Genius Parenting Hacks to Simplify Everyday Life

Small Problems

Kids are short. That’s basically it. They can’t reach most places and some aren’t able to reach most places even with the help of a step stool. If your kid is having issues washing their hands because the faucet is too far, this tip is for you.

Get an empty shampoo bottle and cut it out in the shape shown above. This creates an elongated faucet. You will never have to keep carrying them so that they can wash their hands.

Trick Or Treat

All guardians and parents of young kids know that getting their children to take their medication is by far one of the hardest things to do. Sure, pills are hard to swallow and liquid is nasty to drink. Even as adults, we keep something sweet nearby after taking a swig or our meds.

So when it comes to kids, we have to be tricky. Try crushing their pills into their favourite desserts or even tricking them like this boy in the image above. You never know, it could all be in the mind.

Make Cleaning Fun

Keeping a house tidy with a toddler around is never easy. The ability to keep a home even minimally tidy is a feat! But everyone wants at least the kid’s toys to be in order, right?

Well, here’s a hack. Use a tray or even coloured boxes to make cleaning into a game for the kids. They can sort out their toys by colours or even by theme. Like cars into one box, dolls into another etc. This way, it creates less mess for you to sort out and also teaches them how to put things away.

Summer Jeans

Having kids means having to always buy new clothes (unless you’re the younger sibling, then, hello hand-me-downs!) because they outgrow them so fast! So instead of buying new everything, consider a fun DIY project and turn worn out jeans into something cute for the summer.

Get a pair of jeans that they do not use or like anymore and cut them to the desired length. Next, is the fun part where you take patterned clothes and sew them into the hems. It’s fun and perfect for hot days. Plus, the kids get to choose the colours and patterns they like which means, they will wear it for a longer time (hopefully).

Daddy’s Lil’ Helper

If you don’t have older kids, chances are you don’t get massages other than from your spouse, that is if they want to. And if you have little ones, chances also are that you don’t get to lay down very often.

Here’s a hack to sort that out! Get a shirt like above so your kids can play while giving you a nice massage AND you get to lay down while keeping an eye on them. Just make sure you don’t doze off, okay?

Easy Socket Trick

Do you have sockets and are at the bottom on your wall, making it easy for your curious toddler to stick their fingers into? Well, if you’re in a rut and you really need to cover up that hole, consider a band-aid!

And if you want it to look prettier, use cellophane tape so that it’s still see-through. You might still have to monitor to ensure that the tapes don’t come off though.

Instant Baby-Proofing

Baby proofing is a tedious process that just intrudes on the parent’s comfort as well. How many times have we had our skin pinched trying to open something that was baby proof? We know we have.

Well, if you have a curious baby that likes opening everything, get these dog collars and use the to close up your cabinets! Super easy to snap on and off. Plus, it’s a whole lot cheaper.

Listen To Books Instead

Getting kids to read can get difficult. Their daily life is surrounded by gadgets and instant gratification so picking up a book to read can make them feel bored. So instead of forcing a book in their hand, invest in an e-book that has the author reading it out loud.

Kids books produce all sort of fun sounds which will keep them entertained while making sure they are actually “reading” books.

Make Scheduling Fun

Creating schedules for your kids can get time consuming and stressful because you need to find the best time that will please everyone while making sure the timings aren’t too overwhelming for the little ones.

All you need for this hack is some coloured markers and a clock. They will learn to read time, learn colours and you would not have to constantly remind them to do homework, or take a bath

Staircase To Math

Young kids thrive on playtime and find formal lessons boring and for some, even daunting. So when it comes to more difficult topics like mathematics, they can get reluctant or fussy when trying to learn.

So instead of turning the child against maths, let’s make it more fun and all you’re going to need is a staircase, some cellophane tape, markers and coloured paper! This can even double into an art project.

Smoothen Out Hair

Getting your little girl or boy a doll that has a head of head can only spell out disaster after a few weeks. One minute the doll has a glorious mane and the next, it looks like it was dragged through a hurricane.

And trying to fix that mangles head of hair is no easy feat! If anything, you end up yanking clumps of hair leaving the doll looking like it has alopecia. Hopefully, this neat little hack will help parents out everywhere.

