8 Unconventional Uses For Kiddie Stuff

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

The Victoria, British Columbia police department recently discovered something I've known for years: the power of a lollipop. Officers found that giving unruly drunks a sucker immediately calms a volatile situation by keeping their mouths busy so they can't keep fighting, soothing them with the sugar and, of course, pacifying them-literally. This is exactly why I keep an emergency bag of Dum-Dums in my glove box.

Suckers aren't the only kiddie items that work as well on grown-ups as they do on the shorter set.

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1. Baby wipes. Who needs expensive special stain wipes when you have a tub of generic wipes? Wiping or blotting a stain with a baby wipe has got everything from berry juice to gazpacho out of my clothes.

2. Burp cloths. They're soft, cute, absorbent and washable-who wouldn't want to wipe their mouth with them? While I don't spit up much any more (knock on wood), our family uses decommissioned burp rags as reusable cloth napkins at meal times.

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3. Adult onesies. If you don't want your shirt to come untucked (or you want your adult diaper to stay in place; I'm not judging), a onesie is the perfect solution. And for those of you who didn't live through the '90s like I did, don't worry-they're totally back in style as evidenced by their appearance at Forever 21, the Gap and even Wal-Mart.

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4. Sippy cups. What is a fancy water bottle if not an adult sippy cup? They don't spill, they're portable and if you buy the good ones, they'll even keep your beverage cold.

5. Grippy socks. Call them "slipper socks" if you want but trendy wood floors + cold mornings = Snuggies for your feet.

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6. Kid's meals. Automatic portion control! Plus, it usually comes with a fun cup.

7. Bedtime stories. Yeah, I usually read these to myself, but nothing helps me wind down better than a good book.

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8. Stickers. The Red Cross and the voting booth people are on to something-grown-ups take as much pride in earning an "I Did It!" sticker as kids do.

What kiddie stuff have you found grown-up uses for?

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