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I’ve been trying out different “looks” during my Skype/Zoom meetings. Low bun with earrings… blazer… full makeup… no makeup except lip color… etc.
One thing I reach for again and again in my closet, however, is a top with puff sleeves. The way my laptop is set up, you can only really see my face and the tops of my shoulders, and I’ve found that a top that has interest at my shoulders or neckline looks the most “dressy.” With the crappy lighting, you can’t even really see lapels on a blazer, so most of the time I don’t even put one on.
All this to say, I love this puff-shoulder top from Boden that comes in four colors. I love the longer length, and the material is viscose and elastane, which surely will be comfy.
The top is $50 and available in sizes 2 to 20/22. Holly Puff-Sleeve Jersey Top
Two plus-size options include this Eloquii top for $59.95 and this one from Adrienne Vittadini for $48.
Looking for other washable workwear? See all of our recent recommendations for washable clothes for work, or check out our roundup of the best brands for washable workwear.
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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?
Leatty says
What splurge baby item did you find to be most useful? My very thoughtful colleagues threw me a surprise virtual shower and gave me a significant gift card. I already have a ton of baby stuff from my first, and I’ve already purchased what essentials I will need when my little one arrives in the next few weeks. I could always put the gift card toward diapers, but I’d like to use some of it on a splurge item.
anonymommy says
Do you have a baby carrier you really like? It’s nice to be able to put the newborn in that, especially the first kiddo running around.
Leatty says
I do. I didn’t have the best success with the Boba with my first because I could never figure out how to tie it right, but I user the ergo when she was past the newborn stage. This time I’m going to give the k’tan a try too.
Clementine says
Keekaroo peanut changer
High quality baby carriers – specifically a toddler tula and a Storchenweidge woven wrap. Especially clutch when you have multiple kids.
Double Bob Stroller (depending on the age of your older kiddo, but this has been key for me getting out and doing things, including running)
Em says
Keekaroo Peanut Changer and Ubbi Diaper Pail
HSAL says
Agree – both of these are fantastic.
Anonymous says
I know it gets a lot of love here but we have an Ubbi and I hate it. It’s pretty but does nothing to contain smells. Possibly other diaper pails are no better, but if I could go back in time I would get a much cheaper one. If it’s not going to stop the stink no reason to splurge on a $$$ one.
Anon says
+1000
I have mentioned this before on this site so apologies for the repeat, but we hated the ubbi so much my husband made us get rid of it and replace with a good old fashioned diaper genie. It does not contain the smell at all when it is open. The diaper genie has a contraption such that when it is open, it does.
(And don’t ask me about the two sleep deprived times I accidently left the ubbi open all night…that doesn’t happen with the diaper genie, the genie snaps back shut).
Anon says
I’m the opposite here. I hated the diaper genie for the fact that I always felt like I was close to touching all the other dirty diapers. And I found the steel of the Ubbi contains smells better – paired with a scented trash bag, replacing the diaper genie with this was a big improvement smell wise. Also, they may still be $40ish (with coupon) at Bed Bath & Beyond/BuyBuyBaby
Anon says
I have a Munckin step and it’s way nicer than the diaper genie (which we also have), but I wish it had a locking lid like I think the Ubbi does. It does a good job of containing smells until my kid opens it up. Which reminds me, I need to put a babyproofing latch on it.
Anonymous says
But the Ubbi lid doesn’t really lock. The sliding door does, but the overall lid doesn’t.
Anonanonanon says
Don’t know if it’s a splurge necessarily, but having multiple strollers was so nice for us. We had the big uppababy (I think cruz?) but once she was a bit older it was nice to have one that could fold super small and was lightweight, or in case the stroller was in the other parent’s car. I think we got a mountainbuggy nano, whatever it is we’re very happy with it.
If it’s to somewhere that sells non-baby stuff, too, I got a ninja coffee bar when I had my last and it’s my everything. I love that it has a pot to brew a whole pot of iced coffee if I want. I like that it does from a small cup of coffee to a whole pot, etc.
Anonymous says
I didn’t think any expensive baby gear was worth it. It you have all the essentials from a first child, I’d treat yourself to whatever makes your life easier or more fun – food delivery, cleaning help, nice postpartum loungewear, etc.
Anonymous says
Snoo. But wait until baby arrives to see what works.
Party Animal says
+1 Snoo. Worth every cent.
LadyNFS says
+ Snoo. We had one for first kid, sold it (small apartment and no space!) and bought another one for kiddo #2. No regrets.
Also a Stokke high chair. We have one for #1 and I am stockpiling our gift cards to apply towards getting one for #2.
Anonymous says
another snoo endorsement. also the baby bjorn bouncer. Not only is a great thing for a kid, but it is super light weight so you can easily move it around the house – in the bathroom while you shower, upstairs, downstairs, between rooms. It folds flat, so we have had great success with taking it with us to grandparents houses as an easily transportable “baby plopping device” (husband’s term).
cbackson says
You can rent the Snoo – I would definitely do that instead of buying. Unless your kid ends up staying in the Snoo for a long time, renting is cheaper ($130/month).
T says
Not when you buy on sale and resell.
NYCer says
I don’t know what you consider a splurge, but things I was happy to have:
BabyBjorn bouncer seat
Keekaroo peanut
Babyzen yo-yo stroller (in addition to full size stroller)
Lovevery subscription
octagon says
+1 Bjorn bouncer
Also Stokke Tripp Trapp
anon says
Ooh, yes, Tripp Trapp!
Anon says
Jogging stroller (even though we don’t jog). Made outdoor excursions a lot easier (wineries, parks without good trails, at the beach, etc.).
Less expensive, wholly unnecessary and still made my life better was the baby bum spatula thing for applying diaper rash cream. I have a sensitive nose, and this keeps me from scrubbing my nails raw trying to get every last speck of that cream out from under my nails so I didn’t smell it all day long.
For working (maybe not applicable now in the WFH environment), I “splurged” on a second pump to leave at work and 6 sets of pump parts, so I could do 3 pumps a day with fresh parts, and if I forgot to put them in the dishwasher that night, I would still have a second set for work the next day. Chilled pump parts were not my friend.
NYCer says
Ohh yes, to the jogging stroller suggestion as well. We like our Thule.
