Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
6. Parenting Hacks
51 Plays1 year ago
Join us for a lighthearted episode as we share some of our tried-and-true parenting hacks as well as some from the That's a Win community!
Follow along on Instragram :)
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Hey guys, Morgan and Rachel here. Welcome to that's a win podcast where we share the highs and lows of motherhood, celebrating the wins along the way. Thanks for joining us on our
Nostalgia and Friendship
00:00:11
Speaker
journey. Talk soon.
00:00:14
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of That's a Win podcast. We're your hosts, Morgan and Rachel. You know, I was thinking about this quote like all day today. I don't know why, but do you remember like back in middle school, it was like a brunette in a blonde with an unbreakable. cloth It's us. That quote was made for us. I've been thinking about it all day. I'm like, that's our tagline right there. Yes, it is. and It's so funny. I think I might have sent you like a little Instagram reel on it too. like I don't know if it was recently or if it was, I don't remember because I send you reels all the time. I know. I saw that and I was like, we have like heard that and said that for so long.
00:01:00
Speaker
you know How sweet. It is really weird too, though, that i I guess now maybe branching out and having more friends, but like I feel like all my friends usually were blonde also. so You had to type. Basically.
00:01:17
Speaker
you know I'm going to want to be blonde. Watch out. next Next podcast, I'm coming out with dyed blonde hair.
00:01:26
Speaker
But so true. So true for us. Right. ah Hilarious. That's our motto. but's our moto It is.
Parenting Tips and Listener Hacks
00:01:32
Speaker
um So today we are kind of keeping it a little bit light hearted. We're going to do some parenting hacks. Some of ours that we have are tried and true and then some that you guys have submitted to us. So it will be a fun one today. But now it's time for our win of the week where we celebrate our victories. My win. It actually happened twice. But both my girls naps overlapped. So I got, the first day was like maybe only 30 minutes, but still, hey, a win, right? A win.
00:02:09
Speaker
um Yesterday it was like an hour and 15 minutes and I was like, wow. All right. I felt like a new woman. Um, I contemplated like, what do I do in that time? You know, because it's like, okay, I could do dishes. I could do laundry. I could sleep. I could shower, you know. um But I never slept, but I probably should have taken a nap. ah But I showered yesterday.
00:02:41
Speaker
And just kind of sat on the couch, just had some time to myself. So it was a beautiful win. Twice, twice. So lovely. Doesn't happen often. There is nothing like an overlapping nap. It's truly incredible. And it's like the timing lines up and sometimes you don't know like how long it's going to last. So it is like, what do I do with my time? But that's amazing. Right. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. It was beautiful. It doesn't happen often. And yeah, so it was so lovely. And then it's like, oh, it happened. And you want it to like keep happening. And then it's like, probably not. Two times in a row, tomorrow probably it isn't going to happen. So we celebrate that win. There you go. Take the win. That's hilarious. Yes. What about you? Mine is, I got a little mom time off this weekend.
00:03:35
Speaker
ah Shocking. um I got to um go to the pool with a friend and lay out by the pool with no children. And it was just lovely. It was actually relaxing. This was the first time that I've been to the pool like all summer just by myself. And I was actually, I was laughing today because we were at the pool and I was thinking about how much one of my first wins that I shared was taking both the kids to the pool and now I'm like a pro over here so we've been doing all summer long um anyways but I got to enjoy some time just away with the friends and relaxing by the pool so look at you fill fill your cup and you'll fill those kids cup
00:04:20
Speaker
Yeah. Look at you. Way to go. Funny thing is we came home from that and the kids wanted to go to the pool. So then we ended up going to our neighborhood pool afterwards. But it was good. you're like It's fine. I guess we'll go. I got my time. I love that. It was fun. What a refresher. I love how yours and mine was awesome. It was like the same that we get some, just like some free time. We're still moms, but just some time to ourself, right? Yep. Rest and recharge. Yes. Yes. Absolutely. To be your best, to be your best self. This is true. This is true. yeah So these are going to be really fun. I um kind of have just been keeping track of things that I'm like, oh, this is something that, this is, you know, something I do in my daily life that I think
00:05:08
Speaker
