Can You Hack Motherhood?

11 Incredibility Easy Baking Life Hacks

January 13, 2016 by amushro

You know, genetics are a funny thing. My mom and I look so much alike, it actually shocks people. I haven’t lived in my hometown since I was 18, but when I visit my parents, a rando stranger will walk up to me and ask “Are you Kim’s daughter?” I open my mouth and let out one of those powerful mom yells, and it’s not my own voice that comes out, it’s my mother’s! However, while I may be twinning with my sweet Mamma, where genetics failed me is that my mom is an amazing and creative bakers, I am talentless and hopeless baker. Sigh. But I so want to be a good baker and my kids love to bake, so I have some simply clever life hacks to me less disastrous when baking and make

Sometimes a recipe calls for soften butter and usually I forget to take that stick out of the fridge before I start baking, but don’t fret and try this hack. To soften butter and bring it to room temperature in just a few minutes start by placing the amount of butter you need for the recipe on a dish (if you cut it up first it will work faster). Fill a glass with super, hot water and let it sit for a minute or two. Dump the water out, quickly wipe out the remaining water and place the glass over the butter you have on the dish. In about two-three minutes, your butter is room temperature, soft and ready for baking. This method is better than sticking it in the microwave because it doesn’t melt your butter and you won’t end up with hot spots.

If you want to create intricate designs or five cookies or cupcakes faces, don’t try to use the icing in a tube. Use a plastic syringe (the kind you use to give kids medicine) filled with icing to decorate cookies and cupcakes with precision! This is perfect for drawing faces and adding details even if you don’t have a steady hand and I love doing with kids because they can decorate and not squeeze the entire tube off icing on a cookie.

Decorate your desserts like a professional by using cookie cutters or PlayDoh cutters as stencils for cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. Gently place the cookie cutter on the dessert and add sprinkles inside the cutters. This is great for numbers and shapes likes stars.

Feeling fancy? Give your cookies and cupcakes a sophisticated look by putting a piece of lace over the dessert and shaking powdered sugar on top. It leaves a beautiful design.

Slice a cake perfectly by running the knife under hot water for a few seconds, wipe the knife off, and watch and it slides right through the cake!

Save money by buying white icing and use Jell-O to color and flavor regular frosting. Yummy!

Need sprinkles? Make your own by adding a scoop of granulated sugar into a bowl and add a few drops of food coloring. Place on a baking sheet and bake for ten minutes in a 350* oven.

If your cake is crumbling while you are trying to ice it, place your cake in the freezer for twenty minutes to create a sturdy cake that won’t crumble under the pressure of adding icing.

Need Buttermilk for your recipe but don’t have any? Here’s an easy fix! Stir one cup milk with one tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar and let it get to room temperature (around ten minutes) and there you go!

I have bags of brown sugar in my pantry and fridge and they are hard as a brick, but not anymore!

Add a slice of apple into an airtight container and in a few hours, the brown sugar will soften. Putting a wet paper towel in a bowl with the sugar in the microwave for 20-30 seconds works too. You can also store the brown sugar with a slice of white bread and it will keep the sugar soft, won’t affect the taste, and they bread won’t get moldy.

Have a recipe that calls for confectioner’s sugar but don’t have any? Put granulated sugar in a blender under it has a powdery consistency and you are ready to go!

The only rule to using these hacks, is if you bake something yummy, you HAVE to share with me, OK?

Mom Hacks to Help Survive Cabin Fever!

December 28, 2015 by amushro

When you were a kid, was there anything better than hearing the words “SNOW DAY!”? I still feel that way when I have a snow day with my kids, but then that snow day turns into more snow days, and icy cold days, and just plain yucky days where it takes so much effort to leave the house. And then it happens, Cabin Fever sets in, and, friends, it’s not pretty.

Even if you’ve played all the games, crafted all the crafts, snacked all the snacks, and logged more hours in front of the TV and iPad than you will ever admit in public, the only true cure for the dreaded Cabin Fever is to get outside! But with young kids, that’s not always easy. It’s cold, they need so many layers, and inevitably someone will have to pee the minute you’re outside. So here are some Mom Hacks to make everything from getting out the door to settling in with hot coco a breeze.

