• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
onecreativemommy.com
  • DIY/Crafts
    • DIY for the Home
    • DIY for the Garden
    • Crafts for Kids
    • Sewing Projects
    • Felt Food Tutorials
  • Parties/Gifts
    • All Party Ideas
      • Frozen Party
      • Harry Potter Party
      • Spy Party
      • Un-Slumber Party
      • Minion Party Ideas
      • Art Party
      • Princess Party
    • All Gift Ideas
  • Holidays
    • Valentine's Day
    • Halloween
    • Christmas and Winter
    • Thanksgiving and Fall
    • Fourth of July
    • New Year
    • Easter and Spring
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Mother's Day
    • Father's Day
  • Recipes
    • Gluten Free
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Organization Tips
    • Cleaning Tips
    • Parenting Tips
    • Back to School
    • Cooking Tips
    • Gardening Tips
  • Printables
    • Bingo Games
    • Lunchbox Printables
    • Educational Games
    • LDS Printables and Lesson Ideas
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • DIY & Crafts
  • Parties & Gifts
  • Holidays
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Printables
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Education & Parenting

    The Year's Most Popular Parenting Tips!

    Published: Jan 29, 2021 by Heidi. This post may contain affiliate links 86 Comments

    Who's ready for 2017? I'm bringing the new year in with a bang -- two sick kids and throw up bowls all over the house. Yippee! We really know how to party around here! Sick kids aside, start the new year right with some amazing parenting ideas for the new year. Check out my top 5 parenting tips posts for 2016.

    This year's most popular parenting tips! {OneCreativeMommy.com} Top 5 best advice posts for parents
    #1: Entertain Screen Free with Busy Bags

    Love these busy bags! Lots of ideas for keeping kids entertained and learning on the go or while I get my work done. {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    Parents must be really interested in keeping their kids busy and screen free because the top parenting tip of 2016 is 35+ Best Busy Bags for Toddlers and Preschool. You're sure to find lots of great busy bags to entertain your kids in the car, at home, at church, and at the doctor's office.

    #2: Increase Family Happiness by Getting Rid of Toys!

    It is possible for kids to have too much of a good thing. Find out how getting rid of most of our toys made us a happier family! {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    Back in 2014, we got rid of most of the kids' toys, and it made a huge difference! Find our how getting rid of toys will make your family happier, too. Now that Christmas is over, it's probably time for another purge.

    #3: Travel Smart with Clever and Simple Road Trip Hacks

    9 Amazing Travel Hacks for Families {OneCreativeMommy.com} #1 is brilliant, and I can't believe I never thought of #2! So simple.

    If the fun has gone out of family travel, check out these road trip hacks for families. You'll find nine helpful hacks that are sure make travel easier. Now, if only there were a trick to shave hours off of travel time! (Besides a plane ticket.)

    #4: Teach Kids How to Clean their Rooms without Help

    How to Teach Children to Clean Their Rooms {OneCreativeMommy.com} Tired of nagging kids to clean their rooms? Your kids might be overwhelmed and not know where to start. (Free Printable Reminder Cards)

    Still nagging your kids to clean their rooms? Stop begging, and teach them what to do instead. Teach children to clean their rooms with step-by-step instructions and free printables. (This is effective for all ages. We're never too old or too young to learn a system for cleaning!)

    #5: Bust Boredom this Summer!

    Got bored teens? Check out these awesome boredom buster ideas for teenage girls! {OneCreativeMommy.com} 41 ideas ready to print for a Summer Boredom Buster Jar

    Got bored teens and tweens? These boredom busters are sure to keep them busy this summer! Warning: These are all positive activities that are sure to build friendships and encourage service.

    This year's most popular parenting tips! {OneCreativeMommy.com} Top 5 best advice posts for parents

    Are you looking for even more amazing parenting tips? Keep scrolling down for more tips from me. But wait! There's more! I've joined with 9 of the coolest parenting bloggers, and we're all sharing our top tips of 2016. Head over to The Jenny Evolution (linked below image) for links to all the roundups.

    Check out this year's top parenting tips from 9 amazing parenting bloggers! {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    The Best Parenting Tips of 2016 from 9 Top Bloggers

    Before you go, check out my most recent parenting ideas!

