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Organizing Thursday: Acrylic Tissue Dispenser

Recent Recs

I was reading the most recent issue of Real Simple and saw this tissue box as one of their suggestions on how to upgrade your desk. It caught my eye because it seems like such a great way to make your home or workspace look organized and stylish. Having a stylish place to put your tissues, a staple of a desk, seems so… grown-up. It’s aspirational, at least for me: “Hi, I’m the type of person who has their life together enough to have a nice tissue box.” This tissue dispenser is $54 and is available in several colors. Acrylic Tissue Dispenser

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About April

April is a working mom, a longtime reader of CorporetteMoms, and wrote our morning fashion advice for working moms from April 2018 to October 2020. She has one child (born 2/17!) and she’s a public interest lawyer in NYC.

Comments

  1. AnonATL says

    Yesterday was ROUGH y’all. Share something cute your kid, pet, partner did while you’ve been together recently.
    I’ll start. We have the luxury of a reasonably sized backyard (yay burbs) and our 2yo *dog* loves zooming around with a tennis ball in his mouth and tossing it in the air, then picking it back up. It is so cute watching him so happy playing around the yard by himself. Our old dog just stares at him and continues snoozing in the sunshine.

    • Anonymous says

      Kiddo 1 tripped the went through the knee of her pants. Kiddo 2, going through some emo / goth phase, asked for the pants that were heading for tossing because they were cool. I asked why. She said “I will look like I have been through a lot.” I reminded her that it was her sister who had busted up her knee. She was not deterred.

      I also have “God Save the Prom Queen” going through my head.

      I have made them watch the emo vs goth episode of South Park. Kiddo 1 is now reading all of the Edgar Allan Poe, so take that, homeschooling. Kids are watching South Park and it is inspiring them to read.

    • Anonymous says

      Different from someone who posted about this a few days ago…our 7.5 month old is so determined to pull himself up to standing. He’s already crawling and can get up to his knees.z it’s hilarious to hear his little grunts. We also got out the vtech walker and DH and I keep mindlessly singing “welcome to our learning farm…”

      DD (3 years) has a flower box on her playhouse that she enjoys filling with weeds and saying “what do you think? Do you like it??”

      • GCA says

        Aaugh, I thought I finally rid my brain of that song 6 months ago!!

        19mo kid 2 has been going through a developmental explosion and has been reciting a litany of daycare friends and family members when she goes to bed. Last night she a) added goodnights (‘Night, Alex! Night, Daniel! Night, Lina!’) and b) added ‘little brother’ to her recitation of our family members. (Spoiler: there is no little brother, there will not be, I currently have my period so she doesn’t know anything I don’t, and we are done having kids – sorry kiddo.)

    • CHL says

      My 5 year old interrupted a conference call during the day because he NEEDED AN ENVELOPE RIGHT NOW! At bedtime I found said envelope under my pillow with a card that consisted of hearts and I love you mom. Made it worth it:)

      • Pogo says

        Toddler tried to interrupt daddy’s 8am call by yelling DADDY I HAVE A PRESENT FOR YOU from the bottom of the stairs. The present was two orange wooden cows. They were missing later and I was like, what happened to the cows? And LO ran over to the stairs to retrieve them and I was like, Of course. How could I forget. They were daddy’s present.

    • Clementine says

      Some of you will remember that I guest posted about being a foster parent a while back. My fun/cute thing is that… we just had a newborn baby join the crew! Little tiny munchkin who is definitely the best behaved of the bunch right now.

      That brings our crew to 3 – preschooler, toddler, baby. Preschooler is being unbelievably helpful. Toddler wants to steal all the bottles. Newborn is super chill. Everything is terrible, but there are worse times to be told to stay home and snuggle.

      Also, definitely have to go out and pick up a couple items (already packaged, brought to car, minimal human contact) and reached out to a few others who might need similar things and am dropping off milk on doorsteps. It’s helping me feel connected and helpful.

      • Anonymous says

        Oh this is amazing. Congrats! I was just thinking this morning that no matter what time marches on – babies will be born, babies will grow. They are such a bright spot in darkness. Enjoy that little bub

    • Anon says

      It’s raining here and when we went for a walk yesterday my 2 year old misheard “rain gear” as “reindeer” so we went hunting for reindeer on our walk.

    • anon says

      My kids (3 and 5) declared they are devoting themselves to learning the words of Old Town Road during this break, so that’s been pretty hilarious… clearly killing it at home schooling down here.

      • Spirograph says

        Mine too! My 3 year old demanded last night that I sing him a bedtime song that I had never sung for him before. 7 year old suggested Old Town Road, but I have been forced to sing that many times before, so it didn’t fit the bill.

        (I settled for improvised words to “It Sucks to be Me” from Avenue Q. “So whyyyyyy am I trying to work from home with three kids? It’s tough to be me!” 7yo proceeded to insist that I’ve sung that to him before, because he’s contrary like that, but 3yo was thrilled.)

      • Anonymous says

        My kiddo, too! They play it at preschool all the time for dance parties.

    • Anon says

      this was not me, but i saw on facebook that a friend from college’s block had a ‘talent show’ where each family prepared a dance/song/skit and performed in their front yard while others watched from a safe distance. it was beyond adorable to see parents and kids performing together. i think where she lives they might actually be under a more strict quarantine due to potential exposure. maybe people will be interacting with their neighbors more than they previously did.