Before Heading Out

Ditch the basket and organize everyone’s scarfs, hats, gloves and mittens in an over the door shoe organizer. This way every piece has a place and everyone can quickly grab what they need and put their pieces away when they come home.

Does your little one need help putting on their jacket all by themselves? Here’s a kid hack perfect for them!

No snow gear for your kiddo? Make warm and cozy leg and arm warmers for kids out of adult, wool knee socks (no cotton!) Cut off the toe and slip them on their arms or legs for warm, snuggly kids ready to hit the snow.

We want our babies warm and we know they need layers, but no one wants our kids like this…

Instead think like a fireman! Place their rain or snow boots inside the bottom cuffs of their snow pants. Roll the top of the pants down past the boots. Once your kids are dressed in their long underwear and second layer of clothing, have them step into the boots and pull up the pants (we always get the kind with the suspenders to make it even easier). We pretend that we’re fireman and play “firedrill” to see who can get dressed the fastest.

Mittens keep tiny hands warmer than gloves and are easier to put on. Save yourself the headache and buy packs of the same color mittens in case one goes missing.

The Great Outdoors

Let your kids get creative by mixing water and food coloring in spray bottles. Take the kids outside and let them “paint” the snow.

Did you put away all the sand buckets and shovels until next summer? Get them back out! These are the perfect tools for snow forts and castles.

Bubbles aren’t just for summer fun! Bring them back out when the weather is below 32 degrees. The bubbles will actually freeze! A little frozen science fun.

Warm hands and feet can help the good times outside last! Easily make DIY warmers from kids socks (infant socks are perfect!). Fill them with rice, tie the end with a ribbon, and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. The heat will last for 20 minutes. If you’re kids aren’t playing close to home, you can toss them in a tiny cooler. They’ll stay warm until you need them.

Never worry about slippery steps or sidewalks with this homemade and natural deicer

1 teaspoon dish soap

1 Tablespoon of rubbing alcohol

½ Gallon of warm water

Mix and pour on sidewalks and steps for ice free days!

After All The Fun

Toss pajamas and blankets in the dryer before you head out to play in the snow. When you get back, everyone has warm, toasty clothes to put on!

Mittens and gloves stay wet and soggy if you just put them in a basket. So try placing them on an old curtain road with clothes pins to dry, or to speed drying time by placing a raised wire stacking shelf over a heating vent. Lay the mittens on top for a quick and easy dry.

Wet boots are no fun but will dry quickly if you put wads of newspaper inside the shoes. You might have to replace the newspaper if the boots are really soaked.

Cut down on the mess from those wet boots by leaving an old baking sheet by the door to set wet boots on.

Ouch! Chapped noses and lips are no fun. But a little bit of coconut oil on both soothes, heals and protects. Seriously, is there something coconut oil can’t do?

So when faced with Cabin Fever, don’t be scared or threaten to sell your kids to the highest bidder because every trip outside ends with hot chocolate for everyone, especially Mom. Plus chocolate fixes everything, and chocolate and Nutella REALLY fixes everything.

Hacks to Help Your Kids Sleep When They’re Sick

November 5, 2015 by amushro

A few weeks ago both of my kids were sick and nighttime was really rough around here. In the light of day I had a slight resemblance to a zombie from The Walking Dead, and I mumbled something that was supposed to sound like “Will I ever get to sleep again?” but I think it sounded more like “Coffee…. Get me coffee.” But I’m a mom and it’s my job to keep it together at 2 PM or 2 AM. So when my kids are sick and no one in this house is sleeping, I do two things: Call my mom to cry a little and wait for her to give me pep talk—you can do this… you can do this!, and I pull out some life hacks to get everyone feeling better and back to bed.

Coughs and sore throats can keep your little ones up all night so grab some Jell-o, warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds, and add a tablespoon of honey. The gelatin and honey combo will calm their cough and take away throat pain and get them back to sleep. Just remember that honey should only be given to children over the age of one.