    The surprising secret to getting your family's attention -- INSTANTLY! The answer will shock you! {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    If you're tired of being ignored, you'll love this trick to get your family's attention -- instantly! It's time to reopen the lines of family communication!

    Help teens and youth learn gratitude with a Service Scavenger Hunt! {OneCreativeMommy.com} Tips for organizing and free printables

    If you're ready to teach your kids to appreciate their blessings, then it's time for a different kind of scavenger hunt -- a service scavenger hunt!

    Help teens improve their communication skills with Speed Friendshipping! {OneCreativeMommy.com} Great for YW/YM activity

    Too much technology has created teens that have no idea how to talk to each other minus a phone or computer screen. Get them talking face to face again with this clever speed friendshipping game for teens!

    Need help getting your introverted or shy child outside this summer? Check out these great tips! {OneCreativeMommy.com} Parenting Tips

    Finally, do you have a shy or book-loving kid that you can't get to leave the house? Check out these great ideas to get your introverted child outside this summer!

    Thanks for stopping by today. Check out popular parenting tips posts from past years, too!

    Top Parenting Tips of 2014: What will you change for next year to make your home a happier place? Check out great ideas for motivating kids and becoming a happier family. {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    Top Parenting Tips of 2014

    10+ Fun Ways to Motivate Kids {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    10+ Fun Ways to Motivate Your KidsThe Ultimate Parent's Guide for Back to School | Great tips to start the school year off right! {OneCreativeMommy.com} Organization, Crafts, Printables and more!

    The Ultimate Parents' Guide for Back to School

    Heidi

    MORE IDEAS FOR YOU

    • Recipes
    • DIY & Crafts
    • Holidays
    • Parties & Gifts
    • Printables
    • Tips & Tricks

    Reader Interactions

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    About Heidi

    Hi! I’m Heidi, the sometimes scatterbrained, but always creative mind behind One Creative Mommy. I'm a retired teacher, wife, and mom of three beautiful teenage girls and one adorable fur baby. In my spare time, I love to share my ideas (mistakes and all) with anyone who will listen.

    Learn more about me →

    Comments

    1. Heather Johnson

      January 02, 2017 at 9:35 am

      My kids have a whole room of toys. However, the rule is taht they can have one box or basket out at a time. The playroom stays neat, and my kids actually play when they have a small selection to choose from.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 03, 2017 at 10:14 am

        That's a great way to go. We started that way, too. It worked fairly well until friends came over to play. They inevitably could not follow the rules and tended to dump out everything! Guess I didn't manage it very well!

        Reply
    2. Marysa

      January 02, 2017 at 9:37 am

      These are all great things to do in the New Year! Thanks for all the tips.. we definitely need to clean out, declutter, get rid of toys, etc. We love traveling too, and road trip tips are always helpful!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 03, 2017 at 10:15 am

        Thanks, Marysa. I hope to try lots of new ideas in the new year to get my family time running more smoothly.

        Reply
    3. Scott

      January 02, 2017 at 9:41 am

      We just went through the kids' toys and donated FOUR vans full! So much better with a tidy play room!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 03, 2017 at 10:16 am

        You're kidding! Four vans! Now that's a lot of toys. I'm glad you've gotten in under control. I hope everyone is happier with less stuff.

        Reply
    4. Rosey

      January 03, 2017 at 5:19 am

      I can see how donating a bunch of toys could make the kids happier. Too many is stessful for everyone. We could use a good purging here.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 03, 2017 at 10:16 am

        You should try it, Rosey. Even the adults could use a good purge of too much stuff every once in a while. I know I have way too much stuff.

        Reply
    5. Audrey McClelland

      January 03, 2017 at 12:54 pm

      This is a great collection of ideas for the new year. Thanks for sharing them. Bookmarking!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 03, 2017 at 10:48 pm

        Thanks, Audrey. I'm glad you found these ideas helpful. Happy new year!

        Reply
    6. Angela

      January 03, 2017 at 11:12 pm

      Such a great collection of parenting tips! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:30 am

        Thanks, Angela. This is the best kind of advice. The kind shared by experience.

