Mommy Hacks! 10 Secrets for Easier Parenting
A few months ago, I wrote about my favorite secrets for streamlining life as a parent.
Then I realized that most of my mom friends likely had their own parenting hacks.
I asked them for some of their best secrets and they came back with plenty of winners! (My favorite is the tip for super-fast phone charging):
#1: Keep a sunhat in the car
My daughter puts on her sunhat in the car when the sun is directly in her eyes. You wouldn't believe how angry that situation makes her, so that trick has been a total lifesaver, especially since she can reach it and put it on herself.
From Monica of Stormin' Normandy
#2: Keep those socks on
Within five minutes of getting dressed, either my daughter's socks are falling down or her leggings are riding up, leaving a nice, big gap of skin open to the cold. We tried getting longer leggings and longer socks, neither of which seemed to help. Recently, I've started having her wear tights under her leggings instead of socks and it's been amazing! It's an extra layer of warmth during the cold months, plus she can't take them off in the car (HOORAY).
From Tori of Tori Bee Design
#3: Double or triple batches of pancakes
Make a double or triple batch of pancakes or waffles on Saturday mornings and then freeze the rest for a quick and easy breakfast the rest of the week. Just toast them for a minute and they're ready to go. Especially helpful when I'm trying to get my boys out the door to get my older son to school in the mornings - they can even eat it in them car on the way there.
From Merrick of Merrick's Art
#4: Manage the baby toys with a makeup bag
I keep a large makeup bag of my baby's toys, and usually keep it in my diaper bag. It's easier for me to find the baby toys when needed and keeps them separated and clean from all the other junk that gets smashed into my bag. And it is convenient to switch it into another bag, as needed. I use other various sizes of makeup bags for different items as well: "my" items (lipgloss, gum, antibacterial lotion), snacks, crayons, etc.
From Monica of Stormin' Normandy
#5: Charge in airplane mode
I feel like my phone is constantly needing to be charged. I often find myself running out the door to run errands and realizing that I have a measly 7% battery life left in my phone, which is barely enough to check my to-do list or send an important text or two. The solution: switch your phone to airplane mode before plugging it in and it will charge so much faster! Perfect for those times when you literally only have five minutes to charge your phone.
From Tori of Tori Bee Design
Related: 8 Tips for Choosing a Unique Baby Name
#6: A water bottle of her own
It seems like my toddler is always thirsty, especially when we're in the car. So I got her a water bottle. If we're at home, she can grab it out of the fridge on her own. I try to always take it when we get in the car, and because it only cost $1 I'm not worried about it getting lost. She loves having her own bottle and I love that she's not asking for a drink of my water. Whenever my baby is ready for her own water bottle it will be so nice to have assigned bottles and less germ-sharing.
From Rachel of Rachel's Ramblings
#7: Keep your keys on a lanyard
I keep my keys on a lanyard, as I'm notorious for not being able to find which pocket of my diaper bag they're in, or somehow lose them while putting my kids in their car seats. I wear it like a necklace from the second I leave my front door and also when I turn off the car. Yes, I even wear it in the stores on my errands and I can't tell you how much anxiety this has saved me.
From Monica of Stormin' Normandy
#8: A toy bin in the bathroom
When I'm getting ready in the morning my girls love nothing more than to be right next to me getting into everything. This makes the process take twice as long and can get very messy (mascara is extremely difficult to scrub off a child's face.) So I got a little basket and filled it with a few toys and books as well as some old makeup brushes and compacts I don't use anymore. Now my girls enjoy sitting next to the bathroom playing with these special toys, and we all start the day in a much better mood.
From Rachel of Rachel's Ramblings
#9: Save yourself a million plastic baggies
Save yourself a few (or a million) plastic baggies and get a few sets of plastic bento boxes for picnic or school lunches.
From Merrick of Merrick's Art
#10: Keep snacks where they can access them
There is a lower cupboard in my kitchen that has a basket of snacks that my toddler can grab on her own. She still knows to ask before she eats them, but it shows me she's hungry so we can move up the next meal and she can run and get them herself to put in our diaper bag when we're headed out and I'm feeling frazzled.
From Monica of Stormin' Normandy
- By Janssen Bradshaw
