Weird Parenting Tricks That Really Work

We asked our Netmums forum members to share the weird parenting tricks and tips they've discovered that really work. Prepare to be amazed ...

You know when you have had a sticker stuck to a wall, table or book for ages and you peel it off and it leaves a nasty sticky messy residue?

Unbelievably, peanut butter gets it off!

Fed up of stubborn stains on baby clothes (why oh why are they always orange?). Then this parenting trick is for you.

Hanging baby clothes out in the sunshine can fade any marks including baby poop stains. Sounds easy but it REALLY works!

And when it comes to washing baby clothes, you want a gentle detergent that still has the power to shift stains. We love Fairy Non Bio Sensitive Skin Dream Team : Fairy Non Bio Platinum Plus PODS® and Fairy Fabric Softener .

The gentle ingredients shift stains while leaving clothes huggably soft against your baby's skin. Awww.

Check out the Fairy Non Bio range here.

Such a neat trick for a sunny day!

To stop lollipops melting and dribbling down little arms, pop a fairy cake case underneath them to catch the drips.

We really like these multi-use, silicone ones. They're not only fun and colourful, but eco-friendly as well. Find them at Amazon for £5.99 per set.

This one divides parents, but so many Netmums swear that if you rub some Vicks on your child's feet at night it eases their coughing.

Vicks is only for children over two years old, but you can use Snuffle Babe for younger babies.

Have you found this works? You can find Vicks VapoRub here at Amazon.

If your child is reluctant or having trouble poo-ing then keep some bubbles in the bathroom and get them to blow them as they sit and try.

It is not only a great distraction but blowing bubbles helps with the muscles you need to use to poo and makes it harder for them to 'hold on.'

This bubble blowing toy from Gazillion is just what you need. You can find it here at Amazon .

When your little one has chicken pox it can mean a week or so of itchy misery.

A great trick our members told us about is tying a muslin cloth filled with oats round a running tap in the bath. This really helps soothe the itching.

You can also add half a cup of baking soda to a warm bath to help soothe the itching.

Is your child scared of monsters under the bed?

A great tip our members have shared is to make a special 'monster spray' by simply adding water to a spray bottle and then using it to zap any scary monsters away!

We always knew parents had super hero qualities!

Warts and verrucas can be tackled by covering them with duct tape. No nasty chemicals needed.

Simply place a piece of duct tape over your child's verruca and leave for about six days. Then remove the tape and soak the verruca in water. Leave it uncovered overnight and then add a new piece of duct tape in the morning.

If you repeat this, eventually the verruca should disappear. Be warned, it's not a quick process - you'll need to stick with it.

Not a parenting tip as such but still a great hack for busy mums and dads that one of our members shared.

When tumble drying towels or clothes, add a dry towel into the machine and you'll find everything dries a lot quicker. Result!

And to make everything huggably soft and comfy against yours and your baby's skin, add a slosh of Fairy Fabric Softener to your wash.

It's ideal for your baby's delicate skin. In fact the whole Fairy Non Bio range has been voted the number one laundry brand for sensitive skin.*

*Online panel of 3,433 women among which Fairy Non Bio detergent/softener was voted most often as the #1 detergent & fabric softener for sensitive skin.

Hair washing can be a cause of misery for many small children.

Our members have a great tip to share to end the tears.

Simply fold a wet flannel and ask your child to hold it over their eyes whist you shampoo and rinse their hair.

No more tears!

olive oil in glass bottles with autumn leaves

Cradle cap does not do your baby any harm but it can look a bit unsightly.

Try rubbing a small amount of olive oil (or almond oil) onto your baby's scalp, leave it on for about 15 minutes and then gently brush it out. Then wash with a baby shampoo.

Our members swear by this simple tip.

If your baby is in a real mess after a particularly enthusiastic lunch, try pulling their baby vest DOWN their body instead of up over their head when you change their clothes.

You can often stretch the neck of vests easily to do this using the little envelope folds on the babygrow shoulders.

We've got all you need to know about how to get baby food stains out of clothes . And, (spoiler alert), one top tip is using Fairy Non Bio PODS® for a gentle clean that will tackle everything from breast milk stains to baby poop.

It's hard to keep a clean and tidy house when there are little ones about. Sticky fingers can get everywhere, but fear not – help is at hand with a trusty loaf. Use it to wipe finger prints off painted walls.

One of our Netmums tells us she's saved a fortune (and a lot of 'I wants') by telling my kids that shops dont actually sell toys, they simply lay them out on the shelves to let everyone see what they have so that they can choose and let santa/parents know what to 'order'.

Here's a great tip from one of our Netmums: If your little one gets really bad nappy rash, such as when they have a runny tummy several times a day and regardless of how fast you change their nappy, their bum starts getting very red.... pop some Bicarbonate of Soda in the bath.

It seems to sooth it and take the sting out of it.

A great tip for anyone heading for sunnier climbs over the cold winter months. Always take talc to the beach. Use liberally on damp feet and the sand just brushes off!

When teaching small boys to pee into a toilet without becoming distracted and peeing everywhere, put a ping-pong ball in the toilet bowl for them to aim at. You can still flush the toilet and the ping-pong ball will pop back up ready for next time. Warn your guests before they use your toilet though!!

A cute and simple tip from one of our Netmums:

When my daughter was about 2 years old she had a bad nightmare and was frightened to go to sleep. We got a cheap small wooden heart (but could be anything really) and we told her to rub it before she went to sleep and then pop it under her pillow.

A lovely Netmum tip: When my two are having a carry on in the morning and saying that they are poorly, sore tummy and I know that they are at it and fibbing, I have a bottle of "cure all medicine". It's a bottle of multivitamin syrup that I give them.

Clever lunchbox tricks

Traditional childhood hobbies

Retro toys and games

Weird parenting tricks that really work