Tips and tricks for busy parents on the go
(BPT) - Parents are the ultimate multi-taskers. But with today’s busy schedules, they can always use a little help – especially when it comes to providing their kids with quality, nutritious snacks.
More than half of the parents felt there’s one thing even more critical than diapers and sippy cups when they’re out and about with kids – a snack, according to the Tree Top’s Snacks On-The-Go Survey. And four in five parents admit their kids influence snack choices.
“As parents, we strive to give our kids the best, but we need to make it easier on ourselves because we’re so busy,” says Erika Brown, Tree Top’s mom expert and blogger at Chic Shopper Chick. “When I’m on the go with my kids, I need convenient, mess-free, nutritious snacks that my kids love and as a parent, I feel good about.”
For those times when it seems like there aren’t enough hours in a day, Brown, who knows that juggling life with two small children is not a light task, reveals some of her tips and tricks for busy parents who are constantly on the go.
* Pick out tomorrow's outfits tonight. Pull out all of the clothes that your kids will need for the next day and set them in designated areas so everyone can wake up and get dressed before breakfast – without any help from you. Don't forget to include shoes and socks – nothing is worse than not being able to find a misplaced sneaker 15 minutes before your kids head out the door.
* Pack lunches on the weekends. On Sundays, pull out everything that you need to make lunches and pack them into individual bags. Throw in a nutritious, whole fruit snack that has no sugar added, like Tree Top Apple Sauce Pouches, a bag of veggie sticks, a bottle of water, and a few cookies and stash it in the pantry. That way, all you have to do in the morning is make sandwiches and add the contents of one bag of snacks into their lunch boxes before sending them on their way.
* Wake up an hour before your kids do. Waking up an hour before your kids gives you time to shower (in peace, without small children banging on the shower door), get dressed in something other than sweatpants, drink your coffee, finish making lunches and just generally be a happy human being.
* Keep a stash of emergency items in your car. Use a little basket for convenient and portable items you need on-the-go, such as wet wipes (these aren’t just for babies!), tissues, a change of clothes for each child, bottles of water, non-perishable and mess-free snacks like Tree Top Apple Sauce Pouches, a small blanket that works for picnics when someone is “freezing,” and bandages.
* Make easy dinners or give yourself permission to order take out. Make full use of your crockpot for one-dish meals and throw together a quick salad to go with it. Or, just give yourself permission to order in. Kung Pao chicken, anyone?
To learn more visit www.treetop.com. Also, check out Tree Top’s Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages for new product news, family-friendly recipes and special promotions.
