Parenting is challenging no matter what, but it’s even harder when you don’t know some simple hacks to make the little things go smoother.
So a toddler mom took to a popular online parenting forum to ask other parents to share their favorite parenting hacks they wish they had known years earlier.
Table of Contents
1. How to Catch Kids in a Lie
It hurts when your kids lie to you, especially when they get away with it. To prevent kids from getting away with their fibs, one parent told theirs that every time they lie, their ears turn red. She elaborates, “When they lie. They both covered their ears anytime they were fibbing for YEARS.”
2. How to Encourage Kids to Eat Fruit
Many kids struggle to eat nutritious foods when the taste and texture of their favorite sweets and processed foods are much more appealing.
Try purchasing freeze-dried fruit to encourage kids to eat healthily. One mom shared that her toddler doesn’t generally like eating fruit but loves munching on freeze-dried fruit because of the crunchy consistency.
3. How to Make Bedtime Less Scary
Are your kids scared of the monsters in the closet or under the bed? One parent shared a simple hack to ease kids’ minds and help everyone in the home get the rest they need.
Pour water into a spray bottle and mix it with some essential oils to make it smell nice, and tell your kids to spray it in the scary spots where monsters could hide to keep them at bay.
4. How to Sleep Later on Weekends
As a kid, I woke up earlier than my parents would have liked almost every day. So this simple weekend breakfast hack can be a game-changer for tired parents who need extra shut-eye.
A parent suggested that others try setting up simple breakfasts before bedtime, like unwrapping granola bars or pre-portioning cups of milk and cereal to prevent kids from waking up their parents at the break of dawn.
5. How to Maintain Control of the TV
Once your kid learns to use the remote control, your TV time becomes a little more challenging to navigate. But, according to one parent, one way to get around this is to purchase a fake remote and hand that to your toddler, who loves pushing buttons.
6. How to Get Rid of Obnoxious Toys
If you’re a parent, chances are you’ve been gifted some horribly annoying toy that never seems to stop making noise. The solution is to wait until the batteries die and tell your kid the toy itself is broken so you can finally get some peace and quiet.
If it takes too long for the batteries to die on their own, try removing them when your kid isn’t around to hasten the process.
7. How to Keep Poop Where It Belongs
Changing diapers is often messy, but some poop explosions can be contained by simply pulling a onesie down and over the child’s body instead of up and over their head. “The neck and shoulder parts of onesies are wide openings for a reason,” one parent explains.
8. How to Stay Alert During Playtime
All parents get bored during playtime with their kids every once in a while. If you struggle with that, consider putting on your favorite podcast or audiobook while you play to help you stay present with your precious kids.
9. How to Save Money on Baby Food
While stocking up on baby food when you do your weekly grocery shopping is easy, it also can make a massive dent in your wallet. Many parents suggest making your own baby food to save money. Mash up bananas and blend up fruits in your kitchen, and you’ll begin to notice the financial impact.
10. How to Keep Baby’s Shirt Clean
Anyone who’s spent time around a baby knows they’re messy little creatures. Parents often have to change babies’ clothes multiple times daily because of all the drool and spit-up.
One solution to this problem is to invest in a stash of snap-on bandanas. That way, when your baby drools, you can remove the bandana and replace it with another rather than changing the baby’s entire outfit.
