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Keep closed captioning on to follow shows when children are playing loudly nearby.

It helps you know what is going on even if their noise drowns out the TV.

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Choose three repetitive, melodic songs that you personally like for prenatal singing.

If you like them, the baby will likely like them too.

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Lock toys away in a closet with a child lock and enforce a rule where only two toys are out at once; require the child to put away an old toy before getting a new one.

It forces interaction with you, teaches cleanup routines, and makes a tremendous difference in household mess.

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If you struggle with child meltdowns, try offering simple binary choices (e.g., shirt color or food option) to give them a sense of control.

It provides a sense of control and has prevented meltdowns in one person's experience.

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On long overnight flights, designate one parent to stay awake while the other sleeps, then swap roles on the return trip.

This prevents sleep deprivation when arriving for tasks like exchanging money or driving.

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Condition sleepiness by pairing a specific noise or finger snap with fake yawning until the sound alone induces drowsiness.

After a few weeks, the noise alone will make them get sleepy without needing the fake yawn.

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• Set a consistent nightly routine so that specific cues, like saying goodnight, condition your child to start yawning and falling asleep.1

Stream a New Year's Eve celebration from a time zone several hours ahead to let children experience the countdown before their normal bedtime.

• Neighbors setting off local fireworks may disrupt the plan.

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Cover scrapes or bleeding wounds before a child sees them.

seeing blood can make the injury feel more painful and cause panic

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If you are rocking or swaying a newborn, try playing reggae music to match the rhythm.

The strong, rhythmic beats can soothe babies.

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Place a washcloth over a boy's crotch during bathing to contain urine spray.

They go for distance.

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If a child is distressed about a lost comfort object, draw a picture of it to help them settle down while you search for the original.

One parent reported that their son fell asleep within seconds of receiving a sketch of his lost item.

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Portion breast milk into small, flat bags to make it easier to defrost quickly during night feedings.

It facilitates rapid thawing when holding a crying baby at 3am.

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Wear a long skirt over pajama bottoms for family walks if you do not have time to change clothes.

It covers the sleepwear.

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When flying with a toddler, pull a carry-on bag forward to use as a footrest once the plane reaches altitude.

Kicking is often a reflexive response because small legs have nowhere to rest, not misbehavior.

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Brush your child's hair before bathing to remove tangles, as adding water to tangled hair acts like super glue.

It prevents the misery of untangling wet, glued-together knots after the bath.

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Place milk in a smaller, reachable container so toddlers can pour their own cereal milk.

This encourages self-sufficiency, despite potential initial spills.

• Expect a few spills initially.

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Change diapers in the airplane toilet changing table, not in your seat.

Nobody wants to smell exposed waste.

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Perform standing diaper changes in the bathroom to help the child get used to the location.

Standing changes are easier for toddlers and ease the transition to potty training.

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Read the newspaper to your baby while pointing at the page; focus on voice and tone rather than content.

Babies care about the voice and tone, which counts as quality time regardless of the words.

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Dress young children in pants or shorts with elastic waistbands rather than belts or buttons to help with easy bathroom access.

Belts and buttons are difficult for children to unbuckle, leading to bathroom accidents.

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Sing specific songs to your baby regularly during the third trimester so they recognize the melody and your voice after birth.

This recognition can soothe them when crying later in life.

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Serve vegetables before dinner as an 'appetizer' when children claim to be starving.

They'll eat the whole thing

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Cultivate patience for annoying people, as you will encounter many who provoke strong negative reactions.

You will need patience to deal with annoying people who piss you off.

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Place money near the bed before a tooth is lost as a reward for losing the tooth, rather than leaving it only after the fact.

One parent found this useful when the Tooth Fairy 'forgot' to visit, preventing their child from crying.

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If a parent cannot participate in bedtime due to work, leave a signature stuffed animal across the room for that parent to tuck in with the child upon returning home.

It provides the child with a visual that the parent said goodnight anyway.

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Avoid giving a doctor's playset from the baby to the older sibling.

It may lead to the toddler repeatedly playing the role of the patient or victim with the baby.

