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One of the things I’ll splurge on is a timeless quality coat that will last for years.
This splurge-worthy option for Vince is right up my alley. This longline leather trench works for day or night, the office or weekend (although I might suggest some other footwear than the loafer/slippers pictured).
The longer silhouette combined with the traditional belt and collar is the perfect combination for fall. I can see this coat only getting better with age.
Vince’s Belted Leather Trench Coat is $2,195 at Nordstrom and comes in XXS–XL. If four figures for a coat is hard to swallow, there are lots of other great options, including this classic vegan suede one from Banana Republic Factory that comes in regular, petite, and tall sizes. It’s even on sale for $101.99 with an extra 15% off your purchase.
Tahari has a faux-leather option in sizes 0X–3X that’s on sale for $215.60 at Macy’s.
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?
Quarantine says
I have no doubt this has been asked before, but my search skills are failing me. Our son tested positive for Covid yesterday. The rest of the household is symptom free and testing negative so far, but I know that could change at any moment. Suggestions for surviving the next however many weeks in quarantine with a three year old and seven year old? This is reminiscent of March 2020 and yet still does not feel any easier or less overwhelming. Husband and I both work full time and can work remotely, thankfully, but I’m already planning to scale back as much as possible. Kids are incredibly bummed about missing trick or treating (again!).
Cb says
The Lazy Genius just had 3 kids in quarantine and she did a podcast episode on it, so maybe some helpful tips there? In general, her life is very different from mine but I think her advice and principles are really sound.
I’d send out a bat signal for help – Could someone drop some food at your front door? Will grandparents facetime with your kids for a bit each day? If your son is feeling okay, does one of your friends have one of those indoor bounce houses they could drop off?
Waffles says
1. Exercise routine/challenge. Every little bit helps — even if it’s just a few yoga poses every day. Kids can do it, too.
2. Especially if you can’t go outdoors, a multivitamin for vitamin D.
3. PBS Kids, Brainpop Junior, and other educational TV/apps.
4. Organize/rotate toys and games.
5. Take it easy on yourself and your family, relax rules, try to build in some joy and indulge in some treats.
Hope this helps.
Anonymous says
Ugh, I’m sorry. I hope he’s not feeling too bad. When this happened to me my husband was out of town in August…and then he tested positive (after I did too) and had to stay where he was for the quarantine. So I just embraced screen time. This would be harder with a 3 year old — my son is 9 and video game obsessed — but the fact that we weren’t even supposed to leave our apartment for exercise was a bit liberating. I just accepted being a fairly crappy parent for that time. It also helped that I got sick so quickly after he did, and thus our quarantine periods mostly overlapped. We did grocery delivery and ordered food delivery a couple of times. I left the apartment to get COVID tested and to move the car. You might want to make sure you have any kind of OTC medications you might want in case more people get sick (very likely I’m afraid) and/or symptoms change. My son developed a cough after a few days and I wished I had cough drops; by the time they came it was better though. Re: Halloween – plan a party for your family in the house. Order a bunch of candy, make a cake and decorations, do a scavenger hunt to find the candy. And start planning something fun to do as a family when you are better – having those antibodies is kind of freeing!
Anonymous says
can you arrange for a lot of “booing” over halloween?
Anon says
Look up your school policies, esp for your 7 year old. At our school, if a kid is positive, they are able to return to school 10 days later. But a sibling is considered exposed for those 10 days so then must stay home another 14 days after that. And the clock resets when someone else tests positive.
Luckily our district is implementing Test to Stay which should help get kids back in school faster, but still. Make sure you know the rules and guidelines so you can test on the right days required by your school.
govtattymom says
Did your son test positive from a rapid test or PCR? I recently tested positive with a rapid test but my PCR results came back negative a few days later. My ideas from the period of quarantine we did- craft projects (do you have any kiwi crates or similar?), soccer in your yard, learning apps, screen time, and reading books. We also did Starbucks and Chick-fil-A delivery to keep our spirits up. :) Thinking of you!!!!!
Anon says
hugs. how is kiddo feeling so far? glad so far everyone else is symptom free/negative. i know it is really hard, but to keep it that way you might try to encourage mask wearing. this is the time to let all standards fly out the window. lean into takeout and frozen meals, pb & j, grilled cheese, etc. make a loose schedule for your kids. i have 3 year old twins – long bath times seem to be a good way to kill time. my kids still have trouble with long screen time and only like to watch ‘baby’ shows like cocomelon. good luck!
Anonanonanon says
I wrote a really long post with suggestions of specific items/toys/games that really got us through but it has disappeared. Hopefully just in mod.
AIMS says
Can you ask some friends to drop treats of at your door on Sunday? Kind of like a little Halloween that comes to you? We live in a big building that didn’t allow trick or treat last year and a lot of the people with kids dropped off Halloween goodie bags for each other. We’re probably doing it again this year. I have a friend who was quarantined on Easter and her kids dressed up and we dropped off Easter bunny candy for them. Kids are pretty good about rolling with this kind of thing in my experience.
Other ideas – crafts, baking cookies/muffins, movie nights every day (if you haven’t seen Luka yet it’s super cute and would work for both a 3 and a 7 year old), treasure hunts in the backyard if you have one (in the house if you don’t). Agree with advice to confirm with PCR test if you only did a rapid. We were quarantined with a false positive earlier this year. We couldn’t go back to school either way but once we knew it wasn’t covid we took a lot of walks outside, etc.
Whatever the case, wishing everyone a speedy recovery and good health!
OP says
Thank you all! (I’m looking forward to that list, Anonanonanon!) It’s our three year old who’s positive–he had two positive rapid tests yesterday morning, which were confirmed with a quick turnaround PCR test. His symptoms are pretty mild so far–a cough and a runny nose, but no fever. Our second grader will be out of school for a few weeks, unless she, my husband, or I test positive in there and then the timelines of course will change again. The logistics are a lot, but I know we are far from alone in this. I appreciate all of the ideas!
Anonymous says
I suggest taking off as much time as you can. When my 3yo had COVID, I tried to keep up with work as much as possible, which involved a lot of late nights, and I developed some pretty bad habits.
Embrace screentime and whatever you can do to make life easier (new toys, craft sets, workbooks — either order online or no contact curbside pick). And if you can do so safely, outdoor time — walks, playing outside, etc.
You didn’t ask if your and your husband should mask or not. We did, and neither of us tested positive (it was before we were vaxxed), despite having significant exposure before we knew 3yo had COVID. But it’s tough to do that and I think my approach to that might be different post-vax.
