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Oooh: the highly rated Tamra pump now comes in a purplish “burgundy suede.” (This is one of my favorite colors for office shoes — check out our most recent roundup of purple pumps.) For $70 new, there may just have to be a pair headed my way. Sole Society ‘Tamra’ Pointy Toe Pump (L-2)Sales of note for 4.18.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off full-price dresses, jackets & shoes; $30 off pants & skirts; extra 50% off sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles; 60% off swim; up to 40% off everything else
- J.Crew – Mid-Season Sale: Extra 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off spring-to-summer styles
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Spring Mid-Season Sale: Up to 50% off 100s of styles
- Nordstrom: Free 2-day shipping for a limited time (eligible items)
- Talbots – Spring Sale: 40% off + extra 15% off all markdowns; 30% off new T by Talbots
- Zappos – 29,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Up to 70% off baby items; 50% off toddler & kid deals & 40% off everything else
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off spring faves; 25% off new arrivals; up to 30% off spring
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Up to 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off kids’ spring-to-summer styles
- Old Navy – 30% off your purchase; up to 75% off clearance
- Target – Car Seat Trade-In Event (ends 4/27); BOGO 25% off select skincare products; up to 40% off indoor furniture; up to 20% off laptops & printers
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
Business Travel Overseas while pregnant? says
Cross-posting from the main s!te:
My company has asked me to travel to Europe for 2 weeks. At the time of travel, I will be 13 – 15 weeks pregnant. Company does not know this yet (and I originally hadn´t planned to tell before week 14).
Aim is client relationship building, so it´s a “meet and greet” trip, not an unavoidable one.
I have mixed feelings about 1) safety of the child (radiation etc. during overseas air travel) and 2) whether I should tell my company already now that I will no longer be available to work with the client in the foreseeable future before they book plane tickets, hotels etc.
I plan to go on an extended mat leave (1 year) and then come back to the same employer. With all personal time accrued, my last day in the office will probably be in mid-May. So IMHO, it would be a business consideration for the company to send my successor instead of me. And it would be in my own interest to avoid hard feelings.
Any advise on 1) and 2)? I´ll obviously also ask my doctor about 1) as well.
TK says
As to (1), I flew extensively while pregnant (3-4 times per week, though not internationally) with my ob/gyn’s full blessing until I was 7 1/2 months pregnant. I received pat-downs rather than scans through security, and flight attendants were very helpful about getting me water to drink before take off, seating me near a restroom when possible, etc. There may be additional safety concerns specifically related to international travel that I am not aware of.
(2) Is an entirely different set of considerations and I agree that your company may prefer to send someone other than you if you are committed to a 1 year maternity leave – I don’t think you have any obligation to tell them, but I understand why you would want to. Is there any chance that you won’t want the full year of maternity leave? I knew within 3 months that I loved my child to death but would make a terrible stay at home parent – it would have been unfortunate if I’d prospectively taken myself out of the running for choice assignments with the assumption that I’d be at home when it ended up being better for both me and my family for me to be a working parent.
Butter says
I am still pregnant, so take it for what it’s worth, but here’s my two cents:
– I think the flying is fine (contingent on your doc’s approval of course). Read Emily Oster to see exactly how many trips to distant countries are necessary to create anything coming close to the levels of radiation that might cause an issue – I think it’s really only if you’re a flight attendant on a route between the U.S. and Asia (i.e. long haul, very high flights, repeatedly and repeatedly). That being said, I was nervous to fly myself, but took it as an opportunity to treat myself – pay for the best seat you can get (and by that, I mean have your company pay for it), stock up on water and yummy treats for the trip, and great reading material or movies. Make yourself as comfortable as possible. Enjoy the hotel room. Eat nice meals. Treat the whole thing like a fun adventure for you and the little one on the way. And opt for the pat downs if only for the peace of mind – I’ve been assured by hundreds of folks the scanner is less harmful than my cell phone, but I still did the pat down.