During cold season, we go though A LOT of tissues and a long night with a stuffy nose usually means a big mess. Is my dog the only one that LOVES a used tissue? Cut down on the mess and keep kids from jumping in and out of bed all night to blow their nose by taking two tissues boxes, one full and one empty, and wrap a rubber band around both boxes. When your child can grab tissue, blow their nose, and drop the tissue in the empty box. I even attach a small bottle of hand sanitizer for super messy nose blowing.

If you have a kid with tummy trouble, you are in for a long night. Take my “lasagna method” for their beds one step further and do the same for the “sick bucket.” Grab a stack of plastic shopping bags and line the bucket that has the unfortunate job of being the catch-all for sick kids. If they get sick at night, just pull out the top bag and another one is waiting for the next round. This helps keep clean up to a minimum and your little patient can get back to sleep.

For those times the “sick bucket” didn’t catch the mess, carpet cleaner meant for pet stains is great option. If you don’t have any on hand, throwing some baking soda on the mess helps to make clean up easier and vodka is a miracle worker on getting smells of carpets and furniture. If you choose to use that vodka for something else, I won’t judge… just invite me over.

We’re already suffering from Mommy-Brain (am I right?) Here’s two things that help: Grab a marker and create a small chart on the side of medicine bottles for doses and the number of days kids need to take the medicine. Also if you’re handing out doses of medicine and need to keep track of the times and doses late at night and during the day, use a dry erase marker on the bathroom mirror to remind you who got what medicine.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate is a Mom’s mantra when you have a sick kid. But getting to the store late at night for those electrolyte drinks isn’t always possible. You can easily make your own:
Mix together

1 quart water
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt

You can always add a few splashes of juice for flavor and I’ve found that warming the water first helps dissolve the salt and sugar.
To prevent spills in bed, turn any cup into a spill proof sippie by adding press and seal wrap to the lid and sticking a straw in the cup or putting a crazy straw upside down in a cup with a lid.

Painful headaches are absolutely miserable and always worse at night. Comfort your child, soothe their headache, and get them back to sleep by massaging their head and neck with coconut oil and a few drops of peppermint oil. Just be sure to keep it away from their eyes.

A nasty cold and stuffy nose doesn’t have to keep everyone up all night, with a super easy recipe and 20 minutes you can create vapor rub cubes for the shower that will have everyone breathing easy and sleeping in no time.
Here’s how you make them:

Mix three tablespoons of vapor rub with one cup of cornstarch
Mix together (the vapor rub needs to be mixed really well before it begins to warm up and mix with the corn starch. Just keep stirring!)
Add two tablespoons of water. You want a thick paste and can add a few splashes of water at time (not too much) to get the right consistency.
Press the paste into an ice cube tray and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Store in the freezer or at room temperature in an airtight container.

When you’re ready to use the vapor rub cubes, put one near the drain and turn on the steamy shower. Older kids can stand under the water (you can put the cube in a dish if you’re nervous about a slippery tub floor) and for younger kids, just snuggle with them next to the shower and let them breath in the steam and vapor smell.

Just like the terrible twos, this too shall pass and soon everyone will be healthy and sleeping again. Until then, there’s always Starbucks. Lots of Starbucks.

Oh you know, just me on The Rachel Ray Show!

October 23, 2015 by amushro

In addition to loving a good life hack, I LOVE Rachael Ray–LOVE Her. Check my kitchen, I have her pots and pans, her knives, her adorable EVOO drizzle thingy (obvi that’s not the correct name), and ton of her cookbooks and magazines. I’ve bought her dog food for Suggie and I’ve eaten at a dozen restaurants based on her recommendations. Basically, I think she is just rad so when I was asked to film one of my life hacks for her show… I basically squealed like a little girl, forced myself to be cool..be cool, and plotted a way to make Rachael my newest BFF. Here’s the clip of my appearance on her show and a great hack for this time of year! As always, my kids are the scene stealers and I swear, my house always looks this clean (just don’t look behind the camera because that’s where we stashed everything.)