    • Anon says

      DD (2.5) had her speech assessment before everything shut down – she is a little over a year behind where she should be in expressive speech. We haven’t started therapy yet (and who knows when they will with everything shutdown), but in the past few days, her vocabulary has been ever-expanding – a lot more parroting and some independent words – and some of the new ones: “it’s a box” and “box” (from all of the deliveries), “rude” (for raspberry blowing at people when she doesn’t like something), “pancakes”, “daddy stop” (we’re in a don’t like daddy phase), “bird” (lots of walks) and “truck”. Makes me feel like we’re finally making progress even if it’s not formal.

      • Anonymous says

        I have noticed my kid’s speech has improved dramatically in the week we have been home. It is a nice side effect.
        My story is that our kiddo asked us not to work so much. I explained that we have to work if we stay home with them. So he went and got an old broken laptop and sat down next to me so he could work, too!

    • Cb says

      My mom is here and has gone all Martha Stewart. She’s currently constructing a bus out of a cardboard box for my bus obsessed son. She was a stereotypical 80s working mom and never did any DIY with me.

      • Stacey says

        My almost three year old came up to me this morning and said, “I want some milk. And some yogurt. and a bowl and some cereal [he likes granola on his yogurt].” Then he paused for a few seconds, “And I want a spoon.” He’s already showing he’s the very precise child of a lawyer.

  2. Anon says

    Carter’s closed their stores, but are still paying their retail employees. This is nice, and I wanted to share.

    • Clementine says

      So did Nordstrom. So did Loft. I’m taking note of the stores that are doing this and WILL remember and vote with my wallet when they reopen.

    • AnonATL says

      Yes and a lot of these places are offering free shipping now with stores closed. I know a warehouse worker still has to pull the items and go through the shipping system, but something to keep in mind.

  3. rakma says

    I’m going to whine here and then try to get over it, but this feels like a place where I’ll get some compassion.

    I’m so annoyed at all the people who magically have free time because of this crisis. I’ve got 2 kids I’m apparently homeschooling (JK they’re watching Blippie and sometimes coloring) work expects my undivided attention, I’m trying to figure out how to feed us all 3x a day (coffee is not food, and I need to feed myself when I feed the kids! Who’d think that was a novel idea, but I just figured it out this morning).

    I usually WFH one day a week, so I was all set up technology wise, but in every other way I was unprepared for this. DH is also working from home, and we’re switching off, but stringing 2 or 3 hours of concentration together is nothing like a full day of work.

    • Anonymous says

      I’m a former career lady now SAHM and hopefully I can offer some tips. I definitely feel for everyone trying to “balance” (hah!) work and childcare. Childcare is a full time job so despite assumptions SAHMs are just as hard pressed to find time for cooking/cleaning/laundry…unless their kids are older and can self-entertain. After our 7 month old was born this year I rapidly lost the baby weight because I literally wasn’t eating. Prep lunch the night before – think of it as a packed lunch! DH makes me and DD pb/j or whatever when he packs his lunch. Nothing that needs cooked that way you can eat while working if necessary. Everyone has breakfast together. Take 20 mins during morning snack to throw a meal in the crockpot. Paper plates if you can find them – yes this isn’t good for the environment but during certain stages of life needs must. Hang in there!

      • rakma says

        I mean, OK. But I know childcare is a full time job, which is why I generally don’t do it while I do my other job. I’m not trying to do laundry or cleaning, I’m just trying to keep meals coming with understocked supermarkets and many of our local take out places have closed.

        • Anonymous says

          I totally understand! I was just hoping to offer some tips by saying that with prep the night before that it is possible to keep yourself/kids fed…. and I realize many parents are working late at night trying to make up hours. Due to our budget we don’t do takeout/restaurants so every day I’m feeding myself and two kids by making/prepping 99% of our meals. Was just trying to help.

        • Anon says

          Wow, this was an unnecessarily rude response to someone offering helpful advice.

          • rakma says

            Cool. You’re super helpful.

            Thanks to those downthread who offered commiseration. I’m gonna go focus on other things for while.

          • anon says

            I dunno, one of my SAHM friends tried to offer me similar advice and it just royally p!ssed me off. Being a full-time SAHM gives you, like zero credibility to offer advice on how to be a full-time SAHM who is also trying to hold down a full-time job and attempting to do both simultaneously. I am not one to stoke the mommy wars, but I gotta say it.

            There really isn’t a time to offer organizational tips. We know how to organize our lives. We know how to be parents. We don’t know how to do THIS, yet.

      • Anonymous says

        Yes, being a SAHM is a full-time job. You have one full-time job. We all now have two.

        • Anon says

          Well, those of us with a partner have 1.5. Hopefully no one is doing the job of a SAHM unless they’re a single mom.

          • Anonymous says

            Some of us have partners in healthcare. That leaves us filling both roles, even with a fully supportive partner. They can’t exactly pick up half of the burden when they’re needed on-site at work and for extra hours, bringing home extra risk.

    • Anonymous says

      I hear you. It is so weird not spending 2 hours a day commuting and yet having less free time. Seeing lists of shows to watch, chores to tackle, etc during quarantine is perplexing. Like, when would I do that? My job is less demanding than many here, as is my husband’s, so I’m trying to count my blessings.