        Reply
    7. Chloe

      January 03, 2017 at 11:12 pm

      I have actually been considering putting some of my kids toys away as the lounge room is getting awfully cluttered! I also love the scavenger hunt idea, takes me back to my childhood.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:31 am

        You should try putting some of the toys away, Chloe. We started by putting them in boxes to switch out later. By the time we remembered them, the kids didn't care about most of them, and it was easy to give them away.

        Reply
    8. Meeta

      January 04, 2017 at 6:07 am

      Thank you for putting this list together - what a great reference. We often take old toys and books and donate them either at the school book fair or the community help center.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:31 am

        Thanks, Meeta. Donating items to the school and the community help center is such a good idea!

        Reply
    9. Amber Myers

      January 04, 2017 at 6:48 am

      These are all awesome. I need to get rid of toys, big time. My daughter has so many.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:32 am

        Thanks, Amber. You should definitely try getting rid of (or even just putting away) some of the toys. You'll be surprised the difference it will make.

        Reply
    10. Tess Chupinsky

      January 04, 2017 at 8:04 am

      I'm with you on the toys! My baby is young but we're trying to implement "less is more". We'll see how it goes!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:33 am

        Stick with it, Tess! It's so tempting to buy more and more stuff for your kids!

        Reply
    11. Julie

      January 04, 2017 at 10:19 am

      Looks like a great list of posts! I love your busy bag ideas! And have been thinking about trying out less toys as well.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:34 am

        Thanks, Julie. My kids are all too big for the busy bags now, but we enjoyed them a lot when they were younger.

        Reply
    12. Shearly

      January 04, 2017 at 10:43 am

      Yes. Yes. Yes! Entertaining without screens is sooooo important and I think cleaning the room without help REALLY helps teach the kids a sense of responsibility!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:35 am

        Thanks, Shearly. I still find myself reminding the kids of the steps to clean their rooms -- even now that they are older!

        Reply
    13. AnnMarie Brown

      January 04, 2017 at 2:20 pm

      What amazing things to do in 2017. I truly beleive that by getting rid of toys and stuff in general you find the true purpose of what you have kept. I think we need more no screens time in our house.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:35 am

        Thanks, AnnMarie. We spent way too much time with the TV on over Christmas break. It's time to go back to the basics for me!

        Reply
    14. Aish Das-Padihari

      January 04, 2017 at 4:01 pm

      Really a great post. I needed it since I'm raising two boys and they sure do cleaning tips.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:36 am

        Thanks, Aish. I love to see boys learning how to clean and take care of their home.

        Reply
    15. Brittany Putman

      January 04, 2017 at 5:39 pm

      These are great tips! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    16. Kelly

      January 04, 2017 at 6:43 pm

      So many great ideas here! Cant wait to come back and read again when I feel like we have nothing to do!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:37 am

        Thanks, Kelly. Come back any time! That's what pinterest is for, right? I love that bookmarking tool!

        Reply
    17. Julie Porter

      January 04, 2017 at 7:35 pm

      You had so many great parenting tips in 2016. I really love your busy bags for entertaining kids without screens, and I'm going to make a few of these to have handy for when my grandkids are at my house.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:38 am

        Thanks, Julie. My favorite busy bags are always the puzzles. They're tricky to find, but my kids always loved the simple puzzles when they were little. As a challenge, they would put them together upside down!

        Reply
    18. Fatima Torres

      January 04, 2017 at 8:00 pm

      I have to show my husband the one about getting rid of toys. There's really no need for a playroom when it's become more of a storage area for your toys. I'll start small so he doesn't notice.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:39 am

        Good idea, Fatima! That's exactly what had happened to our playroom. It had become a storage room that was always too full to find anything!

        Reply
    19. Ana De- Jesus

      January 05, 2017 at 4:44 am

      I love the sound of the ice breaker friendship game for teens. I think that is a real neat and original idea!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:39 am

        Thanks, Ana. We played it with the youth during a church activity, and it was really fun.

        Reply
    20. Jenni Petrey

      January 05, 2017 at 4:54 am

      This is a great collection, thanks for sharing them all.

      Reply
    21. hey sharonoox

      January 05, 2017 at 9:19 am

      I agree with you that less is more. We donated our son's toys to charity last Christmas and replaced with new toys but it's less now. Trying to live a minimalist lifestyle. I'm excited to check on the travel hacks you mentioned for family travel. Great post!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:41 am

        Thanks. I'm definitely discovering that less is more. It's been great for the kids, and I'm trying to let it spread to my life as well. I hope you enjoy the travel tips!