Slide And Slip

Slipper floors and kids with socks on. You can only imagine where this story goes. It’s all fun and games until someone slips and slides into an accident. You can’t really blame them of course; we all did it growing up but let’s just say we all have cuts that formed pretty bad scars.

What you’re going to need is some slick paint and a whole lot of creativity. Let the kids join in on the decorating and you’ll keep them occupied.

Refurbish An Old Cot

Throwing away your baby’s old stuff can be saddening. No one wants to part with their children’s items from when they were babies. So the next best thing is to just recycle their toys or furniture for other purposes.

If your child used a crib, chances are they grew out of it but it’s disheartening to just toss it. Instead, make arts and crafts tables! It will give both parents and kids a fun way to unleash their creativity.

Multitasking

Having little kids, especially toddlers who tend to get into trouble when left unattended, can get dangerous. This is especially stressful when you have a million of things happening and you can’t keep an eye on them.

Instead, here’s what you can do. Get a playpen or their cot and take it out into the yard. You can always wrap the bottoms with plastic wrap to keep the dirt off. And if you put a fitted sheet on the top, you make an easy tent!

BBQ Safety Gate

Children and open flames don’t mix. In fact, the combination is an accident (or two) waiting to happen. So, to get peace of mind the next time you have a BBQ in your backyard, check out this creative hack. 

Set a playpen up around your BBQ and get cooking. Metal ones are best, but any type of playpen will work as long as you can securely latch it to enclose the hot device. This way, there’s no risk of burns or fire-related hazards. The best part about it? Everyone is happy and the food tastes great!

Dress Code Drama

If it’s not hair color that your daughter tries to test your patience with, it’s disobeying the dress code you set. She’ll do everything she can to get away with wearing what she thinks is cute – even if it’s inappropriateness makes you cringe. 

Dress like this parent did and take your daughter out for the day. After a day of your dressing like her, she won’t want to wear those short shorts anymore. It’s a win for you – guaranteed! 

Personal Space Saver

If you have more than one child, you know how terrifying road trips can be. Regardless of how long your bundles of joy are buckled into the car, they can always manage to start a fight.

Some children will cut the fight short with a strict word from mom or dad, but for those who just can’t behave? It’s time to break out the space-saving cardboard blockade. Save your sanity and stop bickering in its tracks.

Glue-On Grips

Children’s shoes, cute as they may be, are often slippery and unpractical. With bottoms that slip and slide on hardwood or tile, they are a dangerous game for kids with an abundance of energy.

You can save the day and prevent falls with this simple shoe hack. Using a hot glue gun and glue stick, you can make your own grips on flat shoes. Print your child’s name, draw a picture, or come up with a pattern and grip away! Your kid’s shoes will be both grippy and easy to identify. 

Bathtub Party

At some point, almost every child decides that bath time is the worst time. When this happens, bath time becomes a battle, with all involved ending up miserable and exhausted.

To make bath time fun again, implement the use of glowsticks! This crazy creative idea is sure to make your child ooh and awe and fall in love with the bathtub all over again. Instead of having a hard time getting them in, they won’t want to get out. 

Monsters Be Gone

There are an abundance of things that can scare children. But monsters? One of the most popular by far. If your child insists on having you double check their bedroom, the hallway, and even the bathroom before bed, you’ll love this monster-destroying parent hack.

Monster spray will be your new go-to method of destroying the things that haunt your child’s nightmares. You can DIY your monster spray to suit your child, personalizing the colors, design, and even coming up with a special name for the solution (which is actually just water!).

Apple Fries, Anyone?

If your little one won’t eat his or her farm-fresh apples but will gladly munch down a box of greasy, over-salted fries, it’s time to pull out the apple fry hack.

Not only does this hack take literally seconds, but it’s also simple and, quite frankly, genius..All you have to do is slice your child’s apples into fry-like shapes and voila! Most kids don’t even notice the difference. After all, a fry is a fry, right? Even if they’re turned off by the fruity taste, kids generally enjoy eating foods with different shapes, so this hack might still work.

