5 Mom Hacks – From A Mom of 6

You asked for mom hacks this month, so I’m bringing you five of my favorites! A few minutes wasted here and there throughout the day can steal so much of your time. Here are some ways I’ve found to capture those lost moments.

1. Travel Potty
We almost never use public restrooms. I’m sure at least one toddler would lick something while I was helping another child. Instead, we keep a small potty in the van. I offer it to my youngest toddlers before we go into stores. The older kids are expected to go before we leave home and be set for a few hours. Usually, it’s just used for pee, and I will discreetly dump it out in the grass when we leave. If it gets dirty, I put the whole potty inside a plastic bag and tie it shut to conceal any odor until we get home. Alternatively, such as on a road trip, I’ll line the potty with a plastic bag and paper towels or a disposable diaper, and then tie and toss as you would when picking up after Fido. Baby wipes or disinfectant wipes work well for keeping it clean. This also really helps prevent potty training setbacks when out of the house. There is no risk of the child being too nervous to go in a new place, or the parent being tempted to have the child go in a pull-up to avoid dealing with a public bathroom.

2. Drink Carrier
This thing is a lifesaver! It’s a plastic tote designed for cleaning supplies, but it holds drinks perfectly. When we are getting ready to go, I give it to one child and ask them to round up all the drinks. I also drop my keys in sometimes, and my phone and mail slide in next to the drinks to be carried in when we get home.

3. Don’t Underestimate Special Blankies
My first child started to favor a certain blanket all on his own as an infant. Since then, I’ve intentionally picked a blanket for each baby and bought two of the same ones – an extra for when one is lost or dirty. We keep the blanket with the child in his car seat and around the house. Use your own judgment about when to let them take it to bed.

• Once they are attached, blankets go a long way in instantly quieting a hurt or scared child. A toddler is much happier to sit quietly in a doctor’s office or church when they have a blanket to snuggle. They work as pillows in strollers, and an extra layer of warmth when the weather changes on an outing.
• Recently, we solved the problem of my 3-year-old screaming at MOPS dropoff by letting him sit in an umbrella stroller and hide under his blanket. When he was ready, he peeked out and eventually climbed down to play.
• At certain ages, I can spread the blanket out on the floor at meetings and provide a small toy to play with as long as they stay on the blanket. Around 4 we encourage the kids to leave their blankets in the van when are out, and at 7 my oldest leaves his in his bed and barely notices it anymore. I can’t imagine not having blankets to help us through toddlerhood!

4. Baby Carrier or Wrap on a Chair
Please, don’t send me hate mail about this one! It’s obviously not an approved child restraint and you need to use common sense if you try it. But if you can get your carrier to fit fairly securely, this does work in a pinch. I’ve done it with a sling at business conferences, and a wrap at weddings. It allows you to feed a baby at the table without bringing a portable high chair, or just free yourself up for a minute. I always stay close enough to grab the baby if they try to squirm out or stand up!

5. Dress Them the Night Before
I used to do this a lot when we had to leave for foster care visits early in the morning. Before bed, I’d bathe or wipe down each child. I’d dress them in comfy cotton separates: short and tanks or lounge pants and long tees. This might be easier with girls if they wear leggings. My boys sometimes have to settle for cotton/polyester sweatpant type material on the bottom.

Again, use your judgment. Clothes like this aren’t always snug fitting like sleepwear is supposed to be. For me, I’m comfortable with mostly 100% cotton and no logos {because those are highly flammable!}. They are comfy enough for sleeping in, and still look good enough for playing at the park or riding in the car. I also did this on MOPS days when I had four kiddos under age three, then it wasn’t so overwhelming in the morning.

I hope this is helpful! If you have a mom hack that has helped you in the trenches won’t you please share it with us!? Leave it here in the comments or on Facebook under the blog or my page.