“Stumbled across this idea by accident this week when my four year-old wanted to help with the cooking. She’s kind of a wild stirrer and flour has a tendency to end up all over so I was feeling resistant to having her help. The dishwasher happened to be open and I got the idea to just set the bowl on top of the open dishwasher door. It was just the right height for her to help add ingredients and stir, and the pile of flour and sugar that usually ends up on the counter ended up on the dishwasher instead, making clean up as easy as closing the door It was definitely one of those ‘how did it take me so long to think of this?!’ sort of moments.”

It’s worth reading the conversation following this ParentHack tip for the ‘over-protective parent’ argument that ensues (’it’s unhygienic’, ‘the door will break’, ‘toxic detergent’ etc). Here’s my favourite quote:

“Nothing wrong with the dishwasher. If you’re concerned about the hygiene of a clean dishwasher door, you should be concerned about the clean dishes that come out of it. If your dishwasher isn’t cleaning all the detergent out of the cup, you are either loading it wrong or it’s time for a repair or a new dishwasher. And if there’s detergent residue on the door, simply don’t allow your child to lick the spilled flour off the door and wash their hands when they are done.”

Dishwasher door as self-cleaning toddler workspace (via Boing Boing)

If, like me, you don’t have space for a piano in your home, this piano built inside a dining room table could be the answer.

If, like me, you don’t have space for a dining room table… you’re screwed.

Georg Bohle Piano Table (via Boing Boing)

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New York chef, restauranteur and new dad Daniel Angerer has created a cheese from his wife’s breast milk. Mommy’s Milk Cheese is currently available at Angerer’s Klee Brasserie, leaving local rag The Village Voice to snide: “we’re just grateful that he didn’t get any ideas about his wife’s placenta.”

They’re right, of course, placenta is for teddy bears and breast milk is far too sweet and thin to make a decent cheese. Amateurs.

Mommy’s Milk Cheese: Breast Milk Cheese by Chef Daniel Angerer (via Inhabitots)

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Being as this is a mousetrap, the most painful finger punisher in the world, and would take your fingernail clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: Do I really need to turn the light on? Well, do ya, punk?

Switch me (via Cribcandy(and Dirty Harry, just because))

(Via Kottke)

“At first glance it looks like an ordinary table. But for the one who knows its secret, it can be transformed into a shelter where one can hide from scary sounds, ghosts or family members.”

Daily Shelter by Ingrid Brandth (via Inhabitots)

You know, the best thing about this rainbow-coloured xylophone-shaped coffee table isn’t that it’s a rainbow-coloured xylophone-shaped coffee table. It’s a ‘playable’ rainbow-coloured xylophone-shaped coffee table.

Music Table $950 by Jellio

A Dharma Initiative hatch for baby. You can buy more LOST-related maternity gifts here – “because we have to go back…”

LOST maternity T-shirt (via Boing Boing)

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There’s an old wives’ tale – and a constant in-joke between funny parents – about slipping a dash of booze into a baby’s bottle to aid (or force) sleep. Anyone stupid enough to take it literally obviously deserves to go directly to jail, without passing Go, Free Parking or even Old Kent Road. Whiskey Toothpaste, on the other hand, could be the answer. “Rinse with soda.” Genius.

Whiskey Toothpaste ad from House & Garden magazine, 1961 (via Boing Boing)

I quite want this. But I’d need an ‘Esc’ doormat for the back door. And probably a ‘Ctrl’ one for the playroom. Because we all know who’s really in charge.

Enter button doormat (via Boing Boing)