helps or is quote unquote a hack. And so it'll be fun to go through these um and just kind of share share the hacks with you all and hopefully, you know, help us just be more efficient as parents. Yes. is Well, it's funny, like like you just said, you have been, you know, thinking of certain things that were hacks. And I'm over here like Morgan, Don't have any like I'm sitting there trying so hard to think and you're like Rachel you got this you know you have them you know you do and the more I just sat down and really thought it's like things that and so that's for like you listeners to like you may be sitting there thinking like What I don't but when you really start to think it's the simplest things that you're like wait I do have some parenting hacks that are helpful for You know my family and then now hopefully can help other people as
Food and Safety Hacks
00:05:57
Speaker
they're listening. So don't think
00:05:59
Speaker
you friends out there don't think you don't have no parenting hacks because you do you do we're basically all parenting experts now right basically don't quote me on that
00:06:15
Speaker
basically yes okay so I'll start with some of mine um okay this one is something that I've just realized lately and it's been a game changer so what I do is when I'm coming home I have a grocery order or I got my pickup you know whatnot went to Costco got all the things I keep my kids in the car in the car seat while I'm and loading all my groceries so for me we have our basement like in the garage so I have to come all the way upstairs to the kitchen and unload everything but if I keep them in the car seat I don't have to worry about them
00:06:48
Speaker
running around the garage, running into the street, like roaming all around. I can just run in really quick, obviously keep them safe and like keep the air on and all that stuff. yeah I'm not talking, you know, anything crazy over here, but keeping them in their car seats, I can unload the groceries and then, or just like take them upstairs, even just that, and then get them out. It's been yeah truly life changing for me. Um, okay, I'll do another one. So I feel like we waste so much food at the end of a meal, like on their plates, like, okay, you cut up all this food, whatnot, and then they don't eat half of it. So what I'm trying to do is start putting certain like uneaten food, like normally i just throw it all away or have they like clear their plates or whatever. But if it's like cut up strawberries or blueberries, whatever,
00:07:36
Speaker
I'm like, wait, these are perfectly fine. I can put them back in the fridge and save them for the next meal. That way we can kind of cut down on that food waste. Yes. Yeah. I definitely feel like I, sorry, but I've thrown a lot of stuff away because you think, Oh, okay. I guess you're done with it. And I don't know. Like, I don't even think about that. So that's really cool. You've put that to light. Be on the lookout. What can I put back in the fridge here? What can I not waste? Right. Right. That's good. I mean, we go through food so much anyway, so fast with kids. I feel like, like strawberries, like, Oh my goodness. How many strawberries do you have to go through, like containers of them? Like my kids eat them, like nobody's business in me. I know. You go to the grocery store, you get a pack and they're gone that day. It's like, wait a minute. You have to buy like $300 worth of fruit. Yes. Yes. The fruit goes. So that's good to keep it. Yeah, absolutely. All right. So a couple that I was thinking about kind of going along with your pool day stuff, but I remember
00:08:43
Speaker
This didn't happen with Ivy, but with Nora, I didn't quite know about like swim diapers and like how they worked and how it really does like leak through. Like if they were to like pee and whatnot. So I have been like with Ivy, I'll put a regular diaper over the swim diaper while we're like driving in the golf cart or going on a walk to the pool. So it doesn't leak through. And then when you get to the pool, it's ah easy. Like you just take off the other diaper and you're good to go. Okay. I love that because I feel like I'm always, I just put a regular diaper on. I'm like, I'll put her swim diaper on when we get there. And then I forget. And then she's in the pool and then she's got the big old booty popping over there. And I'm like, uh-oh, I forgot to put on the swim diaper. Yes.
00:09:29
Speaker
Those things blow up. I know. It's like scary fast. And they like bust and all that. And I'm like, oh no. That happened one of the summer, one of the summers you came to see me. Judas wearing one leg.
00:09:45
Speaker
Clearly. You need my hat. I need my hat. Yeah. But yeah, it's so easy. You just take that. you know the one on top off the regular diaper and then you got your swim dupper right there and it nothing no pee or anything went through there you go so there's one um also like my girl will really like ivy just now starting to like really eat like more finger type food she will not really eat pouches and she will not really eat
00:10:16
Speaker
Anything that's on a spoon. She wants to pick everything up. Mm-hmm. So that's been a whole whatever new game changer whatever but Going along with food is trying to get your vegetables in for like my family. I'm not really a vegetable lover truly, which probably that's why my kids really aren't. So, um, I do try, I do try to always have it on their plate, but, um, is just putting the veggies in like a smoothie with some bananas, some strawberries, whether it's some spinach in there. You can't really taste it as much if it's blended up, you know, in with all the fruit.
