Parent Hacks

New kids' app review site: A Matter of App

Smartphones are the new handheld gaming device for many kids, especially preschoolers. The trick is to wade through all of the app offerings, which is why the new app review site, A Matter of App, is such a welcome addition to the blogosphere.

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Use your coin jar to buy gift cards with Coinstar (with no fee)

LeAnn's practical demonstration of "a penny saved is a penny earned." This hack is also great for kids and their piggy banks.

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At what age do you stop letting your kid see you naked?

How do you talk about nudity and body issues in your family?

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Your learning memories: arrows pointing to your kid's education

It's worth thinking about what your kid would say if she were to share her favorite learning experience so far.

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Encourage self-serve breakfast independence with "the Breakfast Drawer"

A simple way to make it possible for kids to make their own breakfasts.

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Family tech: the agony and the ecstasy (plus an awesome giveaway)

How do you enjoy the best technology has to offer without letting it take over your life? Leave a comment on the Accidental Expert post for a chance to win a Dell Inspiron One 2320 Touch.

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Coping with a younger sibling's "homework jealousy"

Ah, that adorable, inexorable toddler desire to "be a big kid." Here's how Dr. Efrat Schorr handled it with respect to an older sibling going to school.

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Gotten rid of your telephone landline? What about 911 access for your kids? Talk amongst yourselves.

Kym needs our help! She asks the phone service question I've never been able to answer myself, which is the reason we still have a landline.

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Allowance tips: what Parenthackers are doing

The comments on my post detailing my family's allowance strategy were FULL of practical advice and fantastic suggestions. Here are the highlights.

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Ten books for geeky parents

How could I NOT link to this Ohdeedoh roundup? I just spoke at a gaming conference about Geeky Parenting, for goodness' sake.

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Real world math: put kids in charge of their money

No matter how you decide to give your kids an allowance, the key to increasing its power as a teaching tool is to put your kids in charge of how they spend their money. Here's our strategy, which includes the iPhone app Kiddy Bank.

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Is study hall so bad?

High school study halls: "holding tanks" or the key to a balanced education?

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Make homework more interesting and readable with color

Connie passed along a homework technique she and her niece devised to make papers easier to read and correct: My older niece likes to check over her homework when she's done. When it's something like matching words to their definitions or word search, she often has trouble following the lines...

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Geeky parenting, or, encouraging your kids' passions (including video games)

In my latest Babble Voices post, I talk about getting behind your kids' passions, even when they don't reflect your own.

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Save time while folding laundry: fold it inside-out

For years, I have asked my kids to turn thier clothing right-side-out before throwing it in the hamper. Doing it myself was adding a lot of time to the already dreaded chore of laundry. But my pleas fell on deaf ears...

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