No Dirt No Problem

There’s nothing better than a walk with the kids on a beautiful spring day- except, of course, a walk that is free of mud and dirt that cakes so securely onto stroller wheels. 

To combat this everyday terror, simply cover your stroller wheels with plastic shower caps! You can throw the shower caps away or wash and reuse them next time. Thanks to this genius hack, you can take your little one on a stroll on even the muddiest of days.

Beautifying Barbie

Does Barbie have tangles in her hair? No worries, though! Barbie’s knotty, frizzed-out hair can be salvaged using a magical mixture of 2 tablespoons of gentle fabric softener and a spray bottle full of water. You’ll also need a comb and a bit of patience to bring the hair back to its former glory.

Say goodbye to your children asking you to help them untangle their dolls’ hairs. After all, we never liked messy hair days. Barbie and Ken are going to be looking fly with those new dos with this quick and easy hack!

Frozen Pops Hack

When it comes to freeze pops, each and every drop counts. Laying the freeze pops on the freezer as liquid often means that some of it freezes across the top – the part that is to be cut open before eating. 

When you snip open the end of the freeze pop for your kids, you probably cut off a bit of the frozen treat (much to the horror of your kids, of course!). What if you could save that last drop of sugary goodness? Using this quick organizational hack, you can!

Hangout Hammock

Raining outside? Too hot? Or are you just too busy to be a playground monitor?  No worries! Your kids can do more than just watch TV or build a blanket fort in the living room on days when they’re locked indoors.

They can chill out, relax, and maybe even read a book in their DIY hammock. Affordable, easy to make, and even easier to tuck away, this kid-friendly hammock is great for small children who suffer from inevitable childhood boredom.

Teething Pops Galore

Teething is a tough time for both parent and child. When it first strikes, many children are very young and hard to sooth. Luckily, this difficult time can be made easier with a simple hack.

Enter soother pops! You can turn your child’s soothers into popsicles using an ice cube tray, the soothers, and either juice or formula/mother’s milk. Yum! These handy popsicles are great for teething, or for small children when the heat of summer hits. 

Safety Springs

Trampolines are a blast. For kids, they’re a great way to pass time and get exercise – without even realizing it!

For all the fun that trampolines are, they can also prove to be dangerous. Their springs are scratchy and can pinch little fingers and toes. Not to mention that they don’t feel very good when they’re jumped on! To protect your kids from the issue of scratchy springs, create your own DIY spring pads using old pool noodles.

Freezer Clean

If your child has a beloved stuffed animal collection, you’re probably well aware that one day (probably sooner than later!), they’re going to need to be washed. 

But what happens with the toys that are a huge pain to wash?

You could use the traditional method to remove dust mites or creepy crawlies: the washing machine. Or, you could use this helpful hack! The only things you need are a deep freeze, bags, and the stuffed toy causing the inconvenience. 

Better Baby Bumper: Pool Noodles

As a parent, it’s a proud day when your little one transitions into his or her first bed. When this happens, though, he or she might still be too small to not roll out of bed during the night.

While there are tons of products you can buy to solve this problem, very few are as cheap or simple as pool noodles. That’s right: pool noodles make great baby bed bumpers. They’re soft and squishy, cheap, and easily replaceable.

Lost and Found Tattoos

A lost child is one of the most devastating things a parent can go through. With so many threats in the modern world, it’s imperative to take precautions when your child is out and about in the big wide world.

As children get older, they can be taught their home information and a loved one’s phone number. However, things happen and children can forget. Make sure they never forget their phone number with the use of a pain-free phone number tattoo like this one.

A Little Bit of Organization

With their blossoming independence comes the task of keeping your children’s personal dishes cupboard organized. Thanks to all the cups, bowls, and plates your child has, the task is really quite large.

You can make it easier for yourself by using dollar store kitchen organization tools. Invest in a couple of dish drying racks and set the cupboard up for easy picking – and restocking! Your child will get to practice their independence and you’ll have a little less work to do.

Parking Garage Perfection

Cars, cars, and more cars. It can seem like your child’s car supply is neverending! At the end of the day, this never ending supply of super-charged Hotwheels is likely to be left dragging around the house, just waiting for you to step on them.