00:10:54
Speaker
So that's one way that I've also found a little hack on to make sure that they get their veggies. So then they don't even know. And they don't even know. Right. Right. Or getting like the um the little dino chicken um that has cauliflower in it. they Both my girls love that. And they don't even know that they're eating it. But they're getting the veggies then.
Home and Travel Tips
00:11:18
Speaker
I didn't know they had those with cauliflowers. Yeah. They're actually Nora's like favorite ones. Yeah. Wow. There we go. um I have one kind of related to the food and pool and all that, that I saw at the beginning of the summer and it's to bring your popsicles and like an insulated water bottle, like a Stanley or whatever to the pool. And it keeps them cold and frozen. And then you have a nice tasty treat.
00:11:43
Speaker
or even like to the park. we had um like We met up with some friends at the park and I busted it out and all the kids were so happy. and I felt like the mom of the year. I was like the fun mom bringing the popsicles. Yes, we used that when you were here. And I had never heard of that either, but I saw you doing it when we went to the beach, I think it was. Yeah. And they like actually stay, they stay frozen, which is legit. Yeah. And we did it. We did it um a couple of weeks ago at the pool as well.
00:12:14
Speaker
Um, so love that hack. That's a wonderful one for summer. It really is because who doesn't love a popsicle after swimming on a hot day? There ain't nothing better. Oh yeah. And then when you are at the beach with your popsicles and you got sand all over you, baby powder is the key to get all the sand off. Because you try like in your mind, you think, Oh, if I put like water on it or I try to like scrub it down or whatever, no baby powder. And it literally comes right off. Truly hmm. I've always heard that but I've never actually used it which is so funny because like I live like right It's one of those things. It's like when you live near it It doesn't sound as cool like this like oh, I'm gonna go like even like but living in Tennessee Like I never really went to the mountains but like people go there to visit the mountains, right? Why don't I why don't we go to the beach more? I don't it's so crazy. I writing that one down for future ref. Yeah, you bet. All right. So this is one that I know people have told me they used. I kind of do it a little bit different way. But um for those of you that have like the hatch sound machine, we love those for my girls. um But I know some people who have, whether it's like early risers or um even just like waking up for the day, I know people have like
00:13:40
Speaker
turned and put a certain color on and that like signals and lets the kid know oh the light is blue now or the lights pink. I'm allowed to get up which I think is really cool. I don't use colors necessarily but for Nora, I don't know why I don't because obviously I should wake up earlier than her so I'm like up and going but I don't so she I'm not ready for her to like get out of bed and wake up and come like get me like I feel like as the mom like I should be up and going as well so I I still use that but mine is more um
00:14:19
Speaker
I just turn her sound off and that signals her and I do turn the blue light on, I guess, but it signals her to let her know, OK, my mom's coming. It's not like, oh, I can get up. It's oh, mom's coming. um And I know here in the next few years, like obviously. I won't make her wait for me, but I'm like I guess she's still three I'm gonna keep it still controlled at some point while I can while I can't and she's very much a rule a rule follower for the most part so she does wait wait for me except these last couple warnings as I'm speaking and I'm like i know That little stinker stinker um
00:15:01
Speaker
But yeah, so using the hats hatch machine to an advantage of when they when it's time to wake up if it's too early You know morning time signaling morning time. Yes, I think it's really cool. I Um, well funny because I have one about the hatch on my list But this is with eden if she wakes up like say at 5 30 or something sometimes I can like change the sound so from like the white noise to like birds and sometimes she'll go back to sleep and sometimes it'll be like an extra hour an extra hour and a half like if I just change the sound what so y'all need to try that next time because I mean I've said like 80% of the time it works it gives me a little extra time whether that's 30 minutes or whatnot
00:15:42
Speaker
If I just change it from white noise to the birds, that's what I do. Or like twinkle, twinkle, little star or something. She goes back to sleep and it extends her sleep. That's awesome. i know I've also seen like little different videos where they talk about like white noise, like maybe the reasons for like kids waking up too, if they are, which not saying it is for all scenarios, but And so that's so crazy. So maybe like just the switch is just, she's like, okay, maybe it's like, I don't know. Just like a little change of changing it up a little bit. It feels like, you know, I don't know. I think we think like white noise, that's like what helps them sleep or what? The end all be all. Yeah. Yeah. But in reality, you know, my parents always give me and Daniel such a hard time.
