We can’t give you more hours in the day or make your baby sleep through the night, but we have found 24 parenting hacks that make life with kids just a little bit easier.
Between cooking, cleaning, homework, errands, and baths, many parents can hardly find a moment to catch their breath. They are on the clock 24 hours a day and they don’t even get paid! It’s the hardest job in the world, but also the most rewarding. With these simple hacks, you might even find the time to enjoy that second cup of coffee.
1. Getting out the door in the morning is always a challenge. Put stickers in your toddler’s shoes so they can put them on the right feet.
2. Rub your child’s back as they doze off, then replace your hand with a glove filled with beans.
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3. Being the parent of multiples comes with a unique set of challenges. This genius dad eliminated backseat bickering with cardboard dividers.
4. Occupy your toddler by letting them “paint” the fence with water. It works well with rocks, too.
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5. Or confine their creativity to a cardboard box.
6. This idea is perfect for any kid who loves to draw. Any time they need a fresh sheet of paper, just pull and tear.
7. Once your child outgrows their crib, convert it into a nifty art and homework station.
8. If you have slippery hardwood floors, use puffy paint to draw fun designs on your kid’s socks. No more indoor slip ‘n slide!
9. Babies love to pull books off the shelf. Stop the problem before it happens with bicycle inner tubes. Instrutables has the details.
10. Wash LEGOs and other plastic toys at least once a month in a mesh garment bag.
11. An old crate filled with empty toilet paper tubes makes an ideal parking garage for toy cars.
12. If you have empty DVD cases lying around, fill them with paper and colored pencils for car ride entertainment.
13. Thanks to pool noodles, kids today will never know the pain of landing on a trampoline’s springs.
14. Protect your child from bug bites by placing a crib sheet over their pack ‘n play.
15. You can also use a fitted sheet at the beach to create a sand-free zone.
16. Or tie one around a table to make a baby hammock!
17. Use a plastic Easter egg to contain lollipop or popsicle drips.
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18. Letting kids “play” video games with an unplugged controller only works for the first few years, but it’s fun while it lasts.
19. Use socks to protect little bums from cold porcelain.
20. Train your kids right by showing them how much toilet paper to use with a “Lord of the Rings” reference.
21. Eliminate the need for a stool in the bathroom by installing a drawer upside-down. The tutorial can be found here.
22. Keep bath toys (and your kid) contained in a laundry basket.
23. It’s also a good idea to seal bath toys with hot glue so they don’t get moldy.
24. Finally, when the long day is done, be sure to spray your kid’s room with “monster spray.” Hopefully, it will keep your bed kid-free so everyone can have a good night’s sleep!
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