Anon says
+1 to having 2 pumps, although for OP since this is her second, insurance provides a pump for each kid, so if she saved her first she should definitely remember to go that route.
anon says
+100 to the jogging stroller. I really liked my bob.
Anon says
I love my Bob Revolution.
Anon says
I love the Baby Bum spatula. It seems so unnecessary but once you use it, you never go back.
Anon says
I had never heard of this and am seriously tempted to buy it even though my kid is 2and will hopefully not be in diapers too much longer.
Anonymous says
I guess our favorite splurge was the super nice leather rocker/recliner we used in the nursery. It is still in kiddo’s room at almost 5 years old. I keep trying to move it to the basement, but she still likes to be rocked sometimes and doesn’t want us to move it.
We didn’t have a lot of splurges, but I can tell you the two things I wish I’d bought were (1) a real bassinet for our bedroom instead of the pack and play, and (2) a stroller with an option to have kiddo face us as she got older instead of just facing forward. We love our CitiMini GT and do recommend it, but after about 18mos-2years. That could be becuase or kiddo is on the smaller side. We don’t plan to have another, but if we were, I’d absolutely buy those things for #2.
Anon says
We have a Woolino sleep sack and it’s very nice and breathable but still warm. I also might think about a fancy swaddle, like the Ollie swaddle, or a fancy baby carrier if you don’t already have one.
strollerstrike says
How about the Tripp Trapp High Chair? The one purchase I regret is going with the cheaper Hauck one.
Anonymous says
I love our Tripp Trapp (we actually have 2). And it lasts forever. I sat on it the other day.
Anonymous says
The stroller comments put me in mind that one of my favorite things with my daughter is we have a bike trailer that converts to a stroller. AFAIK the one we have is not collapsible so we only use it in our neighborhood, but our neighborhood is very walkable and we all love this stroller. Even if your older child might outgrow it soon, I would still recommend a two-seater so a friend can ride along too.
Anon says
not really for a baby, but id splurge on the stokee trip trap high chair
Anon says
My favorite luxury baby purchase so far has been the Snoo. Yes, it’s pricey, but sleep has been noticeably better with baby #2 and I credit a fair amount of that to the Snoo.
I also love the DockATot for the second because it makes it easy to drag him around to do whatever the first is doing. It also creates a good “barrier” to remind our toddler to give him space and use “gentle hands” and not just tackle him with cuddles and excitement all the day.
I didn’t love my Boba wrap with the first but I borrwed a Ktan from a friend and I’m much happier with it. It’s so much easier to use.
Anonymous says
Is there something you need for your first child? I am not sure the age of the first child, but I know something to entertain the first child may be helpful to you once the new baby arrives.
Anonymous says
Thanks everyone!
Anne says
My almost four year old wants a bike for her birthday – what do you recommend at that age? Balance bike? Pedal bike? Any specific ones to buy or avoid? Thanks!!
Clementine says
I would suggest looking for a pedal bike with hand (not coaster) brakes that you can start by not putting the pedals on (so a makeshift balance bike) and then quickly add pedals when she’s ready.
The standard sizes are 12 inches (which is probably a little small) and 16 inches (which would have fit my kid right around age 4, but YMMV). We got a Guardian bike – largely because of availability – but also looked at a woom, prevelo, and Cleary bike as other options.
AwayEmily says
I’m about to buy my 4yo a bike. I did a bunch of research on balance bikes and brake types and all that and then decided “eh, we all learned to ride, whatever.” So instead I’m just going to go to my local bike shop (which I love and trust) and get whatever 16-inch they have. Just offering that up in case you want permission to sastisfice (I am by nature a maximizer so it was a big step for me!). good luck!
Spirograph says
My almost-4 year old has gotten a lot of mileage out of a little REI pedal bike this summer. When he outgrew his balance bike, we figured we might as well make the jump to pedals. The REI ones are plain but come with several sheets of stickers for the kid to decorate with, which was a fun project!
Anonymous says
We started with an REI bike and moved to Trek for the next size up. The Trek was so much lighter and easier to handle.
Anon says
We got a 14” Royal Baby pedal bike that worked well. My son started with a balance bike at 3, but I bet you could remove the pedals on this one. If your kid is on the shorter side, like mine, or has short legs I’d probably go with 14” because they need to be able to reach the ground (but also not have their legs scrunched while pedaling). If a tall kid, 16” might work
Cb says
My just turned three year old has spent lockdown zooming around on a balance bike, and he is desperate for pedals. I’d go with a bike you can remove and add pedals in case she takes to it quickly. He has a frog bike which is very light. We use a rental service, so can just trade it in when he’s ready for the next size or adding peda
Anon says
I am pretty sure I learned to ride a real bike around age 4-5 so I’d get one with training wheels.
Boston Legal Eagle says
This is what we did for our 4 year old – got him a pedal bike with training wheels for Christmas, and he does pretty well on it. We’ll probably take the training wheels off around age 5 or so (is that standard? not sure).
SC says
My son is 5. He’s not ready to ride a bike without training wheels yet, but 2 of his friends have learned during the pandemic. I’d guess 5-6 is probably standard. My son has always been on the late side of “normal” when it comes to gross motor stuff.
Anonymous says
My 4 year old can ride a pedal bike without training wheels. He is pretty coordinated and rode a balance bike since he turned 2. We did a lot of bike riding early in the pandemic. My oldest is not especially coordinated but learned to ride without training wheels at 5, but didn’t really master it until he was 6. My husband was very persistent about teaching him, though.
They learned fine on cheap bikes from Walmart. They both learned on 16″ bikes.
EB0220 says
My kids never took to balance bikes. We got them pedal bikes at 3-4 with training wheels. Both took off the training wheels between 5-6. I think 16″ is the right size in general. We’ve been happy with our Specialized kids’ bikes from our LBS but might switch out to Cleary for the next bike if they ever come back in stock.
AIMS says
This is pretty!
