Travel

Obviously, we all love our kids. They are beautiful, lovable gifts and the sun rises and sets with them and all that. However, they are also serious, all-consuming, time-suckers! If you catch me in the morning, you’ll find a mom full of grand plans and maybe even a sprinkle of energy, but by 3 pm you’ll most likely find a blob, sort of resembling me, being smothered on the couch, still trying to finish her morning coffee. It’s amazing how much such small people can suck all of that motivation right out of you. This is why these hacks are so important. They save us time, energy and sanity, all things that are pretty hard to come by these days. Read on for twenty of my favorites, perfect for parents of young children.

Photo Credit: Infarrantly Creative

1. This genius way to organize measuring tools. I waste so much time looking for the right spoon when I’m cooking/baking, and I’m always needing to google measurement conversions, so this speaks to my soul. I love that it’s all tucked on the inside door of a cabinet. It seems like a pretty straight forward DIY project that even I wouldn’t screw up!

2  This cheap and easy travel bed. Take three pillow cases, sew them together and then stuff them with pillows. Somehow over the years we have amassed a large collection of pillows and their cases so I’m definitely making one or two of these to use for sleepovers. If you can’t sew, like me, you can use Liquid Stitch found here.

Photo Credit: Quilt Keepsake

3. This adorable heirloom quilt! OMG, I’m completely not talented enough to do this, but I had to share the idea. Sew your child’s outgrown baby clothes into a quilt and then save it to give to them when they have their own children. If you love this idea as much as I do, but you flunked Home Ec. too, here’s a link to a quilt company who can make it for you.

Photo credit: Infarrantly Creative

4. This clever board game hack. Frame board games and hang them on the wall as playroom decorations. Put command hooks on the back of the frame to hang sandwich bags with all the game pieces and spinners. I LOVE this idea because we are always losing game pieces. Pick up cheap frames at Dollar Tree or shop the frame sales at Michaels.

Photo credit: Mom Hacks 4 Everyday

5. This idea for keeping track of those mischievous baby socks. Speaking of losing things, it’s been three years since I’ve had a baby, but I still have a collection of tiny socks missing their other half! You don’t have to be like me. You can keep them together by putting them inside a mesh laundry bag whenever you wash them. This also works great for legos or other little toys you find yourself needing to put through the wash.

Photo credit: Alana C. Valentine

6. This way to make sure your child takes all of their medicine. Let’s be honest, with everything going on in our lives right now, how often have you forgotten if you gave your kid their antibiotics for their latest ear infection? Or even worse, miscommunicated with your spouse and ended up double dosing your kid? It happens, but with this easy hack you can keep track of whether or not they’ve had their medicine and also how many days they need to continue to take it.

Photo credit: Princess and the P Baby

7. This idea that makes snack time a breeze. I would say about 50% of the conversations I have with my kids center around them telling me they want a snack and then asking me to recount every single thing we have to eat. How much easier would be if they could just ask, Can I have a snack? and then after I said yes, go to the pantry and choose something from one of the pre-approved snack baskets. Purchase cheap baskets like the ones pictured above at Dollar Tree.

Photo credit: The Not So Perfect Mom

8. This way to make meal and snack time feel like play time. Toddlers love eating food out of ice cube trays or muffin tins. I’m not sure why, but I think something about the novelty and variety appeals to them. It’s a great way to get them to try new, colorful fruits and vegetables.

Photo credit: Melissa Sabra

9. This idea for keeping bibs handy. I don’t know why I never thought of this, because we always have some of those command hooks around our house. Great idea to avoid lost bibs!

10. This genius trick for ridding your home of the herpes of the craft world! Glitter is seriously not welcome in my home. If you’re a kinder, sparklier mom than I, this seems like such a smart and easy way to pick up the glitter pieces that manage to adhere to every surface of your house. Good luck to you!

Photo credit: One Crazy House

11. This easier way to keep little hands clean. Use empty shampoo or soap bottles as faucet extenders. I’ve spent eight years lifting my kids up to help them reach the sink. Believe me, your back will thank you for this hack!

Photo Credit: The Realistic Mama

12. This idea for keeping snacks healthier on the road. Have you ever found yourself starving, but stuck in the car with no food? When I find myself in that situation I usually blink and somehow find a frappuccino or Chick-Fil-A nugget in my hand. How did that happen? Stop hunger from getting the best of your good intentions and keep a basket full of healthy snacks in your car for you and the kids.

Photo credit: Lemon Lime Adventures

13. This creative car cleaning idea, perfect for road trips. Wrap a piece of duct tape, sticky side out, around your hand, and use it to pick up crumbs and other dirt in the car. If your kids are old enough to help, wrap it around their shoes instead. They can have fun getting their wiggles out while helping clean up.

Photo credit: A Life From Scratch

14. This kit that helps you stay prepared for life’s emergencies. I love this clear kit from Courtney at A Life From Scratch. Check out the link above for the what and why of everything she put into it.

Photo credit: We Love Being Moms

Photo credit: Central Coast Teaching Tots

15 & 16. These two awesome uses for hot glue. Use it to stop kids’ shoes from skidding and slipping. Use it to stop up holes in bath toys to prevent mold growth. However you use it, hot glue for the win!

