37 Problems ALL Parents Experience, And The Products That'll Solve 'Em

Parenting is hard. Whether you're a city dwelling first time mom of newborn twins or a seasoned suburban dad of middle school tweens, many of the problems and challenges we face as parents are universal. All babies cry in the night; all toddlers have ill timed bathroom accidents; all school aged kids have pajama day and funny sock day and tropical reading day that you're supposed to know about; and all teenagers are teenagers.

While no product or gadget will make that 3AM feeding less exhausting, or a four year old more amenable to parental suggestions, or the unpredictable moody outbursts of adolescence less confounding, some parental problems can be solved by a clever product. These 37 products definitely make some of the universal parental frustrations and challenges a whole lot easier.

We hope you find these products as awesome as we do. Just an FYI: We are a participant in the Amazon affiliate program, and may receive a share of sales from links on this page. Prices on Amazon fluctuate so anything mentioned below might change as soon we publish it!
We hope you find these handy products as awesome as we do. Just an FYI: We participate in affiliate programs and may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Problem: Little Kids Don't Know When it's Morning. Solution: This Brilliant OK to Wake! Clock

Before your kids can tell time they don't know if it's 4AM or 7AM when their little eyes pop open. So they come into your bedroom and that's pretty awful when it's 5:00 on a Saturday. These clocks help kids understand when they should go back to sleep and when it's OK to get up, even before they can tell time or read numbers. The OK to Wake! Clock changes from yellow to green at whatever time you decide. Green light means go time.

Problem: That Yogurt and Cheese Stick You Pack in Your Kid's Lunch is Super Unappealing When It's Old and Warm. Solution: a Freezable Lunch Bag That Keeps Everything Perfectly Chilled For Hours

It might be freezing outside right now, but soon enough summer will roll around again and parents will send their kids off to day camp where the kids will throw away entire uneaten overly warm lunches. Instead of wasting food and starving children, pick up any one of the adorable patterns of these Freezable Lunch Bags and know that your child's food will stay cold no matter the weather.

Problem: Your House Looks Like a Bomb Went Off in a Stuffed Animal Factory. Solution: This Stuffed Animal Storage Bean Bag Chair

It's a storage container! It's a comfy chair! This Stuffed Animal Storage Bean Bag Chair is a problem solver. Your kids won't even balk at having to pick up their toys if you make it a race to see who fills their bean bag first. Anytime you can clean up by chucking a bunch of things in a bag that then magically looks like furniture, it's a win!

Problem: Teaching Your Child to Tie Her Shoes Makes You Inexplicably Ragey. Solution: the Book Red Lace, Yellow Lace Takes You Out of the Equation

Few things are more frustrating than a little kid tying his own shoes when you really need to leave the house. Unfortunately, learning to tie shoes 100% overlaps with the "I do it by myself" stage of childhood. OMG. No one has the patience for that. Welcome to your new best friend, the book Red Lace, Yellow Lace. It teaches your kid how to tie laces at times when you're not trying to run out the door.

Problem: Your Sick Kid is FINALLY Sleeping But You Really Want to Know if Her Fever Has Gone Down. Solution: This Point and Shoot Non-Contact Thermometer

We all know never to wake a sleeping baby. I'd extend that rule to never wake any sleeping child, (unless that child is an adolescent and it's time for school in which case you may turn on the lights and rip off the covers because it's your well deserved revenge.) But a sick child? Nope. Never wake one of those. But if you have a feverish kid you're going to want to make sure that the medication is working and that the fever hasn't gotten any worse. Now you can sneak in and take your kid's temp without ever touching them with this Non-Contact Thermometer.

Problem: Your Kid Can't Manage a Plate and You Know That This Restaurant's Tables are not Clean Enough to Eat Off of. Solution: Completely Cover the Entire Area With These Large Stick-On Disposable Placemats

Now that you have a toddler you realize that every single surface you encounter while out in public is disgusting. While you can't cover everything, you can cover the surface your kid actually eats off of. These Stick-On Disposable Placemats won't fill up your diaper bag and they'll provide a large clean surface for your kiddo. Now, if you can only get her not to lick the door in the public bathroom...

