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Category archive: fashion/general cuteness
16 May 08 | Comments: 1
It's approaching 100 degrees in Portland today (!), so Beckie's summer clothing tip comes at the perfect time for me and mine: I found a way to hack my daughter's tank tops. The spaghetti straps on her tops were always...
Lint roller grabs post-haircut stray hairs16 May 08 | Comments: 1
Here's how Kimberley solved the post-haircut itchies: My little girl complains about going places after she's had a haircut because of the hair that gets in her shirt and on her back. I don't blame her -- I hate it...
DIY summer PJs: just cut the arms and legs off of winter pajamas13 May 08 | Comments: 16
Tricia! You just saved me some $! Don’t have the money to go out and buy summer PJs for the kids and the winter ones still fit? Cut the arms and legs off the jammies and make them into shorts...
Perfect gift for new moms: The Rookie Mom's Handbook06 May 08 | Comments: 61
Heather and Whitney (aka the Rookie Moms) are true blog friends. I think these are two of the warmest, smartest women around. We've bonded over the business of blogging and parenting and life. They've sent in bunches of great hacks....
Keep that bib on with a clothespin23 Apr 08 | Comments: 2
From Melody: My 12-month-old is becoming an expert at ripping off her bib about 3 seconds after we put it on at the beginning of a meal. Yesterday I used a clothespin to clip the bib together, and she couldn't...
Straightening iron flattens curly bangs so you can trim them at home20 Mar 08 | Comments: 5
Rednexmama came up with an excellent haircut hack: I refuse to spend $10 just to get my daughter's bangs cut, but it can be more than a little challenging since she has naturally curly hair and it's next to impossible...
Puffy paints make socks non-slip06 Mar 08 | Comments: 6
Marie in Alaska deals with cold tootsies much of the year. She's found an economical way to make her son's socks slip-free: When my toddler started walking, the kitchen floor became a slipping danger. We live in Alaska and it...
Babycape: Easier and more versatile than a jacket29 Feb 08 | Comments: 101
Most of us are still in for plenty more cool weather. But now that Spring is around the corner the on-and-off nature of kid jacket-wearing is already full swing. Too hot! Too cold! Take it off to buckle into the...
Rain pants work for cool-weather beach visits26 Feb 08 | Comments: 1
Debbie's got a great tip for off-season beach visits (a wonderful time to go): We sometimes head to the beach when it's too cold for swimsuit (or when we're headed off somewhere else after). I pull the kids' rain pants...
Old socks as arm dribble-catchers19 Feb 08 | Comments: 5
Beth has solved a problem I was NEVER able to solve myself! I had just resigned myself to sticky elbows for years! I have a 2.5yo who loves fruit -- watery, dribbly, messy fruit. It used to roll down his...
Makeshift Ziploc bag "snow boots" for babies15 Feb 08 | Comments: 12
No snow boots for your baby? Here's Ashley's inventive solution: We live in the Midwest and usually get a few pretty good snows each winter. We got a few inches of snow the other night, so I decided to take...
Wash and store velcro bibs in a mesh lingerie bag30 Jan 08 | Comments: 10
Who among us hasn't had an article of clothing destroyed in the wash by the velcro from a bib? Misha has an answer: We use bibs for our baby that have velcro closures and darn it if that velcro doesn't...
Organize kids' clothes into color-coordinated "capsules" so they can pick their own outfits28 Jan 08 | Comments: 16
Sara needs to dress my daughter, or at least help me pick out her clothes. I love clothes, and Miss J has so many clothes it's a tad embarrassing. Even worse, the daily question of what to wear was turning...
Threadbanger shows you how to turn an old sweatshirt into a cozy baby bundler27 Jan 08 | Comments: 8
Dare I say it? Anyone with a sewing machine could make this nifty zip-uppable "pod."
Toddler mittens: Sew the lining to the mitten at the tip of the thumb24 Jan 08 | Comments: 1
Pam (from New Brunswick, Canada, where it's currently negative zero to the tenth degrees) came up with another toddler mitten hack: I broke out the needle and thread today to fix a problem that's been bugging me for weeks. My...
Swim shirt doubles as a winter underlayer23 Jan 08 | Comments: 2
So smart! From Katherine: Don't forget you can get another season's use out of that sun-proof swimming shirt from last summer! Remembering the outdoors-persons' motto "cotton kills," I wanted to put a layer of non-absorbent material against my boy's skin...
A trick for getting mittens onto toddlers23 Jan 08 | Comments: 6
David, a former preschool teacher, has had plenty of practice getting mittens onto little hands: Hold the mitten up with it open toward your child so they can put their hand in. Then you tell them to touch your nose...
