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are you a hacker? Quick and clever parenting tips for dads Over seventeen years ago, my wife and I welcomed our firstborn, Kai. He entered this world a mere 5 lbs. 15 oz. and had a set of pipes like none other. We were young, excited and naïve. While we had done our preparation of becoming new parents by reading books and taking a class here and there, experience was our best teacher. Three kids later (who are all now entering their teenager years), my wife and I are constantly finding ourselves seeking advice or searching for solutions to our current teenager dilemmas.

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Raising kids today is a far cry from the early childrearing days we enjoyed. Today we have access to information at our fingertips. Back then the Internet was not like it is today. We’re talking the days of dial up service. Hell, I think flip phones were still all the rage. So when it came to finding a solution to some common baby concerns like incessant crying or temper tantrums, we were outta luck! We had to handle these situations the good ole fashion way – either calling the doctor or heading to the ER. But fortunately, today’s parents can usually find solutions or “hacks” for most of these concerns by simply Google searching them on their iPhones or Androids. Is there an app for hacks? If there isn’t already and somebody doesn’t beat me to the punch, I’m claiming rights to it now. But I digress.

Over the course of my parenting years, I discovered some parenting hacks from friends, the Internet, and some by accident on my own. Here are a few from my latest book Diaper Dude–The Ultimate Dad’s Guide to Surviving the First Two Years that will come in handy at some point in your parenting journey. Hopefully they will inspire you to come up with some hacks of your own. Figuring out why your baby is relentlessly crying is stressful. Try this hack to see if it solves your baby’s issue. When babies get gassy, they get upset. Lay baby on her back and rotate her legs in a bicycle-pedaling motion, from elbow to knee. This helps relieve the gas … but expect a few baby-farts to the face.

june 2017

www.siparent.com

Are You A Hacker.indd 2

5/23/17 1:04 PM