We do not know what your day job happens to be, but we are sure that you agree with the sentiment that it does not get any tougher than being a parent. However, what makes it so difficult is also what makes the endeavor so fulfilling. We asked parents from all over the world for advice and here was what they had to say.
Make-Shift Sweeper
Make-Shift Sweeper
Crawling is the preferred mode of transportation most babies take. You should definitely take advantage of this before they learn how to walk and run! We recommend affixing dusters onto their onesies and let them out of their crib. The house should be clean in absolutely no time.
Drink Up
Resorting to sneaky means might be your only option sometimes. When your baby refuses to drink their medicine, get a pacifier and give it to them. The catch? You have to cut the tip off and then put in a medicine dropper!
Drink Up
No More Tears
When you become a parent, the sight of your kid crying becomes one of the worst things in the world. This is the reason you should keep an umbrella band handy in the bathroom. Doing this will prevent bath water from coming into contact with their eyes during bath time!
No More Tears
DIY Play Pen
There is no reason you cannot take your toddler with you on a beach trip! You can keep them safe by making a playpen then and there. Just bring a fitted sheet with you and then set it up on the sand. All you have to do is prop it up by placing your belongings along the corners.
DIY Play Pen
Bye-Bye Boogeyman
There is no creature on earth with a wilder imagination than a little child. At this age, many children believe that a monster exists underneath the bed or inside the closet. Help them get over their fears by helping them make a “monster spray”! It will boost creativity and make bedtime hassle-free.
Bye Bye Boogeyman
No Better Time
What better time to teach your kids proper habits than when they are little? One thing you should do is to provide them with a bin where they can store their toys in an individual manner. Once they learn how to do this on their own, you can bet they will do this for the rest of their lives!
No Better Time
Divide and Conquer
Do you have several little kids? If the answer is ‘yes’, we are sure you know how challenging long road trips can be. Keep them from fighting by adding dividers between the seats. The personal space wall stop fights from happening and makes them sleepy sooner. Peace and quiet at last!
Divide and Conquer
Trojan Juice
True enough, we do not advocate outright lying to your children. However, their health comes first. If you have a hard time getting your child to drink their medicine, keep their favorite juice box handy. Pretend to hand it to them, but make sure the straw is actually inserted into the medicine!
Trojan Juice
Time to Clean
Teach your kids how to enjoy cleaning up and you will never have to force them to do so. Instill this habit by creating a square with the use of tape. All you need is to convince them to play a game – sweep the dust into the shape to win!
Time to Clean
Hands-On
Children feel comforted when you hold them as they drift off to sleep. There are times, however, when you cannot afford the luxury of laying down with your child as you wait for them to drift off. During these trying times, you can use a glove filled with dried beans or rice in lieu of your hand. Place it on their back and you can now attend to other pressing matters!
Hands-On
Colored Clocks
As all parents know, little children are very hard to control. Good luck trying to get them to bed at the proper time! However, there is something you can do to ensure they stick to the schedule. Why don’t you paint portions of your clock certain colors to indicate certain activities? This way, they will have visual clues and hopefully obey the schedule!
Colored Clocks
Not Just for the Shower
Your shower caddy is not only useful inside the bathroom. We highly recommend using this as a picnic basket of sorts when you are on the go. This method will lessen the chances of making a mess during mealtimes on the road.
Not Just for the Shower
Toothspins
Toothbrushes are not meant to stay inside your drawer or inside a cup. Doing so will be a surefire way for it to collect dust, dirt, and bacteria! A clothespin should do the trick. This makeshift stand will not only ensure that it is clean, but it also prevents confusion when you let the kids choose their own color!
Toothspins
Left and Right
Although it is now second nature for us to tell ‘right’ and ‘left’ apart, we all had to start somewhere. This was a lesson someone taught us, and one you will have to impart to your kids someday. A cool way to do so is by breaking a sticker in half and then placing the proper one inside the correct shoe.
Left and Right
Goodbye Glitter
Although glitter is gorgeous, you cannot say the same thing about the effort it takes to clean the mess. Get yourself a lint roller and save yourself the headache! Catch all the shimmery bits with it and voila!
Goodbye Glitter
Cover It Up
How annoying is it when the toys of your kids make way too much noise? A little tape is all you need to regain some peace in the home. Cover the speakers with it and its volume should go down considerably.
