#Momhacks

There are times in our lives when we see someone else doing something and we think, “Why didn’t we think of that??” These are life hacks – like using an empty toilet paper roll as an iPhone speaker or using nail polish to identify different keys (this works unless you use cheap polish, btw). But this short list is specifically for Mom hacks. Some are original (such as the dog one), but some are from other amazing moms who are working to hack this life as best as they can. Cheers to you, Mom hackers – I toast to you!

1. Spinach popsicles

I have blogged about how I get my kids to eat their veggies, and this is 100 percent still the case. I have found out, though, that fresh spinach works better than canned (which smells like dog puke — just being honest) and my new handy Ninja blender is amazing. I’m sure the Vitamix is swell, too, but it would have broke the bank.

2. Paying my children

The Artist recently started getting paid for various good deeds, such as staying in her room after bedtime, getting on the good colors at school, and cleaning her room. I also have determined this works well on weekends. I pay her a quarter every Saturday and Sunday to entertain her sister until 8 a.m. Mommy and Daddy get up, drink their coffee, and get dressed before the kids are even out of the bedroom. I also pay her to clean her sister’s room. No shame here.

3. Laundry baskets in the tub

I think my friend Sommer did this with one of her boys, and when I saw the picture, my mouth dropped. WHAT A BRILLIANT IDEA. When you have a baby who isn’t quite ready to be on his/her own in the tub, put the child in a laundry basket in the tub. The Engineer LOVED this. She thought it was the coolest thing ever, and so did I.

4. Bathing the dog

Speaking of baths, the other night I put the girls in the tub with Vicki, our Chihuahua, and told them to bathe Vicki. They LOVED it. Vicki did not, but that’s okay. She smelled a lot better with some Johnson & Johnson’s.

5. Cleaning with thieves

My kids think it’s super fun to clean. They do a really poor job wiping things down, but I don’t care. They’re learning, and at least that one stone square on the floor is quite sparkly. But The Engineer also likes to put everything – let me repeat, everything – in her mouth. I can’t give her a Clorox wipe! But I can give her a towel dipped in Thieves cleaner. So if she puts it in her mouth, it’s not so bad. Not great, but better than if she ate the Clorox. My friend Kelsey is a YL consultant, so if you’re interested, let her hook you up!

So those are five of my @momhacks. Feel free to share yours! We all need a little help surviving and thriving in this parenting life.