00:16:37
Speaker
Like, you know, the little portable ones or whatever. Yes. Yes. I didn't do it as bad with Ivy, but like with Nora, I was like such a stickler with that dang thing. Like it would be right up. Like and my dad's like, oh, they're taking off.
00:16:53
Speaker
No, it's just a sound machine. He's like, Rachel, they're not going to be in like college listening to sound machines. like they got it I'm like, maybe they will. Maybe they'll like the sound machines. Some adults like their own sound machines. Yes. and So you never know. I like my fan on, not necessarily like blowing like the actual air of it, but I like the sound of the fan. The noise, yeah. Yeah. So Mr. Clark, is there a jet taking off?
00:17:24
Speaker
That's hilarious. Yeah, so funny. The hatch can do wonderful things. Okay. Sorry. One other thing, this is just, I'm going along with the hatch. I also saw, I've never done this, but, and this isn't a hack at all, but this is just a cool little tidbit that there, I don't know if it's one of the like newer models or whatnot, but you can actually have like, if you're away from family or friends, they can have the app on their phone and record like whether it's like my mom like wanting to like record something for Nora or Ivy she could like record like a good night message like Mimi saying good night and I can bring it up through my app and it can play on the hatch no it's like them saying good night yes I haven't done it but I've seen a lot of little things about that and I'm like
00:18:13
Speaker
That is so freaking cool. That's cute. I've seen that on like the little Tony boxes. You can do like custom stories yeah and to have it on the hatch, like a little good night, you know, read a story or just saying good night. That is so cute. Yeah, right. So these hatches, man, other than, other than the recall, I was in that. I didn't hear about that. Don't tell me. I'm sorry. I don't really know all the deeds on it, but they can do wonderful things. A lot of cool little parenting type things to do with your kids. Yeah. That's so cute. Yes, yes. um One other one that was on my list that I have used before was um with bottles, like on the go.
00:19:00
Speaker
Nora didn't really care about temperature wise, but Ivy kind of does, but, um, was with, and this could probably be good for like breastfeeding as well. Like if you're using breast milk as well, but, um, like with formula bottles taking it on the go. is bringing kind of like you were saying, your thermos with popsicles, keeping it cold. You can also put a thermos with like hot water in it and take it with you to warm your bottle up when you're out and about. If your baby prefers it to be somewhat warmed. Yeah, there you go. My dad also like kind of going along with that. I remember we were like out to eat.
00:19:37
Speaker
And he also had told me you can ask the wait, like the waiter for like, you know, some hot water and you could do it like that too. so if they prefer it to be a little a little bit warmed up. yeah um This next one, I kind of got to explain it, like set the stage a little bit. but um So if Judas ever having a moment, like kind of melting down and you can't really seem to get him out of it, obviously, yes, I know, validate the feelings, let him feel. You don't always want to like distract from the feelings. But sometimes, you know you just got to like change it up, switch it up.
00:20:12
Speaker
And what we do is we say something wrong. So we say like a color of something like, oh, I love your blue shorts. And he'll be like, what? Like say if they're green, you know, say blue or like, yeah, I can't wait to go play with your purple bike, you know, just say the wrong color of something. And it like switches something in his brain. And it's like he starts like, I won't say every time because sometimes he's like, no, don't say that. um missing more man Yes. But I think eight times out of 10, it works. And it just sometimes just like flips that switch. Like you just say something totally silly or random or wrong, you know, like that. Yes. Like switches, it gets him out of it. So that's something that we've been using lately. And maybe he'll catch on one day. But right now, eight times out of 10, it works. It works. Yes. I love that. I love that. I think that's so cool. And it's unique to like you and something that I've never heard that.