Anon says
+1 I’m not in Big Law or anything similarly intense, but “My young child has Covid” seems like a totally valid excuse for at least a week off work. Heck, I am basically taking this week off (monitoring email but not much else) because my child has non-Covid illness and isn’t old enough to entertain herself.
12:33 anon says
Yeah part of my thinking was that I figured I was going to get COVID from her and then wouldn’t be able to work at all so I didn’t want to get too far behind but (1) I didn’t end up getting it, and (2) even if I had, my logic was not good (assuming your employer isn’t an a-hole, which mine isn’t).
Anonymous says
Shaft called. He wants his coat back.
buffy says
Honestly some days “bad mother (shut your mouth)” is my aspirational aesthetic, depending on how cranky I am. I dig it.
(At least in the abstract – in reality I’ll stick with my lug sole boots)
AIMS says
I had a coat like this in high school. I remember my then-boyfriend’s friend told me I looked like an assassin in it and it made my day,
Anonymous says
Wouldn’t Shaft do something more dramatic than call, like shoot down the door?
Anonymous says
True.
Pogo says
I actually lol’d
Cb says
Favourite Christmas and winter books? I want to round out our collection a bit this year.
Anonymous says
Santa Mouse
The Gift of the Magi illustrated by PJ Lynch
Anonymous says
I like Father Christmas Needs a Wee.
Spirograph says
My kids really like Christmas Trolls (by Jan Brett) & Babar and Father Christmas
Anonymous says
Anything by Jan Brett is so lovely. The Night Before Christmas illustrated by Tasha Tudor is another favorite.
Anonymous says
Apple Tree Christmas, though warning you will cry!
Anonymous says
The Mitten
AIMS says
The Snowy Day! It’s one of the few books I don’t mind reading multiple times over. There’s a pretty cute cartoon of it too.
We also like Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton. And I will read A Pussycat’s Christmas (Margaret Wise Brown) to my kids before bedtime – something about it is just so soothing, they go right to sleep.
DLC says
If you are okay with religious, I love The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me by Jeanette Winterson. It tells the story of the animals auditioning for the chance to carry Mary to Bethlehem. It’s somewhere between a picture book and a short chapter book.
And The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, if you want a chapter book. The audiobook read by Elaine Stritch is hilarious if you have a road trip or some such coming up.
Anon says
Miracle on 34th Street!
Pogo says
Katy and the Big Snow, the Snowy Day
AIMS says
These are two of our favorites. Also A P*ssycat’s Christmas by Margaret Wise Brown.
Mary Moo Cow says
Toot and Puddle I’ll Be Home For Christmas, Toot and Puddle Let it Snow. The illustrations are beautiful!
Anaonanoan says
We are in the battle of our lives every morning with our preschooler to get dressed for school. Any tips or tricks that have worked for you? He is getting too strong physically for me to wrangle.
Cb says
OMG…my kid had 2 outfit changes yesterday because he looked super cute (confirmed in the mirror) and he wanted to look super cool. We did a sticker chart for getting himself dressed but his sleepiness wins out against his desire for a future reward. I’d make breakfast at home contingent on him getting dressed in a timely fashion but my husband thinks this is too mean, and he does all the dropoffs so would get the judgement from the other train passengers “you didn’t feed me breakfast!”
Anon says
Have him sleep in his clothes
anon says
We’ve had this too! Any clothing changes, ugh. So, what has been working better the past few days is something that was really his idea. So, I think that’s why it is working more than it being a “hack.” In the morning, he puts his PJs in what he has decided is his “PJ basket,” and puts on the uniform. At night, he gets out the PJs and helps me “pick out” his uniform to put in the basket (aka, which socks do you want to put in the basket? because unfortunately there’s not much choice with the uniform.) It’s not perfect but it’s made him less resistant. Note- it took several days of trying lots of things (he didn’t want to sleep in the uniform, he had no “ideas” the first few times I asked him what would help, etc. etc.) so as with all kid struggles, patience and reminding yourself that these are future leadership skills :P
Anon says
We do this with my 4yos and it’s great. They can still dawdle in the morning, but there are no more arguments about who gets to wear what or long debates about which pants to choose today since they just put on whatever they picked out and put in their basket last night.
anon says
We have our kids pick a song from Spotify and then they have to get dressed before the song is over.
Spirograph says
What’s the root of the battle? Does he not want to put clothes on in general, or is he fighting about what to wear? If the issue is getting dressed at all, I agree — sleep in clothes for the next day. If he’s trying to wear things that are ridiculous or inappropriate for the weather, 1. remove summer things from his dresser, 2. let him pick his own clothes, 3. put a jacket and a pair of pants in his school bag, just in case.
Anon says
Both my boys have responded really well to a visual schedule (which I draw on regular paper and put in a sleeve protector) starting at “wake up” and going through every step until “get on the bus.” My 4-year-old, especially, enjoys consulting it each morning and is intent on following it step by step (even if we’re running late, he still insists he has to play a little before putting on sneakers because that’s what the chart says. So choose your activities wisely, lol)
Also, while my younger son benefits from a parent being present and helping him stay on task, my oldest did better when I left him alone to get dressed. He would fool around with me there and I would get frustrated and it was a vicious cycle. And definitely pick out and agree on clothes together the night before!
ElisaR says
one thing that helped us is getting dressed immediately upon wake up. get it out of the way, kid is not in full fight mode yet, it’s still tough but check it off your to-do list early.
Anonanonanon says
My kid will go from wrestling to rushing if I set a timer and say it’s a “race.” I like the song idea above, too.
Anonymous says
Be careful with this. When it works, it works well… but my kids are hypercompetitive, and scream and cry in a very counterproductive way if they “lose”
Anonanonanon says
Sometimes I secretly pause the timer if she’s actually working to get dressed and it looks like she won’t make it to prevent a meltdown hahaha!
Anonymous says
Bribe with PBS Kids.
AwayEmily says
We get our kids dressed in front of the TV. I totally get that it might not work for everyone but it is a godsend for us. 12-15 min of TV after breakfast is enough to get them both dressed, hair brushed, shoes on. Our mornings are very easy. And my 3.5yo has Strong Preferences about what he wears so we have him pick out his outfit the night before. My 5yo could care less.
