Family Circle

Sent in by a loyal reader:

"Metallica Daycare tip #23 for the lazy parent."

One of the best and most useful things to get yourself if you are in charge of a kid, is a 25ft tape measure. This doubles as a tool and a toy for your 2-3 year old. You can sit in a chair and do nothing for a long time, while your kid gets exercise pulling the end all the way across the room and letting it go. He'll do this over and over and over again. Then if that gets old, you can trade and give him the main part. He will quickly learn how to hold it properly after his fingers get snapped once. (Once is all it will take to learn this life lesson.)

You can also slide pebbles or marbles down it like a slide, when its out at 3 or 4 ft. Of course then, later on when he gets older, there are numbers and measurement lessons he can learn from this tool.

You won't be sorry, this is one of the best things to have to play with a kid. These tape measurers are great, they are built like a brick, small and fun. Get a good quality big one though (25 footer) plus you need one anyway...

-lazy Dad / Auckland

I can do this one better because I have a measuring tape w/ a recording device built in. Woo Hoo!! Let the laziness begin!!