      • Pogo says

        Yes! “stuck at home? 10 tips to pass the time!” Uh there is literally NOT enough time. Lucky to get 30min at night after kiddo is in bed for us to read our phones next to each other and say “did you see this??”

    • GCA says

      Yeah, I wish I actually *had* chunks of time to do homeschool-type activities (perhaps this weekend? my creative juices have been revived), but no, each weekday consists of frantic two-working-parent schedule Tetris and small guests showing up in the background of my internal team calls. (The cooking, cleaning and laundry has always been there and we just do it in the off hours. Leftovers or PB&J for lunch, whatever.)

    • Cb says

      Me too! We still don’t know what my husband’s job is going to do so from Monday, it’ll all be on me. He’s currently classed as essential but I’m secretly hoping they’ll declare a lockdown so he can’t go in? I can take fully paid leave for the duration if I’m the primary carer but can’t afford it career-wise. And the work I do doesn’t fit nicely into naptime or screentime,

      • rakma says

        Yes, the uncertainty of it all isn’t helping any. I’m a planner, and not knowing what tomorrow or next week will bring is making it difficult for me to wrap my brain around what to do.

    • cbackson says

      I am working so much more right now, because my company is heavily affected by this and I’m involved in crisis management. I haven’t gained any weight in the last two weeks (I’m 26w pregnant right now) – hoping that’s just a brief plateau and that I’ll be back to normal gain soon, but I’m definitely more stressed and eating less. Plus my morning sickness is back with a vengeance.

      No kids at home most of the time, but my stepkids come over tonight for the weekend and we’re definitely stressed about managing their time. They’re older and so theoretically should be able to entertain themselves/do their virtual learning, but they are also very excited about our new house and excited about playing with my dog and just generally in a place where although they don’t NEED adult interaction all day, they WANT it.

    • AnotherAnon says

      It’s hard. I’m doing the best I can, and it still feels like I’m failing at everything. It’s ok to tell yourself that this sucks and you don’t like it. Hugs.

    • Boston Legal Eagle says

      I so hear this. I whined yesterday about this, so whine away! This is really really hard on working parents. Yes, I know people are in worse situations but ours is pretty bad too. I keep thinking that I didn’t sign up to be a SAHM and yet here I am, trying to entertain two small kids while maintaining the house, making food, oh and also working a full time job! And those coworkers who want me to do work for a “just in case” project – I pretty much told them off. I’m grateful that my husband is home as well and now doing a part time schedule, but it still sucks.

  4. Anonymous says

    Ladies I know I’m not the only one who feels this way but I’m kinda freaking out. These reports about younger people being hospitalized have me scared for DH/myself. DH still has to go into work but I am home. Our only other time out of the house will be one weekly grocery trip. We’re getting hair cutting scissors so DH doesn’t go to the barber. Our current plan is to just let DD play through the summer and then do Playing Preschool from Busytoddler starting in the fall if school is still closed. I’m worried about the social implications of DD/DS not being around other kids for 18 months. But I guess I need to remember that through the history of humanity kids have been through much worse…

    • rakma says

      My take on the social and academic implications of this: all these kids are going to be in the same boat. Schools are going to have to adjust for kids who missed 1/3 of a grade, or who haven’t had meaningful social interaction with non-family members in months. Independent play is supposed to be great for littles right?

    • Anonymous says

      Please you must stop. Must. We just went through this yesterday. You do not need to plan for 18 months of social isolation.

      Posts like this dial up the anxiety for everyone else and spread unfounded rumors and fear.

      Yes. It is very difficult. It is deeply worrying to read more and more reports of children getting sick. There are enough actual worries that we do not need to be adding children isolated this fall to the list.

      Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

      • Anon says

        +1. Please stop for all of us, but also for yourself. It would be one thing if having this belief allowed you to prepare in ways that you wouldn’t if you waited and it turned out to be true, but I don’t believe it does.

      • Anonymous says

        I really agree with this.

        Coronavirus will continue but it will not be 18 months of continuous isolation. The current period will likely last until May/June – so like 2-2.5 months- and there may be a similar period next year around the same timing as when flu season hits but it will not be 18 continuous months. Worry about the next 4-8 weeks and deal with the next phase after that.

        • Anon says

          And if effective treatments are developed quickly (either new drugs or old drug protocols repurposed for this) we may be able to get back to normal-ish before vaccines are available in 18 months. It’s so, so easy to spiral, but we can’t do anything about it other than wash our hands, stay home, try to find the silver linings in being together with our family, and hope.

      • Anon says

        When we covered it yesterday, some experts weighed in and said 18 months is totally plausible. Don’t act like this has been totally debunked.

        • Anonymous says

          Please stop. No they did not. One dude has been quoted out of context.

        • Anonymous says

          It was widely debunked by every single health authority I have seen that was asked to comment on this in the daily press briefings.

        • Anonymous says

          I know you’re anxious, but you need to stop. You did not interpret it correctly. Let it go. Spreading rumors is bad.

        • Anon says

          I say this gently as I know it is coming from a place of extreme worry, but: Even if it is plausible, it still does no good to focus on it and freak everyone out. There is nothing you can do to prepare for something like that. A lot of us here are barely hanging on as is and don’t need further fear mongering. If you need an outlet to walk through your extreme concerns, I suggest finding some sort of one on one solution, not here.