        Reply
    22. Chrissy

      January 05, 2017 at 11:17 am

      These are great tips and ideas for the Family. I love the toys, I'll be looking into getting some!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:42 am

        Thanks, Chrissy. Those busy bags are a lot of fun for the little ones. It's nice to step away from the electronics for a while!

        Reply
    23. Chrystal | Nevermore Lane

      January 05, 2017 at 11:25 am

      These are all great topics. I love that you made them in to one round-up post making it easier for parents to find. I know plenty of parents who would love to read this information.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:43 am

        Thanks, Chrystal. I hope lots of parents find it helpful, as well.

        Reply
    24. Krysten

      January 05, 2017 at 1:32 pm

      These are all fantastic parenting tips! I have used a few through out last year! I can't wait to use more this year and to see a happy little man!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:44 am

        Thanks, Krysten. Good luck implementing your new ideas, and have a great 2017!

        Reply
    25. AMANDA

      January 05, 2017 at 1:53 pm

      This was a fantastic list! I will have to check out your busy bag post!!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:44 am

        Thanks, Amanda. I hope you find some busy bags that work well for your family. The puzzles were always a favorite at my house.

        Reply
    26. Robin Rue

      January 05, 2017 at 2:31 pm

      So many amazing tips and tricks in one place! I am so diving into this as soon as I can to help me in the new year!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:47 am

        Thanks, Robin! I hope you find lots of great ideas and have a fantastic 2017!

        Reply
    27. Debra Schroeder

      January 05, 2017 at 2:37 pm

      Such a great list of tips. I especially liked the one about having less toys. Less toys means less clutter and less stress all around.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 06, 2017 at 9:47 am

        Thanks, Debra. We found the kids spent more time cleaning up toys than taking care of them. Fewer toys was definitely better for us.

        Reply
    28. Kelly

      January 05, 2017 at 2:54 pm

      What a great list of AMAZING tips!!! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 18, 2017 at 8:03 pm

        You're welcome, Kelly. I hope you found some ideas that work for you.

        Reply
    29. Laura

      January 05, 2017 at 5:02 pm

      I don't have kids but they sound like good tips. I hope the kids are better soon.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 18, 2017 at 8:04 pm

        Thanks, Laura. The kids are all better.

        Reply
    30. Elizabeth O.

      January 05, 2017 at 11:53 pm

      That's a lot of parenting tips! I'm sure your going to post a lot more this coming year. It's awesome to be able to share your knowledge especially for people who are just expecting their first child.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 18, 2017 at 8:04 pm

        Thanks, Elizabeth. I really like to share ideas, and a blog is a great way to do it.

        Reply
    31. Anne

      January 05, 2017 at 11:57 pm

      These are some great tips for parents! I can see there were a lot of toys , but less is always more.
      Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 18, 2017 at 8:05 pm

        Thanks, Anne. We definitely had too many toys. Life is much better with fewer things.

        Reply
    32. Carol Cassara

      January 06, 2017 at 5:50 am

      I love how most of the tips that were popular is how to keep your family closer together! That means a lot of parents are working on togetherness! That's so lovely!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 18, 2017 at 8:06 pm

        That's so true, Carol. I hadn't noticed that. That is really lovely.

        Reply
    33. Sapana V

      January 23, 2017 at 11:38 am

      These are really awesome tips. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 26, 2017 at 11:28 am

        You're welcome, Sapana. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Come back soon!

        Reply
    34. Lee Orlian

      January 25, 2017 at 3:58 pm

      Thank you for sharing! In 2016 we started our new habit of cleaning the room. Both of my daughters picked up this skill and it has become now a habit to eliminate at all times the clutter in their room. I'm proud of them and looking forward to the many things they will learn and the fun experiences they will have in 2017. I believe it is important to have this in your skill set just to clear way for what really needs your attention.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        January 26, 2017 at 11:29 am

        Wow, Lee! Congratulations to you and your daughters. That's amazing. I wish my girls would keep that habit going. We do well for a few days, but we are having a really tough time making it a habit.

        Reply
    35. Ashley

      January 27, 2017 at 1:38 pm

      So many great posts you shared! This will definitely be my reading material the next few days.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        February 01, 2017 at 11:12 am

        Thanks, Ashley! Happy reading!

