Category Archives: Parenting Tips

Not So Messy Ice Cream Push-up Pops

Just about every frozen treats on sticks, homemade or bought, drip everywhere. Unlike us grown-ups who race to finish our treats before even wasting a drop, our kids dawdle, savor every lick leaving a big sticky mess all-over. Keeping them from enjoying these delightful popsicles is simply not an option! Finally, I found a work-around […]

Also posted in family cooking, kid-friendly items | 1 Response

Rock Candy, Patience, and Chemistry

Making rock candy is a fun and easy experiment to do with your kids while teaching them a little bit about chemistry and a lot about patience. Plus, there’s a sweet reward at the end. Candy making usually involves thermometers and lots of corn syrup. Not so with rock candy! You just need sugar and […]

Also posted in kids craft, recipes | Leave a comment

Two-Piece Footed Pajamas for Toddlers

2T, 3T, and 4T two-piece footed pajamas are so useful, yet so hard to find. My solution? Spend less than five minutes to sew cuffed socks onto pajama pants using a zigzag stitch. Stretchy pajama pants with ribbed knit ankle hem are ideal. Footies keep feet warm at night and two-piece pajamas come in handy […]

Also posted in sewing | 1 Response

Cheapest Infant Potty at IKEA

This past weekend, I found stackfuls of one-piece infant potties at IKEA for $3.99 but were on sale for $1.99!!! They looked stable and easy to clean. I’m glad to see how readily available they are now, about four years too late for me. Maybe they’ve been around for awhile but I just don’t find […]

Also posted in kid-friendly items | 1 Response

Easy Clean Tablecloths

Borrowing another great restaurant idea: oil cloth (vinyl) tablecloths. Primary reason? Easy to clean. You can purchase the fabric by the yard from Fabric.com and simply sew fitted tablecloths so that your tots can’t easily pull them off!

Also posted in kid-friendly items, kids craft, sewing | 4 Responses

Kid-friendly Tableware

Get your kids durable tableware from the most unlikely place: restaurant supply stores. Take note from kid-friendly restaurants. They are all about stretching the dollar and serving kids in tableware that can be used and abused. In Austin, head to Acemart Restaurant Supply Store. Here are my top picks:

Also posted in kid-friendly items | Leave a comment

Potty Training with Cloth, Disposable, and No Diapers

Use them all! Potty training doesn’t have to be a strict philosophy or for non-working parents only. Anyone can do as little or as much as he/she wants. This morning, I came across another article on successful early potty training and points out that the greenest option is to be diaper-free as soon as possible. […]

Posted in Parenting Tips | Tagged , , , | 2 Responses

How to Say No to Your Kids Without Saying “No!”

When you’re constantly telling your kids “No!”, the effects wear off over time. Besides, it’s not always clear what you’re saying ‘no’ to. Instead, try speaking with: brevity. Instead of just repeating “no” by itself, be a little more descriptive. ‘No hitting’, ‘no touch’, ‘not for babies’, etc… ambiguity. Statements like ‘maybe later’, ‘not now’, […]

Posted in Parenting Tips | Leave a comment

Grow Your Own Edible Sprouts – No Gardening Skills Required!

Here’s something fun you can do with your kids that’s educational and results in something useful. Sprout seeds! To get started, get an economical, small seed sprouter tray so that your kids can take part in the action. I bought a Thompson and Morgan seed sprouter for about $10. The instructions are simple: Soak seeds […]

Also posted in gardening, home and garden | Leave a comment

Infant Potty Training with the Booster Chair and Potty Combo

Why would I want a booster-chair-and-potty-combo, you ask. For starters, it’s very handy to have when you’re traveling. Most of us will do without one or the other. After all, traveling with kids usually means flying to get there fast or staying at someone’s house. But if you’re on a road trip, this can be […]

Posted in Parenting Tips | Tagged , | 4 Responses