I am looking for advice on how to talk to my kids about death. My 4.5 year old has been asking A LOT of questions for a while and I haven’t gotten it right at all. The first time I tried to stick to the Mr Rodgers/Daniel Tiger script (when someone dies they’re not coming back) and she spent the night in tears (the problem with scripts is they never follow up! Why doesn’t Daniel say ‘but where do they go?!?!’). Then I listened to grandparents who said ‘she’s too young to not have something to believe in’ and told her that some people believe that when people die they go to heaven. But I don’t know that I believe in heaven and I don’t know that she believes me either and I just feel bad because she’s 4 and keeps asking me to describe it like it’s Paris. I think this is all easier if you have strongly held beliefs, and honestly I don’t. Is it just impossible to have this conversation without major massive tears? Are there books I can get? I really feel like a bad parent here. Any help appreciated.
A says
I can relate to this so much. We have had very similar conversations with my now-six-year-old, starting back when our cat died when she was three. “Some people believe we go to heaven when we die” is also a line we’ve used, although I don’t personally believe it myself (she is alternately skeptical about it and an advocate for heaven, so who knows). We’ve landed on “we can keep people’s memories alive in our hearts” as a sort of reassuring middle-ground.
You are not a bad parent, I promise. These conversations are so tough, and we have had to reiterate these same points repeatedly, resulting in different reactions from our daughter. Sometimes tears, sometimes comfort. But really, death is a difficult topic for most adults to talk about and wrap their heads around, so there are no easy answers even if you are religious.
And also, the book Parenting Beyond Belief has been a good resource as we start to navigate more of these topics in my house.
Anonymous says
This. We’re practicing Anglicans so I do believe in heaven but it’s still a super abstract concept for kids. I usually stick with the themes of some people believe in heaven but I haven’t seen heaven so I don’t know for sure what it is like but I do know that we can keep the memory of the person/pet in our heart etc.
It’s not easy and don’t expect to have just one conversation, it can be a recurring theme at that age. It’s okay to say you don’t really know. That’s a thing that kids need to learn too, that parents don’t have answers for everything.
layered bob says
we are religious, but my kids have found a very matter-of-fact discussion in the vein of “dust we are and to dust we will return” helpful with the mechanics.
They like to talk through how when someone dies, their heart stops beating, their brain stops working, they don’t feel or think anything, and the part of them that makes them themselves (whether or not you call it a soul) isn’t there anymore. Then we talk about a funeral/different death rituals, what it means to be cremated, if someone’s body is buried how long it takes for the bugs and worms to eat it all up, and how a worm might eat part of the body, and then a bird would eat the worm, and then poop on the ground, (etc.) and now the atoms that made up the person’s body are just part of the world again. We believe that the person’s soul is with Jesus, but but my five year old has decided she doesn’t really believe that and the person’s soul is just nowhere, like it was before the person existed.
I found that a lot of their questions to me about “what happens when you die” were very literal questions about the mechanics/logistics of death, and they were content to tell themselves their own stories about what happens in a metaphysical sense.
When kids are in that death phase, they can be really fixated on it, but it does pass. For awhile my daughters would ask everyone, “when are you going to die? are you going to be buried or cremated?” and pretend to dig graves for people in the sandlot at the park. ><
Anonanonanon says
When my son was younger he thought he would actually get to light my mother on fire when she dies and was disappointed that wasn’t the case (He loves her to death, I’m not sure what that was about) and he promised her he’d keep her ashes in the refrigerator so that they would stay fresh and none of his friends would accidentally get into them.
Redux says
Oh my, hahahaha! That is hilarious! Kids are very, very literal.
AwayEmily says
The script we got from our child psychologist neighbors (such convenient neighbors to have!) is “their body stopped working and they died.” That seems to satisfy my 2 and 4yo.
HSAL says
I use the “body stopped working” thing so I’m glad it’s expert-approved. I try to avoid saying “sick” or “old” so they don’t freak out the next time they get sick that they’ll die. It’s a little harder to avoid old, but we work on it.
Anonymous says
Me too!
AIMS says
But what do you say when your kid says ‘why did it stop working?’
My kid has a why question for every single thing and I have no answers.
Anonymous says
I say that our bodies only last so long and that sometimes the heart or the lungs or the brain stops working and then we die. We can live without some body parts working like eyes or ears but other body parts need to keep working or we die. Also, if asked why doctors can’t fix it – the doctors at hospitals try to fix people but it doesn’t always work because our bodies only last so long – segue to discussion about how long different types of animals live.
Anon says
This reminds me so much of my high school chemistry class: “equilibrium equals death.”
I’m nearly 100% certain that when my son asks that question, that will be my response.
SC says
My kid likes to talk about when people are going to die and who’s going to die first, usually based on how old the person is. The other day, he got mad at me and yelled, “Yeah, well, you’re going to die before me!” Umm… yeah, probably, and I hope so. Then he asked me how long until I die, and I did some math and told him that I don’t get to decide but I’m hoping for at least 50 more years with him.
Redux says
Same. I listened to a really powerful podcast about a grief camp for kids whose loved one has died, sometimes in gruesome ways. The main thing I took away from it was to be very matter-of-fact about death– you don’t do any favors by speaking in vagaries or metaphor. “Her heart stopped working and then she died,” was the model that I recall used for everything from cancer to suicide.
My kids also really love walking though the historic cemetery by our house and reading the out-of-fashion names on the headstones and picking out the angels or skulls they want on their headstone… but I know that’s a little odd!
Also have you seen the Disney movie Coco?
Roja says
I think it’s okay not to have a consistent answer for her (or to just explicitly say that you aren’t sure you believe in heaven) – we are an interfaith family and my 4yr-old has been asking a lot about this especially since the pandemic. As far as he understands it, some people believe X and some people believe Y and some people believe Z – right now what he finds comforting is his own mix, in that “nobody gets to remember their past lives except Jesus. I get to decide what happens to my body when I die” (in terms of burial/cremation/donation to science, whatever).
avocado says
This sounds odd, but when a relative died and my daughter was a little younger than yours, she got a lot out of the Fancy Nancy I Can Read book “The 100th Day of School.” JoJo’s pet goldfish dies, and Nancy uses her school project as a way to commemorate the fish’s life. Somehow this story helped my daughter wrap her head around the idea of death and remembering the person who has died, better than our explanations that the person’s body had stopped working etc.
AIMS says
Thanks everyone. You’ve given me a lot of food for thought! Really appreciate this.
Preggo says
I’m due in two weeks with my first and we are meeting with pediatricians this week and next. What questions do you recommend I ask?
Anonanonanon says
What happens if you have a medical question after hours? Is there a 24/7 nurse line?
