Every mom knows that clever mom hacks are worth more than gold. Juggling work, kids, and the home is quite a task, and having creative solutions for everyday issues makes a big difference. Who wouldn’t want some nifty tips and tricks to make your days go more smoothly? From child psychology resources to mom life bloggers, on social media and beyond, we’ve scoured the best sources to give you some great lifestyle and parenting tips!
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Parenting Tips
1. If your child throws tantrums, do not immediately give in.
If there was a parenting school, this should be the first lesson. A child that throws tantrums is not a ‘difficult’ or stubborn child. It just means that she has not learned to handle emotions yet. This is perfectly okay. If you give in to the tantrum right away, this reinforces the thought that crying will get the child whatever she wants. This sets a precedent for entitled behavior.
This doesn’t mean you completely ignore the child when she cries. When a child has a blowout, the parent must step in and provide comfort. Before you do so, take a breath to regulate your emotions and calm down. Then, speak calmly and patiently to the child and hug her. Rub her back, soothe her, and let the emotion pass.
When she stops crying, you can then get her a snack or a toy to tell her everything is okay.
2. Set an example by saying “sorry” and “thank you.“
Most parents suggest that their children apologize for doing something wrong and thank others for acts of kindness. However, some parents demand this at the time of an occurrence, when a child is still processing what happened. They may also scold the child if they do not immediately react. This sets a poor precedent.
Little ones typically don’t learn only by listening to your orders, but also by watching and observing your actions. If you practice gratitude, forgiveness, and politeness everywhere, your child is more likely to follow in your footsteps.
For instance, if you unintentionally do something wrong (like pulling your child’s hair too much while combing her hair), apologize in a heartfelt way so that she learns that apologizing is a good thing.
3. Teach your kids to label their emotions.
Every day, your kid learns something new by observing things around them. Some things may make your kid sad or angry. When they don’t know what emotion they are feeling, they tend to cry.
So, crying need not always indicate pain. It is a way to release their emotions whenever they feel them, even in the middle of the night. When you help your child label these feelings, they will be able to talk to you about them.
For example, when your child comes crying to you after watching a scary movie, teach them that they are experiencing ‘fear.’ Similarly, if your child cries if someone breaks their favorite toy, teach them that they are experiencing ‘anger.’
Once you label these emotions, you can soothe your child the next time they feel the same way by using statements like, “I understand that you are feeling angry right now. I am here to support you.” This will help your children become emotionally intelligent adults.
P.S. An easy way to get your children to open up to you is by spending quality time with them. Your children will find it easier to speak openly to you when they feel comfortable and happy around you. One such way to spend quality time with them is to play games with the entire family. Take a look at some ways you can make some fun crafts with your family.
4. Trim your children’s nails while they are sleeping.
This mom hack works for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers alike. Every mom knows that cutting her child’s nails is quite a task. The easiest way to do this is to cut her nails while she’s fast asleep.
On the day that you want to cut her nails, give her a warm bath before bed. This will help soften her nails. This way, you’ll be able to quickly and painlessly cut her nails before she wakes up.
In case she does wake up, do not startle her or panic. Just put her back to sleep again in a soothing voice. You can cut the other nails during the child’s next nap.
5. Use a frozen pacifier for teething pains.
This hack applies to new moms with infants. Every mommy knows that teething pains can get quite intense. If your chest hurts because of how hard your child bites you while feeding, this easy hack will give you relief.
Fill a designated pacifier with water and freeze it in the refrigerator. Once you’ve fed and burped your baby, use the pacifier to massage your breasts and soothe any bite marks. Since you will not be able to use topical medication on your chest, this makeshift icepack can help soothe your pain.
Mom Hacks for Cleaning
6. Use a laundry basket to clean as you go.
Every mom knows the pain of cleaning up after a playdate (in the living room, no less!). Organizing an entire room of children’s toys is easier said than done. Sometimes, the sight of a messy room can get even more overwhelming than cleaning the room.
To make sure you don’t get too overwhelmed, use a laundry basket to clean as you go. As you move around the room, pick up everything that’s out of its place and keep it in the laundry bag. Once you’ve put everything in, your room will look much cleaner. You can then keep things in their place from the laundry bag.
7. Use a toy rotation to keep the toys organized.
Organize your children’s toys by using a simple toy rotation timetable. Take only a third of your child’s plastic toys outside at any given time. This will make it easier for you to clean up. Your child will also enjoy the variety and not be overwhelmed by all the choices.