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Braid your hair for childbirth to keep it out of the way during and after delivery.

It keeps hair manageable even if surgery is not required.

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Start reading to babies immediately as part of a bedtime routine.

It fosters a love of reading early, aids parent-child bonding, and serves as a relaxing activity.

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Attach a pet collar with a removable Tile tag to a stuffed animal instead of sewing it in.

It allows easy removal for washing.

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To reduce morning arguments with children, decorate their alarm clock to look like a monster so they can blame the 'monster' for waking them up instead of you.

One parent found this allowed kids to be mad at the clock rather than the parent, resulting in no arguments when leaving the house.

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Do not react positively when a toddler says something funny to avoid hearing it repeated excessively.

Reacting encourages repetition; one person noted that feedback might help material improve, but acknowledged the pain of repetition.

• Some argue that withholding feedback prevents improvement of their material.

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Switch to pull-ups when a toddler becomes too active for lying-down diaper changes.

It enables easier standing changes for resistant toddlers.

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Watch episodes showing how actors get into makeup to eliminate fear of characters.

Seeing the process removes the fear of the character.

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Remove batteries from noisy or light-up toys immediately after purchase.

The child still plays with it fine but less obnoxiously, and it extends battery life.

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Teach children to place a hand on your arm to silently signal they need attention during a conversation.

It allows you to silently acknowledge their presence.

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Do not worry if a baby's outfit matches; neither the baby nor others will notice.

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Write down every time your baby poops, feeds, or sleeps to figure out their needs timeline.

This information becomes invaluable for managing exhaustion and predicting patterns.

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Use subtitles to maintain comprehension at lower volumes or in noisy environments, such as with a loud toddler or background noise.

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Use old flannel shirts, sheets, or pillowcases as diaper material if they are natural fibers.

You want something absorbent.

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Write down new preferences discovered during pregnancy to share these details with your child later.

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Respect your children's capacity for independent thought by putting yourself in their shoes.

They are not toys; respect earns respect.

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Use smaller denomination coins to make the payment appear larger to children who cannot count yet.

A pile of small coins looks like a much larger amount to young children.

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If you want to instill financial habits in a child, consider paying them per page for reading relevant books.

One person reported that this method made the message stick during an impressionable age and paid high dividends throughout their life.

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Encourage children to point out hazards like pedestrians or unsecured animals even if the driver likely already sees them.

In the off chance the child sees something the driver does not, it is well worth it.

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Do not reward children with treats after an argument.

They may learn that upsetting parents leads to rewards.

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If a child is acting out or making a mistake, wait to address it until they have calmed down.

A confused or upset teen cannot absorb logic in the moment.

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Explain your house rules directly to visiting children.

That is how they learn.

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Teach children how to turn on electricity and other utilities before they leave home.

Young adults moving out may not know how to manage basic utilities if never taught.

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If available in your region, use a digital banking app for children to negotiate chore prices and request payment into spend or save accounts.

This helps children learn household chores and understand that work earns money.

• Availability may be limited to specific regions like the U.S.

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Praise the specific effort you know a person put into a task; if you do not know the effort, praise the result.

Praising perceived hard work when none was needed can teach people they don't need to put real effort in because they are already good enough.

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• Do not praise effort if the child did not actually exert any effort, even if they achieved a good result.1

If you have children in high school, encourage them to start working, saving, and investing early.

One person reported this helped their kids get through college debt-free.

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Keep passwords for the child's email account secure and accessible until they are old enough to manage it themselves.

Parents often forget passwords, leading to lost access that cannot be recovered.

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Avoid indulging in debates when the answer is a flat-out 'no' or 'yes, you do have to.'

Indulging teaches them not to respect your authority.

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Ask children if they want to pursue a hobby before signing them up.

Signing up changes the activity from a hobby to a commitment.

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Be polite to everyone.

It goes a long way.

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Make sure you take some occasional adult time for yourself.

It's good for you.

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If a child learns to crack WiFi encryption to bypass parental controls, one approach is to reward them by doing their chores for a period of time.

This demonstrates pride in their technical skill.

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Do not sacrifice everyday interactions with your child to provide material advantages for their future.