If there is, can they make you same day or next day appointments?
Do they have any evening or weekend appointments?
What’s the process to get forms for daycare, school, etc. completed?
Separate waiting areas for sick and well patients? (maybe this is a pre-COVID question)
What precautions do they have for COVID when you go to your first few appointments? Will they have you wait in the car and text you when they’re ready, etc.?
Do they collect their own labs if labs are needed?
Do they view their role as the “medical home” of your child? If your child has a specialist (pulmonologist for asthma, for example) will they work with your specialist to make sure they have copies of the records and house all of your child’s health information, so that they have the full picture of your child’s health? (This is huge.)
Will they give parents flu shots during flu season if they want them? For kids, do you have to have a full appointment for a flu shot or do they do flu clinics or quick pop-ins?
Anonymommy says
Our peds office has in house billing. Saves so much time! I know exactly who to call if there’s a billing problem.
Anonymous says
In my city, all the pediatricians within one practice have the same policies and we only had two practices to choose from, so we didn’t spend a ton of time talking about details. It was more just meeting them and getting a vibe, do they make you wait, do they seem open-minded, etc. I had a preference for a woman (all my doctors are women, and we were having a daughter) and that was confirmed when we met one white dude who kept us waiting for 30 minutes and then started the meeting by telling us he had a zero tolerance policy for lateness in patients. Pass!
If you think there’s any chance you won’t exclusively breastfeed, ask about formula or combo feeding and see how they react. I would have given up on breastfeeding if our ped hadn’t been so supportive and encouraging about combo feeding, but I know some peds are EBF or bust. She also helped me with latching and nursing way more than any lactation consultant. I would have been equally comfortable whipping my b00b out in front of a male doctor, but I’m not sure men who haven’t breastfed can help with the mechanics of latching the same way.
Anonymous says
I have a preference for women doctors too. I have, however, found that women doctors over a certain age (maybe 55+ now?) tend to be terribly harsh. The on-call doctor (older woman) who delivered my baby openly mocked moms who “Lamaze it,” was impatient because I didn’t want or need an epidural, and yelled at me when she failed to get the local right for my stitches and I jumped because I could feel everything. Our first pediatrician (older woman) turned out to be an attachment parenting zealot who told me I would damage the baby’s brain if I let her cry for long enough to use the bathroom, told me that if the baby wouldn’t let me set her down so I could get dressed then I should just spend the whole day in my nightgown (nightgown?!?), and insisted that EBF was the only way even though it clearly wasn’t working. I blame her for the fact that my child’s infancy was a nightmare that resulted in my deciding to go back to work eight months earlier than planned just so I could have a chance to use the bathroom and eat lunch.
I suspect that older women doctors tend to be mean and domineering because you women had to be that way in order to survive med school a generation ago. Younger women doctors are not all that way.
AnonATL says
Depending on how strongly you feel about vaccines, you may want to ask if they allow unvaccinated kids in the practice and if so, how they deal with inevitable outbreaks. Ours does, but they monitor things like measles outbreaks and won’t allow them into the practice if there’s an active cluster nearby.
One thing I really like about our pediatrician is they have separate newborn, sick, well, and teen entrances. They take up this rather sprawling office building out here in the burbs, but taking my tiny newborn during a pandemic is a lot less stressful when it’s just to the section of the building where newborns are. Some get around this by having blocks where only sick or well appointments can be scheduled.
Anon says
Not sure you can ask this, but I find our (male) pediatrician infinitely more relatable because he and his wife are both pediatricians (aka dual-working parents) and they have two kids. He just gets it. His kids also went through a super picky phase and had sleep issues, so he’s not up there on a pedestal talking about these miracle kids that eat all their vegetables and sleep all night and potty-trained at 12 months.
For us, the most helpful thing has been attending a family practice. We don’t have trouble getting appointments (in an area where some practices you have to wait 1-2 days for a sick visit), they are open late during the week (until 6!) and they can treat the whole family under one roof. My sticking point was that I wanted board certified pediatricians on staff (which we have), but for a run of the mill sick visit, I’m comfortable taking DD to whomever is available.
Anon says
I had to take my 1 year old to a lab for an intravenous blood draw for the lead and anemia test. Lots of other offices do a heel prick in their office. Hadn’t thought about that one when I was pregnant.
It might also be nice if you can find a pediatrician who matches your style, whether it is more laid back or more upfront. For example, some pediatricians insist you take the baby to the dentist around age 1, others will say there’s not much point to doing that and you can wait.
Anne says
I think there most important thing is #1 how easy is it to get a same-day sick appointment, who do you call off-hours with problems, and how close is it to your house/childcare.
Anon says
Honestly, this is one of many parenting decisions I vastly overthought. You’re not choosing a pediatrician for life. Unless you have a unicorn doctor that is always available at the last minute and never takes vacations, you’ll meet lots of doctors in the practice during the first year of your child’s life. If you click better with one of them, just switch! It’s easy. Keep in mind 0-18 is a huge age range, and most pediatricians are better at certain age ranges. Even the best baby/toddler pediatrician may not be someone you want to bring your teenagers to, so it’s unlikely you’ll lock in a doctor for life now anyway.
Anon says
After getting 2-3 referrals from friends I trust and with similar values to different practices (which is where I started basically all of my kid-related decision making), all I cared about were hours, sick appointments and could basic things like blood draws be done in the office. I chose the one with the best hours (late evenings and weekends) and general convenience to home and daycare. As for the exact primary care doctor, I quickly learned that friends’ favorite doctors weren’t seeing new patients so we rolled the dice. I was having a girl and I wanted her to have a female doctor but that was basically our only criteria going in.
In COVID times I might opt for a practice like mine that has multiple locations. They’ve been able to see 100% of sick appointments in two locations – one for respiratory/fever/maybe COVID and another for everything else that is not a true “illness” like bumps, scrapes and whatnot. Well visits are in their remaining two locations. Never would have thought of the multiple locations being a huge asset BeforeTimes, but it made taking her to her 2 year appointment, which was deemed essential, in April in our Boston-area hotspot way more palatable.
