If your mornings involve negotiating with a toddler about why socks are not optional, hunting down a mysteriously vanished school jumper, or shouting “We’re going to be late!” for the third time before 8am—you are very much my people.

Life with little ones is all the things: joyful, messy, exhausting, hilarious, and often completely bonkers. Some days it feels like you’re smashing it, and other days the biggest win is that no one left the house without shoes.

We are not claiming to have it all figured out (far from it), but over time, I’ve picked up a few small, sanity-saving habits that have genuinely made the day-to-day feel more manageable. Here are five of my go-to parenting hacks that don’t require a spreadsheet, a second brain, or an extra hour in the day.

1. Prep the Night Before – Even Just a Bit Helps

I used to roll my eyes at this advice—who has energy left after bedtime battles and loading the dishwasher? But honestly, even ten minutes of prep the night before can take the edge off the chaos.

Here’s what’s usually on my ‘night-before’ list (on a good day):

• Laying out clothes (including socks and pants—because sock drama is real and who knew you had to wear clean pants everyday!)
• Packing bags with snacks, water bottles, and the all-important favourite toy
• Setting the breakfast table or chucking overnight oats in the fridge

It’s not about being supermum—it’s about giving your tomorrow-self a tiny head start. If you can encourage your little one to help you, this can prevent sock dramas as they chose the socks. It also helps to create independence in older children and hopefully begin to teach good life skills.

2. Set Up a Self-Serve Snack Station

If I had a pound for every time I heard “Muuuum, can I have a snack?” I could probably hire someone to handle snack duty full-time. But since that’s not happening, we’ve got a kid-friendly snack drawer instead.

What’s in ours?

• Crackers, fruit, rice cakes, yoghurt pouches
• A “choose one” basket so we don’t go through a week’s worth of snacks in a day

My youngest still needs supervision, but even she loves getting to pick her own snack. And it means I can fold laundry without being interrupted every five minutes (well, fewer times, anyway).

3. Batch Cook the Family Favourites

Some nights, cooking dinner feels like a cruel joke. I’ve started doubling up when I do have the energy to cook, and stashing portions in the freezer. Future me is always grateful.

Our “please eat this without complaining” meals include:

• Mild veggie-loaded pasta sauces
• Chicken curry or stew
• Bolognese
• Banana muffins or flapjacks for after-school treats
• Soup (because toast dunking is universally loved)

This isn’t about perfection—it’s about survival with a side of nutrition.

4. Theme Your Week to Avoid the Mental Load

By midweek, the last thing I want to do is think. Especially about dinner. After a few too many “I don’t know, what do you want?” conversations (with both my partner and my kids), we started theming our week—and it’s been a game changer.

Here’s our very flexible, nothing-fancy weekly meal rhythm:

• Pasta Monday – Always a hit. Bonus: minimal prep.
• Taco Tuesday – Or wraps with random fillings. Same energy.
• Leftover Wednesday – Aka “fridge surprise” night.
• Eggy Thursday – Omelettes, scrambled eggs, soldiers—super quick.
• Fakeaway Friday – Homemade pizza, oven chips, nuggets. Everyone’s happy.
• Slow Cooker Saturday – Chuck it in, forget about it.
• Roast or Picnic Sunday – Depending on energy levels (and weather).

It’s not about being rigid—sometimes we swap days or do cereal for dinner—but having a rough outline makes meal planning less of a mental load, and the kids love knowing what’s coming (especially pizza night).

5. Let Tech Take the Pressure Off

There are only so many things a parent can keep in their head. And when my brain’s already juggling school runs, work emails, and that weird rash someone has suddenly developed, I will absolutely forget it’s “bring a vegetable to school” day.

This is where tech has saved me—more than once.

What we use:

• Google Calendar with colour-coded chaos—school stuff, birthdays, bin day
• Alexa reminders (or Google Home) for things like “pack the library book”
• Shared online shopping list – So I can add nappies from the loo when I remember we’re out
• Notes app or a whiteboard on the fridge for the week’s “don’t forgets”

Is it foolproof? Nope. But it’s better than trying to rely on my overworked brain alone. And on the rare occasion we remember everything—it feels like a major win — and maybe even avoid a last-minute dash to the shop for forgotten milk.

Our Final Thoughts

Let’s be honest—there’s no parenting hack that will stop your toddler from licking the car window or prevent a meltdown because the blue cup is in the dishwasher. But these small things? They can smooth out the edges of the daily chaos, just enough to catch your breath.

Remember: it’s not about having everything under control. It’s about making the everyday a little bit easier so we can spend more time enjoying our kids and less time shouting “WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES?!”

Got a genius tip that makes your day run smoother? We would genuinely love to hear it. Drop us a message on Instagram.