Great Day Washington– My First Appearance!

October 7, 2015 by amushro

I don’t want to brag, but when I was fresh out of college, I was a TV news reporter in a tiny, little town in West Virginia and I covered ALL the hard hitting news like county fairs, beauty pageants, and lots of ribbon cutting ceremonies. Hard Hitting News, right? But alas, I left that glamorous life to become a teacher, then a stay at home, then a mommy blogger and somehow that all turned into me getting the chance to share my life hacks on TV shows. So sorta full circle, right?

This week I was thrilled to be on Great Day Washington here in Washington, D.C. to share my sanity savers when your kids are sick, and I am always surprised how fast, fast, fast daytime TV is. Phew…

The hosts, Chris and Marquette, were so nice and so funny. And Marquette is ridiculously beautiful and that dress, love! I mean, how cute is she?

Since cold and flu season is going to be hitting us soon, hopefully some of these tips will help you and your kiddos. Check out my appearance!

So much fun! Hopefully I’ll be back on Great Day Washington soon (hint, hint!!) and I’ll remember to talk faster!!!

11 Lifehacks to Manage the Chaos in Your House

September 14, 2015 by amushro

When you’re a mom, you quickly learn to master the fine art of Mommy-Multi-Tasking. You need to make it work, make it happen, and make everyone happy. After having kids, I’m the Super Woman of multi-tasking. Did you know I can braid my daughter’s hair, kick a soccer ball to my son, chat on the phone with my mom, and plan dinner in my head all at the same time? It’s true, and in fact, right now I’m performing open heart surgery and making pancakes for my kids.

All this multi-tasking makes me feel like I can keep everything in this house picture perfect. Sort of like this:

But really, most days it’s more like this:

Even with amazing multi-tasking abilities, there’s never enough time to get everything done. Having a spotless house would make me really happy, but it’s just not realistic. However, I’ve got a few life hacks that will help you manage the chaos in your home and make the most stressful chores a lot easier.

Make garbage duty less of a dirty job by attaching small Command hooks upside down on both sides of the can and loop the drawstrings onto the hooks. Now your garbage bag will always stay in place! Also, line the bottom of the garbage can with yesterday’s newspaper to catch any spilled liquids and soak up odors.
Cut down on laundry sorting by throwing everyone’s socks in a mesh bag. Toss the bag in the washer and dryer and finally solve the mystery of where do missing socks go.
Are you thinking “I just did all this laundry and now I have to put it away?” Yes, you do, but I’m going to show you how to hang clothes in record time.

The witching hour in this house is right before dinner because the kids want to eat ALL THE FOOD NOW, and I don’t want them to spoil dinner with too many snacks. Ease those tantrums with small and healthy snacks while you whip up dinner with my snack bins in the fridge and pantry system. Find it here!
Does your kid have an army of stuffed animals that have waged a war on their rooms? Let them put all those stuffed animals inside a bean bag chair cover for a creative and practical storage solution.
Got a dumper in your house? You know, the kid that dumps all their toy bins the minute you turn your back. Simplify your storage system by putting a picture of a character or type toy that should go in each stackable storage bin. All princesses go in one drawer, trains in another, and blocks in another. Even the youngest dumper can help clean up by sorting the toys based on the pictures.
Have toys taken over bath time? Put a shower tension rod low on the back of the bathtub and attach hooked baskets. The baskets keep everything up and away and let the toys drain so you don’t have to worry about mold. If your kids are older, move the rod higher and store everyone’s shower supplies in the baskets.
If the floor of your vehicle looks like a buffet of snacks, dirt and things you’re not too sure about, welcome to the club, but there’s hope. Line the floor of your car with long rag rugs from the dollar store. The ridges of the rag rugs help catch all the crumbs and falling debris and cut down on vacuuming. You can even use blue painter’s tape or double stick tape to secure the rugs to the floor. When you’re ready to clean, shake the rugs out, throw them in the laundry, vow to never let your car get that messy again, break that vow the next day, and smile because this hack is saving your sanity.
Line all the cup holders in your car with silicone muffin cups. Don’t forget the ones in the back! The muffin cups are a perfect catchall for spills, change, and any surprises your kids left for you. Just rinse the cups when dirty and they’re ready to use again.
Dinner is done, but no one wants to scrub the pots and pans. Just toss a dryer sheet into your cookware, fill with warm soapy water, and soak overnight! The grease and grime come right off with NO scrubbing!
Keep your garbage disposal cleaned and smelling great by filling an ice cube tray with a white vinegar and few hunks of lemon, rinds and all. When the cubes are frozen solid, toss a few down the disposal and turn the disposal on. Your disposal is sanitized, has a fresh smell, and the blades are sharpened by the ice cubes