Anon says
Has anyone dealt with diagnosed anxiety in elementary school? At school, my daughters behaviors can look like aggression or disrespect (acting out, refusing to do assignments, withdrawal), but it’s really her anxiety and attempt to avoid what scares her. We’re working with a therapist, etc, but it’s overwhelming. I’d love to hear from anyone who has reached the other side of this.
CPA Lady says
I have really loved the book Anxious Kids Anxious Parents by Reid Wilson and Lynn Lyons. I was an anxious kid and I have an anxious kid and the strategies in the book have been really helpful (and they echo the CBT strategies my therapist gave me in my mid 20s).
Anon says
not as a parent, but my younger sibling had major anxiety that became apparent starting around 3rd grade, but really peaked around 5th grade. f] it wasn’t aggression/disrespect, but avoidance, lots of tears, not sleeping, picking at skin, etc. She worked with a therapist for a long time (still does as an adult) and ended up on medication. finding the right med combo was crucial for her and it has changed over the years. one thing i would suggest as a sibling who lived through this – try to get on the same page as your DH in terms of how to handle certain things. my parents were not, which in addition to my sister wreaking havoc on our household, their arguing didn’t help and it really put a strain on their marriage. my sister has definitely had ups and downs over the years, but now is generally doing well.
Anon says
I can see how easily this could result in marital strain, which exacerbates the problem. Ugh. Raising kids is hard. Being married is hard.
Anon says
I have generalized anxiety disorder which reared its head for the first time when I was 9-10 years old? I did see a therapist but what really helped was medication, honestly. My anxiety manifested then in the form of extreme insomnia, and the only thing that could get me to sleep was a small dose of Zoloft. I was on it for a few months and then weaned off it over time as my sleep schedule got back to normal. Therapy gave me techniques and tools to use to recognize my anxiety and try to manage it with certain coping exercises, but it also taught me when to raise my hand and say I need something beyond CBT.
Since then, I’ve been on and off medication and in and out of therapy as needed to manage my anxiety when it becomes problematic. I generally consider myself to be a well-adjusted, successful, happy adult. I think a lot of that is because my parents gave me the tools to manage my anxiety early on and didn’t make it anything to be ashamed of or embarrassed by. Kudos to you for trying to get your child the help she needs.
Anonymous says
Latest local school madness? Not reopening schools in person but still playing fall school sports. I hope this is defeated.
Anonymous says
That’s crazy! Our schools are reopening in person (with a remote option) and I’m still annoyed they’re having sports, especially high contact sports like football. Even more ridiculous if the schools aren’t even open.
TheElms says
MoCo is allowing afterschool care providers to operate in school buildings to provide childcare and supervise distance learning. MoCo schools are fully virtual through the end of January 2021 and the country is dragging its feet on approving private school plans to reopen.
Anonymous says
That’s a little different, I think. Childcare is essential in a way sports are not. Where are children of essential workers supposed to go otherwise?
NYCer says
But I think the issue is, if schools can be open for childcare / learning hubs, then why can’t they be open for regular instruction? I suppose the argument is that it is less kids, but I obviously don’t know the actual statistics.
[I am in MoCo, but I have heard this is happening in other places too, and it seems odd to me!]
Spirograph says
So, I have talked with one of the program directors for the MoCo learning hubs: They are much, much more limited enrollment than the school typically is. For example, our elementary school has enrollment around 400 kids, K-5, but the learning hub that will be located there is capped at at 40 kids because that’s all the director feels they can handle safely, given the outdoor space.
There’s also the teacher union issue someone mentioned below. I think that’s really the big one. These programs are staffed primarily by college kids/young adults. They’re not as high risk on average as the teacher population, and they’re there there much more voluntarily than a teacher who will lose career and pension if he or she refuses to teach.
NYCer says
Yeah, I think you’re right re the unions. But also interesting re the numbers. It really is significantly less.
Also, I am clearly not in MoCo as I indicated (via typo) in my earlier post. I am just interested in how other districts, schools, etc. are handling this school year.
TheElms says
But if childcare providers can provide care that is deemed “safe” by the county, why can’t elementary schools open at least partially? Either it is scientifically safe to have kids in groups inside or it is not. It can’t be safe for childcare providers to have children in groups and at the same time not safe for teachers to have children in groups. Schools could implement the same procedures as the child care providers. That might mean you need to limit in person school to essential workers or by some other metric, but it would still allow for in person school for some kids. If I’m missing something, please I’m interested in understanding and would like to hear other perspectives.
Boston Legal Eagle says
I think the person below saying it comes down to teachers’ union pressure is spot on, unfortunately. Yes, I believe that there are many ways to make a public school environment safer (not 100% safe, nothing is), like so many childcare providers have been doing. The city seems to have more sway in enforcing non-unionized counselors and daycare providers than with teachers’ unions. And I know this makes me sound like a red-leaning libertarian who hates unions. I’m not, but I think their stance is in conflict with what’s best for kids here.
TheElms says
Fair point. I wish the County would frame it differently rather than trying to frame it as a safety issue (but I understand why that won’t happen). My kid isn’t school age, but it is so maddening for my colleagues and friends.
Anonymous says
The difference is that the county has to pay for the safety measures in schools. Private providers have to pay for the safety measures in day cares. The county doesn’t want to pay for the staffing and space necessary to make schools safe.
Spirograph says
I hate MoCo’s pandemic response as it effects kids so. much. these days. The playgrounds took months to reopen, they slow-rolled kids’ outdoor sports, then the nonsense with the blanket private school closure, now they are trying to pass the buck to the state of MD for not giving them objective standards by which to measure private schools (fine. use the CDC’s?), but have the huge double standard of allowing the aftercare learning hubs without any issue. The County Exec must have gotten a flood of angry mail from constituents (including me) because he put out a statement a couple weeks ago defensively saying he was a teacher! and kids are important! but actions speak louder than words, and I’m over it.
To the county’s credit, at least they’ve now closed bars after 10pm. But still, we have bars and restaurants open for indoor service, but there’s no way to evaluate whether schools are safe. *eyeroll*
Anon4This says
Former DC-Area resident, worked in MoCo, now in major, blue city in TX. Our Governor completely flubbed the response, and our local/city leadership is trying to fill gaps where possible. I do find it fascinating that knowing MoCo they didn’t close bars. Even TX closed bars (plenty of examples of places not following orders, and restaurants are still open at 50% capacity, which….ugh).