Best of Parent Hacks: Keeping warm during the winter17 Jan 08 | Comments: 2
The weather outside is still frightful, so I thought it might be nice to dig through the archives for some of our best cold weather tips: Polar fleece makes crib extra cozy Shoe organizer in the coat closet keeps gloves...
Kid already buckled into the stroller or car seat? Put the jacket on backwards!16 Jan 08 | Comments: 6
Haven't most of us done this at one time or another? Thank you, Heather, for thinking to write down this hack and send it in! My 18 month-old hates wearing a coat in his stroller. About the only time he...
Slide button-up shirts over toddlers' heads 't-shirt style'11 Jan 08 | Comments: 4
Had I read Mindy's hack seven years ago, I wouldn't have taken my son to most fancy occasions wearing long-sleeved t-shirts (hey, i ironed them, ok?): My 22 month-old son owns quite a few casual collared shirts with 4 buttons...
Make detangling more fun (less unfun?) by turning it into a game08 Jan 08 | Comments: 14
Ah, the joys of detangling long hair. Here's how Amy manages the tresses: Both my girls have long hair. One has long, blonde locks with an ultra-sensitive head, and the other has very curly, red hair and just doesn't like...
Baby shoes as Christmas ornaments19 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
From Kelly: My aunt gave me this decorating idea: when you have baby shoes your child grew out of that you'd like to keep because they're oh-so-cute and sentimental but don't know where to put them, hang them on the...
Let pajamas double as long underwear to save time in the morning17 Dec 07 | Comments: 6
I happened onto a time-saving hack this morning because we had to get out the door early for an appointment. It's cooooold, cold enough that I send my daughter to preschool in a layer of long underwear beneath her clothes....
How to keep sleeves from getting bunched up in jackets? Talk amongst yourselves.12 Dec 07 | Comments: 14
Holly wonders: I wish I had a hack for this, and I'm sure somebody does --- how do you keep your baby's sleeves on a long-sleeved shirt from getting all bunched up and frumpy when you put the coat on??...
Topless undershirt makes a great nursing coverup07 Dec 07 | Comments: 122
Nursing coverup? Bah! Who needs 'em? At least that's what I thought while nursing my first child during the temperate Northern California fall. But there's nothing like a blast of Northwest winter air while you're nursing outside to open your...
Extend the life of outgrown dresses as tops and tunics07 Dec 07 | Comments: 3
B said this about her thrifty, wardrobe-extending hack: "I thought this one was fairly obvious but I've gotten stopped by other mothers in stores recently so maybe I'm onto something..." I re-use my daughter's dresses as shirts or tunics or...
BabyLegs: More than just baby leg warmers06 Dec 07 | Comments: 146
Baby leg warmers? Who would think that such a simple, obvious idea would be such a godsend? Nicole Donnelly, apparently. Not only did she come up with the idea to keep her daughters' legs warm during "nakedy time," she has...
How to get a jacket on a squirmy toddler21 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Damselfly's got a few tricks for getting a jacket onto her toddler: I'm not sure if this is a bona-fide hack, but it works for us. My 14-month-old boy fights me every time he has to get dressed or undressed....
How to muffle those squeaky toddler shoes08 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
The idea seemed good at the time ("Squeaky shoes! How cute!"). *Sigh*. From Sara: Those fun yet annoying shoes that are supposed to encourage new walkers by squeaking each time they take a step are easy to come by at...
Create a visual inventory of kid clothing purchases07 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
I was stunned by the Linda's smarts on this one: I like to shop online for great bargains on clothes for my kids at the end of each season and put things away for next year. However, in the thrill...
Attach mittens to coat sleeves05 Nov 07 | Comments: 12
Ted's hack could be adapted to store-bought mittens as well: With Wisconsin's winter approaching, my wife is knitting mittens for our 3-month-old. The old plan she's working from has a long string that ties the mittens together and runs through...
The Daring Book for Girls is out!03 Nov 07 | Comments: 6
If you'll recall, we had a fascinating discussion after my review of The Dangerous Book for Boys...touched off by the question: what about girls? Ladies and gentleman, I give you... I have a review copy of The Daring Book for...
Expand the dress-up wardrobe with discounted Halloween costumes01 Nov 07 | Comments: 0
Rather than raid the dress-up bin for Halloween, Wendy raids the after-Halloween sales for the dress-up bin! Great setup for future costume swaps, too. My 3 year-old daughter loves playing dress-up, but we only have a couple of items. I've...
Forget struggling with baby socks in winter: let them wear tights21 Oct 07 | Comments: 12
Fiona's hack makes me remember back to my kids' baby days...was always trying to cover up that bit of exposed leg between the bottoms of their pants and the tops of their socks. This would have done the trick... I...