Photo credit: Parkingpalmagnet.com

17. This idea for keeping kids safe in the parking lot. When you are loading groceries, or getting a baby out of the car, sometimes your older child may have a desire to wander. I would usually just yell at my kids to, “Touch the van!!”, but it would be great to give them a specific spot to hold onto. You can use a large car sticker, or buy the stickers pictured above here.

Photo credit: The Paper Mama

18. These safety tips for parents with kids who like to wander off. In the photo above, Chelsey from The Paper Mama, used a marker and New Skin liquid bandage to create a waterproof tattoo on her child. You can use the tattoo to provide easy contact info if your child gets lost in a crowd or to communicate a food allergy on children who aren’t old enough to tell people themselves. When you get home, simply add another layer of New Skin and the tattoo just wipes right off.

Next, before you head out for a day at the beach, amusement park, or any other crowded place, take a family photo. Not only will you have a great photo, but if anyone gets lost, you have a visual of what they look like that day, what they were wearing, etc. So easy, but so smart!

Photo credit: One Creative Housewife

19. This awesome hack for helping toddlers put on their shoes. This is one of my favorites because it is cheap and easy, but it really helps kids figure out their left from their right. This will save you so much time!

20. This sleep tip that promises to help you fall asleep fast. If you’re someone who feels exhausted all day, but has worries keeping them up at night, this 4-7-8 sleep technique from Dr. Andrew Weil is for you. Practice the breathing exercise below twice a day, and within a few weeks you should notice a difference in the time it takes you to go to sleep.

• Exhale completely.
• Inhale for a count of 4.
• Hold your breath for a count of 7.
• Exhale for a count of 8. Repeat for 4 cycles.

Hopefully these hacks can save you some time and perhaps even your sanity! If you can’t get enough parenting hacks, check out Alonzo Lerone’s collection of hilarious hacks from veteran parents who seem to have it all figured out! You’re welcome.

♥ Erin

Parent Hack: Wine. LMFAO. So much truth!

Happy Summer! I hope you’re relaxing by the pool with a cold drink in your hand, not stressing out about packing everything you need for summer vacation like I am. However, if you are stressing about that first beach vacation with kids, you’ve come to the right place.

Check out the guide below for all of my family beach vacation must-haves, as well as what to leave at home:

Don’t Burn Baby, Burn!

My friends over at ThinkBaby.org came up with a comprehensive list of the best and worst sunscreens for your baby to toddler. As they say in the article, ” Finding the perfect sunscreen for your baby is not an exact science and it does involve plenty of trial runs until you find the one that you like the most. The most important thing is not to expose your baby directly to the sun and to have light layers of clothing even with the sunscreen on.”

Buzz off, bugs!

You don’t want bug bites to get in the way of a good time. Read on below for more information on applying insect repellent safely.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics says that insect repellents containing deet are safe for children as young as 2 months. Bug repellents with deet come in varying strengths — some contain up to 30-percent deet. A higher concentration of deet doesn’t mean a product is stronger, only that it lasts longer
• Although deet is safe for use on children, many parents prefer to use bug repellents that are deet-free. Natural repellents are made with plant oils such as citronella, lemongrass, peppermint, and cedarwood. They generally need to be reapplied more often than products containing deet.
• Lotions that combine bug repellent and sunscreen might sound like a good idea, but they aren’t. The reason is that sunscreen needs to be reapplied every few hours, but you shouldn’t expose your children to that much bug repellent

Here are some of the top reviewed sprays for children:

Cutter All Family Mosquito Wipes    

Baby’s Bugs at Bay Insect Spray

Sawyer Products Insect Repellant with 20% Picaridin

Swimsuits and Sunhats and Water Shoes: Oh My!

When it comes to beachwear, simple and easy to put on is always better. ALWAYS. When shopping for baby/toddler girls, always buy a two piece suit or a one piece that snaps at the bottom like a onesie. I just bought my youngest this one from Cat and Jack at Target.

I love these long sleeved rash guard bathing suits for baby/toddler boys. They also have snaps at the bottom for easy diaper changes.

If you’re worried about keeping your baby warm in the ocean or pool, check out the Confidence Babywarma Swimsuit it enables babies to stay warmer in the pool or ocean for much longer than would be possible without it. Babywarma is made of a very high-grade neoprene fabric to insulate baby while allowing parents to keep a firmer grip on their child in the water.

If you want to cut down on waste and save money at the same time (Those swim diapers are hella expensive!!) consider these reusable swim diapers from Nageuret. They’re adjustable and fit children from 8-36 lbs. so you can get years of use out of them.

These aqua socks from JIASUQI are so easy to slip on, with no annoying straps or velcro to attach. Hallelujah!

For protecting baby’s tender head, there is no better cover than the iPlay Flap Sun Hat. It is water resistant, machine washable, made of UPF 50 fabric and comes in every color of the rainbow.

I love these sunglasses from Tuga. They come with two different comfy straps, one for ages 0-2 and the other for ages 2-5. You have to love something that will grow with your child for their first five years.