Cover It Up
Sticker Fun
There are plenty of people who are afraid of flying. Make plane rides more bearable for your little ones by bringing fun and easy-to-remove stickers. Something as simple as this will take their mind off their fear for quite some time!
Sticker Fun
Drip and Catch
There is no better way to beat the heat than by eating popsicles. The only downside here is when your child makes the biggest mess trying to eat theirs. Luckily, all it takes is a coffee lid to prevent it!
Drip and Catch
Stuck No More
We are sure you have not forgotten about the time you found yourself trapped inside the bathroom. Moments like that will be something you remember forever. It doesn’t have to be this way for your kids – just get a rubber band and set it up in this manner!
Stuck No More
Spritz It Off
Sunny days are fine, but the sun tends to overdo it every now and then. On blazing days, keep a spray bottle handy for spritzing on hot seat belt buckles.
Spritz It Off
Pool Noodles
Pool noodles make for a great way to prevent accidents. Interestingly, you can use them on your trampoline as well. This way, you can rest easy as your kids hop up and down the entire afternoon.
Pool Noodles
Clip-Clop
Use some tape when you are clipping toenails. How? Just place the adhesives in a strategic manner so the clippings will get stuck before they make a mess!
Clip-Clop
Scavenger Hunt
You should not have any problem getting your child to clean their room if you provide them a motivation. It can come in all forms, but we doubt that anything will be more effective than monetary compensation!
Scavenger Hunt
To Each His Own
Do your children have a tendency to retrieve new cups from the cupboard when their old ones remain unwashed? If so, get them their very own magnetic cup. Since they stick to the fridge, they cannot give excuses about being unable to find them!
To Each His Own
Painless Painting
You can help mold your kid into a well-rounded human being by encouraging creativity. Sadly, this will often lead to paint splatters on the walls. It’s a good thing you can simply put three drops of paint to a Ziploc bag! This will let your child unleash their creative side without making a mess.
Painless Painting
Not Too Much
Is there anything more versatile on the planet than rubber bands? They can be used to secure the pump nozzle and prevent excessive soap usage!
Not Too Much
Sticker Saves the Day
Mornings will be a challenge when you have to prepare each child for school or kindergarten. You can lessen your workload by putting a sticker into each of their shoes. More specifically, divide a sticker into two and then place the resulting half in the appropriate shoe.
Sticker Saves the Day
Fresh Apples
Apples make for excellent snacks, but they have a tendency to brown too quickly for our liking. Chop them into bite-sized pieces, place them in your lunch bag, add a bit of salt, and slosh it with water. You don’t have to worry about it tasting salty, but it will ensure the freshness of the fruit.
Fresh Apples
Easy Does It
Splinter removals can be extremely painful. If you have ever been the victim of one, you will know how true this is. Your kid does not have to suffer through so much pain and trauma! All you need is baking soda and water. Mix them together and the baking soda will push it out!
Easy Does It
Recycling Pizza Boxes
We all love pizzas, but the boxes have always been difficult to dispose of. Why don’t you turn them into large canvases for your children instead?
Recycling Pizza Boxes
Spray It On
Did you come home to find scribbles on your formerly bare walls yet again? No need to panic. Get a bottle of WD-40 and watch the stains disappear.
Spray It On
Wedge It In
Interestingly, you can use Kleenex to teach your kid how to write. That’s right – it is useful outside the bathroom setting. All you have to do is place a wad behind their last two fingers to guarantee good writing form.
Wedge It In
Grippy Socks
A little puffy fabric paint will go a long way in the prevention of accidents. Your little ones would not slide all over the place as long as they have these on.
Grippy Socks
Sneaky Shoes
You can use crayons to fill in shoe scratches as well. Don’t go to the store and buy a new pair right away!
Sneaky Shoes
Not Permanent After All
Believe us when we say that permanent markers and children make a terrible combination. It is basically inevitable that a mess will occur. Luckily, you can use toothpaste to clean it up.
Not Permanent After All
Cleanup Time Quick
Cleanup time will be faster and more efficient when they think of it as a game. All it takes to do that is an egg timer!
