Homemade popsicles save my sanity each summer. They are my number one summer parenting must-have. A pool? Nah. Bubbles? They’re so last year. A garden hose? Not essential. All you really need to survive summer with kids are homemade popsicles. Here’s why…
They’re healthy
You know what you can put into a homemade popsicle? Anything. And that means healthy stuff. All our homemade popsicles are a combination of fruits and veggies. If you use a fruit base such as apple, oranges or pineapple you can pack a truckload of green veggies in. Up to you whether you lie about it or not.
They sweeten the deal (or classic bribery)
Kid doesn’t want to leave the park? There is a popsicle waiting at home. Suddenly going home doesn’t sound so horrible. There is no sweeter deal than a popsicle — and considering that they are actually healthy (see reason #1) you won’t feel as guilty about it.
They’re cheap
Do you know how much a box of frozen treats at the market costs? I don’t know, but I think it is probably more than free.
Our popsicles are often made from rejected fruit (you know, the ones with blemishes that only children can see?) so they are technically “free” since the fruits would have otherwise been trashed. I keep a container in the freezer for the fruit rejects and the half-eaten bananas. These make their way into smoothies or juices and yep, homemade popsicles.
The silence
Do you know what sound a child makes when they are eating a popsicle? None. They are too busy eating it before it melts. If you work from home or otherwise need to make an important phone call but you know that the minute you do the volume of the children will increase tenfold, apply a prophylactic popsicle. You can also use this trick when you just desperately need five minutes of silence. Repeat as necessary.
They keep kids hydrated
Did your kids eat nothing but homemade popsicles all afternoon? Well, look at the bright side — they are hydrated! It is very important to keep children hydrated in the hot summer. Popsicles do this because they are awesome. You should thank them.
Make and eat popsicles. You and your kids will be happier. And really, this is what summer is all about.
About the author:
Amber Dusick is one of our SheKnows Experts. She is the author of the bestselling humor book Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures. She writes and illustrates the blog Crappy Pictures where she captures the hilarious and frustrating things that happen in marriage and parenting. Find her on Twitter and Facebook.
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