Now take some time for yourself to relax. Maybe do some yoga, or just wear yoga pants. To be honest, both make feel really zen.

Staying Organized with Snack and Lunchbox Stations

August 26, 2015 by amushro

“How was your day?”

“What did you do?”

“What made you laugh today?”

“Who did you sit by at lunch?”

These, along with 50 other questions, are what I fire off at my kids the very second they get home from school. Some days my kids rattle on and on about the happenings on the playground, but more often they simply give me a few grunts, blank stares, and mumble “I’m hungry. Can we have a snack?” If I leave those two to their own food scavenger hunt, they will dive head first into the pantry, eat a bag of chips, and plop onto the couch in a carb comma until dinner. So I created a snack system that carried over into the kids helping to pack their own lunches in the morning. Now I know they are getting yummy, healthy, and proportioned snacks after school and the dreaded task of packing lunches, has gotten so much easier. Add these to my list of back to school parenting hacks to make snacking and lunch box packing a breeze.

Create a Snack Station

Use small plastic storage containers as your designated snack bin (I got mine at the dollar store)—have one for the fridge and one for the pantry.

For the fridge, pack the container full of snacks your kids love: yogurt, cheese, cut up fruit in sandwich bags, fruit cups, veggies and dippers like hummus, peanut butter or ranch (use small to-go condiment containers for the dips), small portions of meats in sandwich bags, juice and milk boxes and small bottles of water are just a few ideas.

For the pantry bin, portion out bagged snacks like chips, crackers, and trail mix and throw in applesauce, raisins, and granola bars.

My kids know they can have two items from the fridge and one from the pantry. I try to only refill the items once they have eaten everything. This way I know they are getting some variety of food after school. With Snack Stations, I know my kids aren’t over eating and won’t be full on snacks and ignore dinner.

Create a Lunchbox Making Station

Depending on the storage space in your kitchen, use either small, plastic stackable drawers in the pantry or baskets to organize each menu item. While I’m packing their “main course,” the kids are choosing what else will go in their lunchbox based on the numbers listed outside the drawers or baskets. You can use chalkboard paint just a sharpie to write the number on the outside of the container. The rule in this house is they don’t have to take everything, but they need a variety and cannot take more than the actual number (unless it’s a fruit or veggie, then take as much as you want—a mother can dream ,right?)

In the Pantry

Drinks (in addition to water): 1

Salty, Crunchy snacks and crackers (individual bags that I proportioned or the lunch size):1

Apple sauce, fruit cups: 1

Special Treats like fruit gummies or a piece of chocolate: 1

In the fridge

Different cheeses: 1

Yogurt and yogurt drinks: 1

Fruits and Veggies: 2

This system allows them to make choices on what they want to take and they are being responsible (and saving me time) by packing their own lunches.

Also I use command hooks inside the pantry door to store their lunchboxes when they aren’t in use,

I designate a drawer that has everything I need to put their lunch together in one place: plastic utensils, napkins, sandwich bags, and little Post-Its and pens so I can write little notes to my kids. Since my kids are really little, I draw silly pictures and it makes them laugh, which is always rad.

All this talk about snacks has me hungry! Looking to make breakfast a little easier? Check out my breakfast sanity savers!