Chew on This: Teething Bling18 Oct 07 | Comments: 5
When my son was an infant, I often found myself wearing a big multicolored teething toy on my wrist like a giant clown bangle. It was practical, but it definitely lacked style- especially on the days I forgot to take...
Metal pet tags make great backpack IDs16 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
A fantastic idea, and it makes a decent fashion statement, too. From JT: When my son started kindergarten, I wanted to put an ID on his backpack. The luggage tag I got him disappeared pretty quickly, but the next time...
Glue down collars on baby outfits to keep them clean15 Oct 07 | Comments: 11
Hilary, you are brilliant. Anything that reduces the amount of laundry is GOOD. All those baby outfits with collars people gave us were cute, but not helpful at feeding time. The collars inevitably flip up and cover baby's mouth, or...
Cut the snaps off the shirts of potty training toddlers25 Sep 07 | Comments: 5
Ellie said "I'm sure this is too simple to send in," but it most certainly is not. It never dawned on me while I was potty training my oldest...I struggled with snaps all the time. Duh. I am potty training...
Rubber band pant legs over sockless baby feet23 Sep 07 | Comments: 5
Shirky McLazy's little sock hack: We went out and the baby lost his socks. I pulled his pants over his feet and rubber-banded the ends closed. Tada! Warm feet! Speaking of lost baby socks, the only thing that ever kept...
Simplifying the standing diaper change13 Sep 07 | Comments: 18
Cathy, aka Mayberry Mom, makes good use of those onesie/bodysuit crotch snaps: Here's something I figured out recently--can't believe it took me two kids and many years to do so. I've been doing stand-up diaper changes for a year now...
Real Simple Family: full of good hacks04 Sep 07 | Comments: 11
I couldn't resist -- Real Simple Family -- a special issue of the lifestyle mag Real Simple -- found its way into my shopping cart this afternoon. It's full of good hacks, including taping a few unused board games together...
Put a bell on toddlers' belts to more easily locate them24 Aug 07 | Comments: 42
From Will, Hedra's husband! When your toddlers start to walk around, it can be tiring to track their presence at all times, especially in crowded areas, or in the outdoors. When we had this situation while on vacation in Vermont,...
Custom silicone bracelet as preschooler travel ID13 Aug 07 | Comments: 18
With the summer travel season upon us, it's a good time to revisit the ways in which we can make our lost kids "findable" in crowded places. We published a hack last year suggesting rubber bracelets as ID, but Dawn's...
Blowout damage control: pull the onesie off down over the legs10 Aug 07 | Comments: 16
hedra has just caused me to say, out loud, "WHY didn't I think of this when my kids were babies?" If you're one of the lucky parents whose infant has those ghastly blowout diapers where the poop shoots up their...
Consistent front-back swimsuit color makes kids easier to track in the pool06 Aug 07 | Comments: 8
Richard's hack is one that would never become apparent unless you're in the situation: I made the mistake last year of buying my son a set of swim trunks that are red on the front, but black on the back....
Martha Stewart (and staff): Parenthackers?04 Aug 07 | Comments: 7
There's a fine line between the hacker-ish DIYers and the stylish crafters. Case in point: the Martha Stewart Omnimedia folks got in touch to tell me about Good Things For Kids, a new special issue of on newsstands now. It's...
How to put tights on your daughter06 Jul 07 | Comments: 21
Another example of information "everyone knows" (but really doesn't), from Sara: Watching my husband dress my daughter, I realized that my "standard" way of putting on tights, learned from my mother, might be obvious to me but not to everyone...
Buy different sock brands for siblings26 Jun 07 | Comments: 19
Traci laments the curse of matching socks: This seems silly (do most hacks start with those three words?) [Indeed, many do! Also: "I'm sure everyone already does this, but..." -- Ed.] but when you have more than one kid --...
Underwear packaging makes ideal flash card storage21 Jun 07 | Comments: 6
So many products come with promising outer packaging -- I'm thinking sheets and larger bed linens. Sharon came up with a good use for the thick plastic packaging in which underwear is sold: I love to find new uses for...
Use an airline baggage tag as temporary ID15 Jun 07 | Comments: 1
Here's how Gillian helps make sure her son is findable in crowded airports: We've traveled a lot with our 4 and a half year old son and I'm always worried that he will get lost in the airport. On one...
Clothespin keeps onesie flaps from dropping into the toilet11 Jun 07 | Comments: 5
Barbara shares a "very tiny" hack that solves a very big problem: Here is a very tiny hack: My two-year old son wants to sit on the toilet a lot and he still wears those onesies that button between the...
Shoe organizer in the coat closet keeps gloves and accessories within reach04 May 07 | Comments: 8
Tracy's hack works just as well for warm weather accessories: sunglasses, caps, swim goggles... How to keep gloves, scarves, hats, dog leashes easy to find? Hang a shoe organizer on the inside of your coat closet door. Assign a row...