8. Keep a weekly cleaning schedule.
If you attempt to clean everything every day, you might end up overworking yourself. To make things easier and save time, have a weekly cleaning schedule and put it up on the refrigerator for the whole family to see. Older children can chip in with the cleaning work and pick their chores. When you organize your schedule around the home, things will get more manageable.
9. Use designated containers from the dollar store to organize things.
If your child leaves LEGOs and small toys everywhere, use plastic containers from a dollar store or other bargain boutique to keep them organized. Label or color-code each container to match them with its designated toy. For example, you can have special containers for board game pieces, legos, and blocks.
10. Repurpose dryer sheets for everything.
Dryer sheets can be repurposed for cleaning just about anything at home. You can use them to buff water spots from mirrors, like a rag for cleaning liquid, and to wipe the kitchen cabinet. You can also use it to wipe baseboards, remove stains from the floor, and change the ring inside the toilet.
11. Keep this list of cleaning supplies on hand:
- Lemons: A slice of lemon along the garbage disposal to keep it from stinking.
- Baking Soda: A spoon of baking soda in the laundry for brighter clothes.
- Vinegar: Use a vinegar-water mixture n a spray bottle to clean blinds, floorboards, and dirty spots.
- Rubbing Alcohol: It’s fantastic for cleaning stainless steel!
- Toothpaste: This basic household staple can help you remove stains from shoes.
- Playdough: Did you know playdough can help you remove glitter from any surface?
Mom Hacks for Cooking
12. Engage your child in food prep.
Children become picky eaters when they do not know what goes on behind the scenes. A simple way to get your children to enjoy their food is to involve them in every stage. Next time you go to the grocery store, take your kids along and get their help in picking some fresh produce.
Teach them how two pick good produce—the process will get them more excited about eating it. Before you start cooking for the day, ask them which products they’d like to eat. By doing so, your children will look forward to eating something they’ve picked and chosen themselves.
13. Use cupcake liners to prevent spills.
This parenting hack is a lifesaver when it comes to organizing parties for children. If you’re hosting an ice cream or popsicle party for the little ones, use cupcake liners to prevent the ice cream from melting and getting everywhere.
In case you’re making the popsicles at home (and we recommend that you do!), insert the popsicle stick into the tray through the liner. This freezes the liner with the popsicle, making it easy to serve and catch any spills.
14. Offer smaller portion sizes in the beginning.
A simple mistake that some parents do is absent-mindedly offer adult-sized portions to children at the dinner table. This can intimidate the child and make the food seem unappetizing. They may also get full too quickly.
To prevent this, serve small portions of the food at mealtime and establish a simple rule: “You must finish your entire plate at dinnertime.” Since there isn’t a lot of food in the first place, your child is more likely to finish their plate. Then, ask them which dish they’d like another serving of. This prevents waste and helps your child enjoy their food. They’ll also learn to control their portions and gauge their hunger on their own.
15. Be a role model for kids.
The easiest way to get your kids to eat food is to eat it yourself!
When your kid has ‘graduated’ to adult food from baby food, the best way to get them to eat healthy food is by setting a good example yourself. This is one of the best mom hacks we’ve found because it is an example of good parenting.
For instance, if you’re going to serve broccoli or beans, eat a lot of broccoli at the dinner table to show your kids how delicious it is. Children learn by observing how the adults around them behave. If they see you finish your entire plate, they are more likely to do so themselves.
16. Use natural colors in food.
We all know that children love colorful things. A fun way to get your kids to eat healthy things is by adding colors to them. From mashed potatoes to pancakes, a little pinch of color can brighten any child’s lunch box.
However, using artificial food coloring may not be every momma’s cup of tea. This doesn’t mean you have to skip the rainbow food. Use natural ingredients to add some beautiful pastel hues to your food.
For example, spinach gives a vibrant green shade to every food. A pinch of turmeric turns everything yellow. Beetroot extract can turn food pink and red. Blueberry extract offers a pale blue shade. Carrot purée added to pancakes and mashed potatoes gives a charming orange color.
When you use such colors, you also boost the food up with more vitamins, minerals, and natural goodness!
17. Make food look cute.
Another way to get your children to eat their food is to make it look as cute as possible. This is one of our favorite mom hacks for a reason. Bento boxes are stunning, compact lunchboxes that contain adorable-looking food. Your bento box can contain just about anything, not just sushi.
For instance, you can cut cherry tomatoes and strawberries into cute rosettes or teddy bears.
Arrange the salad in pretty formations, and cut pancakes and eggs with cookie cutters, to give them fun shapes. Use our tips from the previous hacks to make the food look even more appetizing!