– If it were me, I’d still go. I asked to take on a major new project a month before announcing my pregnancy (a project that would have a critical period while I was out on mat leave). I’ve applied for a new job opportunity that I know will be extremely complicated if I get an offer because of timing with birth, maternity leave, etc. For me, this was partially hedging my bets in case anything turned out differently than best case scenario, and partially just choosing for the pregnancy to not impact my work until it really had to. I’ve operated under a “do the best with the information you have right now, but know that this is a fluid situation” mentality. But that is me personally, and I’d completely understand if someone chose to go a different way.
Also, congrats!
shortperson says
it will be easier at 12 weeks than any time in the future. no reason not to go unless your pregnancy is super high risk or something. i flew all the time for work when i was pregnant, up to and including at 8 months. i just opted for a patdown until i was tsa precheck. 12 weeks will be a breeze. have fun.
grade retention says
Moms of older kids- has anyone had experience with grade retention? My child’s school is suggesting that we look at having our child repeat kindergarten. He’s the youngest in his class (birthday is right before the age cutoff). He’s apparently keeping up academically, but is immature on the social/emotional side of things. We heard some of the same issues in preK, but everyone ultimately decided to see how kindergarten went. He’s at a very small, academically strong, nurturing school. Academically, I think the school can find a way to challenge him at any grade so he’s fine there. We are just struggling with the whether asking him to play “up” and keep up with older kids is a good challenge or harmful. He’s been with this group of kids for 2 years so I am a little worried about his self-esteem if we go through with this. Any thoughts appreciated.
Anon says
I was on the cut off for starting school and my parents decided to wait. As a result, I was always the oldest in my class, the top of my class academically, and was MUCH more socially and emotionally mature that my peers. I feel that all of these ultimately benefitted me and contributed to my success. I was bored in class occasionally, and started helping others who were struggling after I finished my work. It didn’t harm me in any way. He is young – his self-esteem will be fine and he probably isn’t going to remember that you held him back a year from now. You are much better doing it now than dealing with problems when he is older and more socially-aware.
EP-er says
Honestly? I would have him repeat Kindergarten. I’m not a fan of red-shirting Kindergarten, but the administrators are telling you he isn’t ready, and they don’t do that lightly. It is better to catch it at the beginning of his schooling than having problem when he is in an older grade. There were a couple of kids in my son’s first grade class that had to repeat. Socially at that age, we haven’t seen any teasing or negative comments from the other kids. Of course, it is only December…. what is going on that they are talking about this less than halfway through the school year? He still has 9 months to mature before first grade.
Different Anon says
I was on the cut off for starting school as well, and my parents decided to send me because I really, really wanted to go to school. Intellectually and academically, no issues whatsoever. But junior high was the most horrible time of my life because there was such a gap emotionally and socially between my classmates and me. This didn´t really even out until the senior year in high school. So, yes, it was a good challenge but did hurt my self-esteem for a few years.
Overall, I´m happy my parents made me take the plunge. It enabled me to graduate early and to go on a work-and-travel adventure before starting college.
POSITA says
My mom ended up in a similar situation with my younger brother. He was up to speed academically, but hated school and wasn’t mature enough for 1st grade, which required a lot more quiet and independent work. She opted to pull him from school for a year and did a primative form of homeschooling (it wasn’t something we’d ever heard of at the time). She signed him up for tons of classes–swimming, gymnastics, art, music, classes at the science museum, and speech therapy (he had a small delay) etc. She also spent a lot of time reading with him. They chose a lot of books that really captured his interest, rather than focusing on “age appropriate” books. He had a great year and was fully ready for 1st grade the following fall. My mom was really happy with the solution because it didn’t seem to harm his self esteem and it didn’t put him too far ahead academically so that he’d be bored the next year. He also really improved his fine and gross motor skills, which had been a bit behind.
The only downside to him being older was during senior year of high school when he basically had one foot out the door. He was past the high school drama and ready to be on his own. He made it through, but was a bit of a grump that year.
I might consider an alternative solution rather than staying at the same school. Personally, I think I would also find repeating the same grade at the same school to be really boring because it would be the same as the year before.
