Parenting chores can drain your energy completely. Busy moms need every help they can get. We hope to provide some respite with these practical everyday tricks.
As a parent, at some point in time you must have wished you were superhuman. Let’s face it, kids are an around-the-clock challenge. You have to constantly be on your guard and chase them till they are old enough to be left alone, or you collapse, whichever comes first. Until then, you have no choice. To make things easier for you in the early years of parenting, we present you with ten parenting tricks, making life much easier and leaving you enough time to actually enjoy other things in life. So, let’s go!
Keep Things Tidy Using Shoe Caddy:
If you have a spare shoe caddy, use it to organize your kids’ toys all neatly in one place; be they Lego pieces that get up and walk to the furthest corner under the couch, countless toy cars or any other collection of games. Your hallway becomes clutter-free and now there is enough room on shelves for other stuff. You could also make it a game with your kids, teaching them to collect their toys and put them back where they belong.
No More Ice Cream Stains:
Keep your kids from dripping ice cream all over the floor or on your favorite carpet by inserting a disposable cupcake liner through the stick. You could also use a paper plate if the cupcake liner does not work. This trick also keeps your child from soiling his clothes from sticky hands. Once they are done eating, you simply throw away both items with no stains.
Teaching Time by Coloring a Clock’s Face:
This is a smart parenting trick which not only teaches your kids about time, but also makes them stick to a routine. For example, you could shade 5 to 9 with different colors. 5 P.M. could be play time, 6 P.M. could be time to rest or eat, 9 P.M. could be the deadline for your child to go to bed, or whatever else. Your kids learn there is a specific time for everything, and hopefully develop some time management skills.
Keep Them Busy While You Play:
This trick is especially useful for the dads. Every time you are playing a video game and your kids keep disturbing you, hand them a fake remote. They’ll believe they are playing the game too and sit happily with the remotes and stare at the screens as well. Bonding!! You might not even need a remote. Hand them a calculator and even that might work. Don’t believe us? Try it with your next gaming event. If nothing else, they may develop some math skills.
Avoid Picky Eating by Letting Your Kid Help:
Every child goes through a stage where there must be at least one thing on the table he refuses to eat. And of course, often, it is something nutritional. You can make food and cooking fun for your kids by letting them help with the grocery shopping and asking them what they want to try that’s new – cereals, fruits, and vegetables. You could also chop your food into different shapes and serve it with interesting dips and sauces. Don’t tell them it’s good for them.
Also check out Nutrition In The Early Years
Prevent the Doors from Locking:
You can loop a rubber band across the front and back knobs of the door such that it forms an ‘X’. This way the door won’t latch and may not even close, preventing your child from locking himself in accidentally. However, this trick only works on toddlers who cannot figure out how to remove the band.
Save The Soap Spills:
As your kids grow older you teach them the importance of good hygiene, including ingraining good habits; keeping their hands and feet clean always. Before you know it, they start having fun squeezing too much soap out of the dispenser and using foolishly, because it’s fun. To curb this habit, twist a rubber band around the top of the soap dispenser to control the amount of soap that gets dispensed when your kid presses it.
Tricks to Try When Your Baby Is Teething:
Teething is the most definitive phase that a baby goes through. This phase is usually very long and painful, which is very trying for you. When your baby is teething, rub their gums, as it helps with their discomfort. You can also try and give baby some hard foods like a cucumber or carrot to gnaw at and relieve his pain. For more tips check out How to Care for Baby’s Teeth
Engage Your Kids in an Indoor Kiddie Pool:
Who says an inflatable kiddie pool can only be used in the summer? You can extend its’ life as indoor playpen. Gather some of your child’s favorite toys and place him and the toys in his kiddie pool world. Warning – Do not fill with water. While he is busy playing, you can catch yourself a break. Read a book or drink your coffee in peace.
Cool Down a Burn:
Kids are prone to injuries, especially if they are the mischievous type. If your kid accidentally burns himself while playing, you can rub vinegar over the burn. It will help cool it down. Applying vinegar on the burn eases the pain and helps prevent blistering.
We hope these parenting tricks help you with your kids and make your life more organized and peaceful. It will give you an opportunity to enjoy some “Me Time”.
Also check out Do you have a mad house of screaming children and crazy parents? Pat your back