        • anon says

          Op, who I’m most worried about after reading your posts is your children. I’m imagining the distress you are engendering in them, even if you think you are keeping this all inside (which you are not), and it makes my heart hurt. Please please please get help. Professional help.

          • Anon says

            I’m the OP from yesterday’s discussion, but the person you’re responding to at 10:00 isn’t me, nor is today’s OP at 9:03. I think a lot of people are anxious about this, but it doesn’t mean we’re putting our children in harm’s way. This place is an outlet for people to express many feelings, including fear and frustration, and just because we’re expressing our deepest anxieties here doesn’t mean we’re not parenting our kids appropriately. I am reading to my kids, laughing with them, going on walks, cuddling up for family movie nights, and they are absolutely delighted about being home on what they think is a vacation with mommy and daddy. I’m sure the other posters are similarly keeping life as calm and steady as possible for their kids. This place is normally such a judgment-free zone, lets not please start calling people bad mothers because they make a post saying they have anxiety about something.

          • Anonymous says

            I’m the OP. Oh my god hahaha what a ridiculous comment. My children are in a 2-parent financially stable loving household. They’re gonna be ok. We’re in a pandemic of course I’m anxious! And of course my kids will pick up on it! But we can’t shield them from everything bad, all our emotions, anxieties. Kids also have to be around their parents who are dealing with chronic illness, sick grandparents, divorce, job stress, etc….you think they don’t pick up on that?? This is uncharted territory and we’re doing the best we can. We don’t talk about it in front of our children or watch it on tv. We’re outside for like 3-4hrs every day. They’re ok.

    • Anonymous says

      A gentle recommendation on the hair-cutting scissors: just don’t do it. Shaggy grown-out professional cut is OK. Even a flowbee would be better than attempting to cut on your own. It’s like a playoff beard for your head. Man-buns are OK.

      • Cb says

        I don’t know, I think I might try cutting my husband’s hair now. And then it’ll be grown out before he has to go out to (non-work) civilization. He runs an IT service, even if I botch it, no one will notice.

        • Anonymous says

          IDK — I would feel horrible going through this with wrecked hair. If it is at all straight, a bobble will be noticeable. It would be better to buzz it off probably. Curly hair can better weather a bad cut.

          • Cb says

            Haha, true! I did tell him that he needs to hide the scissors if I start talking about giving myself a fringe. But I cut my son’s hair and don’t do an awful job :)

          • avocado says

            I have a pixie cut that looks terrible if I go more than 4 weeks between trims and really does better with 3 weeks. I have also been coloring my very prematurely gray hair since I was 19. If we are social distancing for months on end, I am totally going to order clippers and buzz it all off instead of letting it grow out all weird.

        • Anonymous says

          I cut my husband’s hair regularly and it’s fine. Watch YouTube videos beforehand.

      • Anonymous says

        Clippers are MUCH easier than scissors. If you husband isn’t picky, just do it all one length with clippers (start with a longer guard than you think you need, you can always go back and go shorter) and clean up around the edges with no guard at the end.

    • Anon says

      Re: young people getting sick, the US has terrible testing. You basically can’t get tested unless you have international travel, known exposure to COVID-19 or are sick enough to be hospitalized (and in some states, you need 2 of those 3 conditions). We have community spread now, so lots of people are ill who didn’t travel or have known exposure and none of those people are getting tested, unless their symptoms are severe enough for hospitalization. So of course we’re going to see huge numbers of people needing to be hospitalized. If we were testing widely, we’d pick up all the mild and asymptomatic cases and we’d have a much clearer picture of the severity of the disease. Korea tested widely, and over 50% of Covid patients under 40 were asymptomatic. So please now that your odds of having mild illness are good if you’re under 60.

      Re: the social isolation, I worry about it too. My toddler is an only child, so she doesn’t even have a sibling. Just reminding myself that whenever she goes back to school, all the other kids will be behind on social and emotional stuff (and probably academic stuff too), and kindergarten will be more like preschool, preschool will be more like toddler twos, etc., until the kids catch up. Kids have certainly faced worse, but I also don’t think this is great for kids and I understand your fear.

      • Anon says

        Just adding that I personally know 5 people who have doctor-diagnosed Covid, but couldn’t get a test because they weren’t seriously ill. If/when we start testing all these people (to say nothing of asymptomatic people), we’re going to see hospitalization rates plummet.

  5. Anontoday says

    I know these new reports are scary, but I keep trying to frame all these new data points in a per capita view.
    It’s easy to say omg most patients are my age! But you know what, so is almost half of the US population, if I recall correctly, the NYT article says something like 25-55YO group. I will also say that age cohort is primarily the group that has been resisting social distancing and thinking themselves invincible so far. Also that is the majority of the working population, many of whom have to still go physically to their jobs and expose themselves.
    I’m not at all surprised by it. Just keep doing your best to get through this healthy and sane. Let’s all try to think of these data points and what they really mean beyond a flashy headline.
    I know it’s scary, but we can all get through this!

    • Anontoday- again says

      Sorry. Nesting failure. This goes with the thread above about younger people being the largest group hospitalized.

