Here's something modern Filipino parents will love to read. Rikki Rogers (from The Muse) wrote an article about "13 Life Hacks for Career-Loving Moms and Dads." We had to cut it down since some of the items couldn't be done here in our country. Ready to make parenting easy? Here are ultimate time-savers for the career-loving parent:
In the Morning
1. Invest in a coffee maker with a timer. We all love to have kape sa umaga (coffee in the morning), and what could be better than already having it ready by the time you wake up?
2. Keep your bathrobe on over your work clothes. You're late for work, then boom. Mess spills over your favorite suit. Keeping a bathrobe or any attire that will keep liquid/sauce from getting to your work attire will help you save time from changing clothes.
3. Capitalize on your kids’ competitive nature. Rikki suggested that getting ready should be a contest. "Set a timer to see who can get dressed first. Race your kids to the bathroom once they get out of bed. Anything to get those little feet moving toward the front door and away from the television." That saves a lot of time.
4. Moms, if you’re breastfeeding, pump while you drive. Use pumps with battery packs and make that commute work for you. Use a large cloth or a large swaddling blanket. Those things can also be used as a privacy throw.
During the Day
5. Use your lunch break to pick up fresh produce that you’ll need for dinner, and do all of your other grocery shopping on the weekend.
6. Use location-based reminder apps. Or download a planner. One of the useful apps parents can use is Cal for Android. Try downloading a planner that will remind you to buy milk for baby and other things you have to do from time to time.
In the Evening
7. Meal planning is no longer optional. Plan meals ahead of time. And to save moms from their thoughts: Breakfast for dinner is totally fine.
8. Have the whole family lay out clothes for the next day. This saves time from rushing in the morning planning what to wear. You can also have your kids prepare their things for school at night.
On the Weekends
9. Keep diapers and wipes in baskets around the house so you’re not hauling your little one (and any siblings or pets that tend to tag along) to the changing table 10 times a day.
10. For teething or drooling babies (i.e., all babies), layer several bibs on them when you get them dressed, so you can just remove throughout the day.
11. Make your grocery run as efficient as possible. Make a grocery list and always take advantage of your coupons and reward cards.
Do you have your own life hacks to share? Leave a comment below! :)