Again, further proof some type of (enforced) national standards being rolled out according to the severity of the pandemic where you live would be critical…
Anonymous says
I’m in MoCo also angry with the response. Did you see Badlands is hosting learning pods? And daycares can be used for them. Yet one of the country’s largest school systems can’t figure it out…or more like the union pitched a fit and refused to go back to work in person.
Spirograph says
Oh I didn’t know about Badlands, but I’m not surprised. So is Silver Stars Gymnastics. Every private organization that runs “school’s out” camps is getting in on this game, it seems. I’m glad the parents have options, but it really highlights how NOT creative the public schools were in finding solutions. It’s kind of funny to me that our super-liberal county has actually taken a very red approach to letting the private sector solve things. Except private schools, of course, we can’t let them be part of the solution.
Anonymous says
What’s awful is wealthy parents have options, others do not. It’s infuriating. One of my friends emailed and was told they “will be building up the children’s stamina for screen time”. I.Cant.Even
Anonymous says
That stamina thing a direct quote from the MCPS townhall thing they did a week or so ago. It was really something- all the assistant superintendents for Ops, Facilities, and Curriculum, etc had a very smiley zoom call where they waxed poetic about how wonderful the online program is and congratulated themselves and each other. The elementary specialist said that the beginning of the school year, especially K, is about building stamina. So they will be building stamina for screen time. Because that’s a skill all kids need.
To be clear, I believe they’re doing the best they can in a bad situation. But this is not a good thing, and don’t insult my intelligence by saying it is. And please, please, acknowledge that you are making an impossible ask of many students and parents and tell me you understand that and will be flexible.
rosie says
I’ve read about things like this. It actually sounds like a great way to at least partially address some of the problems with distance learning (parents who cannot work from home, lack of devices, etc.). Not saying it’s perfect.
Anon says
Here it’s not opening schools for in person learning, but somehow operating an all day school program (for paid fees!) where the kids do their distance learning in a school classroom with 10 other kids and 2 adults supervising with after school coverage (something like 7:30-6). How that’s safe, but sending kids to in-person school 2x (or more!) a week is not, makes my very cynical view that the difference is the teacher’s union vs. whoever they are getting to provide this supervision. It’s just nonsensical to me. I mean, obviously it’s helpful to dual-working parents, but putting a bandaid on a problem you created by no in-person schools (and generating revenue from it) is BS.
Anonymous says
Yes these types of plans are 100% about teachers unions refusing to teach in person.
Anonymous says
It’s not just about the teachers’ unions. It’s that the county is cheap. Parents can pay for groups of 10 with a 5-1 ratio. The county doesn’t want to hire that many teachers, and even if it had the money the supply of teachers wouldn’t be adequate.
Anonymous says
Yes. This. I hate that these care centers can be open when schools are not, but it’s because they will have way fewer kids. Public schools don’t have e the space or staff to make that happen and no one stepped up to address that underlying funding and space issue. Sucks for the large percentage of parents who can’t afford the $10k a year for this.
Anonymous says
Where I live, the YMCA is running these programs, with subsidies for low-income families.
Anonymous says
Yes, it’s all about unions. Why are daycare teachers all going back? It’s not like they’re magically immune to Covid. In fact, at least in our area, they skew older than public school teachers. They just don’t have unions.
Anonymous says
They also don’t have 27-40 kids in a class, don’t have kids going to multiple classes, etc.
Anonymous says
Where do you live that you have 40 kids in a class!? Our elementary schools are capped at 20, which is the same size as the largest Pre-K room in a lot of daycares, including mine. Elementary kids also stay in one classroom all day without moving around. I understand that middle and high school are different because of the mixing classes, but I have not heard one compelling argument why elementary is less safe than a large daycare center and almost all of those are operating. Daycare teachers had to make the same choice all other essential workers did – go back and accept the risks, or resign from their job (and I do know some who resigned and found jobs as nannies, obviously there’s a market for that more than ever right now). It’s not fair to me that public school teachers get to avoid that choice indefinitely simply by virtue of being in a union.
Anonymous says
Where do you live where you have 20 kids in a class?
Anon says
I mean, it’s been a minute (15 yrs?) since I was a teacher, but I regularly had 40 kids in my high school classes when I was in TFA in Baltimore.
Boston Legal Eagle says
In my district in MA, I think the average elementary class size is below or right at 20. Here, they’re doing the hybrid approach of switching off “cohorts” on a weekly basis so I think the elementary school classes at least will have around 10 kids per class each week, which is what our daycare is limited too. I’m not sure how this will work in middle school and high school, but I honestly don’t know what their class sizes are.
Anon says
I’m in a Midwest college town and our elementary schools only have 20 kids per class. With covid, it’s even smaller because they outsourced the e-learning for the kids that opted for that options, so they’re distributing 80% of the kids among 100% of the teachers. I guess that translates to about 16 kids per class? Middle and high school classes are bigger, but I don’t know the exact number. 40 would surprise me but 25-30 wouldn’t.
Anonymous says
I am not the OP, but I am in a Texas suburb, and my kid has always had around 20 kids in his class, I think the most has been 22. Texas is not known for its school spending (at all, it is always one of the lowest) but it is a fairly wealthy suburb. I think it will be smaller this year for those going back to school, because half the teachers are going to be teaching in-school classes, but over half of the students selected home schooling only.
Anon says
If she’s never had a bike, a balance bike. The Strider bike is the best. They are a 12 inch.
After that you’ll want a 14 inch, preferably with handle brakes.
My four year old is riding a 16 inch now, but it’s really big for her and we started with a balance bike at two. I think she’ll be riding it until she’s 8.
Anonymous says
In my state, an abbreviated summer baseball season was allowed (softball, too). In addition, the state is requiring at least 50% in-person class unless a family opts for virtual. Several large city school districts have pushed back on the 50% requirement. Our governor (who I don’t necessarily always agree with) called out one particular school district that had just done incredibly well in baseball that was planning to “defy the law” and go all-virtual. Basically, don’t make a big deal about sports and then bitch that you have to have classes.
Quail says
Chicago public schools just released their remote learning framework (no in person option; might move to hybrid in November). Kindergartners through second graders are supposed to have THREE HOURS of live teaching plus THREE HOURS of “independent” work every day. Supposedly, this will be in 20-30 minute chunks on and off all day for kindergartners; not sure about the 1-2 grades. Attendance taken and no-shows reported for truancy.
