83 Parenting Hacks That Happened When Desperate Times Called For Desperate Measures

Most of the parenting hacks on this list are unconventional because none of the parents seem to be babying their children. 

Many have actually espoused an approach known as RIE parenting, a trust-based approach that treats infants and toddlers as capable, autonomous people who deserve the same respect as adults.

Infant-development expert Magda Gerber first introduced RIE parenting in 1973. RIE stands for Resources for Infant Educarers, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles. 

Author and educator Janet Lansbury is one of the many proponents of the RIE parenting method. As she explains, this approach builds parents' awareness by encouraging them to observe a child and give them space to show who they are and what they need.

“RIE parenting also makes us more self-aware,” Lansbury said. “Through our sensitive observations, we learn not to jump to conclusions; for example, that our babies are bored, tired, cold, hungry, or want to hold the toy they seem to notice across the room.”

Lansbury adds that the method also helps parents learn to differentiate a child’s signals from their own projections. In effect, they become more aware of the habits they create that can become the child’s needs.

For parents who want to implement the RIE method into their own approach, Lansbury offered some tips. Her first piece of advice: communicate authentically.

This means speaking in your real voice and talking about real things that relate to the child. 

“We encourage babies to build communication skills by asking them questions, affording them plenty of time to respond, and always acknowledging their communication,” Lansbury said.

Parenting doesn't come with an instruction manual (yet), and some days will require thinking outside the box. Apart from a ton of patience, that may include ideas that seem ridiculous but work really well. 

Of course, not every hack on this list will work on every child. Still, you can’t help but admire the genius behind some of these ideas. Parents, have you ever come up with these unusual tricks of your own? Share them in the comments!