Multi-Tasking Products for Multi-Tasking Parents

I am a certified multi-tasker. In fact, as I write this, I’m hanging out with my kids, watching TV, checking e-mails, texting my husband and waiting for dinner to finish baking. 

Lately I've been thinking a lot about how to make my life—and the lives of others like me—easier... and one way is to share the tidbits of knowledge we learn along the way. (It does take a village.) So here are some little tips I've learned in the past few months:

A few weeks ago, my daughter Zoe came home from school with something slimy in a plastic bag. It was white and mushy and looked like… well, I had no idea, so I texted her teacher, who proudly reported “Slime-gak. Not edible. LOL!”

OK, so this is what my educational dollars were buying my daughter. My answer: “Hahaha, smelled like glue.” To which I learned it was “water, Elmer’s Glue and Borax. It’s really fun to play with.” I thought gross but told the teacher “OK, I’ll play with it later, after Zozo goes to bed ;-)”

I then learned Borax has many uses. It’s nature's original laundry and cleaning solution, and can be used on everything from delicates to linens. 
But it can also be used in the toilet bowl as a natural deodorizer. There were many other uses, as well, which you can find on their website.

The recipe for Slime-gak can be found here. And, according to chemistry.about.com:

Slime is easy to make. It only takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to make a batch. Follow these step-by-step written instructions or watch the video to see how to make slime. To get started, gather the following materials:

• water
• white glue (like Elmer's)
• Borax
• food coloring (unless you want uncolored white slime)

 Find the rest of the instructions by going to the link.

The case of the lost Bluetooth headset:

I am constantly losing things (aren't all moms?), but most of all my Bluetooth headset. Why is something that so important (I mean I did almost get a ticket on S. Broadway for talking on my cell phone handset) is so easily lost? Plus, I’ve shelled out over $100 on multiple occasions replacing the valuable item. I tried to make a necklace to wear—didn’t work. Even carrying it with me all the time resulted in it getting lost or broken. 

So I came up with a plan. The most important place for this item was in the car, but I needed special place to keep it. I was in Babies R’Us and I discovered the pacifier bag was the perfect size for the Bluetooth headset, and better yet, it had a little strap so that I could attach it to my gearshift.  I stuck my headset inside and can happily report that it has not gotten lost—plus, I can charge it while it is in its pouch.

The excuse to use your diaper bag, post-diapers:

I love my new Barcelona bag from 7 A.M. Enfant! 

It’s smart, soft, lightweight, waterproof and perfect for the mom-on-the-go who also wants to look stylish. It has three deep interior pockets that keep me very organized—even though I overstuff. I love bottle holder/lunch box because my children are beyond the “bottle” phase, and on the recent trip to the zoo it was filled with four juice boxes, granola bars, cheese sticks and an ice pack—so it had plenty of room.  

But what I love most is the cushioned changing mat… and why is that totally bizarre is because my kids are out of diapers. Well, it perfectly folds around my iPad2, giving it the protection it needs when I’m on the go. Since it is both my and my children’s prize possession, I figure the changing mat is the perfect protector for it.

More tips from the experts:

Here are few other items that are great for multi-taskers. I’d love to hear in the comments your favorite product that you use for something other than what it was initially intended:

• Plastic disposable placemats as a rain hat, so you don’t have to carry an umbrella
• For the beauty queen mamas: Preparation H to relieve dark circles around the eyes
• Chalkboard paint jar lids. (See here.)
• Take your empty stroller to the to carry groceries
• Use the Rody as a foot stool or head rest
• Nursing pads work perfectly to take off nail polish