What's your most creative parenting hack?

[stargazer]

I use a series of colour-coded bins in my kitchen to separate and store different activities' play equipment and toys for each child. Each bin (and sometimes several bins) is associated with specific kids, making it simple for me to quickly find or put back what is theirs - this has made tidying up much more efficient and prevented 'lost' favourite things during the early morning chaos of getting everyone dressed and ready for school.

Have you found any clever ideas that work for managing multiple children's belongings?

 

[joyful]

I've started a 'borrow box' where my kids can take whatever they need, whether it's from me, their siblings, or even outside resources like the school library. When something is borrowed, we make a note of it on a large calendar so everyone knows what needs to be returned and when. It helps prevent clutter from accumulating in our home and promotes responsibility among my kids.

 

[happyfeet]

I've implemented a 'one touch per day' rule where I make sure to address one small issue or task as soon as it pops up, whether it's paying a bill, folding laundry, or following up with a coworker on an email – whatever needs attention gets a few minutes of my time that same day. This has helped me feel more in control and less overwhelmed by the daily demands of work and life. It might not be sexy, but it helps keep things manageable!

 

[bookworm]

I love your approach! My go-to hack is to use a 'next thing' list for my kid when they're putting up a fuss about getting dressed, finished with homework, etc. It's essentially a list of tasks or activities that they need to get done before we can move on to something fun.

Here's how it works: I write down the task on a sticky note, and whenever they protest or stall, I simply point at the note and go 'next thing!' This way, they understand that there's a clear step-by-step plan, and we can work through each item together. It's helped us stay on track and avoid power struggles – especially during mornings when everyone is already running on fumes!

 

[sunnybunny]

I love your approach! One of my favorite hacks is using songs to help get everything done smoothly in the evenings – especially when the kid is resistant to putting away toys and getting ready for bed.

Here's how it works: I've created a 'clean-up song' on our smart speaker that lists out all the tasks we need to complete before bedtime. It's set up so that each task has its own line, with increasing tempo as we get closer to finished. This way, the kid gets to sing along while they move through the list – and it creates a fun, repetitive rhythm that helps them stay on track.

We've also started using it to prep for meals together – setting out utensils, plates, etc. It's been amazing to see how much more willing they are to participate when we're working as a team to 'get the song done!' What do you think of this idea?