00:21:11
Speaker
You know what I mean? So that's cool to hear. yeah I like that. I may it may have to have to try that. I know. I would love to hear your report back if it was successful or not. Absolutely. um and Another one I have is when going on trips, and basically the only trips I do is like to come visit you. So I don't go on trips very often. But um it's the most important. The most important trips. Of course. Of course. Um, is when you're packing like your kids clothes to have the little shoe hanger, you know, and you pack up an outfit like underwear shorts and a shirt and you put it in the little shoe holder that like you hang on the back of the door and then they have all their outfits prepared and you can fold it up and put it in your car or your suitcase or whatever.
00:21:56
Speaker
And then when you get to your destination, you put it on the back of the door and then you have all the outfits and you have, I even for Eden, I would put like her diaper in like, just so it's literally all their swimsuits, shoes, everything. And it's just so kind of trying to like dig through your bag and trying to find everything, all the matching stuff. It's all right there. Definitely 10 out of 10 recommend. I think you even like said one time, you're like, I love that you do that. Like I did. I probably say it every single time because I see it on my closet door and I'm like, hold up now. I know. You would think that I would do that. Like we do travel very often, like coming back home. Why haven't you told me I need to do it more? Guys, next time, next time. um I know that we had some friends check in with us and tell us some of theirs.
00:22:47
Speaker
Um, through our Instagram. So some of them that we heard was, I've never experienced this, so I don't know if you have, but was with kids to board a flight last. yeah So maybe that's just. They're not sitting on the plane waiting for everyone to board, I would assume. Right. Get all your energy out and then have them sit down at the last minute possible. That's also kind of like when you go out to eat and you have like a baby, like don't put them in their high chair until the food gets there. That way they're like stay put longer. That's kind of what that makes me think of. Cause the moment you get them out, it's, that's what we do like at church. Like we just have Ivy and her little Duna.
00:23:34
Speaker
And I leave her in there until she like gets mad where she wants to get out. Yes. I'm like, I'll just feed her. Give her some snacks. And then as long as I can keep her in there, because I know the moment she comes out of there, it's it's done for. Yeah. Yeah. Moving everywhere, not staying still. So yeah. So yeah, that's a good one. That's a nice little tip. um Another one was to cut up their kids food with scissors. So yeah, makes it so much easier. Yeah. yeah Oh, totally. Gets it in the right perfect pieces. I do actually do that with, um, when I make like a pizza, like a frozen pizza.
00:24:15
Speaker
i don't I hate using pizza cutters, so I use scissors. i I cut the pizza into all the, not even like little bites, like I cut it into the eight pieces, yeah triangle pieces with scissors, because it's so much easier. It's so much easier. Yeah. so I like that one. That's a good one. That is a good one. Another submission was to prep for dinner during nap time rather than waiting for that five o'clock chaotic period, and which is clutch. I've actually done that before. And if you can prep ahead of time and get that done when it's like quiet and not as chaotic.
00:24:52
Speaker
That is, it's nice. You come time five o'clock and you're not trying to like entertain a circus while you're trying to have boiling water and the kids are at your feet screaming at you to hold them and you know, hypothetically, right? Yeah, literally. It's that timeframe is just Why is it why is it so crazy from like 5 to 7 p.m Like what is the science behind that? I think everyone must know it's just the end of the day and bedtime is coming and Probably subconsciously everyone wants That time to come you know, what I mean and you've just probably done so much throughout the day that it's just a
00:25:38
Speaker
Yeah, that timeframe. So yes, to have stuff prepped before, that's beautiful. That's amazing. I love that. I think I said that after everything. Love that. But I really do. I know. Those are really cool. I like hearing yours because even though you and I, again, we say it all the time, but we talk all the time, some of those I didn't even know. So so yeah this has been a really cool thing. Yeah, I think that we'll end it on those, but I'm excited to start maybe implementing some new ones. I haven't heard before. Yeah. and And be on the lookout, look out through your day and be like, what are these little things that we do throughout the day that really help us, you know,
00:26:23
Speaker
Just think make things go more smoothly or whatnot. And then share it with your peeps, share it with your friends, share it with us tell us. Tell us all the things we want to know. Yes, please. All the hacks. All the hacks. All the things. Well, thanks guys for another great episode. Thanks for tuning in and we will catch you all next week. Bye. Bye. Thanks so much for listening to another episode. Remember, everyone is worth celebrating. Talk soon.