Problem: You Don't Want to Burn Down Your House, But it May be the Only Way to Get Rid of the Lice Your Kid Brought Home From School. Solution: Don't Get Lice in the First Place by Using These Lice Prevention Hair Products

Few things strike fear in a parent as much as the news that a classmate or friend has lice. Our heads immediately itch and we dread the horrid and nearly impossible task of ridding the household of those little revolting critters. While we can't completely control what critters our kids come into contact with, we can give them every advantage by making them an undesirable host. Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel comes in a shampoo, conditioner, and detangling spray. The rosemary, citronella, and tea tree oil combo helps to keep lice at bay.

Problem: Your Baby Loves Her Pacifier But She's Not Quite Coordinated Enough to Keep the Thing in. Solution: Literally Attach it to Her With These Pacifier Clips

Every parent has hurtled along a highway with one hand on the wheel while the other desperately reaches back, blindly feeling around for the lost pacifier. (This is when parents realize that those "Baby on Board" signs aren't there to remind other drivers to drive more carefully; they are there to warn other drivers that you are mostly concentrating on finding a pacifier and you haven't slept in 5 months.) A Pacifier Clip makes retrieving the spit out paci easy so you can get back to driving.

Problem: Your Kid is Supposed to Read for 20 Minutes Every Day and He Spends Most of That Time Asking How Much Longer. Solution: This Digital Bookmark and Reading Timer

It's tough parenting a reluctant reader. Believe it or not, it can be tough parenting the kid who can't take his nose out of a book also. Both ends of the reading spectrum are served by this handy Digital Bookmark and Reading Timer. It reminds the book worm that it's time for other things like sleep or meals, and it keeps a tally of the reluctant reader's minutes and soon enough he'll proudly proclaim that he read for 22 minutes and didn't even notice all that extra time. And you'll rejoice that he finally found a book he loves. And then he'll ask if tomorrow he can read for only 18 minutes.

Problem: You are Now Solely Responsible For All the Commitments for All the People. Solution: Keep Track of it All on This Magnetic Dry Erase Calendar

Between school events and special days, karate, soccer, and piano lessons, you need to schedule your weeks and months with the tactical precision of an army general. No mere mortal can possibly remember everything, so keep track of it all on this handy Magnetic Dry Erase Calendar. This way you aren't the only one who knows what's going on. Each member of your family will see the crazy mess of your family schedule every day.

Problem: Little Kids Want to Use Every Single Public Bathroom Possible. Solution: This Portable Reusable Toilet Seat Cover

You thought you knew what gross was, and then you began potty training your toddler. Now there isn't a toilet they don't want to use. From gas station nightmares to every single porta potty, your kid needs to go. These handy Portable Reusable Toilet Seat Covers fold up into a little carry case so you can keep your kid's rear off the world's toilet seats.

Problem: Your Kids Have No Concept of Time. Solution: Make it Visual With the Time Timer

Beloved by teachers and parents everywhere, the Time Timer helps kids conceptualize time. So, when you say "10 more minutes of play time," or "15 minutes until bed," or even "5 minute time out," your child can see and understand how much time is left (without asking you a thousand times). We all know kids transition better when they are given ample time warnings, but when they don't really understand how long a minute is, it's not as helpful. The Time Timer is so helpful for those kids who need to know what's going on and what's going to happen next.

Problem: Long Car Rides With Tweens and Teens are Horrible for Everybody. Solution: Keep Everyone Charged Up With This Car Charger with 5 USB Ports

Here's one of those why didn't I think of that? products. With two USB ports on the plug itself for front seat passengers, and an extra long cord ending in three additional ports, this Car Charger makes all other car chargers look foolish. Of course you need to charge up the kids' devices on those long rides. This thing is brilliant! No more arguments over whose phone is more dead!