Back to School Life Hacks

August 11, 2015 by amushro

Sometimes I lie in bed in the morning and calmly think “It might not seem like it now, but we’re already late.” And within twenty minutes, I’m throwing shoes and socks at kids while I bark orders like “Did you brush your teeth? Come breathe on me so I can check.” But not this year, friends. This year this mom is embracing all the sanity savers and parenting hacks to protect my precious sanity and shave a few minutes off our hectic day. Back to school is serious stuff. Just ask these two.

Here’s a few parenting hacks to make the school year start a little smoother.

Breakfast Hacks

Easily cook a dozen eggs for breakfast sandwiches by baking eggs in a muffin tin. Using a lightly greased muffin tin, crack one egg into each cup and bake for 15 minutes on 350 degrees. Build your sandwich with English muffins, cheese and ham. Freeze the sandwiches and wrap in foil for later or heat and enjoy.

Cut down on breakfast mess by mixing pancake mix for the week and putting it into several freezer bags and store in the fridge. Be sure to leave room for the batter to expand. When ready to make, cut a bottom corner of the freezer bag and squeeze the mix into a hot pan.

Have a breakfast smoothie any morning by chopping up and freezing all the ingredients for a smoothie in a individual sandwich bags. When you’re ready, grab a bag and throw the ingredients into a blender and enjoy!

Serve yummy oats and not cook a thing! Mix equal parts milk, yogurt and rolled oats with a banana and some cinnamon. Place in the fridge overnight and in the morning, add fruit or nuts and serve.

Lunchbox Hacks

Never run out of ice packs for lunch boxes again! Grab kitchen sponges from the dollar store, soak in water, place in sandwich bag, and freeze for effective and cheap ice packs.

Never worry food in a thermos isn’t still hot at lunchtime. Fill the thermos or can with almost boiling water and put the lid on. Let it sit while you pack lunches or serve breakfast. Heat the food hotter than you would normally serve it. Dump out the hot water and add the food. Now you have hot food stored in a warm thermos. Perfect for a hot lunch!

Use that thermos for food other than soup. Heat chicken nuggets in the microwave and store in a hot thermos. They will be warm and yummy when your kids are ready for lunch. Just don’t forget the ketchup.

Keep apples from turning brown by using a knife or apple corer/slicer to cut around the core. Put the apple back together and wrap a rubberband around the apple. The apple will still be fresh at lunch.

Clothing Hacks

Choose outfits for the entire week and store each outfit in a section of a hanging sweater organizer. Be sure to include socks, underwear, and hair accessories to make the morning even easier. Write out the days of the week and post on each section for extra site word practice!

Loop a soda can tab on a hanger and attach another hanger to the other side of the tab to create a double hanger. For after-school activities, hang all uniforms pieces and practice clothes on these hangers to save closet space and stay organized.

Bathroom Hacks

Cut an over the door shoe organizer to fit inside a door of a bathroom cabinet. Give each child a row on the organizer to store all their hair brushes, hair products, hair accessories, tooth brushes,tooth paste, or anything else they use to get ready in the morning.

Affix a magnetic strip to the inside of the cupboard door and attach bobby pins and hair bows to the strip to save space and help with organization.

Never lose a hair elastic again by using a caribbeaner clips to store hair elastics and ribbons.

At the Door Hacks

A decorative silverware organizer is perfect to leave by the door so each family member can always grab what they need before heading out the door: phone, keys, ID tags, headphones, wallet, and even a stain remover stick

Change the locked picture on your phone to a written note with your kid’s schedules, pickup times, and drop-off times for a quick reference at the beginning of the year.

Use command hooks or decorative towel hooks inside a closet or on a wall to create a backpack nook. This gives kids the perfect place to hang their backpacks

Create a “last minute” station using milk crates near the door. Using shoeboxes or plastic containers, store socks, hair accessories, change, and quick grab snacks like applesauce pouches or granola bars for those last minute needs.

Homework Hacks

Create a portable homework station for each kid by filling binders or shower caddy with with everything they need to complete homework: pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, and paper. This is great for younger siblings that want “homework” too.

