Seven Parenting Hacks to Make Life a Little Easier

from FC 2019

Goodnight Moon & Other Books to Read with Your Children

Seven Parenting Hacks to Make Life a Li le Easier BY JULIE FRITZ

Parenthood is the most joyful, wonderful, ful lling experience life has to offer. But let’s be real, it is also extremely hard and exhausting. Finding ways to simplify life and make things a little easier can go a long way.

BINS IN SHARED SPACES

When you have kids, it’s hard to keep your living room from looking like a playroom. Your children are going to play in the spaces that you all share as a family, but that doesn’t mean they have to be cluttered with toys. Adding a few stylish bins to an existing shelf or placing a storage ottoman in the room can give you a place to put toys away quickly so that everyone can enjoy the space. Another bonus is that it can limit the amount of toys that are allowed into the space, which will help kids keep their toys in their rooms.

SIMPLIFY TOYS

Most kids have way more toys than they need, but it is hard for them to let them go. Every 3-6 months, go through toys with your child and pull out things they haven’t played with. Put them in a box and tell your child that you will keep them for 3-6 months in the garage or basement. Assure your child if they ask for it, it can be taken out. But once the allotted time has passed, if they have not asked for it, it will be donated to a child in need. This will simplify the amount of toys in your home and help your children let go of things they don’t use.

GROCERY SERVICE OR PICKUP

Life is busy, and when you do get time to make it to the grocery store, if you have children with you it can be extra exhausting. Using a grocery service with online ordering can make this necessary chore much easier. Most services allow you to sign in and keep a running list of things you need every week, as well as allowing you to easily customize your needs for the week. Whether you stop to pick up the groceries or have them delivered, this can be a huge timesaver.

ACCESSIBLE SNACKS

Kids are always hungry, and a great way to make your life easier is to make snacks accessible to them so they can help get them for themselves. Keep a basket or rack in the kitchen or pantry lled with individually portioned snacks, like gold sh, granola bars, and applesauce pouches. You can also place nonrefrigerated fruits, like apples and bananas in there as well. In the fridge, dedicate a low height drawer to refrigerated snacks like yogurt and cheese sticks. Making sure they have healthy options they can reach on their own is a great way to simplify snack time.

SICK BASKET

When your child wakes up in the middle of the night feeling sick, it is hard to get it together. Having a pre-prepared basket with all the supplies, you might need will have you thanking yourself time and time again. Keep items like a thermometer,

Gatorade, stomach meds, fever reducer, chicken noodle soup, and crackers. You can even keep it in a bucket in case your little one is throwing up.

MEDICINE CHART ON THE BOTTLE

When your child is taking medicine, it is hard to remember if you have given them every dose. Draw a grid on the side of the bottle with a sharpie. Each dose your child receives will be checked off on the bottle when you give it. This will help you keep track, and every time you see the bottle, you will be reminded to check it off.

CLEAN PLASTIC TOYS IN THE DISHWASHER

When sickness hits your home, you can be overwhelmed by the amount of cleaning you have to do to disinfect. A great hack that will save you time and get rid of germs is to clean plastic toys in the dishwasher. Loaded that dishwasher with toys and run it while you clean the things that can’t be disinfected so easily.

These are just a few ideas to help you simplify and make life a little easier. There really are a million ways to do things differently. If you nd there is something in your family that makes you feel overwhelmed, talk to your parent friends and look online for ways to make it better. There is always a hack; you just have to gure it out.

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