Parent Hacks

Piddle Pad protects car seat from diaper blowouts

In response to a hack suggesting disposable changing pads as car seat poop-protectors, @Heatherikki pointed out a smart non-disposable solution.

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Disposable changing pad keeps car seat clean(er) during potty training

I'm sure Candice speaks from potty-training experience.

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Advent calendar as potty training reward chart

"The prospect of opening an advent calendar door for each potty success worked amazingly well to motivate my 3-year old son after chocolate buttons, jellybeans, temporary tattoos and a sticker chart had all failed. It was like magic!"

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Homemade barrette board turns hair clips into decor

Adorable + functional: my favorite combination.

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Hairspray removes temporary tattoos

Our kids love to wear temporary tattoos -- those colorful decals that go on with a bit of water. I don't mind them wearing the tattoos, but I don't like trying to remove them...

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An educational bath toy that costs pennies to make: homemade siphon

There's nothing better than a dead-simple toy that invites hands-on (or mouth-on!) experimentation. Especially when said "toy" can be purchased at the hardware store for practically nothing.

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One simple maneuver for cleaner diaper changes

Stacy has been changing diapers for seven years. That's a LOT of diapers. And she has just discovered a simple change in technique that keeps her baby's hands out of the "poop zone."

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"Paint on" diaper cream with a makeup brush

Cristina's solution to sticky diaper cream-covered hands: To keep hands (and thus everything else) clean during changes when we have to apply rash cream, I bought an inexpensive foundation makeup brush. The gloppiest cream can be applied liberally this way and the clean diaper put on without all the cream...

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Potty training inspiration: make custom underwear decals!

Becky titled this hack "Inspiring underwear." I say: inspired underwear for those who are looking to motivate beginning potty-trainers: They say you should let your potty-training child pick out some big-kid underwear at the store so that he/she is inspired to keep them dry for potty training. But when I...

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Collapsible baby wipe packages work better than travel wipe containers

Lisa says lose the travel wipe container! When I was a new mom and carried a big diaper bag with every possible baby supply, I used a plastic, portable-sized and refillable baby wipe container. The problem was that I was always worried that I would run out of wipes, and...

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Baking soda paste as no-tear shampoo

A gentle hair-washing hack from Kate: If you are afraid of shampoo in the eyes, or have sensitive skin, try a baking soda paste to wash hair. Seriously. No suds, safe to ingest, leaves hair squeaky clean. Follow with conditioner. Cheap, too! Is baking soda magical or what? You can...

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Tether the hairbrush to the towel bar!

via leechbabe.com Never again shall "but I couldn't find the brush!" be an excuse for wild hair. Hilarious! Thanks for sharing this on the Facebook page, Marita.

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Wet hair, cold head? Wear a hat to bed!

Bring back the stocking cap! Tracy did and it kept her daughter cozy in bed while keeping heating bills low: My daughter took a bath before bed and was uncomfortable and cold because her hair was wet. Being that this time of year the heat doesn't always kick in as...

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Contain hair styling supplies in a tackle box

In the comments of a hack showing hair accessories stored in a plastic cleaning tote, Mia shared her method, which may work even better for some: We've started using a tackle box to store my daughter's hair accessories. The bottom is big enough for brushes, detangler, etc. It can be...

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Stop fighting long hair battles with your kids: cut it

Several folks have responded to my queries about kids' hair management with a simple just cut it. Ponytails are cute and all, but many folks would never go back after experiencing the freedom, peace and time gained by a simple chin-length bob. From Sarah: I love long hair and wish...

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