Parents share genius hack that allows children to celebrate the New Year’s Eve countdown without missing any sleep
NEW Year’s Eve can be fun for all the family but the late countdown might lead to cranky kids on January 1st.
One couple have shared the hack they use to celebrate the festivities with their toddler without her missing any sleep.
In a Reddit post, the parents shared their trick for ensuring their child feels included without missing her bedtime.
And since their daughter is so young, she didn’t even realise the obvious fake out.
The couple decided to use footage from a previous countdown to ring in the “new year” with the toddler.
“Parent life hack: Play a video of last year’s countdown so your kid can go to bed on time!” they wrote.
In the popular post, they included a picture of the dad holding the child in front of a TV.
The television showed the New York City Times Square ball drop and fireworks from another year.
By showing their toddler the old clip, the parents were able to ring in the new year on the evening of the 31st before putting the child to bed.
Other Reddit users shared their thoughts on the simple parenting hack in the comments section.
“That’s awesome. There’s also different ones on Netflix,” suggested one reader.
“We got away with that last year by just playing the YouTube stream of live countdowns across the globe,” wrote another parent.
“We picked one as ‘ours’ when we were ready for them to go to bed.
“This year they aren’t buying it.”
“The public library where I used to work holds a ‘New Year’s at Noon’ party for families, which is a lot of fun,” commented a third person.
“And [it was] a lot easier for me to stay awake during.”
“My parents would change the time on the clocks,” shared another Reddit user.
More parenting hacks
IF you want to make your life easier as a first-time mum, here's nine hacks you won't want to miss.
1. Routine Charts
Create visual charts for daily routines. Use pictures and stickers to make them engaging for younger children.
2. Meal Planning
Plan meals a week in advance to save time and reduce stress. Involve your children in meal prep to teach them cooking skills.
3. Toy Rotation
Keep a portion of toys stored away and rotate them periodically. This keeps playtime fresh and exciting without the need for constant new purchases.
4. DIY Cleaning Solutions
Make child-safe cleaning solutions using vinegar and baking soda. It’s effective and keeps harsh chemicals away from little hands.
5. Time-Out Jar
Create a time-out jar filled with calming activities written on slips of paper. When emotions run high, children can pick an activity to help them settle down.
6. Educational Apps
Utilise educational apps and websites to make screen time productive. Look for ones that offer interactive learning in subjects your child is interested in.
7. Command Centre
Set up a family command centre with a calendar, key hooks, and a bulletin board. It helps keep everyone organised and aware of daily schedules.
8. Emergency Kit
Keep a small emergency kit in the car with essentials like snacks, water, first aid supplies, and a change of clothes. It’s a lifesaver for unexpected situations.
9. Label Everything
Use labels for clothes, school supplies, and lunch boxes. It makes it easier to keep track of belongings, especially in shared spaces like schools.
“So we would be banging pots and pans at midnight when it was actually 9:30 PM.”
“Uhh, I think I’ll just change all the clocks and use this on my entire family next year! Staying up is rough,” joked another person.
“Pretty clever. When my kids were young, I’d change the clock on the microwave by a couple hours and have them check that time,” said one commenter.
“Little suckers celebrated at 10 PM for years and never had a clue. Well played.”
“We did a ‘New Year’s toast’ with mimosas for myself and mum and grape juice for the kids at breakfast,” shared another reader.
“Going to keep that a tradition until they realise it’s not one.”