Never the less, I have pushed through the loss and compiled another list of some of the "tricks" I've used that have benefited me. May they make your life just a smidge easier too. (oh, and you may already know most of them, but for those who are solution-common-sensicly challenged, you're welcome.)
1. The good mom engages her children. When she cleans, she has them help and praises their inadequate efforts with adore. She doesn't go back and get rid of the left over hand prints or glaring streak of dust that was missed by the kids. And, despite that, her house is immaculate and she is primped and happy. Break away from dream land and you get a mom who cleans when her kids are asleep (just like eating dessert when they are down - so you don't have to share - you know you do it too. Heck, you're probably doing it right now.) so she doesn't have to worry about feeling guilty for saying no. Well, I found a pretty decent compromise. You clean first and then ask the kids to come behind and make sure you did it right. Or, you work side by side and then you say, "Ok, you check my work and I'll check yours." If you clean first, you know it's really clean. If you switch, you know it's also going to get really clean. And, you've not only taught your kids how to clean and work together with someone else, but you've made them feel like they are really good at the job because they get to check YOUR work. If you're feeling really generous, you can leave behind some dirt so they can "fix" your mistake. Total win-win.
2. You know how noodles with sauce, mainly spaghetti with it's totally obnoxious marinara, don't just take the heat in the microwave. They have to spit and sputter and still only get half hot. Try this: put the sauce on the plate first and then put the noodles on top. I know! How smart is that! The noodles stop the sauce from making your microwave look like a murder scene. Since you most likely stir it all up at the end, what does it matter if you put it together out of order? Sure you can use those cover thingys that are always in the way and then clutter the counter when you don't need them and they are always cloudy and dingy looking anyways. But, I find this solution way more to my liking.
3. The easiest way to clean off a gross high chair or booster seat is in the shower. Take a dish brush and give a good bath. Same with garbage cans. They actually come clean and you don't have to rinse the sponge out 600 times to make it happen.
4.When your kids are sick, make Pedialyte pops. Mary Poppins wasn't kidding.
5. I've noticed that in the morning, if the TV is on, we get bogged down and the girls don't respond very well to my repeated
6. I uploaded some children's books onto my iPod. I was hunting for something they could do in the car for longish trips - besides watch the DVD player. They are books we'd already read at home, but I wasn't sure if the kids would like listening to them without pictures. Let me tell you, they beg for them!
7. If you want your clothes to come out just a little more fresh, add a 1/3 of a cup of Borax to the detergent. For front loaders, it works just fine. There'll be a little left over in the dispenser after the first wash cycle. I just add more when it's gone.
8. If your washer is stinky (listen, you front loader people, you know it happens no matter how clean you are) pour a cup of bleach into the bottom of the empty washer and run the clean cycle for a while. Rinse and drain and ta!da! Supa Fresh.
9. When Lexi had her last hive situation, I had given her all of the anti-histamine medications I could think of. When I took her in, the doctor in the ER gave me a bit of an edumacation. See, we have H1 and H2 histamine receptors in our bodies. Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, etc work on the H1 set. The H2 set are in our gut. The drug Ranitidine (known as Zantac) works on the H2 set to stop reflux. It seems there were a couple of studies done demonstrating that if a person is having an allergic reaction, saturating BOTH sets of blockers will stop the reaction much faster than the H1 blockers taken alone. He gave Lexi Zantac and what do you know? An hour later, she was almost hive free. The side effects of Zantac are virtually zero. It's safe to give to the shortlings. So, next time you or a kid you know is having a reaction (hello campers with Poison Oak) saturate all of the blockers by taking a Benadryl with some Zantac.
10. Humidifiers are like margarine. Hot steam is best. Hot steam will burn your eyes out - stay away! Cool mist is just as effective with no mold. Cool mist isn't the best, we were wrong! Back and forth, blah blah blah. Let me tell you my friends. The old school vaporizer is the only way to go. It's hot, it's wet and it works. Yeah, I guess if you want to play in the water, you might get burnt. And, if you never, ever clean it out, it's gonna grow some lab samples. But come on people! You aren't going to put it up near your kids' faces or where they can reach it and you know you're going to put fresh water in every now and again. Those cool mist things are junk. Save you the money and go get the cheapy brand vaporizer. But some Kaz or Vicks oil on the top or in the water and let 'er rip. You'll thank me in the morning 'cause your kid didn't bark like a seal all night and you'll thank me when you go to buy a milkshake on the down low and you have extra money in your account.
That is all for now. Enjoy!
1 comment:
Ha ha ha....you have me laughing so much right now!
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