Less laundry detergent still gets clothes clean04 May 07 | Comments: 15
Michael's sensible laundry tip: This one helps the budget and the planet all in one. The recommended scoop (or squirt) size for laundry detergent is far too much. Identical cleaning results can be obtained with 1/3 the suggested amount. You'd...
Photo contact sheets contain perfect tiny locket pictures03 May 07 | Comments: 4
Eliz found a great use for photo contact sheets: When you need a TINY picture for a project or for your daughter's first locket, I've found that the perfect solution is the contact sheets many photo developers now provide, especially...
Getting marks off of Easter shoes04 Apr 07 | Comments: 6
Here's how Rachel keeps the Easter outfit bright and shiny: My two year old daughter wore her new Easter shoes to church yesterday. They are adorable white leather Mary Janes that cost a pretty penny and are supposed to last...
Smart sizing saves money on toddler clothes01 Apr 07 | Comments: 9
From Kittenpie, just in time for springtime clothes shopping: A money-saver if you're not too much the fashionista: Last year I was looking at cute skorts at Gap when a sales associate pointed something out to me - the waistband...
Save grungy socks for indoor playgrounds25 Mar 07 | Comments: 2
Suzanne's eminently practical use for old socks: Before you throw out your kids' old, dingy socks, let them use them one more time -- in those indoor, McDonald's-type playland places. I keep a bag of old socks in my trunk...
Put socks over baby's pajama feet to keep them in place20 Mar 07 | Comments: 6
Jackie's hack keeps her baby's feet inside the pajama footies. My second child, while weighing a perfectly acceptable 7 lbs 12 oz, is a dainty little thing and her feet were getting lost in the legs of her one-piece sleepers....
Fashion a no-build "closet" out of a curtain rod and a bookshelf19 Mar 07 | Comments: 6
Megan's brilliant space-saving clothing storage hack, which I may put to use in my daughter's room: My bedroom serves as the nursery and is also quite low on dresser space. I use a bookshelf with one of the shelves removed...
Old tube socks protect exposed wrists from snow22 Feb 07 | Comments: 6
I wish I had heard CJ's snow-play hack about six years ago: Even in the heart of winter, we spend a lot of time outside, following my mother's wisdom that "there is no bad weather, just bad clothing." One problem...
Make a last minute Valentine t-shirt13 Feb 07 | Comments: 2
Pam to the rescue! The activity center at www.hp.com has 2 free Valentine’s iron-ons available to print. Because we don’t need any chocolate, and because money for flowers is better spent on diapers these days, I printed one that my...
Hanes ComfortSoft: I'll never buy another brand of boys' underwear12 Feb 07 | Comments: 13
I never thought I'd get evangelical about underpants, but here it is. Regular boys' briefs generally come with scratchy elastic waistbands -- they always gave my son uncomfortable red welts on his waist no matter what size he wore. No...
Getting pants on a wiggly baby12 Feb 07 | Comments: 9
Josh demonstrates proper kid-wrangling: I don't know if this qualifies as a hack, as I just thought it was how everyone did it, but my wife saw me doing this the other day and suggested I send it in. When...
Detangling little girls' hair09 Feb 07 | Comments: 22
Tim's hack made me recall my own painful detangling sessions when I was a preschooler. My parents must have spent at least $100 on endless bottles of detangling spray -- this would have been so much more effective. At about...
No-sew tutu05 Feb 07 | Comments: 3
Perfectly pink and poofy, but you had me at "no sew." At the always-wonderful Kiddley. Tags: Dress-up, Parenting, Tutu
Discount stores sell re-labeled versions of name-brand kids clothing05 Feb 07 | Comments: 4
Latia uncovered some surprises on a recent trip to a discount store: With a little research, I've discovered that name brand kid's clothing labels will sell their overstocked or slightly defective outfits to cheaper stores, which then replace the tags...
Fruit slime as baby hair gel29 Jan 07 | Comments: 12
If that title didn't grab you, you're a stronger parent than I. Erin's hack requires no preamble: My 11 month-old daughter's hair is just long enough to get in her eyes, but not long enough to tuck behind an ear....
Put shoes and socks on kids AFTER strapping them into the stroller28 Jan 07 | Comments: 4
From Kittenpie: Before I attempt to wrestle shoes, socks, and a coat onto my girl in the morning, I put her in her stroller and do up the belt. Now she can't escape and I am not running after a...
Curly no-tie shoelaces for toddlers' sneakers27 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
Here's how Kittenpie dealt with the toddler shoe-tying problem: Recently I had to buy my daughter new shoes and it was right between seasons. There was so little available, I grabbed a pair of sneakers, only to realize when I...