        Reply
    36. Cassie

      January 27, 2017 at 4:53 pm

      I love the many ideas you share. I think most parents hoard their kids toys even when they're too big for them. They need to sell them on ebay or give them away.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        February 01, 2017 at 11:13 am

        Thanks, Cassie. It's so easy for us as parents to want to buy everything for our kids. We need to exercise a little bit of self control.

        Reply
    37. valmg @ Mom Knows It All

      January 27, 2017 at 7:34 pm

      I taught my kids the same thing I was taught, to clean their rooms at a young age. It isn't a chore, it's just something that needs to be done.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        February 01, 2017 at 11:13 am

        Good for you, Val. I wish I could get my kids to want to do it on their own.

        Reply
        • valmg @ Mom Knows It All

          February 01, 2017 at 11:49 am

          LOL it isn't a matter of them wanting to or not, it's a matter of them just doing it. We all do things in life that we may not really want to do but are necessary.

          Reply
    38. Marcie W.

      January 28, 2017 at 11:59 am

      Thanks so much for all of these awesome tips and suggestions! I could especially benefit from those teen summer boredom busters since my oldest turns 13 in June.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        February 01, 2017 at 11:14 am

        You're welcome, Marcie. Good luck with your teenager. It's a whole new world!

        Reply
    39. Kristi

      January 29, 2017 at 6:45 am

      Wow... some great posts filled with things we could all use this year. I've started purging and de-cluttering and we got rid of a ton of stuff already. Road tripping is always part of our summer your suggestions will come in handy for sure.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        February 01, 2017 at 11:15 am

        Congratulations on your decluttering, Kristi. It's a never-ending job for me.

        Reply
    40. Melissa Hagan

      January 31, 2017 at 6:22 am

      These are really great tips for parents. I'm sure I could benefit from a few of these with my teens!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        February 01, 2017 at 11:15 am

        Thanks, Melissa. I hope some of the tips work well for you. Have a great day.

        Reply
    41. Leo Tat

      February 13, 2017 at 3:03 pm

      Nice wide range of parenting books, Heidi. I have two kids; one is 6 and the other turning 9. As they grow older, we encounter different challenges.

      I do have a tip to help children develop their passion for reading as well as their reading skills. I have always read with my son ever since he was 4 years old in bed. Being busy during the day, his bedtime is the only time we can spend time together. As he gets older, we have encouraged taking turns. So he takes a turn reading sentence and then I’ll read a sentence. This moved on to reading a page in turns too. Definitely helped in his reading skills.

      Reply
    42. super mario world

      April 18, 2017 at 3:24 am

      Thanks so much for all of these awesome tips and suggestions!

      Reply
    43. Sarah Clark

      April 20, 2017 at 7:17 am

      Parents can find all the things they need in this article. Thanks for yours sharing. I will share it with my viewers :)

      Reply
      • Heidi

        April 24, 2017 at 10:55 am

        Thanks, Sarah. I hope you found some great parenting ideas. Thanks for sharing them with your viewers.

        Reply
    44. Megan

      July 23, 2017 at 8:55 pm

      I love the road trip hacks. Once in awhile, we travel and I need some tips how to get thru it.

      Reply
    45. healthnskin

      August 27, 2018 at 5:45 am

      Thanks, Sarah. I hope you found some great parenting ideas.

      Reply
    46. Clark MyIndiagoCard

      January 23, 2020 at 5:39 am

      Really appreciate it. Great way to express the instinctive feelings. Thanks Sarah.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I’m Heidi, the sometimes scatterbrained, but always creative mind behind One Creative Mommy. I'm a retired teacher, wife, and mom of three beautiful teenage girls and one adorable fur baby. In my spare time, I love to share my ideas (mistakes and all) with anyone who will listen.

    More about me →

    Subscribe

    Popular

    • Olaf Sock Snowman Tutorial
    • Frozen Olaf Valentines {Free Printable}
    • Make your own storage lockers! {Perfect for kids}
    • 27 Creative Classroom Door Decorations for Valentine's Day

    Save Money

    Footer

    Privacy Policy

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Printables Terms of Use

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 OneCreativeMommy

    »
    «