Meg Murry says
If it was iffy in pre-k, and now they are concerned that K didn’t go so well, I would say it’s probably better to hold him back now, rather than wait until 2nd or 3rd grade when he’s really behind. My son had a classmate that didn’t go on to 3rd grade with the rest of his class, and that was a lot rougher because the kids knew enough to know it was because he was struggling in school – whereas kindergarteners wouldn’t have nearly the stigma.
That said, the kids I know that were held back in 2nd and 3rd grade had awful years the first time around, and since they were involved in the choice to repeat a grade they actually did really well with it the 2nd time around, because they felt successful for the first time instead of always feeling like they were failing.
I’m a little confused on the timing though. Is he in 1st grade now and they want to put in back into K after Christmas? or in K now and they want to put him back to pre-K? Or is he in K now and they have already decided halfway through the year that he should probably do K again next year and think you should start thinking about it? Or are you in the Southern Hemisphere or somewhere where the school year starts in January?
grade retention says
He’s in K now. He would do a victory lap of K next year if we decide to go that route.
Anonymous says
I have a not-quite-2-year-old but if I were you, I’d hold him back. Boys do SO much better when they’re socially ready. Fewer behavioral problems for the rest of his academic career.
Betty says
I would request a meeting with the administrators and teachers and ask a few questions: It is early in the year to be flagging this as an issue. Does that reflect that your child is really far behind emotionally or that they are just trying to flag this now? When does the decision need to be made and do they think your child will make progress emotionally in the remainder of the year? I would ask the benefits of holding your child back just for social/emotional reasons? By retaining your child, he will be with less mature children next year. Will he grow more socially in the presence of more or less mature children? Aside from the red-shirting to get a sports advantage phenomenon, I do not believe the research supports holding a child back for emotional issues. Allow them to progress with their peers and they will grow. Yes, middle school will not be fun, but is it really for anyone? Is the request to hold your child back a reflection of the need for children to be able to sit independently (and not age appropriately for any child) and not play? Just a few thoughts
grade retention says
Our meeting this week was with the teachers and principal to bring us up to speed on what they’ve been seeing so far this year. Decision doesn’t have to be made right now, but we will need to figure it out over the next few months. Also going to try a couple of different coping strategies to see if those make a difference. I think we will then rest easier knowing that we’ve “tried everything”
I appreciate everyone’s responses and talking points. This parenting thing is hard.
Anonymous says
I think having your kid repeat a grade will repent a lot of resentment in the future. We live in a world where increasingly kids care about how they seem to their peers and accomplishing things early. At some point in time your kid wil be upset about being held back. I come from a family of December children and have one myself and there is no situation I would consider holding my kid back. I’ve seen kids arrive as refugees or not speaking English or with significant disabilities (my sister was one) and they’ve gone to school with their peers.
In life it’s important to experience being both the best and the worst sometimes. Another one I hear sometimes is that a class is a group of geese, if one needs more time all the geese wait for that one goose and then they all keep going together, they don’t kick the goose out to join a new group. And I think these analogies (as cheesy as they are) are true.
HSAL says
Last day of maternity leave, as I go back to work on Monday. Is it wrong that I’m really excited to eat things that require two hands again?
not wrong says
So not wrong. I loved my baby but chose to go back to work early because she would not let me eat anything, not even food only requiring one hand.
Anonymous says
You are my hero.
Mom to MildAsthmaKid & CroupBaby says
Take kid to dr./ER/urgent care – whatever, labored breathing is SERIOUS. It can be taken care of now, and it will be manageable by Grandma/Nanny caretaker, whomever, but take care of it NOW
ECR says
I need some advice. My husband and I are planning to go on a vacation tomorrow to Mexico by ourselves, leaving our 20-month old with my mom. We’ve been planning this trip for almost a year and the hotel is non-refundable. This morning baby woke up with a fever, congestion, and labored breathing. My first thought is that it’s just a virus, but should we cancel the trip? I’m worried it could turn into something more serious like croup.
Lurker says
I’m only here because I’m thinking of having kids so I can’t reply from the perspective of someone who actually has them. My thought is that Mexico isn’t that far away if you live in the U.S. If things get worse and you need to come home, you aren’t a 20 hour flight away. Since everything is non-refundable, why not go and if the off chance you decide you need to be there, you return. Did you book with your credit card? You might have some travel insurance that would cover this. It likely wouldn’t cover you now, but if, say God forbid your child is hospitalized, it would then cover your early flight home.