Anonymous says
Ugh. I lived this too and it is so hard. I thought he would be too old for a sticker chart but I was desperate, so I made a sticker chart and told him that if he got dressed without whining or tantruming for 10 school days he would get a prize. I asked him what he wanted and he said a gold medal (lol), so darned if I didn’t go online and order a gold medal for like 7 bucks. I drew a picture of the gold medal on the sticker chart and talked it up constantly. Lo and behold he earned the medal and was really excited. The chart and prize was definitely enough to get us over the hump. Wish I would have done it months earlier!
Pogo says
Some good solutions already, but know that we had this battle for a period of time and it FINALLY resolved as he kinda grew out of it. Sticker chart is still use but the stickers are for general “being a listener” or “being a helper” type things, so if I see him starting to flounder in the morning sticker can be used as a bribe.
We stopped using screen time when it became a battle to get him to turn it off and get into the car.
Note that he still needs us to dress him at 4. He can do his own underwear reliably, but needs some help with pants and he’s useless with shirts. He hates to stop playing to get dressed, so I either tell him he can play for 5min after, or I basically dress him while he’s playing. And by playing of course I mean constructing an elaborate Lego creation.
Sleep helppp says
What do you do with a 3.5 yo that just won’t stop coming out of bed? We have been walking her back to bed every time calmly and tucking her back in and not engaging about 10 times every night between bedtime and wake up for about 4 months and it’s driving us mad. Prizes for staying in bed have not worked.
Anonymous says
Doorknob lock or tall baby gate.
Pogo says
+1 but also, how is the rest of sleep going? Nap being dropped, or does it need to be dropped? Bedtime too late? When ours had sleep struggles it affects all parts of sleep. Yesterday was a no nap day (we’re in the process of dropping it, so he naps a few days a week and not others) and bedtime should have been a hard 6:30. Lights weren’t out til 7:15 and just that 45min delay turned him into a monster and gave us two night wakeups.
Our worst stretch was when babysitter wasn’t capping nap and he was sleeping 3h each afternoon, going to bed at 9pm, sleeping til 7, with multiple wakeups in between often. Our sweet spot is either 1h nap and 7:30 lights out, or no nap and 6:30 lights out. We deviate at all (see last night) and all h3ll breaks loose.
Hugs. The worst is when you wake up out of a dead sleep and you can’t tell if it’s a preschooler screaming “covvverrr meee with blankeyyyy” or a toddler howling “mamaaaaaa”. They all sound the same when you’re exhausted!!
Anon says
We co-sleep for middle of the night wakeups – most sleep for the most number of people. She knows not to wake us up and we sleep through most of the times she crawls in with us (and even if I wake up, it is easy to fall back asleep because I didn’t get out of bed). We tried a sleeping bag on the floor but that was not super successful (although gets occasional use). I remind myself she is not going to still be sleeping with us in college. She is now a little over 4 and I would say in the last few weeks it has only been every other night that she crawls in, so progress!
anon says
Is she tired at bedtime? Is she still napping? We had BIG issues at that age with a nap and falling asleep. We give her nightlight and books and say we will come check on her but she needs to stay in bed. I’d give he two chances and lock the door on the outside if it gets bad (but you need to know she’s tired which she absolutely is if she’s not napping).
Ashley says
Door monkey on the bedroom door so they can’t leave the room :)
Anon says
We’re looking to book a vacation in June 2021 while I’m still on maternity leave. Baby should be ~4 months old at this point, and we have two other children who will be 2 and 7. We will likely have a set of grandparents tag along for help. We’re looking at locations along the coast in South Carolina and Georgia (Florida would work too but we’ve been a few times recently). Any particular recommendations for towns/islands to look at? I’m envisioning a Marriott Vacation Club-type place with multiple bedrooms per unit that has kids activities, a pool and an in-unit kitchen, but I wouldn’t be opposed to renting a house. We’re traveling from Michigan so would most likely travel by plane. TIA for any ideas!
Anon says
Isle of Palms outside of Charleston is lovely. There is a resort (wild dunes) or you can just rent a house on the island (we’ve done both over the past two decades). Gentle waves, uncrowded beach, about 30 minutes by car from the airport if I recall (you would need to rent a car). Sullivan’s Island is a little more residential but also nice. Hilton Head is popular but touristy. I have also heard Sea Island in Georgia is lovely but have not been personally. We recently did North Myrtle Beach with extended family and a 4YO (rented a house) and it was a good beach trip but not as nice as IOP (but a shorter drive and certainly cheaper).
Anon says
Check out the Wyndham properties at Edisto Island. It’s a very small and quiet island, but there are non-beach things to do at the resort. Charleston is about an hour north for flights and other activities.
NYCer says
Kiawah Island, SC and Sea Island, GA are both great family friendly destinations. I have heard good things about Jekyll Island Club, but have never been.
Anon says
We went to Miramar Beach, FL last year and enjoyed it so much we’re going again this year. We stay in a house but friends have raved about the Watercolor Inn which is pretty close (Seaside) and more of a resort with pools and kids’ activities. We drive it in one loooong day from the Chicago area. We didn’t fly in 2020 because of Covid; this year we’d be comfortable flying if necessary but for a variety of reasons decided to just drive again. I think I have a higher tolerance for long road trips than the average person though.
Milk/water cup for daycare says
My daughter is starting a new daycare around her 1 year birthday and we need to provide all whole milk. We use a straw cup at home, but it doesn’t keep liquids cold. Can I get some recs for a water bottle with a straw that keeps liquids cold throughout the day that a 1 year old could handle?
Every time I feel like I find a good choice on Amazon, a review comes up that the person had mold issues. I would like to buy 2-3 so want cost to be reasonable.
Anonymous says
They don’t have a fridge?!?
The Thermos Funtainer will keep milk cold all day and is easy to handle and clean.
anon says
Thermos Funtainer was our go to. It’s easy to clean.
anon says
Yeah, I think they will refrigerate so you might be able to just keep the same straw cup. We have kids yetis for both LOs, but we use them only for water. BUT unlike many water bottles/cups, we can throw the whole thing in the dishwasher, it’s been very sturdy, and the straw is thick enough that the dishwasher works on it AND the kids don’t chomp down on the bottom like they did on other water bottles (why though, kids, why? haha).
Anon says
Thermos Funtainer is easy to clean and I feel like it actually gets clean in the dishwasher (no mold here in 2+ years), but the Contigo stainless spill-proof straw cup I think keeps things colder and is more spill proof but still dishwasher safe as well (although I am not sure about how clean the valve in the straw will stay (keeping an eye on it).