Fixing bleach stains with Sharpies24 Jan 07 | Comments: 8
In a brilliant reverse hack, Donna actually wants to draw on her clothes with colorful Sharpie permanent markers: We have bleach problems. We can't figure out which one of us ("Mom" or "Dad") keeps using bleach in the laundry but...
Wearing a cap to bed helps kids sleep through a cold night22 Jan 07 | Comments: 8
Landismom is a good problem solver: When it started to get cold this winter, my three-year-old son kept waking up in the middle of the night. We turn our heat down after everyone goes to bed, for environmental and money-saving...
Reasonably-priced winter socks for kids? Talk amongst yourselves.22 Jan 07 | Comments: 21
Thin cotton socks + winter weather = cold tootsies. But I'm having a hard time finding decent wool socks for my kids (especially my 3YO daughter). I'm looking for non-scratchy and reasonably-priced. The only kids' wool socks I can find...
Vincent: Kid shoes a parent can love...especially on sale12 Jan 07 | Comments: 5
I'm not a high-fashion kid's clothing shopper. I dress my kids in the best quality clothing I can afford, I peruse the second-hand shops, and I generally try to keep them seasonally comfy and relatively color coordinated. Given the mud,...
Embellish your kid's Crocs10 Jan 07 | Comments: 8
I can't say I'm a fan of Crocs -- those brightly-colored plastic clogs that seem to have taken over the footwear universe. Obviously I'm in the minority, however, because I see them year-round here in sloshy Portland. They are undeniably...
Bidding at Her Bad Auction opens today13 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
When people ask me why I'm so excited about blogging, I tell them "because of the community." Some look at me askance, as if I'd just admitted I picked up my husband in some seedy chat room. But tell me...
Baby car seat straps and overalls don't mix12 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Katie's hack brought back memories of wrestling my son into his car seat: Now that our son is out of his infant bucket car seat, it's been harder to get the shoulder straps situated properly. It was always a little...
Duct tape makes socks non-slip19 Nov 06 | Comments: 4
How do I love thee (duct tape)? Let me count the ways... From Dot: Add this to the uses for duct tape... with the weather getting colder, I was concerned that my baby’s little toes would be cold as he...
Nifty hat-plus-scarf at Land's End12 Nov 06 | Comments: 3
Six years in the Pacific Northwest, and you'd think I'd be a little better at outfitting myself (and my kids) for cold weather and snow. I grew up in California. It doesn't come naturally. This year, rather than cobbling together...
Self-adhesive DOT-It LED light as Halloween headlamp30 Oct 06 | Comments: 6
Barb, author of Great Family Gadgets, slipped this hack in under the wire. Great idea, Barb! I just came up with (what I think is) a great Halloween hack yesterday, as I was working on a post for my site....
No Halloween costume yet? Swap!28 Oct 06 | Comments: 1
I'd bet there's a fair percentage of us who are still scrambling for Halloween costumes. Here's Jill's solution: If you don't want to spend much and don't have time or creativity to make a costume, consider staging a costume swap...
Build-a-Bear Workshop outfits as baby Halloween costumes23 Oct 06 | Comments: 1
If you're still recovering from the sticker shock at Build-A-Bear Workshop, follow Ken's suggestion: reuse the bear's outfit as a Halloween costume for your baby. (Check out those cute pix!) Warning: unless dressing the baby for a quick photo-op, make...
No-sew modular Halloween costumes20 Oct 06 | Comments: 6
Hedra just sent this Halloween costume hack, and it's so good I had to post it right away so you can make a fabric store run this weekend! Over time, my costume-making has evolved into a fairly simple hack. I...
More than you ever wanted to know about how to tie shoes19 Oct 06 | Comments: 2
From Kip: Here's the most interesting shoelace site I've found: http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/index.htm (I don't really know how much competition there is, but he seems to have given the matter a good deal of thought, anyway, and has some novel methods that...
How to get hair ribbons to stay put18 Oct 06 | Comments: 7
If only my mom had known this hack 35 years ago! Thanks, Sara. If you like putting ribbons in your daughter's hair, a trick for ponytails is to wrap the ribbon in the rubber band as if it was a...
Bellybutton match game gets underpants on straight17 Oct 06 | Comments: 5
SJ's self-dressing hack: When we started potty training there was a lot of backwards underwear-wearing, because it's hard to tell which way girls' panties go of there is no tag or bow. Sometimes my daughter would get it wrong even...
How to process new clothing purchases08 Oct 06 | Comments: 5
One of my least favorite aspects of back-to-school clothes shopping (any clothes shopping for that matter) is removing the tags, stickers, and other plastic thingamabobs from the clothes once I get them home. I'm always left scrabbling on the floor,...