Float On

Puddle Jumpers are the only floaties my kids have ever needed. They each have their own and they’ve really held up over the last 6 years.

I’ve also heard great things about the Full Throttle Infant/Child Life Vests. They provide a pop-up pillow for added head support and additional safety and a grab strap for quick recovery if necessary.

Sit on it, Potsie

You probably won’t have much time to sit, but it is nice to have something to rest your sandy behind on during those hard won moments alone. I got this Coleman chair last year and I love it! It is a little bit bulkier than some other foldable chairs, but I love the side cooler bag, cup holders and plastic sleeve where I can keep my phone handy.

If you don’t feel like lugging a heavy folding chair, try one of these backpack chairs from Rio Beach. It has 4 reclining positions, a pillowa,  cupholder and it’s pretty lightweight.

If neither of the options above are your speed, try rolling up one of these giant blankets from Chillax. It comes with a carrying bag that is stitched to it so you can’t lose it and it is small enough to fit in a beach bag when folded down. The RIP-STOP nylon fabric is sand, water and heat repellent. It also comes with 4 SandPockets to keep your blanket in place even in windy days.

Made in the shade

A little sun is good for babies, but too much can be very harmful. If you’re planning to spend a whole day at the beach, it’s important to keep babies in the shade the majority of the time.

This is the sun tent I used when my kids were babies. It easily folds down and fits into a small carrying case that you can throw in your beach bag. This tent held up through three kids over 6 years.

They also make a lot of sun tents now with a built in pool underneath to keep baby extra cool. I haven’t tried this, but this one from The Hamptons Baby was the best reviewed on Amazon.Best of the beach

Here are some of my favorite miscellaneous beach must-haves:

Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set– I purchased this sand toy set eight years ago and it’s still going strong! The pail that’s included is the only one we’ve had that has lasted more than one beach vacation.

Intex Sunset Glow Inflatable Baby Pool– This cheap pool is a great choice for the beach. It’s compact, easy to inflate and inexpensive enough that you can buy one every year if you need to.

Codream Mesh Beach Bag– This leak-proof beach bag has a cooler attached to the bottom that can hold up to 12 cans. It also has two outside pockets to keep your phone or car keys.

SAFEGO Portable Indoor/Outdoor Lock Box Safe– If you get nervous about leaving your cell phones, cameras, wallets, etc. hidden while you’re swimming in the ocean, this is the product for you. It has a three number combination lock and key and it has a cord to attach it to your beach chairs or umbrellas. It’s also water and sand resistant.

The Shader– Dave Baldwin from Fatherly, an awesome dad blog, describes this amazing beach shade that you never knew you needed in his article, The 16 Best Beach Gear to Help Make Your Next Beach Day Go Smoothly:

“At first glance, Shader looks like somebody removed the canopy of a baby stroller and used it to cover their head on a beach. In reality, it’s a portable (and collapsible) sun shield designed in Australia to take the place of whatever you’re currently using to block your face from the sun ⏤ be it a hat, magazine, or t-shirt. That said, the thing comes loaded with bonus features including a removable pillow with integrated chill pack, a six-cup drink holder, and a phone/iPad solar charging panel that can accommodate a USB-powered fan. It also attaches to chairs, boasts an internal pocket for your wallet, and comes with a beach bag that also has room for a towel. Now that’s one hell of a stroller canopy.”

UE Roll 2- So this is totally going on my birthday wishlist! This tiny portable speaker is completely waterproof and boasts a 100 ft. Bluetooth wireless range and 9 hr. rechargeable battery life. It’s lighter than a can of soda and even comes with its own float to keep your music close to you in the pool.

Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible Folding All Terrain Utility Wagon Beach Cart – This large capacity wagon folds down to only 10″ thick, but carries up to 150 lbs. It also has a small table with two cup holders.

The Rinse Kit– If you’re like me and hate waiting in line to wash off your feet, just to have your kids get all sandy again on the short walk from the shower to the car, this kit might be well worth the $75 price tag. The rinse kit provides 4 minutes of high pressure water so you can get everyone clean right before hopping into the car. Score!

Or, for a much cheaper alternative, keep a couple jugs of water in your trunk.

Sand-Off! Sand Cleaner Wipe Off Mitt– This mitt contains a patented, dry body wash powder formulation embedded in the mitt to remove sand with no mess; plush terry cloth applicator feels leaves skin soft and sand-free. 

Keep it at home

• Don’t bring kids their own beach chairs! They take up a lot of space in the car and they’re tough to carry. They are too young to have bad backs, so they can sit on the sand just like we all did when we were young!
• If you’re going somewhere where you can rent umbrellas, don’t bring your own. It’s worth it to not have to carry your own all the way from the car. Your back will thank you.
• When it comes to beach gear, know your own child. If you have a sleepy baby, a small foldable beach tent may be all you really need. For a really active toddler, you won’t get them to sit still in the sun tent or baby pool for more than five minutes so it’s smarter to leave them in the car.

TRUE STORY.

Enjoy the beach!

♥ Erin

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