by Jen Jones Donatelli

Follow These Pinterest Pros To Simplify Parenting Chores

For many, Pinterest is the rabbit hole of websites, but it’s one worth going down — especially when seeking new ideas for your daily parenting routine. After all, the Pinterest app offers a veritable goldmine of resources, curating best practices for life as we know it.

And though the site can be insanely addictive, following the right boards can turn this resource into a time-saver rather than a time-suck.

To get you started, we’ve rounded up six top parenting pinners worth a click:

Modern Parents, Messy Kids

There’s a reason this mother of three clocks in at more than 148,000 followers — she’s curated helpful hints on everything from creative kid activities to healthy snacks to foolproof organization. Homemade playdough? Check. No-prep snacks? Yep. DIY mason jar tiki torches? You know it. It’s all part of being a “modern parent,” Pinterest-style.

A Mom With a Lesson Plan

Blogger Jill Riley has created a practical, playful resource that will grow along with your kids and their pursuits. For instance, she has boards dedicated to different developmental stages — from toddler through third grade — as well as subject-specific boards for STEM, art, reading/writing, and more.

The Busy Mom

Though Heidi St. John has a Pinterest page chock-full of things to simplify life as a parent, it’s her “Life Hacks” board that’s got us re-pinning like mad. For instance, did you know a DVD case makes a great travel art kit for kids? Or that adding a tablespoon of vanilla extract to a gallon of paint virtually eliminates fumes? She did — and she’s happy to share her knowledge.

Lunchbox Dad

If your inspiration well for healthy, fun school lunches has run dry, let Lunchbox Dad come to the rescue. This San Francisco-based father of three gives the skinny on topics like packing a “non-sandwich lunch,” making Japanese-inspired bento boxes, and incorporating cute food art. (And he manages to do it all alongside a full-time job, so the recipes and ideas are uber-accessible.) To channel Gone with The Wind, your kids will “never go hungry again.”

The DIY Mommy

It’s those three little letters that can make any domestically challenged parent shudder. But Pinterest boards like “The DIY Mommy” make it that much easier to go the DIY route for beautifying and managing your household. Cases in point: DIY monogram wall art, a baby sleep sack, and four-second cupcakes.

Jen Jones Donatelli is a Los Angeles-based journalist and author who specializes in all things lifestyle — including digital life. Her work has been published in/on Variety, MSN, Redbook, Livestrong, Every Day Connected and many more.

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