Problem: One Child's Middle of the Night Screaming Could Wake Up Other Children. Solution: Block the Noise With This White Noise Sound Machine

One kid waking up before she should is bad enough, but more than one? Nope. Not cool, kids. Whether it's the baby's middle of the night cries that wake up your first born kiddos, or your first born kiddos' antics that keep the baby from his naps, a centrally placed White Noise Sound Machine effectively blocks the noise from one loud child from reaching anyone who may be sleeping. These are super helpful whenever kids are trying to fall asleep or stay asleep in a non-quiet house.

Problem: Your Kid Wants to Know Why Zebras Have Stripes and How Airplanes Fly. Solution: Let Them Ask Alexa With an Echo Dot

We all know that an Amazon Echo is extremely useful for all the random questions your kids ask all day long, and for math, history, and geography homework, but did you know that it can be used to keep your whole house connected? Install one upstairs and one downstairs, and instead of yelling up to your kids for dinner, simply ask Alexa to "drop in" on them, and she beckons them for you!

Problem: Without Constant Intervention, Your House Would be Covered in Kids Shoes, Toys, and Other Debris. Solution: Have a Bunch of Plastic Storage Baskets

Keep a few by the door so each kid has their very own shoe bin. Keep a couple in the toy room so clean up is essentially stuffed animal basket ball. Whatever you end up using them for, a house with kids can never have too many Plastic Storage Baskets. Their uses are endless- from laundry hampers to art supply organizers to fort builders to train cars to hiding places to doll cribs.

Problem: You Can't Keep Track of Your Kid Because Your Neighborhood's Roving Kid-Pack Could be Anywhere. Solution: This Kids Smartwatch

Perfect for kids not quite old enough for a mobile phone, this waterproof, GPS enabled Kids Smartwatch, not only ensures your kid knows the time so he can follow the "be home by _ o'clock" rule, but you can actually track him with GPS, call him, and he can call you. Only numbers that have been preprogramed into the watch can send or receive calls, so no need to worry that this opens up the scary big world.

Problem: Bath Time Would be So Much Easier if You Could Just Dump Water Over Their Heads. Solution: You Can With This Tear-Free Waterfall Rinser

You want your kid to like bath time. After all, it has to happen either way, might as well make it fun and enjoyable. But rinsing out shampoo from a baby's head is a delicate balance between dumping water over her head and not dumping water all over her face. Enter the brilliant Tear-Free Waterfall Rinser. Place the soft flexible edge against your baby's forehead and pour. All the water magically only goes on the non-face parts!

Problem: You Always Seem to Be Carrying Something Wet. Solution: Keep Wet Stuff Sequestered in Wet Dry Bags

Whether it's from potty accidents, swim lessons, puddles, or spills, if you are a parent of a little kid you are probably carting around wet clothes. These Wet Dry Bags have a waterproof section for wet gear and another section for dry. These are perfect for wet/dry cloth diapers, soiled/clean bibs, and swimsuits/dry clothes. This means that you can stop carrying around those supermarket plastic bags.

Problem: Your Kids Have 37,549 Bath Toys. Solution: Scoop and Rinse Them Easily With This Scoop, Drain and Store Bath Toy Organizer

Many parents find that a long bath time is a fabulous way to keep their little Tasmanian devils confined and occupied. So we accumulate a ton of different and interesting bath toys and don't mind the mess that's mostly contained in the tub. But picking up each of those toys every time does get old. This Scoop, Drain and Store Bath Toy Organizer lets you scoop them all at once, rinse them under the tap, and then they drain and dry all contained and tidy.

Problem: Teaching Your Kid to Ride a Bike is Frustrating for Everyone. Solution: Let Them Learn Naturally With a Balance Bike

Training wheels are great until you need to take them away. That's when you realize that your child has relied on the extra wheels so much that they never learned how to balance at all. So bike riding instantly goes from fun to torture. It's best to never get training wheels at all. Instead, give your 2-6 year old a Balance Bike. Kids push along with their feet and will naturally learn how to push and coast - since that's super fun. When it comes time for a big kid bike, the balance is there. That part is easy. They just have to learn to pedal which is NBD.