Anon says
They should absolutely be providing a fridge so I wouldn’t worry if the cup can keep it cold. Otherwise, I think our stainless steel cups work pretty well. We have a stainless munchkin 360, a think baby (meh on this one but I hate straws), and a pura kiki (definitely the best quality/most insulated). Munchkin probably makes a stainless straw cup, too. They are heavier than plastic though if your kid is a thrower.
Anonanonanon says
I am shocked they don’t provide a fridge to the point that I seriously doubt that’s allowed under licensing.
Regardless, we’ve had good luck with the yeti kids bottle for my daughter. They’re hefty though so someone could definitely get “hit upside the head” as my elders used to say. She’s been using it since she was 2 for ice water at school but I can’t remember what 1-year-olds can do so not sure if it’ll work for your needs.
EDAnon says
Can you send 1-2 cups and then gallons of milk? I know someone with twins who brought in gallons of breast milk.
ALC says
My dad just got diagnosed with a heart condition for which he’ll need to take it easy for 4 weeks taking a certain drug and then have surgery. I want to send him something (we live several states away, and he’s said he’d prefer we wait to visit until after the procedure). Any ideas? I was thinking a crossword puzzle book and some sort of food. He said he’s not on any special diet, but I’m assuming no alcohol or caffeine. Thanks!
Spirograph says
What are his interests? If he’s a reader, maybe a magazine subscription or a book series?
Anon says
Does he like actual puzzles? A few new actual puzzles and a puzzle mat or puzzle table could be fun.
anon says
A new streaming service? Appletv+ if he hasn’t watched Ted Lasso; Acorn if he likes British stuff; Hulu if he only has Netflix, etc.
Anon says
I just went through this with my parents who live halfway across the country. I sent both dad and mom a distraction item. For Mom, it was money to buy a level-up thing in a phone game she loves. For Dad, it was money to buy a few books for his beloved Kindle (he loves being able to increase the font). We also colored like 10 pieces of paper that said “Rest Up” and “Get Well Soon” and instructed them to hang all around the house.
Then a few weeks later, we sent flowers and a big fruit tower with more colored papers to hang. Their house looks ridiculous but they swear it raises spirits to see grandkid art all over their walls.
After surgery, we sent a selection of crossword puzzles and puzzle books, and the same amount of money for the same items, to “refresh” their distractions. And we definitely FaceTimed regularly throughout – they loved the long rambling “talks” with the grandkids.
ALC says
Thank you! Notes/drawings from the grandkid are a great idea (and yes, we’re doing lots of facetimes)! And thanks above for the streaming service idea — I bet he’d like some Apple TV shows and he wouldn’t get that for himself.
Anonymous says
Agree with the streaming service. For whatever reason my in-laws didn’t have Netflix, so we gave them a subscription and helped them set it up and they loved it. What was really great about it was that they got into some of the same shows we liked and it gave us something new to talk about.
ATLien says
Custom puzzle of family pic
Jeffiner says
Does anyone have a daughter with ADHD? We had our parent-teacher conference yesterday, and the teacher said she wasn’t ready to recommend an evaluation for my daughter yet, but we might need to do that as the year progresses. My daughter is 6, and in first grade. She has really exaggerated emotional responses, bursting out in tears at the slightest thing. She is hypertalkative, and takes a long time to process directions. And she is a perfectionist who will avoid difficult tasks. For example my daughter is a whiz at math and will gladly do all her math worksheets, but its an all out fight to get her to do any reading or writing. And its not that my daughter is struggling academically, her reading and writing skills are about average for a first grader, its just that her intense avoidance of the task is giving the teacher (and us) pause.
My husband and I actually suggested an evaluation to her pre-K teacher, but the teacher didn’t think we’d get a diagnosis. The teacher’s reasoning was that our daughter is very detail oriented and remembers even the smallest details, although she does exhibit other ADHD symptoms. My daughter struggled the first semester of Kindergarten, but then suddenly blossomed into a great student in the second semester. And she’s always been a late developer – she walked late, talked late, potty trained late, but once she did start a skill, she quickly mastered it.
Being emotional and hating homework is all pretty typical 6 year old stuff. But the fact that we’ve been thinking about this for two years now tells me it probably won’t just go away next semester like the teacher is hoping. At the same time, I’m not confident we’d get a diagnosis if we did an eval. So I’m not sure what to do. Also, any advice on how to help convince her to do her homework, or to process directions?
Anonymous says
That sounds exactly like my ADHD son at 6 (it is still an all-out fight to get him to do reading and writing). Break work into very small chunks, with feedback and a small rewards after each piece is completed. Multi-step directions and future planning are hard for people with ADHD. You really need to break it down, do one thing at a time, and don’t even introduce the dependency/causal relationship with the next step. Just one thing, feedback/reward, then next thing. Homework is hard. really, really hard.
anon says
OK, so my son was diagnosed with ADHD at the end of second grade. Take this for what you will, but we had asked his kindergarten and first grade teachers whether they thought we should get them evaluated. They all said no. I’m still a little PO’ed about it, TBH. Intelligence and academic performance are NOT always a good indicator of whether a kid has ADHD. Kid legit tests in the gifted category. And he is, but he also has moderate to severe ADHD.
We’ve had more luck working outside the school system. Call your ped and ask for an evaluation. If there are enough indicators, the ped should refer you to a behavioral therapist who can do a more comprehensive evaluation. I still kick myself for not taking things into our own hands sooner and relying on his teachers to guide us. Sadly, a lot of teachers are pretty ill-informed about ADHD even though it’s a common learning difference.
anon says
Also, my DS also is very detail-oriented. Again, not always a great indicator.
Anonymous says
I agree with the suggestion to start with a private evaluation. Find out what the issue is and what accommodations are likely to be helpful, get it all neatly organized, and hire an educational consultant to tell you what buzzwords to mention and to accompany you to the meetings with the school. Make it easy for the school to sign off on what your child actually needs. The school’s incentive is to invest the minimum amount of resources possible in complying with the minimum requirements of the law, so of course they are going to brush off concerns about a bright child who is not failing the state tests.
anon says
My 8 year old son has inattentive type ADHD, also a high academic performer when he gets his act together and completes the work. He was diagnosed last year in 2nd grade. Honestly, the diagnosis doesn’t mean too much to me unless you want to medicate (which we may have to in the next year or so if things don’t turn around). It’s about providing the appropriate support for the lack of executive function skills. He had a wonderful 2nd grade teacher and she essentially said she saw what his needs were and would meet them with or without a piece of paper. He sits away from the window, in the front of the room so she could easily redirect him, etc. I could see how another parent might have seen her as dismissive because she didn’t care about the diagnosis, but I got what she meant, and she really did give him what he needed, which wasn’t any formal accommodation.
