Eight years ago, a comment written by a reader named Chloe became a parenting motto for the entire Cup of Jo community.
“My favorite piece of parenting advice is, ‘If your child is fussy, add water.'” This has served me well over the years. Believe it or not, I still use it today as I have a 14 year old, a 10 year old, and an 8 year old. Take a bath, take a shower, water the garden, wash the dog, drink hot or cold drinks…just add water. It works 99% of the time. ”
Since then, these words have helped many parents, including me. I think about that every night as I bathe baby Evelyn in the kitchen sink, soothing her witching hour mood. Photo proof above! Here, 11 more readers share how ‘just adding water’ saved the day…
“This photo wasn’t taken in the middle of summer, it was technically in early March when it was too cold to wash the car. But it was already the end of the day and I was craving an activity that would last until my husband got home and I could finally take a break. Adding water did the trick!” — Claire
“My son and I are lucky enough to live five minutes from the pier, so we walk, as he says, a lot. In between untangling fishing line, I read a book or work on a knitting project. My son finishes work every few minutes unless he has a hit. We like to change the bait, so we’re always busy rummaging through our tackle boxes with a selection of smelly baits. We rarely catch anything, but it’s a nice, peaceful way to spend time together outdoors after a busy day.” — Lauren
“Every time I feel stuck on a rainy day, I declare a rainy day walk. Lately, the kids have been insisting on abandoning their umbrellas and raincoats to see who gets soaked the most.” — Jessica
“I’ve read this Cup of Joe wisdom over and over again over the years (both as parenting advice and for myself!). During my divorce, whenever things got too serious, my daughter and I would head to the beach. This beach photo was taken right in the middle of our separation. We started each day by getting in the ocean. What a dream.” — Krista
“When my kids were little, sensory bins were all the rage. I never forgot how rice, beans, and a few toys gave me moments of comfort. One morning, on a whim, I decided to let my toddler ‘water’ a faded flower arrangement. What started as a simple outdoor activity turned into a fully immersive rose petal bath for my very inquisitive toddler.” — Miranda
“On a rainy morning, my 2-year-old Beau happily runs to the biggest puddle. After his favorite garbage truck comes by, he sticks out his tongue and happily slaps it with zero inhibitions. Flirty in every sense of the word.” — Ginelle
“Every summer, the kids and I do an ‘open to close day’ at the science center, library, and public pool. We arrive as soon as they open and stay until we’re kicked out. And pool day is always the longest challenge and the best fun. We tell our friends they can see us whenever they want (‘Don’t worry, we’ll be there all day!’). Read a book, play a game, or have pizza delivered for dinner. But to be honest, the kids love the pool so we don’t have to do much. Never get tired of drinking water! ” — Emily O.
“When my 8-year-old son gets groggy and grumpy after school (which she often does), I give her a bath and water her ‘garden’ (mostly weeds). She feels great afterwards!” — Katherine
“Most days, I ask myself why I left the city and returned to my childhood home in a rural town outside Oslo. The commute is tiring and I have to constantly work in my large garden. But summer has finally arrived in Norway, everything is green, and the sun never sets. I just turn the hose and the children, dogs, and plants come to life. It requires no effort on my part.” — Helle
“‘Just add water’ has been one of my most consistent parenting mantras over the years. When my sons were younger, we often had disagreements that led to hurt feelings and harsh words. But the bath always brought them back to themselves and each other. Sometimes it took a little extra temptation (as seen here, an egg cream and their favorite hat) to make the bubbles subside and the water warm. By the time they had a hot bath, they were both giggling and ready to take on the world together. Now that they’re adults, bubble baths aren’t common anymore. But just last night, my teenager was overwhelmed with school work, so I didn’t need any further guidance. Thank you, Joanna. — Purnima
“I’ve been feeling sick ever since I dropped my son off at daycare, and the last game he was pretty depressed with fever, cough, and other symptoms. None of us were sleeping well, and even though he seemed to be getting better, he was still grumpy (unusual for our smiling son!). We went out and did some shopping. this little splash padand he was shattered excited while playing it! That night, he slept through the night and was back to normal. ” — Rebekah
When was the last time you used CoJ’s parenting advice “just add water” with your kids? xoxo I’d love to know.
PS Here are some of our favorite pieces of advice for new parents and ways to encourage kids to play on their own.
Source: Cup of Jo – cupofjo.com