Problem: Your Car Looks Like an After Photo From a Natural Disaster. Solution: Contain the Mess With This Car Seat Organizer

Kids are easily bored when they're strapped into the back of the car for any extended time; so parents provide snacks and drinks and toys and books and games and whatnot to keep them occupied and happy. All these distractions are great, but messy. And, wouldn't it be better for the kids to have access to all their stuff rather than you having to constantly hand them things? This Car Seat Organizer works on many fronts: it effectively separates siblings, helps keep them occupied, and saves your car from the tornado look.

Problem: Your Kids Are Old Enough For a Digital Life, But Not Old Enough For Everything the Big Bad Internet Might Show Them. Solution: Have Complete Control With Circle with Disney

Your kids aren't coming to the table because they're plugged into their phones? A click or two on your Circle app and you can pause the internet on their device. Your kids love watching videos online but you want to limit what they see? You can customize the content filters for every device connected to the Circle with Disney. You can also set parameters about what times and how much time each device can be online, what apps are available when, and you can see the internet history of each device.

Problem: Your Kids Touch EVERYTHING. Solution: Lots of Hand Sanitizer Spray

From the little sanitary bins in public bathroom stalls to any surface or toy at the indoor play space, your kid's hands are on every disgusting surface they can reach. And then? Those hands are in your kid's mouth. GAH! Arm yourself with a bottle of Hand Sanitizer Spray in every purse, pocket, bag, and cup holder you might have with you at any given time.

Problem: Your Kid is Midway Through the Potty Training Process. Solution: These Potty Training Underwear

Diapers and pull-ups are terrific, but there comes a time when the potty training kid needs to wear underpants. Whether it's so he can feel wet to help him get the whole thing, or it's so he can feel rewarded and like a big kid, underpants have to happen eventually. But your kid isn't quite all the way potty trained and you'd prefer not to have pee on all the things. These Potty Training Underwear are perfect for the transition. They have extra padding where it's needed (different for boys and girls) to help contain and absorb any rogue wetness.

Problem: There is No Way Your Kid Will Keep Track of Her Gloves. Solution: You Need Mitten Clips

Every household with children has a collection of single mittens and gloves, the partners of which are gone forever to who knows where. It's annoying. What if it was virtually impossible for your kid to drop a glove? These Mitten Clips securely attach glove to jacket, so your kid would have to lose it all in order to come home without all the gloves he went out with.

Problem: You Have No Idea How to Teach Your Kids to be Financially Responsible People. Solution: The Super Smart Moonjar Classic Moneybox

So, you started giving your kid an allowance. Generally kids will either spend every penny they have the moment they can on an impulse buy, or they never spend a thing because they don't have to. Either way, they aren't really learning about the value of money, how to manage it, or even how having money really works. The Moonjar Classic Moneybox is a piggy bank with purpose. Any incoming money gets divided into three sections: Spend, Save, and Share. In this way children learn that some portion of their money is for spending on things they want, some gets saved for later, and some goes towards charity.

Problem: You and Your Baby Can't See Each Other in the Car. Solution: This Big Car Seat Mirror

The guidelines about carseats and when a child can go from rear facing to front facing are always changing. Right now I'm pretty sure it's recommended that kids stay rear facing until college. Well, that's an awfully long time for you and your child not to make eye contact. This Car Seat Mirror lets your baby see you and you see your baby, which is extremely helpful when it comes to reaching back and blindly trying to find a mouth to put the pacifier back into.

Problem: You're Out With Your Stroller and You Have a Million Bags to Carry. Solution: Carry it All With The Mommy Hook

I have to admit that the name The Mommy Hook rankles a little, but this oversized carabiner is so eminently useful that it's worth getting over the somewhat antiquated name. Clip all your shopping, groceries, and various other crap you might be lugging around right to the handle of your stroller. When you're ready to ditch the stroller for your four flight walk up, the hook becomes a comfortable carrying handle so you can manage all the bags one handed.

