From Hair Ties to Journals: 6 Hacks That Will Save You as a Parent

Switch Roles

Are you rushing to pick up your child from daycare but still stuck in your afternoon meeting in your head? A quick trick to turn off the stress in your mind is to put yourself in your child’s shoes. How excited will they be to see you? What experiences will they want to share with you? Will they be longing for your hug? When they see the most important person in the world after a long day, everything else fades away for our children. And when we empathize with them, we quickly realize what truly matters. And that we feel the same way!

Utilize Routine and Care Moments

Often, there’s no other way: changing diapers, brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating... How often do we rush through everyday moments just to "arrive" somewhere? Whether it’s because we need to get to daycare/school/work quickly, want to go to the park, head to the pool, or any number of other things. But it’s not just the "special" activities that count. The everyday moments in between matter too. By taking our time, looking into their eyes, and being fully present with them, we make these moments special for our kids as well. Because for them, it matters that we are focusing solely on them.

Bracelet Hack

Blog author Emily Holmes has a fantastic and viral parenting hack that helps you interact with your kids more respectfully and without yelling. All you need are five hair ties (or fewer). At the start of the day, put all the hair ties on one wrist. And the challenge begins. Because every time you behave in a way you don’t want to, move a hair tie to the other wrist. The goal is to keep as many hair ties as possible on the original side by the end of the day. The trick works sustainably: you’ll quickly notice that in stressful situations, you instinctively reach for your wrist before reacting.

Write Down Memories

Of course, journals, baby books, (digital) photo albums, and the like are wonderful reminders of our time with our children. Still, many of us parents struggle to find the time, energy, and brainpower at the end of the day to capture those beautiful moments. That’s why dad Matthew Dicks has the perfect hack for us: Choose one moment each day that you want to remember about your child. Create a spreadsheet, journal, or jar where you collect daily notes. This way, you not only have a manageable task but also create a huge collection of memories. You’re also practicing being more mindful and fully experiencing moments.

Rediscover Perspective

There are moments when mindfulness and mental availability are particularly challenging for us. Especially when our children need us, and we ourselves are sick, tired, or overwhelmed. What helps: rediscovering perspective. Yes, it’s really tough right now. And just as we will look back on today in a few months, years, or decades and miss this time: holding the little ones in our arms, feeling their weight and warmth. Being there for them in such a simple way. And the feeling that it’s just the two of us in the world right now.

Bedtime Story

One of my favorite hacks: Going through the day together at bedtime. This helps kids process everything and shows them that we see and understand them. It can also help us parents to let everything sink in, unwind, and create an opportunity to empathize with our children. And it provides inspiration for tomorrow, as new interests or feelings often emerge at this time.

Even though it often feels like it: We don’t have to be perfect. And we can take our time to become more mindful again. Every little mini-moment counts – and every hack that helps us do so.