  6. So Anon says

    Co-Parenting Question/Rant: It is incredibly isolating and lonely to bear the emotional labor of the news without a partner who is equally as invested in the well being of the family and children. Ex’s weekend is this upcoming weekend. Kids and I have been isolated since last Friday, but ex is a front-line worker, interacting with the public on a daily basis where there is active community spread. If I were to object to the kids going, he would go sad sausage but would agree. My oldest has an autoimmune disease in remission. The answer is to keep the kids home with me this weekend, right? Even though my sanity is on the brink….

    • Anonnnn says

      Yes, definitely keep them home with you, especially with an autoimmune disorder.

      I would absolutely try to set up ways to interact with ex though. Can they video chat? If the kids are old enough, can you set up the ipad/webcam/whatever in a room and close the door so they have “alone” time with ex?

    • anon says

      If he’s not showing symptoms, I’d be okay with a low contact outing. Perhaps kicking a soccer ball or going on a walk. This could go on for a while and it’s important that kids see their parents.

    • Anon says

      Can you consult your kid’s doctor? I have an autoimmune disease and I asked my specialist and he said it doesn’t affect my risk for severe COVID-19 complications. I realize every disease is different and some autoimmune diseases may, so I would ask the doctor.

      • Strategy mom says

        Same with my hubby. If you don’t live with an older relative, id let the kids go as I’d see the emotional impact being worse than the health risk. Ymmv and I’m personally practicing careful quarantine but am letting my kids hang with grandpa who is going to work as usual

    • Anonymous says

      Some ideas to maintain contact and keep kids occupied so you get a break
      – have him record videos of reading the kids books that they lie
      – teach the kids to video chat with him
      – have the kids draw pictures to mail to him
      – have him write letter to the kids and mail them (leave for 8 hrs before you open if you are concerned)

    • Anon says

      If you were still married, would he be self-isolating by moving out or living in the garage? I know some medical professionals who are doing this because their odds of getting the virus are high and they have high-risk family members. If his job isn’t dangerous enough/your family isn’t high-risk enough that he’d be self-isolating from the family if you were together, I’m not sure it’s fair to keep the kids from him on his weekend.

    • IHeartBacon says

      My instinct is to tell you to have a conversation with your ex to discuss how to put on a united front when you both tell the kids that they can’t go with him this weekend, but I’ve followed your story and I know your issues with your ex, so I know I would be sending you on a fool’s errand. I second the recommendation to talk to your kid’s doctor. If the doctor says no, then at least you can share that with you kid as further explanation of why they can’t go.

    • Anonymous says

      Does he really want to see the kids? Based on your past posts, it seems as if he can’t handle them in times of stress. He might be relieved to be off the hook.

    • So Anon says

      I think the right thing to do is to keep them home, for a multitude of reasons. My kiddo is not on immune suppression therapy, thankfully, but there is still some evidence of a heightened risk. In addition, I am also seriously concerned about getting sick myself. If I go down, there is no one to call in who is not at serious risk. My mom is over 70, and the ex cannot handle the children overnight and is himself at serious risk for complications (type 1 diabetic).

      He generally takes them for dinner on Tuesday nights, but I declined it this week. He was supposed to facetime the kids instead on Tuesday night, but “forgot.” If he does not pick them up, he will not interact with them until he is forced. Ugh.

  7. AnotherAnon says

    My cousin’s wedding invitation arrived yesterday. It’s in early June in Geneva, NY. Would you go? My parents are not going, so I’d ask them to watch my kid. Honestly, that’s probably the bigger risk; my dad is immunocompromised. If there are still active transmissions then, we’d cancel.

    • Anonymous says

      No. I doubt it’ll even happen. Our friends wedding in Maryland in May got canceled since gatherings over 50 people are banned.

    • Anon says

      I wouldn’t make a decision now. It’s too early to know what the situation will be in June.

    • OP says

      Thanks all! This is very true. I think I was hoping to use trip planning as a distraction but I probably just need to wait.

  8. runner says

    Bright spots of this for me:

    — this is the longest we have gone without getting sick. Social distancing is working for flu and colds as well! It is lovely to have the family healthy

    — i get to see my kids a *tiny* bit more. Before this I was so torn between job and kids. Mine are only 16 months and I was feeling very “oh i missing moments.” I get more of these moments now.

    — this situation helps and clarifies why I like to work and what I get out of it. We are involved in the crisis and there’s a sense of meaning and purpose that feels good right now. And I like my coworkers and miss them!

    • IHeartBacon says

      I second all of these comments. Although I am completely exhausted by the end of the day, I am really enjoying catching glimpses of my kid’s daily life that I have never gotten to see before. Yesterday it was cold but the sun was out so kid played outside. Since my kid was born, I have never sat outside in the middle of a sunny day to watch my kid play in the middle of the week. It was actually really really nice.

  9. Anonymom says

    Mental health resources during crisis? I don’t normally have a mental health provide / am not on medication (and normally think my mental health is pretty good). Buy have been having a really hard time coping during this time – can’t stop crying, etc. I feel like any effort to get help is selfish since everyone is going through a hard time, many a much harder time than me (I have friends getting laid off etc. while I work for the government so have a secure job), and also not even sure how to go about trying to get some support during this time. Ideas?

