The joy of giving. It’s not just a holiday catchphrase, it’s REAL. We’ve all felt that particular warmth that comes when we tap into our generous nature. But as the holiday season rachets up, giving translates into shopping which, depending on the length of your gift list, turns into a slog. Even the name "Black Friday" sounds bleak, don’t you […]
Author: momhacks
I JUST SUBMITTED THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE PARENT HACKS BOOK TO MY EDITOR. CAN YOU TELL I’M EXCITED ABOUT THIS? A photo posted by Asha Dornfest (@ashadornfest) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:44pm PST This site exists because of hundreds of you were willing to share. People I didn’t know — busy people, aren’t […]
Find out why doing less is the key to resourceful, thriving kids, and a calmer, happier YOU. Minimalist Parenting is an encouraging roadmap for decluttering your schedule, your home, and your vision for family life. Reviewers call it "a much welcome alternative to the usual parenting advice." Also available at Barnes & Noble or your […]
Has family air travel gotten more difficult in recent years? I recently took a flight in which you had to pay extra for "preferred" aisle or window seating, another in which there were fees for both checked and carry-on baggage, and another where the only complimentary beverage was water. Fees for carry-on? Seriously? A few airlines […]
So much goodness swirled around this week, but I’ve barely looked up or shared any of it. I’m heads down finishing the manuscript for the Parent Hacks book, which is consuming most of my conscious thought at the moment. This is only the book’s beginning; my first attempt to transform what we’ve been doing here […]
My son, aka Unicorn Man I’m the mother of a 5-foot-10 high school freshman. He looks like a man, sounds like a man, and (at times) acts like a man, but he’s still trick-or-treating this Halloween. You know why this makes me happy? Not because of my sentimental need to hold onto his childhood a […]
You knew it was coming — who could miss it — but planning for Halloween, well…the time sort of slipped away. There’s no jack o’lantern on the doorstep, no costume laid out for trick-or-treating, and the decorations are packed away in a box somewhere. It’s not that you don’t care about Halloween — you want […]
May I hand you some toilet paper? HEHHHHH. Now you know what to do with last year’s gloves that no longer fit. This gag is super-easy to set up. Visit Stylewithasmile.tv for the full how-to. Got a Halloween hack? Post it on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with #parenthacks so I can share it!
Turn the last few picnic supplies cluttering your pantry into easy, clever Halloween decorations. At Paging Supermom, Bettijo offers a set of free Halloween printables, including the irises for this eyeball door garland made out of yarn and paper plates. Tracey of the Australian Baby Blog turned plastic party cups into Halloween-themed luminarias with a […]
Pumpkin carving is one of my favorite Halloween traditions, but it’s not the most kid-friendly project, nor is it without effort and mess. Time to hack the Jack O’lantern. Parent Hacks readers are a practical bunch, and together we’ve come up eight ways to simplify Halloween pumpkin decorating. Perfect for kids of all ages and […]
I HATE buying small, overpriced packages of anything. Because of this hack, the money I save on dog food will pay for the fancy pet food storage bin I now keep in my basement. I admit, I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself about this one. I invite you to follow me on Instagram — I […]
You know Halloween is a blast, but it can be scary and exhausting for a first-timer. Spooky costumes, strangers, creepy house decorations and sound effects mixed with a big dose of anticipation and sugar and you’ve got the makings of a toddler meltdown. How do you best prepare your toddler (and yourself) for her first […]