Problem: Your Child's Face is a Crusted Snot Nightmare. Solution: Boogie Wipes

You're thinking: this is an unnecessary product because tissues work just fine. You're not wrong. Tissues do work. They make sensitive runny noses red and sore, but we all have and will survive sore noses. Boogie Wipes seem unnecessary until you try them. These saline and aloe infused wipes dissolve nose crust easily and soothe sore runny noses. When cold season hits, any little bit of comfort helps.

Problem: Sippy Cups Leak and Spill. Solution: Munchkin Miracle 360 Sippy Cups

Whether your child is clumsy, absent minded, or lacks a firm grasp of cause and effect and/or gravity, sippy cups in the hands of little kids spill often. Even not-so-little kids spill their drinks all the time. I've watched my 8-year-old hold her full cup sideways while trying to also hold other things on countless occasions over the years. The Munchkin Miracle 360 Sippy Cups differ from standard sippy cups in that there's no spout or valve. The child can drink from anywhere around the rim, just like a normal cup. But it automatically closes into a spill proof seal when he's done taking a sip.

Problem: Accidents Happen. Solution: GoodNites Disposable Bed Mats

Whether your child is a chronic bedwetter or an occasional one, he or she will eventually outgrow it. In the meantime, you might be doing a lot of laundry. Save yourself the work, and make those middle of the night wake ups super quick and easy with GoodNites Disposable Bed Mats. They stick on, completely contain any liquid, and peel off for the quickest middle of the night bed changes ever.

Problem: Kids Can't Keep Track of Their Belongings. Solution: Label Everything With These No-Iron Labels

If you're thinking of sending your kid to any kind of camp, you're going to want his name on every thing he wears or brings with him. But sewing or ironing on labels is a pain! These No-Iron Labels adhere to clothes, lunch boxes, water bottles, and anything else you'd like to not lose. Just peel and stick! They'll last through wash after wash too.

Problem: Your Toddler is in a Throwing Stage and She's Got a Good Arm. Solution: Only Give Her Soft Things Like Indestructibles Baby Books

Unlike board books which can break a lamp or a nose when flung across the room, these Indestructibles Baby Books are soft, light, and flexible. They feel like paper but they are magically tear proof and even water proof. So your baby can suck on them, throw them, flap them around, and even take a bath with them. With several books to choose from in the series, these books are the coolest new baby thing and should be added to every baby shower gift.

Problem: Everyone in Your Household Needs to Charge Their Devices at Once. Solution: This Smart Charging Station Dock

You've undoubtedly argued with someone you love about whose device is more dead and whose need for a charged device is greater. "Ha! Mine's at 8%!" one of you gleefully declares. And to the victor goes the outlet. There is no need to live like this, even in a house full of teenagers. This Smart Charging Station Dock keeps up to four devices charged and neatly contained at once.

Problem: Kids are Smelly. Solution: Fill Their Shoes With Sneaker Balls

Whether you have a house full of athletes or just one super smelly kid, your nose deserves better. Keep their cleats, sneakers, and school shoes smell free with these handy Sneaker Balls. Have them keep one in their locker, keep one in your gym bag, heck, even tuck one into your teen's room somewhere. Just twist them open and they release their bacteria and odor slaying magic. Twist them closed when not in use to preserve the magic.

Problem: Your Kids Had a Few Moments of Unsupervised Access to Markers. Solution: Magic Eraser

I don't know what kind of black magic these things were made with, but they will take just about any marks off just about any surface with relative ease. Crayons on the wood floor? No problem. Permanent marker on your cupboards? A cinch. Magic Erasers will also clean up normal scuff marks and non-kid related messes from your hard surfaces. If you have kids, go ahead and buy a pack.