Anonymous says
This is a wonderful story, but in many cases support for executive functioning is not something the teacher is going to provide on her own initiative, especially for a smart kid who will tend to be viewed as “lazy.” A diagnosis isn’t just a way to get medication; it’s also a way to access executive functioning supports both in and out of school.
Anonymous says
This is how our son’s teachers have handled it, too. We’re not opposed to medication, but until the teachers note that he’s struggling academically or (especially) socially, we don’t want to push it. We’ve been fortunate to have great teachers that understand ADHD and communicate well with us. Early elementary doesn’t matter much from an academic standpoint — it’s more about developing good habits. I’d rather we work on habits in the context of natural brain chemistry, first.
Anonymous says
I am going to push back against the idea that a diagnosis is not useful. I have a 2e kid for whom we are in the process of requesting a 504 plan, which we had been reluctant to do. I have been pleasantly surprised at the range of seemingly simple but very helpful non-drug supports that the actual professionals can come up with, none of which has ever been volunteered by a teacher. These are not accommodations designed to water down the curriculum or lower the expectations; rather, they are designed to support the student in building executive functioning skills so that supports are eventually no longer needed.
Anonymous says
Oh I’m not sure anyone is trying to say that a diagnosis isn’t useful! My son *is* diagnosed. We just have not (yet) seen the need for a formal plan or accommodations. Caveat: my son is in a private Montessori school at the moment, not a public school. He did 1st grade in public school and his teacher there was lovely and supportive even without a plan. He will likely be back in public school next year and we’ll take that as it comes.
OP, IME, teachers and physicians do not often recommend evaluations until 1st grade, so I’m not surprised they pushed back in pre-K. But this year might be worth looking into. Our eval was just a questionnaire for parents and teachers.
Anonanonanon says
Hi! I was the ADHD daughter! Just some thoughts:
-Six is young for homework, and young for worrying about not doing homework. Not saying don’t try to make her do it, but to your point, what six-year-old wants to do homework?
-I am very happy my parents did not ask for accommodations for me. If your child is doing well enough in school without them, I’d wait a couple of years until she’s old enough to have a discussion about that. Could I have gotten better grades? probably! Did my elementary or middle school grades ever matter? No! Did not having accommodations eventually lead to me figuring out how to work with what I have? definitely! Did I go to a great university and do well on standardized tests and turn out fine? Yes! Other kids notice accommodations, and it really would have impacted my self-esteem if I had to explain to kids why I got longer to take a test or took it in a different room. Again, definitely a different case if your kid can’t stay on grade-level without them, but if it’s the difference between on grade level and being in the “advanced” class I’d maybe let it slide.
-I did not start ADHD medication until the second half of 8th grade and I think that was perfect timing. The medication calmed my brain down enough to focus and do homework, then I got to see that it actually felt good to get homework out of the way and not be scrambling to study for a test before the bell rings etc. However, that medication is serious business and I can’t imagine taking it at a younger age.
All of that to say, if she’s on track I’d give it a bit longer before worrying about accommodations or medication and without either of those goals I’m not sure what an official diagnosis would provide.
Anonymous says
I agree on avoiding school accommodations if possible, but a diagnosis and private coaching could help this kid learn to “work with what she has” much more easily and less painfully than leaving her to figure it out for herself.
Anonanonanon says
That’s a great point, I hadn’t considered private coaching!
Jeffiner says
Yes! I would love private coaching and learning how to help my child. In the conference, the teacher asked us for techniques and suggestions on helping our daughter, and I was just like…uhhhh?
anon says
Following, because this describes my 5yo daughter exactly and we’re also debating if we should pursue an ADHD diagnosis for her.
Daycare Blues says
First week of daycare for our 3.5 month old and woof. I think it’s going well, the transition’s just rough. Family was watching her the past couple of weeks when I started work and we were still waiting for her spot to open up. I just miss the photos and she’s been exhausted all week. It sucks to have her in care from 7-5:30 when she’s sleeping from 6:30-6:15 (apart from feeds) so I feel like we barely see her. The daycare is great, they’re awesome about the updates that matter etc etc. I guess I just want to whine and hope people can weigh in on if it’ll get better.
Anon. says
It will get better. She’ll adjust to the new routine to not be so exhausted. As she gets older she’ll sleep less so you’ll spend more time with her. My second is 22 months now (literally this time last year she was just learning to walk) and has soooo much fun at daycare. If we miss a few days, she’s asking about Ms. Jo and her friend Ruby. She eagerly bounds in the door of school looking for them.
Anonymous says
What’s your job like? Can you discreetly take off one afternoon a week for a while, and pick her up early, then work in the evening to catch up? I find I am SO much happier with that little bit of extra time. My company is a “just get your work done” type of place, so I’ve been able to figure out ways like that to spend more awake time with my kids as babies.
Anon says
+1 it may get better but it may not. Many preschoolers still need ~12 hours of sleep at night particularly if they drop naps early like mine did. We really don’t see our 3 year old much on weeknights unless we make an effort to get her early.
Anonymous says
My 6 year old still needs almost 12 hours of sleep so I literally see him for 45 minutes sometimes. Signed, no idea how kids this age do soccer practice at 6 pm like they all seem to.
AnonATL says
We try really hard to pick ours up at 4 so we get a solid 2 hours of play before he starts bedtime routine. Granted he is occasionally a gremlin during those 2 hours, but we get to see him. Otherwise I make a point of doing something small but fun on the weekends like going to the park where I’m really engaged.
Pogo says
Hugs. It is hard with little ones – I for sure miss the snuggles! I try to focus on getting quality time on the weekends, and during bathtime. Also, this sounds weird maybe, but I try to take a video or two when he’s awake so I can watch after he’s asleep and marvel at how cute he is.
It does get better with older kids because they’re more interactive, I think. Even though my 4yo needs a pretty early bedtime, I feel like we spend quality time reading books and doing songs with bedtime, and in the morning while he’s playing he’s talking to me. With a baby, they kind just do their thing… If that makes sense.
Anon says
The flip side of that is that babies don’t tell you they miss you and don’t really care if it’s a parent or grandparent or daycare teacher or nanny rocking them to sleep as long as they’re being held by a loving caregiver. I think I’m not really a baby person, but I’ve actually found that it gets harder as they get older and want more of your time and attention.