BabySpareWear: Possibly more expensive than the clothes your kid is already wearing06 Oct 06 | Comments: 14
I don't condone flaming, nor am I a fan of that most-common of blog entries, the rant. But I just can't let this one go unmentioned -- it goes to the heart of one of the reasons I started Parent...
Make extra $ at the resale shop05 Oct 06 | Comments: 1
If you like to buy and sell kids' clothes at the resale shop (something I recommend highly), you must, I repeat, must read Mir's Want Not post on maximizing thrift store thriftiness. She buys low at Goodwill and sells high...
The best lipstick for moms03 Sep 06 | Comments: 6
Lipstick? On Parent Hacks? Yes, and rightfully so. Motherhood can do a number on one's sense of fashion and personal grooming. Too much trouble, not enough time. Anything that simplifies the process counts as a good hack in my book....
The Modern Girl's Guide to Motherhood01 Sep 06 | Comments: 31
An embarrassingly long time ago, the publisher of The Modern Girl's Guide to Motherhood sent me a review copy, asking if it might be of interest to Parent Hacks readers. "Absolutely," I said with good intention, and then proceeded to...
Give older kids a "bonus" for picking out matching clothes01 Sep 06 | Comments: 3
Obviously, as kids get older, sticker charts don't pack the motivational punch they once did. Here's how Kvetch "helps" her eleven year-old daughter choose her outfit for the day: Perhaps you don't remember what it's like to get dressed when...
Buying pants that fit slim-waisted kids23 Aug 06 | Comments: 4
The urbanMamas have recently been discussing how and where to buy pants that don't end up around the ankles of their slim toddlers and preschoolers. My solution with my daughter is to keep her in dresses (brilliant, I know, but...
Back-to-school clothes: Money-saving and money-making ideas23 Aug 06 | Comments: 4
My kids have grown like weeds over the summer. It's not so noticeable while they're wearing shorts and sundresses, but as soon as they wiggle into last Fall's pants and long-sleeved t-shirts, it's obvious we need to do some back-to-school...
Personalized rubber bracelets as wearable identification21 Aug 06 | Comments: 13
Mayberry Mom suggests a stylish alternative to masking tape identification: Yesterday my daughter's preschool class went on a field trip. They were getting ready to go just as I dropped her off, so I noticed this hack that they use:...
Helping preschoolers get their shoes on the correct feet15 Aug 06 | Comments: 8
Duane came up with a way to teach his daughter to put her shoes on the proper feet: My daughter (who just turned 4) seems to get her left and right shoes confused more than half the time. Any explanation...
Crafty coverall bib catches drips all the way down26 Jul 06 | Comments: 3
I spent much of my son's baby- and toddlerhood looking for a bib that would actually keep him marginally splatter-free. I finally settled on the armor-like Baby Bjorn molded bib, which did a great job most of the time, but...
Lingerie bags keep socks together in the dresser, hamper, washer and dryer23 Jul 06 | Comments: 5
Both Heather and Sara suggested washing baby socks in a mesh lingerie bag to keep them out of the maw of the sock monster. Sara goes a step further, though: All socks tend to disappear into that black hole that...
Moxie on socks18 Jul 06 | Comments: 6
Moxie, of my beloved Ask Moxie, on managing the sock insanity: Buy all the socks in one size in the same color, and then switch to a different color for the next few sizes. For example, buy 0-6 months in...
InfantExchange.com: eBay alternative for baby stuff02 Jul 06 | Comments: 0
InfantExchange.com is a new eBay-type auction and classified ad site specifically for baby and kid gear. Buy, sell or swap, if you're so inclined! Listings are free with for-fee "upgrades," but founder Marlon Montgomery got in touch to let me...
Ziploc Big Bags good for seasonal clothing storage30 Jun 06 | Comments: 3
Kirsten passed along yet another good use for Ziplocs: A great new product for storing outgrown or off season kids' clothes: Ziploc big bags. All the convenience and quality of a Ziploc bag, but big! You can write on them...
Make cute toddler lounge pants out of an old t-shirt27 Jun 06 | Comments: 2
Look what Whitney did! She made adorable pants for her little cuteness out of her husband's old t-shirt! Here's how. Tags: Kids' clothes, Parenting, Toddler
Small-footed moms: buy Keens in kid sizes25 Jun 06 | Comments: 0
Olivia nabbed a bargain on Keen sandals (super-popular with Portland feet): I went to REI and snagged some Keen sandals....in a kids' size 6. I usually wear a Women's size 8. Instead of paying $70, I bought them for $36!...