If you don’t have a desk for homework time, use an inexpensive shoe rack to create shelf space on a table

Create a “Mom Command Center” in your kitchen so everything you need to stay organized is in one place: start with a large dry erase board or chalk board paint to create a calendar, folders for all school forms going in and out, places to store kid’s art work, a place to menu plan, and a docking station for your phones, tablets and computers.

Cover all your bases by setting the bookmark on your phone or tablet to all those important sites you’ll visit every day like the school website, Today Show for news and Wake Up with Al for weather.

So here’s to a new school year, never missing the bus, and not having to ask your kids to brush their teeth five times!

This post was originally featured on The Today Show Parenting Team-– check out all of my posts on The Today Show!

Tips for Caring for Curly Haired Kids

August 5, 2015 by amushro

The 80’s and early 90’s weren’t kind to a young gal with curly hair like me. There were lots of bad perms, Christmas tree shaped haircuts, fluffy poodle mullets, and years of school pictures that will never see the light of day. So years later when the Curly Hair Gods smiled down upon me and gave unto me a little curly haired girl, I was thrilled when every single day she woke up like this:

I’m totally kidding! Most days this is how she wakes up. Yikes! Pass the coffee and the leave in conditioner!

On these mornings, her hair looks exactly how I feel, but I was determined to figure out the best and easiest way to style her hair so that my girl would always love her wild and fabulous curls. So here’s what we’ve learned:

Just say NO to shampoo– For curly kids you need lots of moisture in their hair. We only wash my daughter’s hair every 2-3 days, and when she is due for a wash, we only use a moisturizing conditioner and skip the shampoo. Try shampooing just once a week for bouncy, fun curls.

Throw in the Towel- Wrap your kiddos up in a fluffy towel when they get out of the tub, but keep that towel away from curly hair! Since curly hair is so fragile, a regular towel is too heavy for curls and can cause a lot of frizz. Instead, grab and old t-shirt and lightly dry their hair with the t-shirt.

Tools of the trade– Detangling after bath time used to take forever and there were lots of tantrums and tears (mostly that was just me). Now we use the Wet Brush or a wide tooth comb and detangling is no big deal. Do you have a brush? Get rid of it. Seriously, brushes and curly hair do not mix. Don’t believe me? Don’t make me show you my second grade school picture. *shivers*

Bottoms Up- Detangle from the bottom and don’t start at the roots! This causes damage and frizz plus it just hurts! Instead, pile the hair on top of your child’s hair with a clip and work in smalls sections. Working an inch or two from the bottom of the hair near the neck, detangle with your fingers or the Wet Brush. Then move up a few inches and so on. As you finish each section, wrap the hair around your finger to help the curl bounce back.

Morning Bounce Back- My girl’s hair always looks best right after a bath, but who has time for all that work in the morning? Not us! So we’ve created a new system to freshen up her curls. Using a spray bottle with water and conditioner wet the hair. Use your fingers or Wet Brush on hair that is tangled or fizzy. Grab small sections and wrap the hair in a spiral motion. This helps hair to bounce back and regain it’s shape. Air dry wet hair as much as possible, but if you’re in a hurry or for a little extra volume, flip hair upside down, use a hairdryer with a diffuser attachment (never without!) until hair is 80% dry. Too much heat is a no-no for curly hair.

Coiled Care- Deep condition once a week but there’s no need to spend a fortune on expensive treatments. We just lather up the conditioner, put a fancy shower cap on, and let my curly kid play in the tub while those curls get the much needed moisture.

Up Do Safety– Only use ribbon elastics for ponytails and braids. These will cause minimal damage and won’t get tangled in curly hair like regular hair elastics and rubber bands.

Style Tips- When it’s time for a haircut, find a stylist that is comfortable and experienced with curly hair. This makes a HUGE difference, and I usually ask the salon manager for their recommendation. Also sometimes finding the right product takes a lot of trial and error, but stick to sulfate free shampoos and conditioners and think less is more when it comes to hair products. Right now we are using a light weight foam cream that is working well with her hair.

I love her curls. I want her to love her curls. And I promise, no fluffy poodle mullets for either of us. Ever.