Curious says
Oh no that sounds so hard. I’m considering taking the 4-day-a-week ramp back option when I go back for this reason. This is making me feel like it would be worth it.
anon says
Late response but . . .you aren’t whining! You are a mom and you miss your baby. That’s so normal. don’t feel bad about it. It’s hard, but you’ll get through it. Hugs.
Anon says
Can anyone think of a fun gift for a 7 turning 8 year old who loves crystals, fairies, etc? There are only so many grow your own crystal kits and fairy books that a girl needs.
Anonymous says
What about a terrarium kit? I’ve seen several with a “fairy garden” theme
So Anon says
I found one for my daughter for her 8th birthday that had crystals, fairies and grew grass in the terrarium. It was great until my daughter left the top off and the lush grass was inviting to our Newfie. RIP terrarium. It was a whole scene with grass and a bit of crystal stuck hanging out of the Newfie’s mouth.
Anonymous says
I hope you got a photo!
Anonanonanon says
You have a newfie? I grew up with one and they are just the best dogs!
Anon Lawyer says
Or stuff to make an outside fairy garden if you have a yard. People in my town set them up on their trees by the median strips and they’re so much fun to walk by and look at, especially for kids. (Though obviously you don’t want to put valuable/sentimental stuff in the public facing area.)
Anon says
A geode that she can crack open?
Anonymous says
Not really a gift idea, but I recently learned about geode cakes, and wow are the awesome
AIMS says
Search Fairy Gifts on Etsy. So many ideas!
Anonymous says
https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Break-Premium-Geodes/dp/B0160JB7IS/ref=asc_df_B0160JB7IS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198124134154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3173667798321393650&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001878&hvtargid=pla-372267688205&psc=1
Anon says
If my 4 year old can’t sit through Frozen the movie, I shouldn’t buy tickets for Frozen the Musical right? Part of me thinks the stage show might be more engaging for her than the screen (we took her to a Very Hungry Caterpillar show as a toddler and she was absolutely captivated) but that’s probably wishful thinking.
Anon says
Probably not. As a society we seem to give our (first) children experiences too soon because we as parents think it’ll be awesome, when a kid would be happier with something cheaper and simpler. I am including myself in this! (Disney on Ice was not the hit I thought it would be). If you want to go see the show for yourself then I can see an argument for bringing your daughter, but I definitely wouldn’t do it *for* her. Seems like an activity better enjoyed at 6 or 7
Anon says
Thanks, I’m definitely guilty of this. I do not want to see the show myself, just wanted to experience it with her, but it sounds like I should wait.
Anonymous says
Following with interest! I was thinking of taking my 5 year old to this, but then I saw on the Broadway s!te that it’s recommended for ages 8+.
Anonymous says
Isn’t Frozen supposed to be something like an actual musical, not one of those silly kids’ shows? That said, when The Lion King came to town when my daughter was in first grade many of her peers had the attention span to enjoy it. I would say 5 is probably fine if your child has a long attention span, can sit through an entire movie and follow the plot, and can behave at the theatre. If not, I’d wait until age 7 or 8.
Anonymous says
No. It’s also a long time for a little kid to just be sitting still wearing a mask.
Anon says
We’ve done 12 hour airplane flights where she wore a mask the whole time so I have no worries about that. But you’re right, I doubt she’d be able to sit still for the whole show.
Anonymous says
Yes, wait until she’s older.
RR says
I took my youngest to two actual ballets when she was 4, so I vote do it if you want to. Mine did great at Nutcracker and fell asleep in Act III of Cinderella. But it’s a great experience for kids to start getting used to the arts. Dress up. Talk to her about how exciting and grown up it is. You can usually have snacks, so you can plan to dole those out toward the end if it’s getting rough. Try to book an aisle seat. Worst case, you leave early.
I’ve been to the ballet specifically with my daughters at all ages from 4 to now 13 (my eldest). I’ve never had anyone look askance at us, even when we were going to not traditionally kid or family ballets. And I’ve seen others make it work with even younger kids. Expose your kids to the arts and don’t stress too much. It will be fine.
Anonymous says
It’s entirely kid-dependent. We started taking our daughter to the symphony and the ballet at just under 4 and it was wonderful, but it absolutely would never have worked with any of her cousins. As much as I’d like to believe it was our perfect parenting and high expectations that enabled her to sit still and pay attention for 2+ hours, I think it was mostly luck of the draw on personality.
Anonymous says
+1 we love to expose my almost 4 year old to the arts and other adult-centric activities but there is no way she could sit through a fill ballet any time soon. It’s just her personality. She never stops moving or talking. I was very different as a child (quiet and introspective) and my parents took me to the ballet and theatre around age 4-5.
RR says
Totally fair. I will say I have 3 kids with very different personalities, none of whom are generally quiet and well-behaved. Feral is a better word. But, there were strategies they responded well too and that’s not true for every child.
Anonymous says
Right. My philosophy is not to shell out for any expensive shows until my kids have proven to be able to hang. To that end, we’ve tried out lower-stakes, lower-cost community shows frequently as a test. They always failed. :) At 4, my kids couldn’t sit through any shows not geared explicitly to small children. We have attempted the following over the years:
– Community theater musical (no, kids <6 got wiggly and needed to be taken out in the hall)
– Youth ballet performances of abridged Nutcracker, fairy tales (no, kids <6 got wiggly near the end and had to be taken out in the hall)
– Outdoor symphony concerts – lawn tickets (good, but had to get up and walk around)
– Disney on Ice (ok, kid noise and wiggles happened, but were expected, so not disruptive to other people)
– Monster Jam (excellent, friends shared seats in a box with us and some other families, so there was a contained space kids could move around freely, plus noise is a non-issue)
– Various minor and major league sporting events (kids <8 always get wiggly, but noise is a non-issue)
– Movie theater (kids <5 get wiggly, irrespective of how much they like the movie. At home, my youngest regularly gets up halfway through movie night and starts building with blocks or something while he watches)
– Live music series for kids at a local restaurant (good, kids wander between the stage and our table, and the bands encourage movement/singing along/interaction)
SC says
My in-laws tried to take Kiddo and his cousin to a youth ballet performance of the abridged Nutcracker when they were 3. None of the parents thought it was a great idea, but in-laws seemed to really want to do it, so we let them go ahead and try. Apparently, it was an epic disaster. They left early and ended up playing at our house. We also found out that MIL, who is more in touch with appropriate expectations for kids, thought it was a terrible idea the whole time, but FIL was insistent and was going to take both kids. MIL knew that was a terrible idea and felt pressured to go with him.