18. Roast instead of boiling!
If you’re looking for a way to make vegetables taste more appetizing, roast them instead of boiling and blanching them! Spread out the vegetable of choice (be it potatoes, broccoli, or asparagus) on an oven tray, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast them in a preheated oven until the edges are slightly charred. Your children will love the elevated tastes!
Mom Hacks for Travel and the Outdoors
19. Use a shower kit organizer for essentials.
When you’re on road trips, you need a handy first-aid kit for any emergencies. If you’re putting one together yourself, use a shower kit organizer to fit everything in. Your kit must contain bandaids, antiseptic, gauze, sanitizer, some comfort candy, and other essential medication. In case you’re RVing, we’ve given you the rundown on how you can plan the perfect trip.
20. Store spare diapers inside the potty seat.
If you’re traveling with an infant, chances are you’ll have a potty seat. Store some spare diapers inside a clean potty seat so that you’ll always have some ready for emergencies. Don’t forget to carry some extra diaper bags!
21. Use a lemon to help with car sickness.
Children may get carsick on road trips. While you can give them some anti-nausea medication before they go, this natural hack can help them too.
Just ask your children to sniff a slice of lemon when they feel nauseous. The smell will help them feel less likely to puke.
22. Keep a plastic bag behind each car seat.
In addition to puking bags, keep a plastic bag behind each car seat that the family can use as trash bags. If you don’t have a designated trash bag in the car, your family members might end up littering on the road or trashing the car. Having a makeshift trash bag handy will make cleaning a breeze.
23. Keep a bag of kids’ activities at the ready.
Keeping kids entertained and engaged during a road trip can be quite a task. This is why we recommend that you keep an activity bag in your car at all times. In this bag, you should include a coloring book, a pad of Madlibs, some free printables of Bingo, and markers. Meanwhile, take a look at our ideas for road trip games!
24. Use an adventure book.
Be it on the road, at a park, or even at home, an adventure book can make your life much easier. Adventures From Scratch: Family Edition is a wonderfully interactive book that has 50+ epic adventures for the road and home. The special on-the-go adventure cards will come in handy to keep your entire family in high spirits during road trips!
Mom Hacks for Health
25. Organize your fridge to eat healthy.
A simple way to encourage your family to eat healthier is to remove unhealthy food from the fridge. Fill your fridge with healthy snacks. Stock healthy snacks like trail mix, fruit, veggies, and celery sticks in reusable bags so you can take them to-go.
26. Do short bursts of exercise during the day.
If you’re a busy mom that doesn’t have time for a dedicated workout, this simple hack can put you on track for your fitness journey. Every time you go to the bathroom, do 10 squats or 10 pushups against the basin counter. This will help you stay fit.
27. Use baking soda for bee stings.
If your child has been stung by a bee while outdoors, rub a paste of baking soda and water on the sting to soothe the pain. Keep in mind that a bee sting may require medical attention. This hack is only to temporarily manage the pain.
28. Use a baking soda-water mix to remove splinters.
If you’ve got a splinter stuck on your foot (or your child’s foot), gently rub a paste of baking soda and water on it. Don’t press too hard. After 5 minutes, wipe the paste away and look for the splinter—it should be easier to spot.
29. Use the 20/20/20 rule.
This hack applies to both parents and kids. If you spend too much time on your computer, use the 20/20/20 rule to give your eyes some rest. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break from the screen and look at something 20 feet away. This reduces the strain on your eyes.
30. Stretch in the shower.
When you’re busy with work all day, the only me-time you get may be when you’re in the shower. Take a few minutes to stretch and get your muscles working. Move your neck, arms, shoulders, and spine to start your day with some refreshing stretches.
Closing Thoughts
Parenting is an adventure that has its highs and lows, but the end goal is always worth it. We hope you can use some of these mom hacks to make life easier.
Which of these suggestions did you find the most useful? Share your favorite hacks in the comments section below. Happy parenting!
Frequently Asked Questions
Gentle parenting goes a long way. Soothe your child instead of giving in to them when they throw tantrums. See more mom hacks, parenting tips, and awesome activity ideas, at AdventureBook.com!
Use a mixture of vinegar and water to clean up any stains on glass or stainless steel. Toothpaste can be used to clean shoes too. We’ve got more mom hacks up our sleeve!
Review proven mom hacks for travel and the outdoors, keep an activity bag ready, make a list of road trip games, and use a book like Adventures From Scratch: Family Edition to keep boredom at bay!