Cleanup Time Quick
Bye Back Pain
Does your back ever ache from having to pick up your kid’s toy from the floor over and over again? This doesn’t have to be the case! Avoid the pain by attaching the toy to the highchair or stroller using the toy links that come from the baby’s gym.
Bye Back Pain
Closet Coordination
Dress all the family members in matching clothes whenever you go to the mall. Aside from being a fun way to bond, this is also a surefire way to keep each other in sight!
Closet Coordination
Nipple No More
There comes a time when you need to separate your baby from the pacifier. When this happens, start cutting away a piece of the nipple when your kid uses it. Soon enough, they will dislike the feeling and there will be nothing left to suck. Maybe they will even throw it away themselves!
Nipple No More
Versatile Baby Furniture
If you need an outdoor picnic table, your child’s play table will do in a pinch. All you have to do is cover it using oilcloth so that it is ready to face any weather.
Versatile Baby Furniture
Proper Storage
It should go without saying that pacifiers should always be clean. When traveling, you can keep them inside sauce containers for hygienic purposes.
Proper Storage
Kiddie Bulletin Boards
Are you having trouble keeping your kids organized? If they are often at a loss when it comes to reminders, chores, and schedules, get them individual bulletin boards. It is a great idea to put them in a highly visible place like the shoe area or near the bedrooms.
Kiddie Bulletin Boards
Parking Problems
The parking lot is one of those spaces where children get lost a lot. A simple but elegant solution to this problem comes in the form of the Parking Pal sticker. Your kids will stay right there while you put the groceries in the trunk!
Parking Problems
Pool Play Pen
We all want the best for kids, right? Unfortunately, a play area might be out of our budget. When this happens, get an inflatable from the department store. It will give your kids the same experience, more or less.
Pool Play Pen
Tent Transformation
There are many parents out there who refuse to let their kids out of sight. If you identify as one, take out the crib and convert it into a tent.
Tent Transformation
Baby Food Prep
When you are doing your weekly food prep, don’t forget about the baby! Make a large batch to last the whole week and then keep them in the ice tray.
Baby Food Prep
Not Just for Dishes
Whoa, can you believe that you can also use the dishwasher to clean your shoes and toys?
Not Just for Dishes
Lawn Art
It is definitely possible to express creativity while enjoying the great outdoors. Get a huge sheet and watch your kids turn it into a masterpiece.
Lawn Art
Makeshift Water Slide
If you cannot afford a water slide, it is easy enough to make your very own. The project only requires a hose and a plastic sheet! You can even use the ones that are wrapped around new furniture and appliances.
Makeshift Water Slide
Fort Fun
No matter how old you are, forts will forever offer plenty of fun. Why don’t you make one for the kids by hanging bedsheets on hula-hoops?
Fort Fun
Organize ‘Em
Do not limit your shoe organizer to your footwear. It can also be used for the storage of your toys. Simply put it up behind the door or even behind the seat of your car.
Organize ‘Em
Daily Masterpiece
Do you want to ensure that your children are busy without making a lot of mess? We highly recommend that you do this then. For starters, it is a good way to prevent them from breaking into your office in search of paper. It also allows them to change the drawing as soon as they get bored with the current one!
Daily Masterpiece
Snow Blocks
When it is summer, you build sandcastles on the beach. When it is winter, you build igloos in the snow! Do you have a perfectionist streak? If so, we have a tip on how to make the best igloo ever. Bring a Tupperware container and use it to make perfect bricks!
Snow Blocks
No Mess
You should avoid putting ketchup and mustard on top of a hot dog! After all, this almost always leads to stained clothes. If you like condiments, make sure to put them inside the bun instead. Your kid will still enjoy the sandwich the way they like it but without the accompanying mess.
No Mess
Hide The Candy
Do your kids have a tendency to dip their hands into the candy stash right before meals? Desperate times call for desperate measures. You can stop this from happening by getting all the sweets and storing them inside the bag of your healthy snacks. Trust us, they would not bother.
Hide The Candy
Yogurt Pops
We are all on the lookout for delicious treats that you can make in a pinch, right? When it’s summer, you cannot go wrong with yogurt pops. All you have to do is poke a stick in the yogurt lid and then pop it in the fridge! You can’t go wrong with this recipe.