Neglect or joyless days during upbringing negate the value of those advantages.

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Read the book 'The Gift of Failure' to understand how experiencing failure helps life lessons click into place.

Many life lessons do not click unless you have experienced a little failure.

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Raise children to expect free water when eating out.

One parent reports this instills lifelong habits where they never think otherwise.

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If you catch yourself doomsday scrolling in front of your child, apologize and explain that you are tired and need to recharge so you have energy for other things.

Explaining the need for rest helps the child understand the behavior rather than seeing it as hidden or secretive.

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Open a frequent flier account for your child if you frequently use a particular airline.

It will give them miles.

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Let the recipient set up the console themselves if they are old enough, as unboxing and configuration build excitement.

It builds excitement and was one of the best parts of being gifted a console.

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When reflecting on childhood myths like Santa or the Tooth Fairy, reframe the experience as evidence of your parents' love and desire to make your childhood fun.

It shifts focus from disappointment to gratitude for parental effort.

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If your child plays online games, start a 'last round' rule: allow them to finish their current match before stopping to fulfill other responsibilities.

Leaving a team mid-game negatively impacts the other players.

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Treat children with the same importance and respect as adults during conversations; one person reported this led to spontaneous hugs from them.

One person found that treating children as equally important as adults at the table resulted in them hugging out of the blue.

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Explicitly teach children to brush their teeth every day and shower regularly, rather than assuming they will figure it out.

Parents may assume children will learn these habits eventually or forget to show them.

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When a child asks a question, selectively suggest looking it up together in a dictionary or encyclopedia; if the answer is not found, write it down to research later.

It instills a lifelong approach of learning when you do not know something.

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Set up parental controls on tablets to restrict access to specific apps or functions, rather than relying solely on a passcode.

Unlocking the tablet does not grant full administrative access if controls are set.

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Avoid tying external rewards to tasks that already have intrinsic benefits.

This can lower motivation to perform those tasks.

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Explain to children why certain behaviors are incorrect by detailing how those actions affect other people.

Young children learn politeness through simple rules, but older children realize the more complex social reasons behind them.

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If forcing your child to apologize hasn't worked, model sincerity by apologizing to them yourself.

One parent found that after sincerely apologizing to their six-year-old, the child voluntarily offered a sincere apology later that same day.

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Turn fridge cleanup into a family picnic or charcuterie event to encourage children to eat varied leftovers.

It reduces food waste from spoilage and encourages picky eaters to try a variety of foods they would otherwise refuse.

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If a parent shares your embarrassing stories despite requests to stop, try sharing an equally embarrassing story about them in return to teach empathy through reciprocity.

This approach may help the parent understand the impact of their actions.

• Does not always work; family members may join in berating you for talking back.

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If children question why their juice is diluted, explain that it is concentrate that requires water to be added.

Framing it as a necessary step rather than a reduction can help acceptance.

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Treat others respectfully, as children internalize how you treat people.

Treating others poorly while demanding respect from children sends mixed messaging.

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Take children to the library to research answers together when you do not know them.

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Avoid dressing your children in politically branded clothing before sending them to school.

Teachers may consciously or subconsciously treat the child differently based on these signals.

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Ask a child why they used specific language and teach them about internet safety.

This is the first step in addressing inappropriate interactions.

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Use exaggerated enthusiasm, facial expressions, and sounds for minor events like high-fives or eating vegetables.

Children often mimic this behavior because they perceive that you enjoy it.

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Allow children to believe they are helpful to you, even if they are not.

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Create special activity kits for big siblings and frame them as privileges for being a big kid.

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Allow children to initiate hugs rather than demanding them.

Voluntary affection is more meaningful and builds genuine relationships.

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Put your child on the season ticket waiting list for relevant sports teams.

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Write letters to your children sharing wisdom, life experiences, and expressions of love.

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Teach children to be curious, look up information, and learn new skills independently.

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Reassure yourself that kindergarten teachers generally do not care about family details unless there is a safety concern.

Teachers have more important concerns and focus on the children's reality rather than parental habits.