    • Anonymous says

      Does your EAP or health plan offer counseling by phone or video? Our HR department keeps sending out announcements about this.

      • Pogo says

        +1 My company has the EAP 1-800 number at the top of our covid response page.

    • Anon says

      getting help is never selfish. in fact it is the opposite. do you have any benefits through your employer? that might be the easiest way to get started. or put in a call to your primary care doctor. these are just crazy times. sending you hugs

  10. Anon says

    i know this is probably a dumb thing to be annoyed about, but i am pissed that my kid’s dentist office is still open for routine appointments. yes, parents can choose not to take them, but please close! my own dental office sent an email that they are closed for at least the next two weeks.

    • Anonymous says

      Our state and/or state’s professional associations closed dentist offices, salons, schools, and restaurants (except for take out and delivery). I think this was the right call because it appears that people cannot be trusted to act in the community’s best interests, so the state has to take these actions.

    • AIMS says

      I was surprised that my dentist was open this week (I called to cancel my appointment). I can see an emergency being necessary, but esp given that dentists are among the most high risk professions for this, you would think they’d limit it.

  11. Susan says

    Are we just ignoring the $54 plastic tissue box that this post is ostensibly about?

    • DLC says

      I actually like non-twee tissue box covers in general. This one looks lovely, and I quite like it, but I don’t like it $54-worth.

    • Anonymous says

      It is odd to me that it appears see through. Seems like it would ruin the whole look to still see the design on the tissue box.

      • RR says

        I saw it in real simple, and they just had the stack of tissues–taken out of the box. It’s lovely, but I wouldn’t pay $54 for it.

        • Anonymous says

          I am too lazy to take the tissues out of the original box and arrange them neatly in this.

        • 2:06 Anon says

          Clearly I am not fancy enough to even understand this type of thing, LOL!!! :)

  13. Anon says

    I am going to lose my mind. I normally work from home one day a week – the rest of the workweek I typically am out of the house at work for 10+ hours a day. Now that I am home, all DD (2.5) wants is me. Spilled something? Maaaaa. Need water? Maaaa. Need the TV on? Maaaa. Even when DH is right next to me. And when I refuse to do it and tell her to go ask Daddy, and Daddy even offers and throws in a bonus of her favorite activities, she stomps off or tantrums, until about 30 seconds later and it’s another Maaaa. I am so Maaa-ed out, and touched out. I just locked her and DH in the bedroom (she’s sobbing of course) for nap or quiet time, I don’t care which. I had to take a conference call the other day and she was literally trying to break down the door to get to me. Weekends and our one day a week have never been this bad. I don’t know if it’s a new phase, or the lack of preschool is making her more clingy or what. My patience is rapidly evaporating.

    • Anonymous says

      That’s rough. I would probably be so annoyed that I’d pretend to leave for work and then just hide in the garage.

    • Anon says

      i know you’ve posted before about your daughter’s slight obsession with you :-). It could be that the disruption/change in routine is making it worse. do you know what the routine is at school? one of my friends with a kiddo around your kid’s age made a poster with pictures and explained to kid each morning how the day would go and when mom would be available, which seems to be helping after a few days of utter chaos. do you need to be in front of your computer while on calls? can you take them in the car or drive around?

  14. Anonymous says

    Hanna is having a giant sale! I bought matching spring pajamas so we can all look super stylish and seasonal during this quarantine.

    • anon says

      If my boys wore PJs (any of them), I would totally do this. I wonder if they’d wear them for a picture…

    • Spirograph says

      Oooh thanks! We have some Christmas ones that have held up *forever* (we bought them big, and the two older kids are now wearing them a little bit tight 2.5 years later). I’m just going to do it. I’m not usually a retail therapy type of person, but desperate times…

  15. COVID/Fertility Update - The End says

    That’s all she wrote.

    Just got the call that my IUI was cancelled. After three weeks of injections, and a trigger planned for tomorrow with the IUI either Saturday or Sunday, it ain’t happening. Pending one last ultrasound they want me to come in for tomorrow, we might be able to still trigger and then do timed inter course, but given our fact pattern/case the odds of that working are quite, quite low.

    I feel so selfish for being so upset in the face of everything going on, but there are no words to describe how broken I am right now. Wishing you all lots of health. Praying my giving up this procedure means someone else can get great care and overcome this illness.

    • Anon says

      i am disappointed for you. i myself had an IUI. it was an outpatient procedure at my doc office, and while I know it is not medically necessary, it is crazy to me that they are canceling it. so many hugs that you get another chance at this soon

      • Anonymous says

        I think at this point they’re canceling literally everything that isn’t life or death. I had a biopsy canceled. To be fair, it’s (potentially) a notoriously slow-growing kind of cancer and I believe the doctor when she says it’s safe to wait 6 months, but it’s still really scary.

        • OP says

          This. They need every exam room locked and loaded for overflow. Cancelling all procedures. “Non-essential” was the bar earlier this week, and this qualified as “essential” because I was already medicating. Then, the directive came out last night from the hospital (MGH in Boston) that the definition of essential was narrowed, and this didn’t make the cut. Which I get. But I hate. Hate isn’t nearly a strong enough or appropriate enough word.