I’m really bummed because I don’t think my complicated childcare plan is going to work and I’m just going to have to withdraw my kid from the magnet program we really wanted kiddo in for elementary. Thankfully we can continue at our current preschool for K. The current remote learning setup in my opinion requires 1-1 attention from an adult for the whole six hours and neither of us (both attorneys) could get work done in 20 minute chunks. Sigh.
SC says
I agree that 6 hours a day of virtual/independent kindergarten is ridiculous. But I would give it a try and stick with the magnet program. Here’s why–6 hours a day of virtual/independent kindergarten is not just ridiculous, it’s impossible. Nobody is going to do it. The kids won’t succeed. There will be changes or loopholes within 1 week.
This reminds me of women who ask permission for flexibility at work (and get penalized for it) vs. men who just take it. Stay in the program for its long-term benefits. Do the bare minimum. Stick with your childcare plan. Hope that the process works itself out, and give it a week or two before you make any major changes.
Anonymous says
All of this. If it turns out to be a total disaster and the school district doesn’t pivot, you can still pull her and send her to K at the preschool, or homeschool her in about 30 minutes a day.
Tea/Coffee says
This is 100% our plan. I am actually pleasantly surprised by (some) of the stuff my county is doing (and horrified by lots of it but oh well).
I have a full on homeschooling-a-kinder while working some at home / some at office and swapping things off with DH. We’ll give the county two weeks. Hit us with your best shot :-)
Quail says
Great points, all. Thanks for talking me off the ledge. The plan was to see if the preschool could facilitate the 30 minutes of whatever was live (when we thought, oh, how could they possibly envision more than 30 minutes of live K interaction?). Chances are, the district backs off the 3 hours. K isn’t even mandatory in IL, so how can my kid be truant?
(If we leave the preschool, we won’t get back in (everyone is clamoring for in-person) so definitely sticking with preschool in any event.)
Anonymous says
I have a CPS 1st Grader and 3rd Grader, and no way are those instructional times workable. For last year, my then kindergartener had zero engagement in full class virtual class. She only engaged in small group (6 people) virtual classes, in 20 minute chunks.
Union already filed a grievance, so I assume the numbers will change.
Quail says
Yeah, I just saw that. Perhaps this was more like an opening bid from CPS, now to be countered by CTU… what a mess. I totally get having a sixth grader on this type of schedule, but these minimums are ridiculous.
Anon says
Yah, the remote options are really terrible for young kids. Our elementary school would be live online classes for the length of a normal school day (with breaks). A lot of parents seem to be pushing really hard for that sort of program – rigorous academics and all that – but it’s terrible for kids and impossible for parents to supervise. (I’m even a SAHM, but I have a toddler and am pregnant and can’t sit by my kindergartner for six hours straight every day!).
The schools really cannot win, though, because parents have strong feelings all over the map. We are leaning towards full-on homeschooling just for the flexibility.
Anonymous says
If it gives you any hope: this is very similar to what our school district initially proposed. There was a lot of feedback from parents on how it was completely insane, and the district backed off. Modifications to the plan included longer lunch break, live sessions will be recorded and asynchronous learning will be allowed, and completion of assignments or viewing a recorded session will also count as attendance. IMHO, there’s no way to make remote learning at home work well for parents of early elementary kids, but it might get less-bad.
Anonymous says
Does anyone know anything about the Chicco Keyfit 35? It’s available for sale on Chiccos website but beyond that it doesn’t seem to be as widely available as the Keyfit 30 or Fit2 (including in reviews or safety rating info availability) but it looks like a good in between version of the other two in terms of length you can use it, quality of fabric, and actual car seat weight and it has the rebound bar which the 30 doesn’t. I’m just wondering if they’re phasing it out (what it seems like), although I guess that doesn’t matter?
anon says
In my opinion most of the 35″ bucket car seats aren’t actually worth it. My average-height kids would have fit into them until they were around 2, but I wanted them in a convertible seat long before then (because they take up less front-back room in the car, let the kid see more, etc). Bucket seats are great for babies, but by the time they’re toddlers you’re not using the carrying convenience anymore.
Pogo says
Yes, by the time mine had almost outgrown the Keyfit 30 he was friggin heavy. I do love the Keyfit 30 though, so if the 35 is cheaper due to this promo, maybe just go for it? But unless you have a real lil peanut, expect sometime between 10-12 months to want to transition anyway even if your kid is technically short enough.
Anonymous says
I had a teeny tiny kid and never took the baby bucket out of the base after 6 months, when she could sit in the stroller without the bucket. Those things are incredibly heavy and unwieldy. My legs were covered with bruises from carrying the seat.
OP says
This is super helpful – thanks all!
Anon says
Keep in mind also that what really matters is torso length so your child may outgrow it well before the stated height limit. My tall, long-torsoed kid outgrew the Keyfit 30 when she was 8 months old. I think she was only ~28″ then, definitely under 30″, but her head got to the top of the seat so we couldn’t use it anymore. As others said we would have wanted to transition out of it around then anyway, since she was getting too heavy to be comfortably carried in the bucket.
Anon says
I suppose you could make an argument that child care is more “essential” then school, so it has to stay open. (In comparison, I would say hospitals aren’t really any safer, but they are essential, so obviously, they stay open.) But I don’t buy it – in the long-term we’re looking at now, schools are absolutely essential. I feel like the teachers unions are working hard to try to argue they are not, which is, IMO, outrageous.
Anonymous says
I have a very different perspective on teachers’ unions. In our right-to-work SEUS state, the teachers’ unions are powerless. Because there is no organized lobby to protect the safety of either teachers or students, our schools are opening with no safety measures at all. Having lived through a teacher strike as a kid, I understand that teachers’ unions often work against the interests of parents and students. In this case, however, teachers and families have the same interest in safety, and teachers’ unions are the only group with the kind of power necessary to get any safety concessions from local governments.
Anonymous says
Nah. I’m in NJ. Our teachers unions are very powerful. And sending kids back essentially half time, so classrooms are half empty, investing heavily in air ventilation technology, requiring kids to wear masks, issuing teachers face shields and N95 masks? Teachers union reaction? “you don’t care if we live or die our deaths are on your hands.” Shockingly, schools cave.