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Mail invitations directly to parents rather than giving them to children to prevent forgotten events and hurt feelings among uninvited peers.

Passing invites through kids leads to forgetfulness and social embarrassment.

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Compliment work ethic and dedication rather than personality or natural gifts to encourage skill development.

Relying on compliments based purely on personality can lead to egotism and a lack of tangible skills.

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Recognize that parents are flawed humans with their own hopes and sorrows, not perfect authorities.

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Move financial planning tools (like whiteboards) to private spaces away from family members.

Prevents visual reminders of financial stress from affecting others in the household.

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Buy small amounts of snacks for children to try at dollar stores.

To avoid wasting food they might not eat.

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Purchase real mini-tools for children instead of expensive plastic toy sets, as they are cheaper and allow kids to disassemble toys.

It is far less expensive and provides functional tools for older kids.

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Rent an Airbnb instead of a hotel to save money and gain access to a kitchen, a home base, and potentially a pool for a toddler.

It is cheaper than a hotel and provides amenities like a kitchen and possibly a pool.

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Save baby shower gift cards until after the baby arrives to buy items you actually need.

You only figure out what you actually need after the baby comes.

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Gift instant coffee packets (like Mocha) to new parents who are home with older children while a partner works long shifts, providing easy caffeine they might not buy for themselves.

They may not buy expensive convenience items for themselves but desperately need easy caffeine.

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Avoid buying Rose Art crayons from dollar stores as they are considered poor quality.

Worst crayons ever

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Photocopy coloring book pages at home instead of buying new books.

It is cheaper and prevents kids from fighting over which pages to color.

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Bake and decorate an inexpensive cake together to create a special birthday memory.

It creates fond memories.

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Make a medicine cabinet or basket for college students containing essential sickness items, as they may not know what to get at home.

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Use pen and paper stored in a special box as an analog alternative to digital records, gifting it to them later.

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Include audio clips alongside photos and messages in digital time capsules.

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Include a return address in your letter to Santa in Canada to ensure you receive a reply.

A return address is required for Santa to send a letter back.

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Omit time and location from party invitations, requiring recipients to call for details to secure immediate responses.

This method worked to get people to respond.

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Call to confirm party arrangements before the day of the event.

to avoid being blindsided by extra guests

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Trade 'from Santa' gift tags with neighbors to disguise parental handwriting.

Children may recognize their parents' handwriting and realize the deception.

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If a child's birthday falls on or near a holiday, make a deliberate effort to celebrate them separately.

It ensures the child receives birthday-specific recognition distinct from holiday gifts.

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Do not solicit gifts through Operation Santa unless you are in genuine need.

Soliciting when not needed deprives families who actually require assistance from receiving donations.

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Write to political leaders or royal family members to request a welcome letter for your newborn.

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Keep a constant breathing rate when watching horror movies to calmly sit through jump scares.

Shallow breathing often precedes jump scares; steady breathing allows you to stay calm.

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Do not page children over store intercoms or tie balloons to their chairs in restaurants.

These actions can cause significant embarrassment, particularly for older children like a 17-year-old, drawing unwanted attention from peers.

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Avoid naming pets things that could cause panic in specific environments, such as 'Bear' when camping or 'Shooter' in public.

Such names can trigger fear or confusion in situations where those words have serious implications.

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Avoid naming a child with an inventive or humorous name intended to show off, as it creates lifelong administrative hassles for them.

Legal names are required for important documents and remain a hassle even if the person uses a nickname.

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For shy children interacting with unfamiliar adults, set a routine where they high-five then fist-bump.

This structured interaction helps the child engage comfortably.

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Allow teenagers to behave in cringey ways as part of growing up, but intervene if their actions become dangerous or hurtful.

Being cringey is a natural part of development, but explaining why specific behaviors cross a line into danger is prudent.

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Explain social norms and expectations to children before entering new environments, such as museums.

To prevent inappropriate behavior, such as touching artwork.

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If you are a physically imposing adult, shake hands with distantly related teenagers instead of expecting hugs.

Distantly related teenagers may feel intimidated and anxious about hugging someone who appears physically threatening.

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