Old Phones, Netflix, And Other Perfect ‘Co-Parents’
As parents, we need all the help we can get. For those of us with a spouse or co-parent, a lot of it can come from taking turns with child care duties and getting breaks when we need them. However, there are many times in a parent’s day when help from another human is simply not an option. That’s when certain things can pinch hit for you — be it something to make your day go a little easier or an object to distract your small child so you no longer have to. Here are all of the “co-parents” that can help you along your journey as a parent.
1. Coffee
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It positively blows my mind when I meet a parent who doesn’t drink coffee. I mean honestly, how DO you do it? In the early mornings when my kids are raring to roll, coffee is the only thing that keeps me from running out the front door screaming. Without it, my mom game would be in the toilet.
2. Alcohol
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Of course I understand that alcohol is not for everyone, but I have to say — not much else soothes me at the end of a very long day of parenting like a glass of wine. Or sometimes during a long day of parenting. Don’t judge me.
3. Netflix
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Guys, don’t we feel like that whole “another episode plays 15 seconds after the previous one ends” feature was added just for parents? When I need to get things done, nothing jumps in for me like good old Uncle Netflix. Dependable and full of options, it never fails to keep my kids in one place when I am not able to fully supervise them.
4. Old Phone Covers
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What is it with phone covers? Even at seven and five, my kids are positively fascinated by them. They each have one of my old ones and they “text” each other when they play pretend. I know of many toddlers who just enjoy chewing on them. Whatever’s clever, right?
5. Goldfish Crackers
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When you can’t be fully present, scattering Goldfish crackers on the coffee table is a sure-fire way to keep a toddler in one place for at least 10 minutes. Very helpful when you need a trip to the bathroom without anyone climbing into your lap.
6. Unwrapper Videos
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We talked about these last month and it was new to me — these videos were not a thing when my kids were toddlers but boy, do I wish they were. In my research writing about them, I watched probably 15 of them in a row. If they can mesmerize a 33-year old woman, I can only imagine their power over a toddler.
7. Older Siblings
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If you have a small child who requires a lot of attention, a patient older sibling can be the best co-parent of all. My daughter occupies my son better than I do most of the time. I’m no Michelle Duggar, it’s not as though she feeds and bathes him, but she is amazing at keeping him busy when I need to get stuff done.
8. Play-Doh
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If you can get past the cringe-inducing awfulness of watching them mash the colors together, Play-Doh can be a most effective child occupier. There is something soothing about squishing it in your hands, you have to admit. Little kids might be on to something.
9. Lollipops
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When the bank teller at the drive-thru puts lollipops in the little tube, my kids act like they’ve won the lottery. It buys me a good 10 minutes of silence while they happily consume their windfall.
10. Electronics
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The Grand Daddy of co-parents is the tablet or video game system. I was a late joiner to this game and I now regret all the suffering I went through before allowing them to have this stuff. My son might get up at 6 am but thanks to his Nintendo DS, I don’t have to deal with him until I’m ready to wake.
(Image: voyagerix/Shutterstock)
