Author: momhacks

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Teaching our kids the difference between video game combat and real war

On the ONE Campaign blog today, I share my thoughts on a father’s choice to teach his sons about videogame violence by taking them to Israel and Syria. While I respect his choice, it wouldn’t be mine. From the ONE post: I have a 14 year-old son who loves to play combat video games. We draw the […]

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Free screening passes: Island of Lemurs: Madagascar [Portland]

Friday surprise for Portland Parenthackers! I’ve got a download code for free advance screening tickets for ISLAND OF LEMURS: MADAGASCAR, playing tomorrow in IMAX 3D, 8/16, at 11am at Regal Bridgeport Village! Thanks to the PR folks at Allied THA for setting this up — this is awesome. (Bonus: Morgan Freeman narrates. Here’s the official […]

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Blast stains out of white sports uniforms with a pressure washer

Christine used a power washer (also known as a pressure washer) to blast the stains out of white baseball pants! She shared this laundry trick for parents of busy baseball players in the “Parent to Parent” community at Parents.com. I found it because @ParentsMagazine tweeted the link with the #parenthacks hashtag. (Fist bump to Parents! […]

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Book review: Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

I’m undone by the beauty and wisdom of Cheryl Strayed’s Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar. Exquisite, funny, shocking, real and oh, so generous. I picked it up on impulse from Powell’s and read it in a matter of hours. I met Cheryl years ago at a literary salon in […]

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GIVEAWAY: Tickets to the Portland screening of BOYHOOD

It’s one thing to make a movie. It’s another to do something completely new with the medium. From the promotional material for BOYHOOD: Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD is a groundbreaking story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (a breakthrough performance by Ellar Coltrane), […]

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Mobile phone lock screen graphic reminds your kid to read [free download]

Austin Kleon is happier when he reads books, so he created this cell phone lock screen wallpaper as a reminder. Imagine this as the lock screen on your kid’s iPod. Download Austin’s "Read A Book Instead" wallpaper for free: Read A Book Instead Give a little link love! If you come across something you think qualifies as […]

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This month, your comments save lives

Did you know that a child dies every 20 seconds from a disease that could be prevented with a vaccine? Did you know that 75% of unvaccinated children live in just 10 countries? Did you know that by simply leaving blog comments or sharing posts during the month of August, you can give a child a […]

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Bake cookies on your car dashboard

Road trip snacks, anyone? No kidding: Mikeasaurus has thought through the food safety issues on this one. Consider this the silver lining on your next drive in the insane summer heat. Read the full how-to at Instructables: Dashboard Baking Give a little link love! If you come across something you think qualifies as a parent hack, share […]

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Turn a wooden magazine holder into a corner shelf or charging station

Look at this smart reuse for an IKEA magazine holder! This could work well over a kid’s desk to stash art or homework supplies. OR as a charging station for the family’s mobile devices. Read the full how-to at Design*Sponge: DIY Wednesdays: Catch-All Shelf Give a little link love! If you come across something you think […]

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This family air travel tip simplifies packing while saving $ on checked baggage fees

This simple trick will dramatically simplify packing for a family trip, save you money in checked baggage fees, and get your family through airport security in record time. I stumbled onto this tip as we headed on our vacation (those are my family’s suitcases, plus a bonus peek at @PDXCarpet). 1. Each person’s clothing goes […]

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For #Blogust ’14: What I Learned By Sending My Kids to Summer Camp

This post is my contribution to Blogust ’14—Shot@Life’s month-long campaign to provide vaccinations for kids in need around the world. I’m writing on the theme of "Happy and Healthy Firsts." You can help Parent Hacks unlock 500 vaccine donations by leaving a comment or clicking “Tweet” or “Like” below. (Details at the end of the post.) […]

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Ever been on pregnancy bed rest? Please share your #parenthacks!

I’m writing the "Preparing for Baby" chapter in the forthcoming Parent Hacks book (did I mention I’m writing a book?) and it occured to me that some of my future readers may read it while on bed rest. Photo credit: Brooklyn Museum Online Collection I’m doing research into how folks handle bed rest, but (not […]

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