Welcome, Kiddley!18 May 06 | Comments: 0
Claire Robertson, veteran blogger and the crafty mum behind loobylu, has just launched Kiddley, a blog devoted to "everyday ideas for you and your kids." The blog itself is a visual treat, but the content, of course, is what will...
Quick, healthy breakfast ideas18 May 06 | Comments: 13
Here are Sara's: Growing up, my mother always fed us quick, healthy breakfasts before school. One of our favorites was breakfast tacos (I've seen these called breakfast burritos outside of Texas). On the weekend, she'd make up a big batch...
Cheeky baby t-shirts14 May 06 | Comments: 15
No more "I love my Mommy" t-shirts for discriminating tots. Today's babe wears a onesie with an edge, something hip and possibly a little offensive, something that says "Because I'm cute enough to get away with it. If not, I'll...
Talk amongst yourselves: INCHworm Shoes12 May 06 | Comments: 3
Miriam recently saw INCHworm shoes featured on The Today Show: Shoes that grow with your kids. Sounds cool. I would love to know if anyone is using them. Anyone care to comment? Tags: Parenting
Shout Gel Stick for paint stains07 May 06 | Comments: 1
Moxie (of Ask Moxie) says: This isn't a hack per se, but the best thing I've found to take tempera paint out of preschoolers' clothes is the Shout Gel stick. I don't think there's anything particularly magical about the gel...
How to keep a hat on your baby's head30 Apr 06 | Comments: 2
Here's how Caley keeps a hat on her baby: My 9 month-old son loves to take his hats off during our walks. Until today, I was CONSTANTLY having to stop every couple of minutes to pick his hat up off...
Wool diaper covers prevent nighttime leaks28 Apr 06 | Comments: 1
More soft, wooly advice from Tiffany: Another nighttime leaky diaper tip: Diapers do not fit all kids all the time, add the nighttime shuffling and leg bending and, well... even the best fitting diapers can leak. A wool diaper cover...
Zinc oxide "highlights" where to trim tiny fingernails27 Apr 06 | Comments: 2
Another brilliant hack from Andi: If you have difficulty seeing where to cut when trimming your baby or toddler's nails (They're so thin that they can be almost transparent) you can spread a little zinc oxide diaper rash cream on...
Match secondhand clothes before you leave the store19 Apr 06 | Comments: 3
Liz frequents resale shops (something we strongly endorse!). Here's how she keeps a lid on impulse buys: I buy a lot of baby clothes at the thrift store. You can get a great bargain but, I noticed that I was...
Store outfits together16 Apr 06 | Comments: 5
Here's Liz's simple trick for streamlining getting her daughter dressed: When I put my daughter's clothes away, I don’t get too fussy about the folding, but I do fold up tops and bottoms together that match. I just fold the...
How to host a clothing swap11 Apr 06 | Comments: 3
Rookie Moms Heather and Whitney explain how to host a clothing swap, in which you exchange all of your perfectly-usable-but-boring clothes for fabulously stylish duds. The magic is that somehow your boring stuff looks wonderful on someone else, everything's free,...
When changing diapers, put a fresh one underneath first07 Apr 06 | Comments: 12
Here's how Liz simplified diaper changing way back when: When my daughter was a little baby, we always pulled her outfit up and away from her bottom during diaper changes and then laid out a clean diaper under the dirty...
How to french braid hair05 Apr 06 | Comments: 0
My daughter's hair is still baby-short, but the day will soon come when she requests sparkly barrettes and ponytails (I already see her staring longingly at the hair accessories in the drugstore). So, I'm studying. Here are step-by-step directions for...
How to get a belt onto a wiggly toddler04 Apr 06 | Comments: 2
From Melissa: I have a two year old boy who can almost never keep a pair of pants on his waist. Though it can sometimes make a diaper change a little more challenging, I have resorted to having him occasionally...
'Amelie'-style bangs30 Mar 06 | Comments: 0
Finally! Instructions for cool bangs. Thanks, Sara. After reading someone's bad experience getting their baby's haircut at a "kid's cut" sort of place, I decided to try to cut my daughter's bangs myself (her first haircut, too, no less). I...
Crucial baby gear29 Mar 06 | Comments: 0
There's a great conversation going on at urbanMamas about what baby gear you really need. Technorati Tags: Baby, Baby gear
Make a cheat sheet of baby's clothing sizes27 Mar 06 | Comments: 2
Christy figured out a way to remind herself when her son "grew into" a new outfit: When my first child was a a baby it happened frequently where I would go put him in an outfit that he had outgrown...
Tree of shoes23 Mar 06 | Comments: 0
AJ at Thingamababy keeps his daughter's shoes organized with a revolving shoe tree. I still prefer a hanging shoe organizer in the coat closet, but I can see how this would come in quite handy. [Thanks, Sara, for the heads-up.]
