The two parenting tricks that I learned years too late.

Potato waffles can be cooked in the toaster... crank up to hottest setting and you're good to go. No need to warm the whole oven up.

Comment: For older kids, to get them to tidy their room hide a £5 note and tell them they have to tidy their room to find it.......... I heard of a mother who put $5 on the closet shelf and it stayed there until the child went to college.

Since I had my first baby this year, I struggled to put out washing during day! (ds doesn't nap for long) so discovered checking my phone for tomorrow's weather and pegging out washing at night, hey presto washing out ready for the sun coming out! 👍

I've got one to add. Allocate a spare blanket (we use an old double bed sheet) to use when your dc want to get the lego out. Lay blanket on floor, empty lego in the middle, simply lift blanket in all 4 corners to scoop up the lego to put away when finished.

You're welcome

I love the days in a month knuckle trick!!! I always have to work my way through the poem to work out how many days in a month.

Love the tip about the back to front nappy (you can guess what DD has been up to recently! )
For TV issues, I've put a painting in front of ours. Out of sight means I don't get asked every 5 minutes to switch it on.

Also, thanks MN for the pasta in a jar method for kids busy pushing boundaries. Works like a charm!

I know this was ages ago but what's the pasta in jar method?

No genius from me, I'm afraid but loving Saracen's tip for older kids.

This thread is genius. I wish I had something to add but common sense is not my forte

Double sided Velcro. I actually read about it here. It costs about a fiver but has so many uses. I keep a few pieces wrapped around pram cross bar. It came in handy for hanging shopping and handbags. Was also good for attaching toys and blankets. I also did a lot of shopping and would worry about tipping the buggy. My local quality save were selling wrist weights for £1. I bought two for the front of the buggy. Also used to use socks as mittens in the winter.

One more! To minimise sibling rivalry talk to new baby about the older child. Baby will only hear your tone of voice but older child understands words. Won't be so jealous if mummy is cooing " you are so lucky to have such a lovely big brother" instead of cooing how wonderful baby is iyswim

Another medicine one: to give steroids, place a chocolate button on a small square of parchment/grease proof paper and zap in microwave for 10 secs. crush steroid tablet between two teaspoons and carefully place powder onto melted choc. Fold paper in half to cover powder in choc and put in freezer for 2 mins. Feed to baby.

You don't need to wake baby in middle of night to feed: dream feeding is the business!

A trolleybag is perfect slipped between handle and seat of a buggy/ pram

For colds and snuffles prop baby up with a pillow under the mattress

To wash hair if reluctant, lie flat in bath in no more than an inch of water.

Dressing toddlers, but your hand up sleeve, grasp their hand and pull through.

To give calpol (or any other medicine with an oral syringe) to a big baby/young toddler: Load up the syringe and then give it to the baby to hold. Everytime they put the right end in their mouth subtly push down the plunger. My children, who fight like ferrets against medicine, have always eaten it with joy using this approach. They think they've found something contraband to play with and are pleased! Best done with child in sling.

When giving birthday or xmas presents - remove from box, remove all cable ties and screws, remove excess packaging, assemble, put in batteries. THEN wrap it.

Done this since we almost had a trip to A&E when grandad tried to cut cable ties with pen knife on xmas day after too much sherry.

Basically, the conclusion is that baby bodysuit producers and stickers manufacturers should put instructions on the packaging!

I knew about both, but only because someone told me. :)

My tip is - if the baby/toddler wakes up looking/asking for a dummy in the cot, to chuck quite a few in for the night, so that they just need to stretch out their hand in the darkness to come across one. :)

If they use a grow bag or sleeping bag put your hand under their head and pick up the grow bag so it's like a hammock and then place them in cot.
The startle reflex is much less

Save their paintings they've done at nursery, fold in half so picture on the outside to make birthday/thank you cards for grandmas etc. Write message on the inside.

The receiver thinks DC has made it especially for them. And no need for you to go through the faff of making cards from your DC. Win win!

DK you know the knuckle trick for remembering how many days in the month? Start with a finger on first knuckle. ThTs January. Then drop down into the gap between knuckles for feb, then up for March, down for April, up for may, down June, up July then cross to the other hand and continue up for august etc. All the months on top have 31 days in them. All this in the gaps have 30 or 28 for Feb.

I'm on a roll now...

Don't waste money on expensive toy farms use a shoe box - the lid with green paper stuck in is a paddock and the box with a flap cut it the stable.

Get school socks from M&S as they at least have sizes written in the top to aid pairing!!

1. (May be on here already as pretty sure I got it from MN and I've only read about half the thread!!) When kids are fighting over a toy use an electronic timer to give each a turn. This defuses the situation as the child without the toy can watch the timer count down and know they get it when it goes off.

1. If struggling with control of electronic time try instituting days on and off. It removes the constant questioning about what time they can and can't have on the days off and enables them to think about something else!!

I can't wait to try the sticker one and I only learnt the envelope neck trick on dc3:-(!!

A tablet is also good for long journeys.

today's top tip.

never, ever, ever, buy pants or socks with the days of the week on.

You will spend far to many mornings scrabbling through a basket of clean washing looking for the second Tuesday sock.

That 9x table thing has blown my slightly intoxicated mind!!

Have removed my toddler's bed guard and instead cut a pool noodle the same length as the bed and tucked it under the fitted sheet to give a ridge - he hasn't fallen out yet!!