Parenting has its highs and its lows. Changing diapers isn’t exactly a high point, but the moment your child starts toddling around and speaking is something no parent ever forgets. For the parents that need a little bit of a helping hand when it comes to raising their kids, you have come to the right place at the right time. The following list of parenting hacks utilizes everyday household items to make looking after kids just a little bit easier. Who knew these things could be so simple?
Cardboard Dividers
Siblings, no matter their age, always get into little spats with one another. It might start with someone stealing a toy or a piece of food, which can quickly escalate into a full-blown fight. We’ve all been there!
To avoid any fighting while on the road, simply grab a clean piece of thick cardboard from the recycling bin, and slide it in between the car seats. This gives each child their own space.
Drink Up
Does anybody really like taking medicine? If there is one thing that makes most kids squirm, it is having to take a tablet or a gross-tasting medicine.
While we would never advise tricking children, this is a great hack for getting your kids to take their medicine. Simply place a can of their favorite soft drink in front of them, and a straw in the medicine bottle. This way they get their medicine and don’t realize it’s not soda.
All Ages Concert
Young children are still growing and developing, which means they should not be exposed to loud noises like heavy metal music without proper ear protection. For the parents that enjoy going to concerts, and want their kids to share this joy, then grab this handy item.
Ear protectors that are used when mowing the lawn, or using other noisy power tools can be used to cover children’s ears at concerts. They can still hear the music but without any fear of damaging their eardrums.
Time To Paint
If there is one thing that children love to do, it is to take their favorite markers or paint and create fantastical drawings on whatever surface they can find, and that includes the living room wall.
Many different painting and drawing tools have been created with children in mind, but the best is simply a bucket of water, a wooden fence outside, and a paintbrush. A child can paint the fence to their heart’s content, and their parents never have to worry about a mess or an unwanted mural.
Go Sand-Free
Beach days are the highlight of the summer for many families. The kids get to build sandcastles and wade in the water, and parents get to lounge around with friends.
The only downside is the sand that gets into and onto everything. To avoid any sandy situations, bring a fitted sheet to the beach, and curl the edges up around heavy bags and coolers. This keeps sand out.
The Crib Desk
After a year or two, most babies grow out of their cribs and require toddler beds. Instead of listing the crib on Facebook Marketplace, consider holding on to it for a craft project.
Most cribs have a removable side, and with the removal of the side and mattress, a great desk can be created for the growing child.
Keep Candies Close
While some kids don’t like eating sweets, most have a real love of the sugary stuff. All parents know that kids and a lot of sugar do not mix very well, but that shouldn’t stop the older generation from enjoyed a treat here and there.
To keep children away from sweets, simply hide them in plain sight. A frozen bag of vegetables can be used to hide candy and chocolate bars, and no one will be the wiser.
A Helping Hand
Some children don’t like falling asleep without the loving embrace of a parent. However, most parents don’t have hours to spend with their kids waiting for them to fall asleep. Believe it or not, there’s an easy trick for that too.
For the kids that need a heavy hand on their back to help them sleep, then the glove trick is a must. Fill a glove with sand, seal it so the sand will stay in place, and place it on the almost asleep toddler. This will make them think their parent is right there.
Keep Heads Safe
Babies take a while to learn exactly how their body parts work. Arms need to stop falls, and rolling around on the floor next to furniture can lead to painful headbanging.
To keep a baby from rolling onto their backs, and potentially hurting their delicate heads, a baby backpack head protector is a nice little solution. Plus, they are absolutely adorable, and you can make one yourself with a sturdy pillow and some straps.
The Box Of Creativity
Kids always need an outlet for their creativity, and cardboard boxes might just be the perfect place for this. Not only are they fun to hide in, but they also make great canvases for young artists.
Next time you get a child-sized box, hold on to it. Your toddler can be placed inside with a variety of markers and crayons, and create a masterpiece, away from any furniture and walls.
Teaching Time Management
Learning how to tell time on an analog clock takes some serious work. First kids need to understand what the big and little hands mean, and that can be tricky.
Then, they need to learn how they work together. For kids that need a bit of help in understanding what time activities take place, consider color-coding a clock to the corresponding activity.
Right And Left
You would think that it would be intuitive, which shoe goes on the right foot and which shoe goes on the left. But nothing is intuitive when it comes to learning important life skills.
For some kids, putting shoes on can be a bit like trying to cram the wrong puzzle pieces together. Adding a sticker to show which shoe goes on which foot, can be a gamechanger.
Game Of Chores
For children, life is all about having fun, and doing chores does not fall under the fun category, or does it? Well, you’re in for a surprise.
Parents that need help with chores like sweeping, can easily turn it into a fun game with the help of some tape and some simple rules. Kids can play sweep the garbage into the square.