          Even if the exact exam room I was in wasn’t needed for a COVID case, the doctor and supporting staff doing the IUI procedure would have worn gloves, a mask, hair net and used other materials that are in such short supply. I get it. I truly do. But it doesn’t change for a second how awful this feels, and will feel for sometime.

    • Boston Legal Eagle says

      I’m so sorry. It’s ok to be upset by your situation. It sucks and isn’t fair, even if other people are suffering too.

    • Patricia Gardiner says

      I’m so sorry. Infertility is completely horrible on its own, and to have this happen is so heartbreaking. 6-foot hugs.

    • Telco Lady JD says

      I’m so sorry to hear this. I’ve been dealing with infertility treatments for the last year, so I know that every delay is awful – but this one is heartbreaking.

    • anon says

      I am so very sorry. I am on a number of over 40 TTC/infertility groups, and most women are incredibly despondent because they know the cancelled cycles may very well mean that they will just run out of time to keep trying. It’s a very difficult time right now.

    • Anonanonanon says

      I am so, so sorry. You have every right to be upset. I’ve said it here before and I’ll say it again, unless you’re a mother digging her child’s body out of rubble in Syria right now, there is literally always someone in the world who has it worse than someone who is upset. You are allowed to feel your feelings and be upset whether other things are going on in the world or not.

    • worried below says

      Hi, I somehow missed this and just wrote below asking if I should still go for my trigger and then IUI that was also scheduled for this weekend. (As of now, the IUI hasn’t been canceled – yet – but we may be in the same boat as you.) I’m having a lot of worries and conflicting thoughts. All of this is to say, I am sorry if my question comes off as insensitive – I’m struggling through a lot of emotions. I feel your pain and am really sorry for the disappointing news. I wish you and your partner the very best of luck.

      • OP says

        No offense at all. Clearly, if me, I would go for it – I would have. This is so personal and so messed up and there is no right answer to these impossible questions. Trust your gut and do what you have to. If you can get your IUI and you are comfortable, power to you and I wish you all the luck in the world.

        FWIW, I’m 35. PCOS (I do not ovulate ever) and deformed uterus (surgically repaired, only kinda). I reguarlly have 15+ “smalls” at ever U/S on each side, so they are going low and slow with my FSH injections. DH has intermittent issues with his counts, too. I have one 2 year old and it was a battle to get her. Worked on third IUI. I have a 14mm follacle as of yesterday AM and almost triggered me last night but wanted it to grow a little longer, and evidently just long enough that the procedure is cancelled.

        Major insult to already painful injury, this IUI was delayed 45 days because they found out (back in October but failed to read the report until day before previously scheduled January cycle) I lost immunity to measles and insisted I was revaccinated + ride out 45 day waiting period before proceeding with IUI. Had that not happened, I’d possibly be happily pregnant by now. That frustrating delay is part of why this feels extra devastating to me.

        Above all, trust your gut and your risk tolerance through the next few days.

        • worried below says

          Oh, my dear. I am so sorry. What a &h1tty turn of events. Seriously, my best wishes.

        • Anon says

          I’m so sorry. I’d be heartbroken. Sending you socially distanced hugs.

    • Pogo says

      Hugs. It is heartbreaking. But I do know the situation at MGH is bad, so you likely would not want to be going there much longer (like..physically into the building). I’m really, really sorry.

  16. JUST SLEEP CHILD says

    our 2.5 year old daughter will not fall asleep until 10pm at the earliest and we are about to lose our ever loving minds. it’s been over 2 weeks. we were starting bedtime (bath/PJs/Stories/teeth/bed) at 7pm,but moved it back to 8:30 or later because she was fighting sleep till 10 no matter what, and 3 hours of toddler fight will make me homicidal. She has to get up at 7am for daycare, and I think still needs a nap or she is a monster. I’ve tried letting her cry is out, holding the door shut, telling her she doesn’t have to sleep, she just had to stay in her room. If we leave her in her room along before she is still and tells us to leave-, she is full on tantrum until she pees her self, then the tantrum gets more extreme. So we always end up rocking/laying with her until she is finally still at 10, and lets us leave. tips? Considering asking daycare to wake her up after an hour of nap? (yes, we still have daycare here, for now)

    • Anonymous says

      Sounds like her bedtime is too early. We couldn’t put our daughter to bed before 9:30 until she started kindergarten.

      • OP says

        :( that is not what I wanted to hear. I tell myself this won’t be awful forever, but also really need some wind-down time for myself too.

    • AnotherAnon says

      The advice I got on this board was to move bedtime, EARLIER, not later…but it worked! Can you possibly have her in bed by 7 or 7:30 at the latest? Skip the bath or stories if you need to. How long is she napping and at what time? Maybe repost in the morning for more/better advice.

    • Anonymous says

      Is she still napping?? That’s the problem for sure. She should definitely not nap longer than an hour and be awake at least 5 hours before bedtime. So if bedtime is 8pm she need to be up from the nap by 3pm

    • Boston Legal Eagle says

      We have this issue, but with an almost 4 year old who still naps. I think naps are the key for us, so we’re trying to limit his nap to no more than one hour. We should probably do less, but with the times, any break we can get now is much needed!

    • Anon says

      Solidarity. We have a child of low sleep needs who is also a night owl. If she skips a nap, she *might* go to bed at 10PM. If she naps (which she still needs or the evening is a disaster but she still won’t go to bed much earlier) it is more likely 11 or midnight. She gets up between 8-9.