Yogurt Pops
Bib Hanger
Prevent misplacing all of your bibs by keeping them in one special spot in the house. What better location to keep them than behind the high chair? A command hook will let you hang the bibs and retrieve them just in time for feeding sessions.
Bib Hanger
Baby Socks
Another baby item that often gets misplaced? Baby socks. If you are worried about losing them in the wash, we recommend putting them in a mesh laundry bag and then loading everything in the wash. You will be pleased to find that all your socks have remained in the same place!
Baby Socks
All That Sparkles
It is no secret that making crafts often lead to a huge mess of sequins, glitter, and sparkles. There is a good chance you will spend a long time cleaning everything using conventional methods. We’ll let you in on a secret. You can just use a wide piece of tape, wrap your hand with it, and use the sticky side to collect smaller materials like glitter and sparkles!
All That Sparkles
Medicine Chart
Are you having some trouble trying to keep track of when to give your baby medicine? We don’t blame you. However, this is something that you must address with the utmost care. Use a sharpie to draw the schedule on the side of the bottle to remember when you last gave them medicine.
Medicine Chart
Snack Bins
Children get hungry throughout the day no matter how much food you give them during mealtimes. There is a good chance that you do not actually enjoy going back and forth to the kitchen to prepare meals multiple that often. This is why you should make ready-to-eat snacks – the kids can get them all by themselves!
Snack Bins
Childproof Cabinets
Are you the parent of a toddler? Anyone who has gone through this will know that little kids tend to open the cabinets and empty them! It goes without saying that this can be a tiresome cycle. Put an end to it by using hair ties to lock the cabinet handles in place.
Childproof Cabinets
Race Track
As we all know, kids have a need to be constantly entertained. To make matters worse, they lose interest very quickly. Are you looking for a new way to entertain your kids? Why not set up a racing track on the carpet for their toy cars? It doesn’t have to be expensive – you can use masking tape to make one, as a matter of fact.
Race Track
Babyproof Coffee Table
You would be wrong if you think that it is easy to raise a baby. Oh, no. It is very important that you remove and modify things in your home that might bring harm to your kids. Do you have a coffee table with sharp edges? Grab an old pool noodle and use it to soften them out.
Babyproof Coffee Table
Jar Burrito
There is nothing on the planet that can replace burritos in our hearts. They make for a fun and delicious treat that will leave everyone in the family happy. Unfortunately, they often result in a messy dinner table. You can avoid this by using mason jars to serve them!
Jar Burrito
Bath Toys
The main reason bath toys get all moldy and gross is that water often goes inside it. This is the reason you should use hot glue to seal the hole in your bath toy before you start using it. Doing so will save you money in the long run!
Bath Toys
Band-Aids
No time to run to the hardware store to grab some plug protectors? We have an idea that will help you out on a temporary basis. Band-aids will effectively seal the plugs in your house, ultimately making your home a more child-friendly environment.
Band-Aids
Shoe Shopping
Older people generally enjoy shopping, but lots of kids hate going to the mall. Shopping for shoes? Forget it. Luckily, it is not going to be the end of the world. As long as you trace the shape of their feet and record the measurements, you can do it without them.
Shoe Shopping
Babysitting Template
You can never go wrong when you take extra measures. We highly recommend that you start doing this whenever you have a babysitter coming over to watch your kids. A template like this will make it easier to coordinate. Don’t forget to use an erasable marker so you can use it again in the future.
Babysitting Template
Safety First
We bet you weren’t spared the painful experience of having the door close while your fingers were still in the doorway! Perhaps you are worried that your kid will experience the same thing. Putting a pool noodle on the side of the door should give you some peace of mind!
Safety First
Fence Painting
A warm summer day is perfect for embarking on fun projects in the outdoors. Among other things, we highly recommend “painting” the fence with your kids! All you need would be some paint brushes and water.
Fence Painting
Keep Them Entertained
It can be pretty hard getting your child ready for school in the morning when they are not focusing on the task at hand. It is a good idea to tape pennies to the bottom of their shoes. The sound will amuse them so much they will want to keep moving!
Keep Them Entertained
Treating Minor Burns
Burns are terrible, but we all know that kids are basically the most accident-prone age group on the planet. Prepare a paper towel or face cloth, submerge it in vinegar, and apply it to the burn area.
Treating Minor Burns