How do you get your kid to take her medicine or keep crumbs out of your car’s cup-holder? Guest expert Janice Meredith shares five of her favourite parenting hacks.

1. Right vs. left

Cut a sticker in two and place one half in each shoe. Your child will know by looking at the sticker which shoe goes on which foot.

2. Medicine lollipop

There are plenty of ways to get your child to take medicine, but this is our favorite. Dip a small lollipop in the medicine and let him to lick it each time you dip it. When the medicine’s gone, he can finish the lollipop.

3. Muffin cup holders

To keep crumbs and stickiness out of your car’s cup-holders, insert silicone muffin cups. They’re easy to remove and wash.

4. Containing craft mess

Keep crafting mess to a contained area by lining a cookie tray with aluminum foil and having your child do crafts on it. The rimmed edge will contain beads, and there will be minimal cleanup. If you do have a spill, pick up all the itty bitty pieces with a lint roller.

5. Non-slip slippers

To make any pair of slippers non-slip, simply hot glue a pattern, name or some other design on the bottom. After it dries, they slippers will have treads!