Parent Hacks in Hip Mama11 Mar 06 | Comments: 0
Parent Hacks is one of eighteen mama-owned businesses/projects highlighted in Issue #35 of Hip Mama: The Parenting Zine, edited by Ariel Gore. If you're here as a result, welcome! Have a look around, and if you're so inclined, send us...
Minti fresh09 Mar 06 | Comments: 1
Another victory for "real-world" parenting advice! Newly launched: Minti, a website that hopes to become "the world's largest parent-to-parent advice-opedia." You can write up and tag your own articles and tips, browse or search others', rate each article's relative usefulness,...
Duplication rules09 Mar 06 | Comments: 2
Along the lines of the Redundant Array of Inexpensive Kittens, kittenpie suggests: Duplication! Buy spares. Why? When we left our daughter's "doggie" toy at the nanny's, she still had another at home to sleep with. When she puked on her...
Consider keeping little girls' hair short06 Mar 06 | Comments: 15
When I was a little girl, I had waist-long hair which my mom brushed and braided every day. We might as well have bought shares in Johnson & Johnson for the bottles of No More Tangles we went through. When...
Parenting tips down under25 Feb 06 | Comments: 2
Australian mom Christine Tse hosts Parentingideas.org, a blog "to inspire with ideas and practical tips on parenting." Technorati Tags: Parenting
Store kids' shoes and socks in the coat closet20 Feb 06 | Comments: 4
We keep our kids' shoes and socks (rolled into little, self-contained balls) stowed in a hanging canvas shoe organizer the hallway coat closet. Advantages (as compared to keeping shoes in bedroom closets and socks in bedroom drawers): No dirt tracked...
Sand your Robeez20 Feb 06 | Comments: 3
Carter offers this tip for prolonging the useful life of Robeez, the super-cute leather slip-on shoes. Brilliant in its simplicity: When the soles of the kid's Robeez start getting too slick, just give them a once over with some medium-grit...
Tips for parents of twins17 Feb 06 | Comments: 3
Irène Nam, prolific mama blogger (Momster, Blogging Baby) and mother of twins, has a bunch of great ideas for other parents of multiples: When you have twins, you eventually realize that raising two babies is very different than raising one...
Parenting hacks at 43folders27 Jan 06 | Comments: 0
43folders is Merlin Mann's site devoted to all things productivity and organization. Devotees of 43folders can post ideas/suggestions/discussion to his wiki, and many among them are parents. I give you: the 43folders wiki on Parenting Hacks. (Unsure what a wiki...
gDiapers: The Missing Link?23 Jan 06 | Comments: 16
Cloth or disposables? Now there's a third choice: gDiapers. Cute reusable "little g" velcro pants with flushable inner liners. Nothing in the landfill or the diaper pail. Nicely designed Web site. I can't believe I just spent 15 minutes clicking...
Dress your kid the night before21 Jan 06 | Comments: 0
Some parents streamline their morning routines by dressing their young toddlers for bed in the next day's clothes. This only works with soft, knit clothing with no strings, hard buttons or buckles. As long as you use an extra large...
Berkeley Parents Network13 Jan 06 | Comments: 2
We lived in Berkeley, CA for many years, but were parents there for only a year before we moved. In that year, I must have referred to the Berkeley Parents Network (an earlier incarnation of it) hundreds of times. Full...
Dad-daughter shopping tips12 Jan 06 | Comments: 2
Dennis in Eugene, OR wrote us a lovely email full of tips he's collected as his daughter has grown. Here's one about clothes shopping during the middle kid years (7-11): Whenever my daughter and I shopped I would point out...
Washable toddler manicure02 Jan 06 | Comments: 3
Our girly-girl toddler begs us for "pretty pink toes" and fingers. She's too young for nail polish, and we're not convinced it's safe to expose her to the chemicals. So, we "paint" her nails with washable markers. She's happy, and...
Second-hand clothing, Part I: Selling your kids' used clothes31 Dec 05 | Comments: 7
If you haven't yet identified a good kids' resale shop in your neighborhood, hop to it. Used kids' clothing is the surest way to stretch your sartorial budget. Find a shop you like When evaluating a resale shop, check out...
We do the math: High-quality clothes save $27 Dec 05 | Comments: 11
It's counter-intuitive, but you should spend a little more on the stuff they wear every day, because it will save you $ in the end. Cheap clothes look like crap after four or five washings. Good clothes keep their shape,...
Use Google Maps as a baby/kid resource26 Dec 05 | Comments: 1
From Blogging Baby: Stefania Butler discovered that Google Maps helps her find kid-related businesses in her neighborhood (and in anyone else's for that matter). I tried it myself -- I typed "baby" and "children" into the search field -- and...