I would also see how comfortable mom is watching a sick baby. She might have no problem with it since she obviously had her own kids that got sick. Or, she might be freaked out and not want the responsibility. If everyone is telling you to go, I’d go.
Anon says
Not saying that’s what you should do, but since you asked – if it were me, I would cancel the trip. My baby is around the same age and had a few instances of wheezing/labored breathing recently and we didn’t feel comfortable leaving him with his grandparents b/c he was very clingy and wanted to be held by mom and dad when his breathing was especially bad. We also felt like it was a lot to ask of GPs to watch kiddo like a hawk, stay up all night holding him b/c he was uncomfortable and scared b/c of shortness of breath, and possibly need to rush to ER if breathing got really bad.
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. I guess it will be a funny story someday, but I’m sure it’s not fun or funny right now.
Anon says
Just re-read and noticed trip isn’t till tomorrow. Maybe see how tonight goes and make a decision tomorrow?
Anonymous says
My mother is our nanny. Because she already spends so much time with our baby, I would be okay with leaving. Baby is super comfortable with grandma and loves her as much as she loves me or my husband. (My mom was also a nurse, so that is added comfort) In your shoes, I’d definitely see how things go tonight and plan on leaving tomorrow unless things get a lot worse. You can always come back if needed. Last thought: Could you consider delaying the trip by one more day?
Meg Murry says
How long is the trip? Would it be worth trying to push back the flights a day and see how it goes?
Either way, given that it’s Friday, I’d get in to see the pediatrician TODAY if at all possible and give them the story (normally we’d wait and see, but given the upcoming trip we need to know whether this is going to get much worse).
My son had a croup that was going around a few weeks ago and it turned into us spending hours in the middle of the night up with him for 3 nights in a row. My mother loves my kids, but if I left her to deal with that, I’m pretty sure she’d never agree to an overnight babysitting gig again.
Meg Murry says
And even if you weren’t going to Mexico I would probably give that advice, because it never fails that a bug that is bothering my kids on Friday only a little turns into an ER visit on Saturday night.
Anon says
Can you take the baby to the pediatrician today? It may, under normal circumstances, be premature, but makes sense to get some peace of mind under the circumstances. I did this with myself when I had a sore throat before a big trip – just went to an emergicare and told them I realize it was totally over reacting but I wanted to rule out strep before I got on an international flight.
JJ says
I agree with this. I’ve called my pediatrician before and explained that we were leaving the next day and they always tried their best to squeeze us in.
NewMomAnon says
This is apparently not the popular choice but….I would go anyway (but let Grandma know about the illness in advance and honor her wishes, obviously). My kiddo gets sick frequently and quickly, so there is a good chance that she is going to get sick while staying with Grandma. The only difference here is that your kiddo is already sick, instead of falling ill while Grandma is in charge.
ECR says
Thanks for all the advice! Nanny reports that she is doing better since this morning. She is eating and playing normally. Per some of your suggestions, I’m going to wait until tomorrow to make a final decision. Our ped wasn’t concerned about the breathing, said it sounded more like congested breathing than like wheezing, etc.
Gift Idea for 8 yr old boy says
My nephew. SUPER into sports. Not very into reading, etc. I have no idea how to buy for this age. Any ideas?
Meg Murry says
-Jersey for a team from his sport? Soccer jersey, basketball jersey, etc?
-Minecraft related item? (all 8 year old boys and many 8 year old girls I’ve met are into minecraft, except for a handful who’s parents don’t let them have screen time at all)
-Legos?
-Are you in an area that’s super unseasonably warm like mine right now? Something to play with outside like a frisbee?
-Nerf gun, or marshmallow shooter?
My father always says “slingshot and a bag of marbles” but most parents don’t appreciate that answer
http://www.babycheapskate.com/2015/11/05/toys-that-get-played-with-2015-8-to-9-years/
anon says
Stomp rocket!