Tips & Hacks Archives – The Salty Mamas

It never fails- I’ve had a long day. I’ve had a million things on my plate, a million tasks to accomplish, and too many things to keep track of. I’m downright exhausted, and all I want to do is fall into my bed and spend the next eight hours in blissful, unconscious rest.

So why can’t I turn my brain off and fall asleep?

If you suffer from anxiety, this experience is far too familiar for your liking. We are exhausted, but our poorly wired brains won’t give it a rest so that we can GET some rest. One thought spirals into the next, and before you know it you’re agonizing about that comment you made to Sharon three days ago and if she’ll hate you forever because of it.

No? Just me?

At any rate, if you have difficulty falling asleep because your thoughts just won’t quit, we want you to know that you’re not alone. We’ve been there (you know, only like, every night or so). And as a result, we’ve come up with some fool-proof strategies to help you shut down your brain and fall asleep fast.

Continue reading “Quiet Your Anxious Mind (So You Can Fall Asleep Fast!)” →

Tips & Hacks

Guest Room Touches That WIll Make Company Feel Right at Home

October 18, 2018October 18, 2018 Salty Jaymi

It’s that time of year again. And I’m not talking about Pumpkin Spice Lattes, or even holiday cheer. Nope- we are rapidly approaching houseguest season.

Before we know it, my too-small house will be filled to the brim with friends and family members hoping to crash with us for a few days. Sometimes they’re just on their way through, and other times, they settle in for a week or two. Either way, we want to make them feel at home.

So if you find yourself with a few extra guests on your hands, we’ve got some tips to help make get your guest room ready for holiday houseguests.

Continue reading “Guest Room Touches That WIll Make Company Feel Right at Home” →

Tips & Hacks

13 Things You Had No Idea Your Amazon Echo Could Do

August 28, 2018September 18, 2018 Salty Jaymi

It’s no secret that we LOVE our Amazon Echos. Alexa plays a larger role in our lives than we’d care to admit (I mean, she’s basically our coparent). She’s our kitchen companion, our dance party DJ, and the deliverer of our groceries. So yeah, you could say we’ve formed an intimate relationship with some AI technology. Welcome, to the future, people. As a result of this relationship, however, we’ve discovered several unique Alexa hacks for parents.

When I first got my Alexa, I was super put off by it. The volume level in my house increased exponentially. I didn’t really know what to do with it beyond playing music (and they wanted to charge me $5 a month to do it!). To top it off, many people told me I had just given the NSA direct access to my home. Let’s just say, I was kind of regretting my purchase.

But as time went on, I discovered that Alexa had a lot more uses. She could set timers and reminders for me, so when I found my arms full of toddler, I could still keep myself on track. She played ALL of my favorite songs at a moment’s notice. And her Yo Mama jokes are on POINT.

At this point, I’m spending a LOT of time with Alexa, and I’ve gotten to know her pretty well. And that includes figuring out some AMAZING Alexa hacks for moms. Read on to discover some of our favorites!

Continue reading “13 Things You Had No Idea Your Amazon Echo Could Do” →

Tips & Hacks, Uncategorized

Family Vacation Tips & Hacks

August 23, 2018 thesaltymamas

Vacation is great and all, but if you’re vacationing with your family, you probably notice it feels more like a trip. The good news is, there’s hope! No matter how many kids you have crammed into one hotel room, you can still find a little enjoyment if you follow these awesome family vacation tips & hacks.

Family vacation got you down? Try these easy tips to help you have fun! #vacation #familyvacation #familytrip #summervacation #springbreak #familyvacationtips #familyvacationhacks #vacationtips #vacationhacks #travelingiwhtkids #tipsfortravelingwithkids #hacksfortravelingwithkids

Continue reading “Family Vacation Tips & Hacks” →

momlife, Tips & Hacks

Life Lessons Your Kid Can Learn at Chuck E. Cheese

July 25, 2018 thesaltymamas

Before having kids, I was firmly on team “We are NEVER Going to Chuck E. Cheese.” Then we were invited by my #Momsquad and the kids feel deeply in love and I knew my Chuck-Free days were over. We found ways to manage our trips, save some money while we went, and eventually Chuck E. Cheese made it’s way to become a regular activity in our rotation.

So when my husband started saying, “Wow, you go to Chuck E Cheese a LOT these days!,” I found myself trying to justify our outing. At first, I thought I was just trying to make it seem less pathetic that we went there so often, but then I realized that my son really was learning some valuable life skills. So now, I have zero guilt about living at the air-conditioned paradise that is Chuck E Cheese this summer.

And you can too! Just use these little life lessons next time you go with your kiddo and you can mark it down as a practically educational opportunity!

