Local Wilmington moms have chimed in with their favorite “Mom Hacks”. They shared advice on: keeping the kids smiling & entertained, tricks that make parenting life easier, and at-home dental tips. Hoping these #SunshineMomHacks put a smile on your face! Be sure to let us know which hack you like most!
Earlier this month, we ran a contest called #SunshineMomHacks in honor of Mother's Day. Several local moms shared their favorite tips and tricks. The topics include: dental, toothpaste, emergency, food, beach, traveling, potty training, and toys. We think their mom hack ideas are pretty super!
⭐️ DENTAL - MOM HACKS:
DENTAL HACK: “To more easily brush the back sides of my daughter’s teeth, I say TIGER TIME, and have her growl at me. Works like a charm.”
DENTAL HACK: “We keep an extra toothbrush for each of my kids in every bathroom. It makes it easier to remember to brush after meals.”
DENTAL HACK: “While my kids are brushing their teeth, I sing to them, and they have to keep brushing until the end of the song. My most recent song is my modified version of the Frozen song “Let It Go” called “Brush Your Teeth”.”
⭐️ TOOTHPASTE - MOM HACKS:
TOOTHPASTE HACK: “We use toothpaste to remove crayon and marker scribbles from most surfaces. It even took permanent marker from wooden furniture!”
TOOTHPASTE HACK: “Bug bites are always a problem here in NC, even with bug spray. We use a dab of minty toothpaste to soothe itchy bug bites.”
⭐️ EMERGENCY - MOM HACKS:
EMERGENCY HACK: “I assembled a small first aid kit for my purse, in the event that my child or I get a minor cut or splinter. I always have various sized band-aids, hand sanitizer, ointment, tweezers, a safety pin, dental floss, a rubber band, Q tips, Asprin, and Tums.”
EMERGENCY HACK: “As an easy booboo ice pack, we freeze a damp sponge in a Ziploc bag.”
⭐️ FOOD - MOM HACKS:
FOOD HACK: “You just always need to have snacks with you. Always.”
FOOD HACK: “Carry a small pair of children’s scissors in your diaper bag for cutting up food on your child’s plate from an odd angle. Just remember to wash the scissors when you get home.”
FOOD HACK: “My kids love lollipops, and they often get tired of them halfway through. Then after a while they ask for them back. Instead of the sticky mess or throwing them away, I put them in a plastic Easter egg. The top pops open and it has the perfect cut out hole for the stick. It saves the lollipop without the sticky mess and having to buy another one when they want it back.”
FOOD HACK: “I hide my favorite chocolate in the freezer in an empty vegetable bag!”
FOOD HACK: “I put on Disney movies while cooking dinner.”
⭐️ BEACH - MOM HACKS:
BEACH HACK: “We always have an extra shampoo in the car for beach days. It’s easier to get them to wash up right away.”
BEACH HACK: “I use a rinse kit at the beach so no one has to have sand on them on the ride home (if there is no shower in parking lot).”
BEACH HACK: “I keep a resealable plastic baggy in my beach bag for the seashells my kids find.”
⭐️ TRAVELING - MOM HACKS:
TRAVELING HACK: “I always keep extra pair of clothing in my car for each of my kids, including socks/shorts/shirts/underwear. I also keep an extra shirt for myself.”
TRAVELING HACK: “When traveling out of town, I have my daughters wear bright colored matching shirts. It makes it easy to keep an eye on them.”
TRAVELING HACK: “We hang a tiny backpack by each of our children’s car seats/booster seats. We keep a few things in each of their little backpacks such as a water bottle, tissues, a few small toys, and a ziplock bag. Also, anything they bring into the car has to go in their bag. It helps reduce mess in the car.”
⭐️ POTTY TRAINING - MOM HACKS:
POTTY TRAINING HACK: “I use the plastic bag for the toddler potty in the car for my kid’s potty training. It makes clean up a breeze.”
⭐️ TOYS - MOM HACKS:
TOY HACK: “With extra toys, we keep them in seasonal bins that are stored in our attic. So at the end of a season, we pack up the non-favorite toys into a bin, and bring down a new season’s toy bin. We have found this to be a great way to reduce clutter. Plus, for my kids, every season it’s like getting brand new toys! It also gives us the opportunity to seasonally donate outgrown toys.”
TOY HACK: “The sound effects on electronic toys can be so loud! But I have found that a piece of invisible tape over the toy’s speaker holes can help reduce the volume!”
TOY HACK: “I have a storage cubby to keep toys in the living room accessible and easy to clean up.”
Image from our #SunshineMomHacks contest:
To ensure all your children’s teeth are ready to SMILE all year long, be sure to visit Sunshine Children’s Dentistry. The American Dental Association recommends oral checkups twice annually for children (and adults, too). QUESTIONS? We are a resource to you and are happy to answer any questions you may have about your child’s changing smile. We believe that oral health should be FUN and something to SMILE about! f you ever need to reach us, our number is 910.762.7736.
For more helpful resources and fun activities, be sure to read our other Blog Articles.
