20 Hacks That Will Make Parenting a Mission Possible

One study showed that if parents are stressed during a child's first few years of life, it can leave an imprint on the child's genes, which can reveal itself even in adolescence. But is it even possible not to stress out while bringing up children? Some life hacks, tricks, and special tips can save a lot of time and energy and eventually make parents' lives much easier and just a little bit less stressful.

Bright Side has made a list of the most unusual and creative life hacks that can be useful for every parent. Take a look yourself and find those that you like the best! More joy and less stress - that's what parenting should be about.

1. Toilet stickers

Raising boys can be really challenging when it comes to using the toilet. Try this hack: place some toilet targets on the back of the toilet bowl and your boys will love taking aim! Choose the one he'll love hitting the most: an ordinary target or a target in form of Darth Vader, Ninja Turtle, Batman or Spider-Man.

2. Upgrade Barbie's face with a marker.

Girls love Barbies: they love doing their hair and, for some reason, popping their heads off! And creative mothers don't just go out and buy a new one – they turn to their artistic skills. Take a marker and and draw a new face for Barbie!

3. Use a plastic bottle to make the tap longer.

If your kids can't reach the tap, make the tap reach them! Cut up a lotion bottle and create a longer tap that will be more convenient for the little ones to use. Just make sure the lotion bottle is completely clean before you cut it.

4. Make canvas out of butcher paper and a frame

There comes a time in the life of every kid when the inner artist awakens. How to keep the walls safe from the pencil of a genius? Get some butcher paper and put a frame over it – this way the kid will have a special place to draw their masterpieces!

5. Use a hula hoop and a bedsheet to create a tent.

Children love to create forts, find hideouts, and organize their own private spaces! So why not help them? With a hula hoop and a bedsheet, you can create an unusual summer tent for your kids. Add some pillows and blankets to it and it will be their favorite place!

6. Use a cupcake wrapper to prevent popsicle messiness.

Popsicles are tasty and fun – just not when they melt down all over your kid's hands and make them sticky! An ordinary cupcake wrapper can act as a barrier and protect the little fingers from getting dirty.

7. Create a hammock under the table.

Does your kid need a new comfortable place to relax? Make a quick and easy hammock! You only need a large piece of fabric and a table and you'll get 5 minutes to get yourself a coffee!

8. Make a "creative room" out of a big box.

Next time you're planning to throw away big boxes – think twice. They can serve as a perfect creative space for your kid! How convenient is that? You know where your kid is and you know no wallpaper will be damaged!

9. Make a hole for a straw in a yogurt bottle.

You can use a corkscrew to make a small hole in a yogurt lid. This will help your child enjoy the yogurt without spilling it. It's a great way to protect your home and your car from spills while also bringing a little bit of fun into an ordinary activity.

10. Learn how to detangle Barbie's hair.

There're several life hacks as to how to detangle Barbie's hair. Some suggest adding some fabric softener to the water and wash the synthetic hair with it. Some also say it's possible to add a little bit of dish soap into hot water, wash Barbie's hair in it, and then use a bit of regular conditioner. Choose whatever suits you best!

11. Fix rolling eyes once and for all.

Dolls can look sweet and adorable – as long as their eyes aren't rolling up, down, backward, and anywhere gravity sends them. Super glue is a great way to fix this. Just put some glue on the eyelid and the doll won't frighten anyone with its rolling eyes.

12. Use window stickers during flights.

Flying with a kid is always a riddle: what activity to come up with so that the little one doesn't get bored? How about some window stickers? It'll be so exciting for the kid to place little figures on the clouds!

13. Place a laundry basket inside your bath.

Try this the next time you get ready for bath time. An ordinary laundry basket placed inside the tub will help the child sit straight in the water and have all of the toys nearby.

14. "No more car fighting!"

How do you drive and make sure your kids don't fight in the back at the same time? The answer is quite simple – just use some cardboard to create "walls" between them.

15. Use tape to make toys less noisy.

Some toys don't have volume control and some are extremely loud. This is not only bad for the child's ears, but also for a parent's nervous system. Put some tape over the speaker and it'll be much less noisy!

16. Cover their clothes to avoid a mess.

Kids love arts and crafts but it's usually a super messy process that leads to a lot of washing. How about covering the front of their clothes with a Press'n Seal wrap? It's a cheap and easy method to avoid a lot of mess!

17. Use a fitted sheet at the beach.

Going to the beach with children can be quite tough on the parents. The next time you're at the beach, take a fitted sheet with you and you can use it along with 4 heavy bags (which you'll probably have with you anyway) to create a special area where the toys won't get dirty and your child won't be covered in sand.

18. Use a rubber band for soap portion control.

Your kid loves soap without limits? You can limit the amout of soap pumped from the dispenser with a simple rubber band! Just wrap a rubber band around the neck of the pump.

19. Learn about the wetness indicator on diapers.

Not every parent knows about this detail: you don't actually need to open the diaper every time. There're is a special line on a diaper that gets blue if it's wet and remains yellow if your baby is dry.

20. Use glow sticks to make bathing more fun.

Put some glow sticks in the tub and turn off the lights. Maybe add some bubble bath, if you want to. Bath time will be much more entertaining!

Which of these "inventions" seem the most useful to you? If you're a parent, you probably have some life hacks of your own. Share your secret tips with us in the comments!