Diaper Changing Tips

I know it sounds crazy, but I blow dried both of my sons' tushies after every diaper change. It all but eliminated diaper rash. I used a small travel dryer set on the lowest setting. I kept it far from their skin so it got warm but not hot, and was enough to completely dry his skin. I then always used a thin layer of Balmex®. The times I skipped for any length of time (vacations or times at Grandmas), they invariably got a nasty rash. A couple of days back on the dryer routine, and the rash was gone.
Submitted by Cherie www.CuddleBugBaby.com

Give baby something to hold to keep from flipping over while changing them and talk to baby getting them to give you eye-contact also helps to keep them from flipping over and making diaper changing difficult

Put an interesting poster or some fun stickers on the ceiling above the
change tables. Babies are interested in the pattern, and toddlers can
answer questions (how many fish? Can you find the blue car?)
Submitted by Christine www.creativekidsathome.com

During baby's first month, many pediatricians recommend only using warm water and a soft cloth to wipe baby's bottom (even the gentlest commercial wipes can be irritating to new baby's skin). But waiting for the warm water to come through the tap at 4 am was not my idea of fun. My sister-in-law suggested getting an air-pump coffee urn (the tall kind used in hotels where you press on the top to pump the coffee), filling it with hot water and keeping it on the changing table. It's OK if the water is hot (but obviously not scalding), as once the water is dispensed onto a cloth it quickly cools to a comfortable warm temp. I found the urn only needed to be filled every couple of days, so it was always there and convenient.
Submitted by Cherie www.CuddleBugBaby.com

A nursery's best friend: Shop Towels! Shop Towels are paper towels that are thicker yet softer than regular paper towels. They are blue-colored, and generally sold in large hardware and home improvement stores and wholesale warehouse clubs. I used them the first month as soft disposable towels to wipe baby (using cloth washcloths was completely impractical given the number of diapers baby went through!). Later, they were liners for the changing table, so I was not changing the table cover twice a day. You will have enough laundry to do!
Submitted by Cherie, www.CuddleBugBaby.com

Discipline

Fighting
If your elementary age kids are fussing and angry with each other, give each of them a bottle of windex (or water and vinegar mix) and some old newspapers. Put each child on the opposite sides of the same window and let them spray to their heart's content. By the time they have worked all of their hostilities out, you will have a nice clean window. If they are really angry, you may end up with a whole house of clean windows
Submitted by Marilyn, OR

Homework

Running a business from home, I have become super homework master just to maintain my sanity. When my girls get home from school I send the ones with homework to the kitchen table and the ones without homework to the playroom or outside. This way, I can be in the kitchen starting dinner, helping with homework, and overseeing everything. And the kids tend to get done quicker just to get away from the super homework master!
Submitted by Shannon www.SuccessPromotions.com

Have your child work on their homework in the same location (ie. desk or kitchen table) every day right after a snack afterschool. Your child will still be in school mode, will be refreshed from a snack and much more likely to not give you a hard time.
Submitted by Hedy www.whimzzz.com

Mealtime and Snack Tips

For Babies

We didn't want to use the microwave for heating our little one's food, so we would take one of our large bowls and fill it ½ full with water. We would heat the water in the tea kettle (be careful, it?s quite hot). Then we?d take the portion of baby food (we made homemade baby food and froze it in ice cube trays, so the portions were ready to pop out on a moment?s notice). We put the 'food cube' in a smaller bowl and let that bowl float in the other one. Within a few minutes the food was thawed and warm. Then we'd put a washcloth in the warm water so at the end of the meal there was a warm washcloth waiting to wipe messy little fingers. It worked like a dream.
Submitted by Julie Miller, http://www.julesjewelry.com

For Kids and Toddlers

All parents of young children know the challenge of providing nutritious but easy to prepare snacks for our children. Try not to be tempted by convenient but expensive and often sugary packaged "goodies" Wholesome snack are often just as easy to grab...it just takes some planning. My favorite tip is to always plan to have leftovers when preparing a meal. When cooking pasta or rice for supper, make a little extra. The market is full of colorful and shaped pastas these days. Warm a cupful and toss with a little grated cheese, butter or bits of chopped carrots. Kids gobble up pasta shaped wagon wheels and bow ties at my house.
Sent in by Gayle, www.instantlycheaper.com

When my oldest son was just under 2 years old he loved hotdogs. One day we went out to eat for lunch to a local store that had a sit down eating area. Of course, he wanted the kids hotdog meal and he begged for Chocolate Pudding. Since I'm a "kind-hearted" mom, I got him both. Now comes the problem. He focused so much on that Chocolate Pudding that he didn't want to eat his hotdog. The usual rule is that you eat your meal first then have dessert but he was being stubborn and I knew there was no winning that battle. Here's what I did. I took the hotdog, dipped it INTO the chocolate pudding and gave it to him. He ate every bite! Sometimes you have to "break the rules" to get the results you want.
Submitted by Linda, www.bakingabusiness.com

"Ahhhh is it time to eat AGAIN ?" Is that a familiar phrase in your house ? Meal Time can be a nightmare - if you (usually it's the 'Mom') let it be a night mare. Meal Time can also be a fun family time to share and chat. It's up to you what meal time will be like usually the 'Mom' sets the tune for meal time. First rule is YOU are NOT a short order cook - of course you'll prepare and cook meals that everyone likes - well most of the time. Making the children (if they are old enough) help with preparations, setting the table, even making a fun menu will add to the 'hey Meal Time is Fun Time' atmosphere. Don't let meal time stress everyone out - relax and let everyone enjoy the meal they way 'they' want to enjoy their meal.
Submitted by Shelley Borle, www.countryvariety.com