Anonymous says
Objectively, there are very few places where it’s safe for anyone to be in classrooms right now.
Anonymous says
It really depends on your definition of safe. A lot of teachers seem to think it means zero cases, which is never going to be attainable, even in a post-vaccine world. Because this is such a mild illness in children (many times less deadly than the flu), if teachers had N95 masks and face shields like healthcare workers do, it would not be hard to operate school districts with minimal to no death. Some children and teachers die of flu every year, so I don’t think it’s fair to say it’s only “safe” if there are zero deaths.
I sympathize greatly with teachers in hotspots who are being ordered back to the classroom without PPE and other precautions. I have no sympathy for teachers in areas with minimal cases and 1% positivity rates (WHO says under 5% means the virus is controlled) who are throwing up their hands at all the extensive precautions and planning and saying “it’s still not safe!” It will NEVER be safe by that definition. Fauci himself has said this virus is with us for life and is never gong to be eradicated. The best we can hope for is very low positivity rates that allow for contract tracing and isolation, so we don’t have massive outbreaks. Most of the country may not be there now, but New Jersey is. If it’s not safe to have school in NJ, then I guess we’re having virtual school forever.
Anonanonanon says
I’m not saying this is correct, but I believe also part of the argument is that education can be provided virtually while childcare cannot, and it’s a matter of whether you view teachers as childcare providers or educators. I truly see both sides of the argument, not trying to start a debate, but I think that’s a lot of where the divide is happening.
Anonymous says
I think there is a lot to this.
The pandemic has exposed how much we really think of teachers as child care workers and schools as child care centers, to the detriment of education. All our school district cared about this spring was getting meals to kids. Of course feeding kids is important, but that should be the job of another agency. We need a robust system of social supports to provide for food, health care, and other basic needs outside of the school context, so that these services aren’t interrupted when school is out and so that all students arrive at school prepared to learn. The schools should be focused on educating all children, not providing social services to a select few while ignoring everyone else.
Anonymous says
Wow you hate poor people something fierce huh?
Spirograph says
I didn’t read it that way at all. She said that it’s not the school’s job to provide all social services for kids. Not that those services shouldn’t be provided. To me, this is very similar to the Defund The Police movement — the argument is that food, shelter, mental heath, etc are vitally important, so specialize instead of imperfectly lumping them in with another organization’s mission. Let the schools focus on educating, and appropriately fund another organization to deliver necessary social services.
Anon says
How is it hating poor people to want them to have food AND a good education?
Anonymous says
No, I think that they need to have services decoupled from schools so they get better services year round, and a good education. Right now all they get is lousy services part of the year through schools, and a lousy education.
Anonymous says
Right. I think there’s a lot of room for debate on whether effective education can be provided virtually for all age groups, though. Is the “providing education” box checked if teachers just present material, or when the kids actually learn it? I buy it for high school, but not for early elementary.
Anon says
100% this. Virtual education is not education for the K-3 (maybe even K-5) cohort.
Anonanonanon says
Agreed. It’s certainly up for debate. But the interviews I have heard with national teaching associations etc. are really leaning on the fact that while they are used as childcare providers, that is not actually their role. Again, not saying I agree or disagree, I see everyone’s side of it, I truly do. I can equally argue for/against everyone’s position. Just providing what I found to be interesting insight into where localities may be coming from if they’re offering in-person childcare but virtual education.
anon. says
As a former teacher, I think it’s critical to think of them as both. I HATE when teachers say “I’m not a childcare provider.” I mean – you are. I was. Whether you want to be or not, that is how public schools function in this country and saying otherwise is simply not true. When I hear union heads say that (again, I was IN A UNION and see their benefit), it infuriates me. Because in many ways it undersells what teachers have to do and the role they play for our society.
Anonymous says
“Essential” doesn’t mean you open in spite of any and all risks, though. “Essential” means you prioritize opening the essential service over other businesses and services, that you implement precautions to make it as safe as possible, and that you prioritize whom to serve and for what reasons. Where has anyone actually proposed a sensible plan for opening schools that prioritizes in-person education for kids who need it most (early elementary and at-risk kids) in as safe a way as possible (masks for all, N95 or elastomeric respirators for teachers, ventilation and air filtration in classrooms, shortened day so kids don’t have to take off their masks to eat, 6-foot distancing in classrooms and on buses, etc.)?
Another car seat question says
Does anyone have recommendations for FF carseats that can fit 3-across in a small car (2 carseats plus a small adult)? We could easily do this with our beloved Scenara Nexts, but our kids have sadly outgrown those.
TheElms says
This article from the Car Seat Lady has lots of suggestions to try. https://thecarseatlady.com/vehicles/3-across
FP says
Pricey but Clek Foonf and Clek Fllos fit three across in small cars. They are tall and narrow.
Anon says
+1 for Clek – have served us well
Anon says
just ranting. where i live a bunch of school superintendents are saying that they don’t like the county government’s guidelines for school reopening because they will make it hard to go in-person soon. the county government has absolutely no legal authority and no ability to enforce these guidelines. they are merely suggestions. there is only binding authority at the state level. it seems like a total waste of time and unproductive to spend time and energy writing letters to the county government about how you don’t like their suggestions. instead use that time/energy to figure out how to actually educate students rather than complaining about something that isn’t binding.
Anonymous says
Caveat: I am not a lawyer
What these non-binding recommendations do, though, is create a standard of care. If schools open in spite of recommendations to the contrary, it’s a liability issue when someone inevitably gets sicks. This is what happened in Montgomery County, MD. Even though the Health Officer eventually rescinded his blanked private school closure, he did so saying that he doesn’t think opening schools is safe, he’s just not allowed to forbid their opening. Many, many private schools are not starting in person until October, which *coincidentally* is how long the original closure order was for. From a risk management standpoint I understand the schools’ decisions, but it p1sses me off that the county basically bullied them into the same result.
Anon says
I don’t know where you are, but there might be more to the story. If the county government can hire or fire the superintendents, the superintendents have a strong interest in pushing back on the “guidance” that they do not like. The county government might not be able to force the schools to operate in a certain way, but it could fire the superintendents until they get in people who will operate the way they want.