4 Parenting Hacks to Save Time
March 7, 2012 by guest
Filed under Attached Living
Parents these days have no time. Not only are they busy themselves, but they are busy keeping their kids busy. There is so much available for children to do today other than what is required of them at school, which itself is way more than what was once required. How does the busy parent with busy kids save time? These easy hacks should help.
Shop Online
There is absolutely no time to walk around a store, chase kids around a store, or shop without kids. The revolution of online shopping is a huge plus for a parent at any stage. Everything from groceries and household goods to birthday gifts and even big ticket items are available faster, easier, and often cheaper online. Expecting parents can save time and money ordering baby items and even furniture such as Cribs from Wayfair.com. The key is to find coupon codes and look for free shipping.
Use Organization Tools
But be careful not to go overboard. The calendar on Outlook is great, as is the Google calendar. Mint.com is great for keeping finances in check, and there are numerous paper planners and planning apps for mobile devices. Pick a couple that work best for you and use them well. Get too many going at once and you are likely to end up confused.
Combine Playtime with Work Time
Not to say this should be the only way you spend time with your kids, but busy people have messy homes, and busy kids rarely have time to help busy parents clean it. And who wants to clean when you haven’t had family time in an eternity? Pump up the volume with some fun music and set at timer to see who can clean their designated area the fastest. Then celebrate with a fun treat when it is all done.
Cook Ahead
There is no time for healthy food, but fast food cannot always be the answer. When there is a smidgen of down time, use it wisely. Put together meals that can be frozen, thawed, and eaten on nights when there is little time. Plan for those times when meals must be eaten on the run or at the field with bottles of water, a supply of lunch meat, tortillas, and other things needed for wraps. Though prepackaged can be costly, keep a few single size bags of pretzels, apple slices, and string cheese on hand so you can throw together something healthy in a hurry.
These will not solve all your problems, but with some juggling and creativity, they can make a busy lifestyle more fun and manageable.
