Make My Life Easier Thursday: Foldable Steam Board
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I find steaming my clothes so much easier than ironing (especially for delicate fabrics like silk). Right now, I steam my clothes over a bath towel, so this foldable steam board is the upgrade I need.
Hang this board up and the rotating hook lets you use both sides. The rounded top makes it a cinch to steam awkward areas like collars and shoulders. When you’re done, just fold it up for storage.
Brabantia’s Foldable Steam Board is $55 at Williams Sonoma and comes in gray and black.
Sales of note for 9/23/25
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off tops and sweaters
- Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 15% off
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles with code
- J.Crew – Extra 30% off sale styles, plus up to 50% off layers they love
- J.Crew Factory – 40-70% off everything + extra 60% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Nordstrom – Fall savings event! Also get 15% off select beauty items and 6x points on beauty.
- Talbots – Anniversary event! 25% off entire purchase, plus fresh fall classics from $34.50
My Kindergarten son is really struggling to make friends, especially with other boys, and it’s started to bother him/he’s asking about it. We’re trying to facilitate connections with boys in his class, and it’s just not really going well. He is much quieter than most other kids his age, and isn’t into sports. He was low muscle tone as a baby, and still doesn’t have great hand eye coordination (so even when he enjoys a physical activity, he’s not going to pick it up as quickly as other kids will).
On Monday, I had the chance to observe him with three other boys that he’s known for about 3 years at a cub scout meeting (they all went to the same preschool, and they are now in grade school together). These three other boys ran around for most of the meeting, and then they all played gaga ball. My son didn’t participate in really any of the physical stuff. He stood, very still, for most of the game, unless the ball came directly to him. He sat cross legged and listened respectfully to the scout master, while the other kids were running around, which is, I guess, great from a behavior standpoint, but also not ideal if the primary goal was for him to make buddies.
Having tried a bunch of playdates and scouts and a few other activities, it’s almost like the other boys can just…sense he’s different, and want nothing to do with him. He ran in, really excited to see these kids he recognized, and the other boys just straight up ignored him. Like, he went to give one a hug, and the kid kind of pushed him away and went running after one of the other kids. The kids don’t even say hi to him, most of the time. They parents will, and prompt their kid to say hi too, but the kid usually just stares at my son or will give a sort of wave. The parents are all lovely, and people we know socially. I’d be shocked if anyone is at home reinforcing some weird stereotypes about boys, but it’s like, he’s just naturally not on the pecking order for most 5 and 6 year old boys. He says he plays alone at recess most days.
I suspect he’ll find more buddies as they all get older. My guess is that a lot of these kids will filter off into sports, and scouts will become more disciplined (which I know happens as they get older). But it isn’t helping him now. Thoughts? He is smart enough to know he’s being left out/ignored/treated differently in these settings, but I’m not really sure how to help him cultivate friendships here. It’s, honestly, heartbreaking to see (1) it happen, and (2) him notice it happening.
What do you do when you notice your mental health suffering but can’t change the likely culprit? In my case, it’s that I am the primary caregiver and working full time, because DH travels and works so much. My stress levels are very high trying to parent a threenager and a moody 6 year old. Most days I get them ready for school and also pick them up and get dinner on the table all by myself. Our daily commute is typically 45 minutes each way. If I have time to work out, it’s 20 minutes in the morning before I have to shower and get myself ready, which I do before the kids are awake at 6. Weekdays involve so much stress and I want to be around them on weekends when we don’t need to stress, so I don’t like the idea of taking a “day for myself” on the weekends – those are really the only times we get to have fun as a family and I really need that fulfillment to offset the stress of the week.
Okay, following up on the Recess soda question, can anyone share their experience drinking some of the CBD drinks? I don’t like gummies bc the “buzz” feels too disconnected from the act of consuming. I like drinking a glass of wine, as I feel relaxed as I drink it, so with a gummy – I chew something, then move on, and later feel a slight buzz when I’m not really expecting it and no longer want it, ha!
I’d like to drop wine though bc of the sugar, and I feel like some of the CBD drinks are slightly healthier. Does the buzz happen at the same time you drink it, or is the same phenomenon where the buzz happens a little later?
I am feeling very overwhelmed by our family calendar and endless to do lists for myself and my kids. Does anyone have a recommendation for a relatively low tech way of staying on top of it all? I am doing well enough with getting things done if I can get them to stay on my radar but I feel like the “to dos” are coming in faster than I can keep track of them!
this is such a weird question, but has anyone ever experienced something similar – I’ve noticed that when I stop taking prenatal vitamins, my mood is more depressed. I’m wondering if it could be a vitamin deficiency? I’ve taken them for a long time (several years of infertility + 3 kids plus breastfeeding). I will talk to my doctor, but curious in the meantime if anyone has experienced this. My youngest is a toddler so it doesn’t seem postpartum related exactly.
Easy question for today — someone here mentioned Recess soda, and I tried it and loved it. However, they mentioned that they won’t drink it during the work day. Recess is “sparkling water infused with magnesium & adaptogens” .
So, two questions —
1) Is it safe/okay for my 13 year old to drink? My instinct would have been yes, except my grocery store wouldn’t deliver it without an ID, so I admit to being really perplexed by what an adaptogen actually is/does? Anyway, she asked if she could have one, and I said I’d look into it. The information online isn’t really clear.
2) would you drink it during the work day? I haven’t really noticed any discernable change in my mood or state after I drink it, and wouldn’t have thought twice about having one with lunch, except for the grocery delivery ID and the poster who mentioned she doesn’t drink it at work, so now I’m second guessing myself.