Spirograph says
ha! Yeah, we go to these with pretty low expectations, designate the first-round “hall” parent ahead of time, and agree on the conditions for which we’ll call it and go home early. We left the community theater musical after the first act, and stayed to the end of an MLB game for the first time just this summer (youngest was 5) but have made it through all the others in some form or fashion.
I do think it’s easier/better to go with just ONE small child, if you’re going to do a grown-up performance. It definitely goes downhill more quickly when two antsy kids can feed off each other.
SC says
I am guilty of trying to create experiences my son is not ready for. I remind myself that there will be time–Frozen the Musical will be touring for years. This is unlikely your only opportunity to see it. And, if for some reason it is, there will be other musicals and theater productions.
FWIW, we’ve had success with community theater productions of shorter shows geared to young children.
anon says
I took my daughter for her 5th birthday. She liked it and was attentive, but was confused by parts. For instance, she didn’t understand why young Elsa and adult Elsa were on the stage at the same time singing to each other (Elsa was reflecting on her childhood). She also was less wowed because the characters looked different than the movie (adult Anna was played by a black actress) so she immediately decided that it was just actors dressing up, whereas when she met Anna and Elsa at Disney she thought they were the real people. It was an okay experience overall.
By 7 yo my daughter thought Frozen was epically uncool and wouldn’t have been interested in seeing the show. She’s 8 now and I couldn’t drag her there.
Anonymous says
This is what puzzles me about the Frozen musical. The movie only appeals to little kids, but the musical is aimed at an older audience that has lost interest in the franchise. The Lion King works on stage because the story is halfway interesting and the music is good and the puppets are amazing, but Frozen doesn’t seem to have found that magical all-ages appeal. I can’t imagine that the show will last long.
AIMS says
I took my 4 year old to the ballet and it was a good experience. We dressed up, had a bite at the cafe together, etc.). I think it was a shorter program with more frequent intermissions so easier for her to enjoy. I would recommend sitting on the aisle near an exit so you can leave easily if needed.
My parents took me to a ton of theater starting at about 3/4 and i loved it. I also think that while kids vary it’s important to get them used to stuff like this if you want them to enjoy it. I have two kids and while they are naturally different my oldest is also just better at some of this stuff because she has been more consistently exposed to it.
DLC says
I took my daughter to see this in New York when she was five and she loved it, but sitting next to us was a family of five and one child slept through the whole thing, and I remember thinking, “Maybe the tickets were cheaper than getting a sitter in Manhattan….”
Anon says
You might look into Frozen Jr which is a kids show that’s shorter and doesn’t have an intermission. I haven’t been but it sounds like the audience skews a lot younger (3-5ish) so interruptions are more expected and tolerated. It’s not a Broadway show but a lot of community theaters do it. Community theater is also way cheaper so you won’t feel bad if you need to leave part way through. Our local theater is actually doing it in December but unfortunately masks aren’t required and my 3.5 year old won’t be vaccinated by then so we’re not going, but if she were vaxxed and/or masks would required I would be inclined to take her.
Early wakeups says
LO is 14 months, and keeps waking up early. We’ve tried slowly pushing dinner and bedtime back in preparation for daylight savings time ending, and she’s still waking up at around 5-5:30. A month or so ago, she was reliably sleeping until 6:30. I thought it was teething-related, but the two teeth that were bothering her are both in now, and it doesn’t look like any more are imminent. She’s at one nap now, which is usually around 2-2.5 hrs. Ideas?
Anon says
What time does she go to sleep?
Anonymous says
We’re now at 7:30, pushed back from 6:30.
Anon says
Is she cranky? If not, this may just be the amount of sleep that she needs. My daughter is 12 months, goes to sleep at 8:45-9pm (put her in her crib awake, she falls asleep within a few minutes), and is awake 7-7:30am. Sounds like they’re getting the same amount of sleep, so if you want a later morning, you might need a later bedtime.
Anonymous says
Very. Also cranky at the end of the day after dinner, so it almost seems like she’s overtired.
AIMS says
Not sure if you’re still reading but 730 was way too late for my kids at that age. I would do 630/7 and see if that does lead to longer sleep. Counterintuitive but whenever my kids wake up too early we go to bed earlier and they sleep longer.
Anonymous says
Thanks! We’ll give that a try over the weekend and see if that helps.
AIMS says
I feel like I’m in a sandwich rut for my 5 yr old’s lunch. She’s currently in a picky stage of eating. School doesn’t do nut butters (which are a go-to at home on weekends) and she doesn’t like cheese. I used to do a lot of ham and turkey but she often wouldn’t eat them and I don’t think it’s something i need to push since they’re not really that healthy to begin with. Right now we do a lot of cream cheese or butter/jelly. Have tried sunbutter and she didn’t like it (although her summer camp had sunbutter and jelly sandwiches and she loved those). I’m open to anything else (not sandwich) that she can eat easily at room temp. We use one of those little bento kids lunch boxes with little compartments.
Any healthy-ish snack ideas are also appreciated. Thanks!
Anonymous says
Have you tried the Tader Joe’s sunflower butter? We like it much more than the brand-name sunbutter.
For bentos, will she eat hard-boiled eggs or cold grilled chicken strips? Pasta with vinaigrette or pesto (tortellini is especially good, even cold)? Cookie and Kate Healthy Muffins, maybe split and spread with cream cheese? Pita, carrot chips, and hummus?
FVNC says
Hmm, I was going to suggest cream cheese sandwiches but you’re already doing that. I’m with your daughter on sunbetter. I tried some and thought it was awful (maybe it was just this particular brand I bought).
Anyway, will she eat beans? If so, you could try black beans and mild salsa, or chickpeas and avocado? Filling and healthy, and keep well at room temp. I also send a lot of mac n cheese or leftover pasta, which my kids seem to have no issues eating at room temp.
AIMS says
She will happily eat pasta (plain, with butter) but I feel bad sending her with just naked carbs every day. Def. more of a me issue than a her issue though.
FVNC says
Both mine are picky eaters, but find different foods acceptable, which makes lunch packing oh so fun! Carbs are the least common denominator so I pack more than I probably “should.” When the guilt starts to get to me, I pack ravioli or tortellini that has chicken or spinach filling — would that be an option? I’m under no illusion that it’s providing much better nutrition than plain pasta but it makes me feel better!
