Kelly Holmes of Austin, Texas, faced a common problem when her third child was born: the two older children began to receive less care and attention, which could only harm their relationships. Mom would be delighted to devote time to each of the children, but they are all unique, and her efforts are always disproportionate. How do you calculate the golden mean? With the help of a simple trick that requires only five hair bands or similar items.

Kelly, 39, has already become a mother three times; her children are nine, four, and one year old. The woman noticed that her temperament and attention began to behave very selectively, which had a negative impact on the children. You can’t just solve the problem because it’s at the crossroads of the emotional and rational spheres. And, if everything is clear with a one-year-old baby, how do you divide your attention among the older children so that no one feels deprived?

Kelly developed the “method of 5 rubber bands” after poring over scientific papers on child psychology. It works as follows: 1. We attach all five elastic bands to one wrist in the morning 2. Move the elastic band to the other hand if you have done something specific for one child and paid attention only to him while messing with the other children. 3. To return the gum to its original location, you must pay attention to another child by playing in it, singing a song, or doing something else.

4. Elastic bands can migrate back and forth during the day, but by the evening, all five should be back on the same hand – everything should be fine. It may appear difficult to tell a nose wiped on the go from a purposeful sign of attention, but parents quickly adjust. Five rubber bands are more than enough to “measure” the child’s influence during the day. And, because the “mom’s loyalty sensor” is always in your face, you can easily control the situation.

Kelly claims that since the publication of the life hack, she has received over 500,000 messages stating that it works perfectly! Young parents’ lives are legalized chaos, and the more solutions we devise and implement, the easier and more comfortable our lives will be. And also the lives of our children.