Check out these 5 ways to make Chuck E Cheese more than just a trip to the arcade! #lifelessons #chuckecheese ##lifelessonsdaily #lifelessonsdoneright #lifelessonsforever #chuckecheesetips #chuckecheesehacks #chuckecheeselife #lifelessonsforkids #toddlerlifelessons #howtoteachkidsbudgeting #howtoteachkidstimemanagement #howtodealwithdisappointment #earlybird

Continue reading “Life Lessons Your Kid Can Learn at Chuck E. Cheese” →

Tips & Hacks

6 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Going Anywhere with Kids

June 18, 2018September 17, 2018 thesaltymamas

Before having kids, I was hella spontaneous. Whether it was last minute dinner plans, answering a friends invite of “let’s go out!” or literally leaving brunch to hit the road and go to Vegas, I was up for it all and with very few questions. So you can only imagine the ton of bricks that hit me when I had this tiny little baby. A baby that needed bottles and diapers and wipes and extra outfits and binkys and a suitcase full of miscellaneous items for a quick trip to Target. I mean, how much stuff do I need to run errands with kids?

And it’s not just the stuff – the stuff is manageable, and you can tackle leaving the house with a bunch of kids. But you have to know where you’re going! And I’m not just talking how to get there fastest. There are a lot of things you never realized you need to consider before picking a location to take your kids. So now, I basically never leave the house without answering these six questions first.

Continue reading “6 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Going Anywhere with Kids” →

Tips & Hacks

The Ultimate List of Must Haves for a Day at the Pool with Kids

June 13, 2018June 19, 2018 Salty Christine

It’s that time. The weather is warming up, the beach is calling and the community pools are opening. My kids spent the last seven months staring wistfully at our pool knowing it was way too cold to enjoy. Now they run to the gate excited every afternoon to get jump in. When we bought a house with a pool, I pictured casual afternoons spent by the pool watching my happy children swim. I didn’t think about all the things they would need to make that happen. Over the years I’ve gotten it down to a pretty good system, but if this is your first (or second, or seventh) summer spent at the beach of the pool and you feel like you still don’t have it all down yet, don’t worry. The Salty Mamas have got you – and your kids – covered with these must haves for a day at the pool!

Continue reading “The Ultimate List of Must Haves for a Day at the Pool with Kids” →

School, Tips & Hacks

A Parent’s Guide to Being Ready for Kindergarten

June 4, 2018 thesaltymamas

My son “graduates” preschool this week. Which means at the end of this summer he enters Kindergarten. The Big Leagues. As parents, we spend a lot of time making sure our little ones are ready for Kindergarten. We try to prepare them academically, we buy them first backpacks and school supplies, and we worry about their capacity to sit still. Many of us send our kids to preschool hoping they’ll acquire the skills they’ll need to take those first steps into Kindergarten. But what do we do to prepare ourselves for this transition?

Was preschool preparing us – or was it setting us up for failure and disappointment?

Continue reading “A Parent’s Guide to Being Ready for Kindergarten” →

Terrible Twos, Tips & Hacks

Tips to Get All Smiles at Your Toddler’s First Dental Appointment

May 25, 2018 thesaltymamas

When my first was little, I remember hearing that you were supposed to take baby to the dentist when they got their first tooth or when they reached one year old, whichever happened first. Being the dutiful first time Mom, I checked with our dentist to see if they had a pediatric dentist on staff and made that first dental appointment. On the big day, I brought my son in and then the disaster started. He wouldn’t open his mouth – at least without screaming – and when he finally did, they counted his teeth, reminded us to brush and sent him to get a toy. It was half an hour of thrashing, screaming and fighting for 3 minutes of “dentistry” that I could have done on my own at home. I was ready to swear off of the dentist until my kids were old enough to actually have something done. Or at least until I had a diaper bag full of toddler tips to surviving the dentist. Whichever came first.

Well, I never got the tips, but my kids needed to finally go to the dentist. So now I’ve got three kids, and a bunch of dentist appointments under my belt – including appointments for my 18 month old! So I’m here to tell you that you can have a successful trip to the dentist with a toddler. You just need these tips.

Continue reading “Tips to Get All Smiles at Your Toddler’s First Dental Appointment” →

Tips & Hacks

Nighttime Hacks, for Smoother Mornings

May 21, 2018May 21, 2018 thesaltymamas

Having a Miracle Morning as a Mom sounds like a great idea. However, the miracle at my house would be being physically capable of waking up before my kids. I was blessed with three children that are so excited to start their day that they are running down the hall and into my room by 5:30. So the idea of getting up in the middle of the night to get my miracle morning on is less than appealing. Since the morning would not be the time for me to prep for my day, I had to turn to the night before. Thankfully, there are some super helpful nighttime hacks that have helped me get myself, my kids, and even my husband started on the right foot in the morning.

Continue reading “Nighttime Hacks, for Smoother Mornings” →