) a silverware spoon full of peanut butter and have them eat it all at one time. Volia! Hiccups instantly gone! I think it works because...

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Cinnamon prolongs the life of your Jack O'Lantern

Just heard this yesterday and intend to try it out: you can prolong the life of your Jack O'Lantern if you sprinkle ground cinnamon inside the cut pumpkin (including the cut top). Apparently, the heat of the candle also makes it smell good! Any more tips for preserving your Jack...

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Toddler's nightly rubdown goes easier (and quieter) with toothbrush distraction

Ah, the beauty of distraction. The trick is to find that thing that really lights your kid up (it's different for every kid, and not always what you'd imagine). From Rachael@Pineapplebabble: My daughter is 13 months old and has eczema so every single night, without fail, we lotion her up....

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Write driving directions on the back of the party invitation

Shivani's hack won't get the present purchased the week before the party, but it will help save some driving hassle on the way there.

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