Realist says
Little raviolis or other dumpling type food that will be good room temp. Hard boiled eggs. Beef or Turkey Jerky. Roasted or smoked salmon. Tinned types of seafood (smoked oysters, sardines, tuna, salmon) can sometimes be a surprising hit, you can pair with crackers but pack carefully to avoid leaking fluids. Dolmas, if she will eat them. Rice balls. Flatbreads or pizza. I know you said no sandwiches, but mix up the bread maybe and make the sandwich with a pita, or a hawaiin roll, or a special flavored bread that she will like (like the sundried tomato they sell at Panera).
NYCer says
My kids will generally eat most anything at room temp, so if that isn’t the case for your daughter, some of these ideas wouldn’t work obviously:
Hard boiled eggs
Crackers/bread and hummus
Any type of pasta
Chicken nuggets (my kids have no issue eating them room temp)
Hot dogs
Meatballs
Larabars
Turkey roll-ups in a tortilla (instead of bread) – can also do this with cream cheese and jelly
I am also not a fan of sunbutter!
AwayEmily says
My 5yo is similarly selective, and also won’t eat cheese (so annoying) or yogurt (!). Her five lunch “mains” are: healthy muffins (I make big batches and freeze), a raisin bagel with cream cheese, leftover pasta, turkey sandwich, PBJ (luckily no one in her class has nut allergies so they’ve okayed nuts). We also do bento-style and I usually fill the other compartments up with fruit/veg (snap peas, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and pretty much any fruit), half a granola bar as “dessert,” and then something random (often just some deli meat if her main didn’t have any protein).
FVNC says
Do you have any favorite muffin recipes? This seems like it could be a winner for my picky kids.
AwayEmily says
If nuts are allowed, I love the almond meal “superhero muffins” (a Shalene Flanagan recipe, findable via Google). We sub in chopped up prunes instead of raisins. The website Cookie and Kate also has a ton of good healthy-ish muffin recipes (relatively low in sugar and most use whole wheat flour). Lately we’ve been making the apple ones a lot.
HSAL says
I really like the pizza muffins from Yummy Toddler. I like having the savory option for muffins.
Anonymous says
First off, you may be in a rut but kiddo may not care. We alternate between cheese sandwich (cheddar, plus butter and with or without salami), and sunbutter. I don’t like sunbutter, but the no salt Trader Joe’s is better than most. If she ate it before, perhaps mix up the jelly?
In any event, you could just mix up sides and embrace the sandwich rut. Or, one kid of mine likes red pepper strips and hummus, and you can throw hummus and veg on a sandwich.
DLC says
The podcast Didn’t I just Feed You? did a couple of great lunch episodes earlier this fall, that I found helpful. But one thing I really liked was they said that lunch doesn’t have to be the meal where you try to get all the “healthy” food in; lunch can be a bright spot in their day. And this resonated with me so much because when I was a kid, my mom packed me these bologna and mustard sandwiches and it was just so disappointing for me every day to have to eat them. That’s not to say pack them a bento box full of m&ms, but if eating crackers and cheese and plain pasta and applesauce is what my kid will eat, than I’ve come to be at peace with that being an acceptable lunch. I still try to smuggle a cucumber slice or two in there, but I’d rather try to get my kid to eat veggies at home than to pack them and know for sure that they’re not eating them.
All that said, somethings that work for us:
– quesadillas
-cream cheese and jam rolled up in a tortilla
-cream cheese and shredded carrots rilles up in a tortilla
– cream cheese on cucumbers
– mini bagels with cream cheese
-half an avocado
– potstickers/ dumplings
Anonymous says
I may be in the minority here, but I do not believe lunch variety is necessary. If there is an easy healthy enough lunch she likes, send it every day and use up your worries on something else. Signed, I ate PBJ every single day from K-8th grade, except grilled cheese every day in 1st grade, and live to tell the tale. (Extremely picky eater, SAH mom gave up on this early).
AIMS says
This is all so helpful! Thank you!
I completely forgot about muffins. She will eat almost all kinds and pizza muffins sound fantastic.
And dumplings are a great idea. I haven’t tried tortilla roll ups but probably should, too. The other day I packed some leftover fritters and she ate it very happily. I know variety isn’t a must but it definitely helps ensure that she eats well so trying to get inspired – this definitely did it!
ATLien says
If she’s so picky this may not help, but can you “spice up” the sunbutter with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, etc.?
Anon says
My kids’ school is ON IT and has parents signing up for vaccine spots for kids 5-12 in advance of approval.
I do want to be prepared though – I felt pretty terrible after my second dose. Have those of you with kids who have been vaccinated seen the same side effects as in adults (knowing it varies from person to person)? DD has a ballet performance the day after her slot – should I anticipate she may have a fever and aches? Kids are 5 and 6.
Seafinch says
Oh, and mine love any kind of Potstickers or Dumpling. I make extra to have some leftover for lunches.
Anon says
if you can get a different slot for DD I would. she might not be up for her ballet performance
Anonymous says
Where are people signing up for vaccine spots? I’m in NYC and don’t know of a way to do this here.
Anon says
It’s only through schools and peds’ offices for right now and they’re generally being conservative and booking for the week of Nov. 7 or even Nov. 14. The pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens won’t have appointments until the CDC officially signs off on Nov. 3. Personally I’d rather my kid get it ASAP on Nov. 4 even if it means going to a retail pharmacy, but I realize some people are more comfortable waiting a week or two and getting it from a pediatrician.
Anonymous says
I would keep trying to get an appointment at all the major pharmacy chains. When we went through this with our teenager, CVS opened up its booking system so parents could begin booking appointments for kids 12+ a day or so before the CDC recommendation was expected.
Anon says
Yeah we will keep checking but the different dose complicates things a bit. It’s not even clear to me CVS will have the pediatric vaccines by the day of the CDC approval.
AIMS says
In NYC, too. I just went to our pediatrician’s office for flu shots yesterday and he said that they won’t be doing them in the office for a while due to refrigeration issues. He said that they will probably start with hospitals and maybe some of the pediatric urgent cares.
NYCer says
FWIW, I am also in NYC, our ped’s office is doing them in office. They sent out an email last week as a heads up, but they are not booking appointments yet. They expect to have a covid shot “clinic” on a weekend similar to what they do for flu shots.
Seafinch says
Still a sandwich but all four of my kids love pâté and liverwurst sandwiches (I makey own which is a bit healthier) we also do tuna salad
and hummus sometimes in sandwiches, sometimes alone with crackers etc. Kielbasa,meatballs, and boiled eggs are also in rotation. But we also use small, wide mouth thermoses and do soup and lots of leftovers.
Old Navy Sale says
Womens Cozecore leggings and joggers on sale today at ON. $15 leggings