20 MORE Ingenious Parenting Hacks From Real Moms And Dads
It's no secret that while parenting is a rewarding job, it's also a stressful one too. After a long day at work, coming home to discover that your little angel has decided to "paint" the cream walls that cost you $300 to plaster can send you over the edge, especially when they go on to throw the meal you went on to painstakingly cook across the kitchen.
That's why us parents need as much help as we can get. They don't say that it takes a village to raise a child for nothing. And with the right knowledge, we can definitely make our lives a lot easier - whether it's by preventing our kids from fighting in the backseat with cardboard dividers or using a bedsheet to keep them clean at the beach.
So, without further ado, here's 20 MORE ingenious parenting hacks from real moms and dads...
1. Separate your fighting kids with cardboard in a car
Credit: Facebook / Jake White
Having more than one youngster can be a blessing when they keep each other entertained, but not so much when they're fighting!
2. Trick your kid into taking their medicine with this soda hack
Credit: Reddit / @bsurfn2day
Because sometimes our little angels don't know what's good for them.
3. If you've got dreadlocks, use them to help your mini rock star see the concert
Credit: Reddit / @Decestor
This has got to be the most metal parenting hack in existence.
4. Bored toddler? Why not ask them to "paint" the garden fence?
Credit: Instagram / @macshona
It'll keep them busy for hours - all you need is a bucket, a brush, and some water.
5. Use a bed sheet to stop your baby getting covered in sand
Credit: teamjohnson1.blogspot.com
All the fun of the beach with none of the mess.
6. Turn your kid's old cot into a child-friendly desk
Credit: alittlelearningfortwo.blogspot.lt
Upcycling at its finest.
7. How to hide candy from your kids like a pro
Credit: Source Unknown
It's the last place in the world they'll think of looking.
8. Need to be in two places at once? Fill a glove with beans and let it do the work for you
Credit: Reddit / @FreddyJackson69
There's nothing more comforting than a parent's embrace - even if it's not quite what it feels like!
9. Let your kid's imagination run wild in an empty box
Credit: berrysweetbaby.blogspot.com
As much as we parents love their artwork, none of us actually want it messing up our expensive paint jobs.
10. Color-code the clock for their after-school routine
Credit: Source Unknown
Planning is the key to getting everything done well before nine.
11. If your kid is struggling to put their shoes on the right feet, just cut up a sticker like so
Credit: onecreativehousewife.com
This will make their gym teacher's life easier too.
12. Need a hand with household chores? Your kid will happily help if you turn them into a game
Credit: Source Unknown
Perhaps you can even offer them rewards for successfully "winning" them.
13. Turn your kitchen table into a hammock with a sheet
Credit: joyfulabode.com
It'll become your kid's favorite place to take an afternoon nap.
14. Stop your kid's popsicle from dripping with a coffee cup lid
Credit: Source Unkown
Say goodbye to sticky post-popsicle hands!
15. Untangle doll's hair with dish soap and hair conditioner
Credit: makingitfeellikehome.blogspot.com
Because no parent wants to be forced into chopping off Rapunzel's long hair.
16. Take a picture of your kid every school year until they graduate in an oversized shirt and watch them grow
Credit: Source Unknown
You can have fun in the present while looking to the future with this hack.
17. Turn looking for missing items into a fun game
Credit: Instagram / @ruby1508
This will save you a lot of time the next time your charger goes missing!
18. Stop your kid from getting locked in the bathroom with an elastic band
Credit: Source Unknown
Never again experience a situation that stressful again. No one wants to hear their baby cry and not be able to get to them!
19. Keep your baby's face dry and shampoo-free with this shower hat
Credit: Amazon
No more tears, just a happy bub!
20. Get your kid to take their medicine by putting it on a lollipop
Credit: Instagram / @billygoatbabygear
Mary Poppins was right; a spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down.
So the next time you're feeling frustrated by the lows of parenting, take comfort in the knowledge that the good moms and dads of the internet have shared everything you need to know to keep them to a minimum. Have we missed out anything on this list? Let us know in the comments below. Your fellow parents need you!