Ouch! Give your child a fun place to park their cars using basic building materials and supplies from around the house. No more stepping on cars at 2 AM – they’ll all be neatly tucked into their dedicated parking spots.

Drinks On Me

In charge of bringing drinks for the whole baseball team? You’re probably preparing to perform a balancing act, the result of failing being apparent on your favorite shirt. 

Or maybe not? Using this easy hack, you can successfully transport an entire team’s worth of sugary drinks to the baseball diamond or basketball court. You won’t have to worry about doing any precarious balancing, or about not hitting any bumps in the road. All the drinks are secure and stable, and ready for consumption.

Square Sweeper

It’s normal for kids to want to help. Although, if we care to admit it, their help is not always…well, helpful. One chore that children love to help with is sweeping!

But this can quickly become messier than it has to be, with your over-eager little sweeper spreading the mess instead of containing it. Help them to get the job done by designating a small area that they can sweep the mess into. Less mess for you, more fun for them!

Basket of Burgers

There’s no doubt that your child’s HappyMeal box is useful. If you’re a busy parent, you might even be guilty of harboring the boxes for your own personal use.

Now, you can stop hoarding the boxes and elevate your burger-eating game. Make yourself a burger box! Use an old Easter basket and secure it in the front seat of your vehicle. Use it to hold your juicy burgers and over-salted fries. This means no fast-food mess in the backseat, and none in the front seat, either!

Hands On Mom (Or Dad)

Cuddling with your child at night is something that parents look forward to. Even though it cuts down on parents-only time, it has its own set of rewards.

However, when it comes time to sneak away from your child’s bed, things can get messy. Removing your hand can make or break the entire night; if your child stirs or wakes up, you can kiss your “me” time goodbye. Try using this rice-filled glove hack to replicate the feeling of your hand on your child’s back. It might look creepy at first but it works!

Lollipop for Later

“Want a lollipop?” is the single best question you can ask your child. They just love lollipops. Although, they almost never finish them, abandoning them wherever they see fit.

Later on, they’ll ask for the abandoned candy and, well, we know what happens from there. So, to avoid a full blow fit over a lost lollipop, use a plastic egg to make a lollipop case. Poke a hole and put the lollipop inside when your child is finished. Saved for later!

Collar Closures

Opening and closing cupboards. Slamming the closet door. Pots and pans clanging together. All of these things are familiar, cringe-worthy sounds for parents with small children.

Tired of hearing them? The answer is so simple that it goes forgotten about: pet collar closures. That’s right – who knew that dollar store pet collars could become such useful child-locking tools? Until your child gets old enough to figure the closures out, these are foolproof cupboard locks that hardly cost a dime.

Box of Creativity

Coloring is a great way to get your child’s creativity flowing. A child with a creative imagination can go through entire coloring books in one sitting, draw all over your floor, and color on the dog before finally calling it quits.

Save the dog from turning green by giving your child a large box. Inside of this box, your child gets free reign to color, doodle, and draw whatever they want. Do they have stickers? Stick away! The box is now their creative oyster.

Notes For The Babysitter

If you’re a busy parent or guardian or just need some time out for yourself, you will probably hire a sitter. And while most of us try to keep everything in check with the sitter, you often get a call or text from them asking about the kids.

Sure, it’s great that they call to double check but it’ll be so much easier to have them written down on a board like this. All you have to do is print out the form and frame in. Finally, use a whiteboard marker and simply fill in the information.

Drip Collector

Ah, drips. The dreaded popsicle sticks that make everything sticky. And sometimes you don’t even know how the sofa got sticky even though your kids ate at the table. Sigh.

A little tip to catch those drips is to use cupcake liners. Just poke the stick through it and watch as it collects the liquid and leaves your kids, floors, walls and furniture sticky-free. Then again, make sure they don’t spill the liquid that was caught!

My Parking Pal

My Parking Pal was created to help kids stand by their parent’s side while they are coming out of the car. We all know how kids can get when they are told to stand still and stay within sight. They will do the exact opposite should they see something interesting.

If you don’t have a place where they sell these, you can always DIY them. Or even get the printables.