Little Tricks To Make Every Parent’s Life Easier
No one goes through life wishing that their day was harder or that their kids were grumpier, right? In an ideal world, every day would be smooth sailing and nothing would ever go wrong.
Sadly that's not going to happen, but there are things you can do to make your day a little easier, especially if you have children. Here's a couple of tricks of the trade from other parents who are looking to share their wisdom.
Pack Your Outfits Into Separate Bags
If you're going on vacation, you can make your life much easier—and your suitcase much more organized—by sorting your kid's outfits into smaller bags. You won't have to tear through your suitcase in search of a tiny pair of socks or a certain shirt.
Keep The Monsters Away
If your kid is going through a phase where they're convinced that there's something hiding under their bed at night or in their closet, a bottle of "monster spray" (also known as water or air freshener) can work wonders.
Make Your Own Stamps
Don't waste your money on stamps that your kids are just going to leave sitting out in their room, where they'll eventually dry out. You can turn a potato into any shape of stamp you want. When you're finished, cut that part off and make dinner with the rest of it!
Change The Name Of The Food They Don't Like
One man's daughter was complaining about being served squash and claimed that she didn't like it anymore, but you know what she discovered she did like? "Yellow cucumbers." Those are totally a real thing, and definitely not squash in disguise...
They Can't Complain About What They Don't Know
This mom found that her kids were always complaining about getting the heel of the bread loaf, so she came up with a solution, and her kids are none the wiser.
Stand Your Freezies Up In The Freezer
If you're able to, have your freeze pops propped up in your freezer when you first put them in. This way, you don't have to cut through part of the treat when you take them out.
Ask For Double Cut Pizza
Next time you order pizza for dinner, ask them to double-cut it so that the slices are half the size. Your kids will end up wasting less, and you might even end up eating less too.
They Just Have To Look Like French Fries
Your kid wants french fries but you want them to have apples? Not a problem. You can get your kids to eat a lot of things that they claim to not like if you simply cut them into a different shape.
You Don't Have To Eat The Whole Lollipop Every Time
Nine times out of 10, your kid is not going to eat the whole lollipop that you gave them as a distraction, but that doesn't mean it needs to be a waste. Save a few of those little containers candy or chocolate comes in at Easter to use as a cover.
No Shocks Here
Has your child recently developed an affinity for trying to stick their fingers (or other objects) into the sockets? Band-Aids can be a great way to cover up the socket holes quickly and easily.
You Can Give It To The Cat When You're Done
A cardboard box can be used in a number of different ways to entertain your children, one of which is giving them a blank surface to color on. Just make sure she keeps her markers away from the boy sitting in the middle.
Because You're Bound To Forget At Least One Morning
As much as you would like to be 100% sure of everything you did in a day, why not make it a little easier to remember by marking it down directly on the bottle after you give a dosage of medicine?
Use A Fake Remote
Keep an old remote on hand in the family room or any room that has a TV, but don't put any batteries in it. If your kids like to press the buttons while you're in the middle of a show, swap the real remote out for the fake one.
Color Code The Kids
The best way to keep the family together in public or easily be able to find someone if they wander off? Have everyone dress in the same color, so you can narrow it down quickly.
Don't Let The Kids Rule Over The Kitchen Drawers
Keep those wandering fingers out of the kitchen drawers by using that yardstick you've had lying around the house for years even though you can't actually remember where it came from.
Keep The Floors Clean
Or at least attempt to keep the floor of your daughter's bedroom clean by hanging a shoe rack on her door for all of her stuffed animals to go into at the end of the day.
Create A Non-Slip Shoe
Next time you buy your kid a new pair of shoes and find that they're slipping all over the place, grab the hot glue gun. A couple of strips of glue will give them the grip they need.
Because She's Definitely Going To Drop Something
It's a fact of life that half of the food your child attempts to eat is going to end up somewhere other than their mouth, and that somewhere might be on the floor. Make the cleanup faster by covering the floor with a plastic sheet.
See If They're Really Washing Their Hands
If you're curious about whether or not your kids are actually using the soap to wash their hands after they go to the bathroom, hide a little incentive under the bar of soap.
Make It Harder To Spill The Drink
Whenever a drink has a tinfoil seal over it, don't take it off. Stick a straw through the top of it instead to limit your child's ability to spill it all over themselves—though it might still happen.
Keep The Cupboards Closed
If you've got a pet in your house, you don't need to invest in any fancy tools to childproof the cupboards in your house; a dog or cat collar will do the trick!
Baby Wipes Mix Well With Washable Markers
As long as you only give your kids washable markers or products to play with, them drawing on the walls is not the end of the world. Next time you walk into their bedroom to find some graffiti, grab a baby wipe and it'll be gone in a minute.
Reverse Psychology Can Be Your Friend
Take advantage of the opportunity to use reverse psychology before they're old enough to figure out what you're doing. You never know what good it might do for them! Maybe she'll become a biologist because of this.
Prepare For The Long Car Rides
It works for short car rides too, honestly. Using empty tackle boxes or craft boxes to prepare snack boxes for your car rides ensures that everyone is fed and much quieter on the trip.
It's As Simple As That
The answer to a child's questions or complaints doesn't always need to be complicated. Sometimes the simplest solution will be enough for them, and they'll work out the problem on their own.
It's OK To Bribe Them
It is absolutely OK to bribe your children, especially if it's for a good cause like attempting to inspire a lifelong love of reading by paying them every time they finish reading a book.
Keep The Good Stuff Hidden
If you don't want to share whatever treat you're eating with your children, your only option is to hide it. Hiding it in plain sight can be tricky, but the threat of vegetables will keep them away from you.
Stick A Basket In The Tub
Keep your tiny tot in one section of the bathtub and give them something to lean up against by putting a plastic laundry basket in the water with them! It also helps to keep their toys close to them.
Mix Them To Make Them Last
This is more for your own health than your children's, but if you find that you're going through candy too quickly, try mixing them in one bowl. By putting things like skittles and M&M's in one bowl, you won't be able to eat them a handful at a time and you'll end up eating fewer at a time.
You Can't Get All The Glitter, But You Can Get Some
You'll never be able to clean up every piece of glitter that your children spilled on the carpet in the living room, but you can try your best to get most of it using a dollar store lint roller.
