"This Might Be Inappropriate, But It Works For Us": Moms Are Sharing Their Tried-And-True Parenting Hacks To Solve Any Everyday Annoyance
Before I had a baby, I told myself there were many things I'd never do as a mother. But now, hell, I'll do just about anything that gets me five minutes of peace and quiet, a toddler who eats one single bite of her vegetables, or to avoid a tantrum in a public setting. So redditor u/Live-Judge-1410 asked, "What are some mom 'hacks' you think others should know?" Here are genius tips straight from parents that are pretty much guaranteed to improve your quality of life with kiddos.
1."Pretend their favorite action heroes/TV characters have their very own recipes for things like 'The Flash's favorite Lightning Lettuce™️ (aka Caesar salad) and 'Hulk Sauce' (guacamole). I've come up with lots more along the way. I lied a lot, but now I have a six-year-old who is a great eater."
2."Set timers to limit whining. 'Ok, I’ll give you a little more time, but once you hear the timer go off, that’s it, and I don’t want to hear any arguing.' The same goes for playtime, screen time, or whatever."
3."Do chores with your toddler. They love to help. It fills in the day, meaning that during nap time and when they go to bed, you can relax or do things you enjoy."
4."Small laundry bags keep baby socks from getting sacrificed to the laundry gods. Socks go from baby feet to the bag. When it's time to wash, the bag gets zipped and goes into the wash. All the socks stay together."
5."Any transition you must do (losing pacifiers, sleeping in a big kid bed, etc.), do it on a Friday night. You can usually expect about two really rough night's sleep, so it's best to do it on a weekend when you don't have to go to work the next day. By Monday, you'll usually be in pretty good shape."
6."Stock up on Pedialyte popsicles. They feel like a treat but won't wreck them with sugar."
7."I recently visited a friend with children and was amazed at their bedtime routine. Instead of a long, drawn-out bedtime routine like I currently have with my kids, her kids get ready for bed (put on PJs, brush their teeth, etc.) and then get into their mom's bed and watch a bit of a movie until they fall asleep. Once they're asleep, she moves them to their beds. I understand this isn't a new concept, but I swear it has never occurred to me! I tried it tonight, and oh my gosh, there was no fussing at bedtime! I just can't get over how happy the kids were and how easy it was for my husband and me. Why have I been making life so difficult for myself?"
8."I find moms on Poshmark with littles approximately one year older than mine. That way, the sizes line up seasonally. I follow them, place bundle orders, and usually request a pretty steep discount!"
9."This might be inappropriate, but it works for us. When my kids come to me with a minor injury (think stubbed toe or the like), they sometimes blow it out of proportion, as little kids tend to do. I always check it first to make sure it's actually ok, then very seriously ask them, 'Hmm. Do you think we'll have to cut it off?' They always shriek with laughter and say no. Then they usually run away laughing at how weird mommy is and go right back to playing, meltdown forgotten."
10."Baby powder easily gets sand off skin when the kids get messy at the beach or playground."
11."Make their bed with multiple layers of waterproof mattress pad/cover and sheets, so if they pee or get sick at night, you can just pull off a layer and get them back to bed."
12."This trick always gets my three-year-old to eat his food. Look, I totally started out as the 'if he doesn’t eat it, he doesn’t need it' kind of mom, but my picky eater has turned me into this person. I’ll preload my son's fork and tell him not to eat it because 'it's my bite, and I'm saving it.' Alas, he eats it with a grin, and the cycle continues."
13."When my kids watch TV, I use the sleep timer built into the TV. I tell them when the time is up, the show turns itself off. Something about me not being the one to push the button on the remote makes it easier for them to accept the end of TV time with less bargaining."
14."I have an 'oh shit' box in the trunk of each car that includes spare clothes for each kid, extra diapers and wipes, hand wash bottle, sunscreen, snacks, bottles of water (we get the metal ones from Target so they don't get funky) and travel toys they've never seen before. I didn't think I'd need to use it much, but random, difficult situations emerge out of the house more often than I realized."
15."The best way to get my kids to eat is by making myself food and not offering any to them. I started only making breakfast for 'myself,' which usually included eight eggs and three sausage patties. Sitting down to eat is like chumming the water for sharks. They start circling immediately."
16."If your kids are on the younger side and you’ve had a particularly long day and don’t want a fight about an early bedtime, move the clock ahead an hour and just say it’s time for bed."
17."When my toddlers/young kids get hurt, I ask them, 'Did it hurt you or scare you?' and at least half the time, they think about it and decide it just scared them. Then they're ready to play again."
18."If your toddler is in the stage where they need to follow you to the bathroom, just plop them in the (dry) bathtub. It's a built-in playpen, especially if it's preloaded with bath toys."
19."You can cook noodles in a rice cooker. You don't have to wait to boil, watch the pot, or stir it down. You just set it to steam for however many minutes and walk away. As a mom of three toddlers who eat way too many noodles, this realization (which actually occurred when my stove was broken) has been my new favorite hack and a total game changer."
20."It is physiologically impossible to cry while drinking. Whatever the meltdown or cause, get your kid to drink water. If you need to, you can say, 'It's okay to cry, but your tears will run out, so you need to drink.' The more you can get them to drink, the longer they have to calm down to get over the shock or hurt of whatever happened. This is my greatest hack."
21."Trying to enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee? Arm yourself with a baby wipe and 'threaten' to wipe their face; you'll get at least two toddler-free minutes after they run away. This works until they're about three years old."
22."Give your kid (ideally between the ages of two and four) a spray bottle and send them outside to water things. Enjoy 30 minutes of peace. 😆"
Do you have one to add? What's an amazing parenting hack that everyone with kids should know? Tell us in the comments or in this anonymous form.