      Caveat that this goes against every piece of sleep advice I have ever heard, but I am at my wits’ end with the hours and hours of rocking in the dark for a child that just will not sleep. This week I’ve tried giving her the tablet and putting her back in her bed every time she gets out. Without the tablet if I leave her in her room alone she will not stay, and if I close the door she will sob until she vomits and then I have bigger problems. First night – 25 trips out of bed over 90 minutes, but eventually fell asleep in her bed without me in there around 11:30. Second night (no nap day) – 2 trips out of bed but out in 15 minutes at 10:15 – not worth it given how terribly 4PM-10PM was. Third night – probably 10 trips out of bed over 2 hours until I caved at midnight and let her just sleep with us because I was too tired to keep putting her in bed. TBD what tonight holds.

      • OP says

        Thank you for making me feel like i’m not totally crazy! I’m texting day care right now to wake her up after an hour. They go down from 12-2:30 ish. At home she won’t nap, so we have to drive around or she’ll just be a psycho from 2-10pm. And everyone says 3 will be worse.

    • Anonymous says

      For us that meant it was time to drop nap. Even 20 minutes of nap meant a 10 pm bedtime. Dropping nap brought us back to 7 pm bedtime and happier kid with 12 hours of sleep.

  17. Doodles says

    Any recommendations for durable but not too expensive toddler shoes for this summer? I think my almost 2 year old is about a size 6 or 7. We’re having another boy and they’ll be exactly 24 months apart so I’d like to pass these shoes down. How many pairs should I have for the summer? He wasn’t really walking last summer and wasn’t in daycare (although who knows when he’ll go back to daycare …). He’s been wearing multiple pairs of boots basically since he started walking and has one pair of sneakers that fit. What else should I get and which brands? Thanks!

    • anon says

      I always bought stride rites. YMMV, but once my boys started walking, their shoes were never in good enough condition to pass down, other than water shoes which they wore infrequently. I had one pair of sneakers and one pair of water shoes (which might be why they weren’t in good enough condition to pass down).

    • Leatty says

      I really like the Natives Jefferson shoes. They are durable and can be easily cleaned. They’re also great for water play

    • Anonymous says

      You may find that as he’s 2 he’s gonna tear shoes up a lot worse now than before. I can’t hand down any shoes from my daughter after she turned 2 or 2.5 because she’s so active in them. The tread and Velcro just wears out. We have better luck with boots and dress shoes. And we buy good brands like see Kai run, saucony, stride rite, new balance, etc

    • Anon says

      For summer, my toddler girl (wide and tall feet) usually has one pair of sneakers (we like Tsukihoski), one pair of water friendly sandals (last summer was pedipeds), one pair of dress sandals (found an adorable pair of See Kai Run basics at target last summer) and rain boots (totes cirrus brand ones from target – and we usually get a full year out of them).

    • AIMS says

      I agree that passing down sneakers can be tricky but I’ve had great luck with keens summer shoes. My kids live in them all summer, they’re waterproof and they’re washable (which is great because they do get stinky). You can often find them on sale off season too. And at 2, my kids’ feet were always too chubby for natives but we did crocs with great success.

  18. Advice? says

    Am I being paranoid?

    I have been working from home all week. My husband has to go into the office. We were scheduled to get an IUI in the coming days. The doctor’s office has not canceled it but have said they are taking it a day at a time, so it’s possible. They have also advised that we can still try on our own naturally until there is good evidence not to. We have been taking all precautions (he immediately takes off his clothes and showers when he gets home while I disinfect his things) and even distancing from each other a bit to be extra careful. We take our temperature every day. I’m just freaking out a bit. As There are four options: assuming the doctor’s office does not cancel, I go for my follicle view, get the shot, and we do the IUI. Option 2: I get the follicle view and get the shot as a ‘monitored cycle’ to time when we should try at home. Option 3: I cancel my appt and we continue trying on our own. Option 4: We don’t try this month (and maybe next?) and socially distance ourselves from one another. We have been trying for 10 months and I am 34. On the one hand, we could wait, but I suppose I worry that it could be worse in a month and there won’t be appts for the foreseeable future? I’m not sure what I’m afraid of – that there won’t be appointments, that things will be so quarantined that it will be hard to buy groceries if we get sick? Or that I’m paranoid about the exposure of people at the doctor even though it was empty when I was there a week ago? I will have to leave the house eventually to buy more groceries. We live in Chicago and I have not gone anywhere but to get groceries a week ago and to my last doctor’s appointment. My husband is not going anywhere but to work and is not taking public transportation. I was calm and we decided earlier this week we would do the appts unless the office advised otherwise or canceled but today has me freaked out when I wasn’t before.

      • OP says

        :) Thank you, AIMS. I think I just need to hear from someone, particularly a mom, some kind of reality check of either: Yes, you are paranoid and just follow your doctor’s lead or No, are you CRAZY, don’t leave the house! Instead I’m having those warring thoughts in my head. I’ve always found your advice to be grounded, so thank you.

        • AIMS says

          Aw, that’s very nice of you to say! I think it’s hard not to get lost in your own anxiety at times like this. At least for me. But you’re asking the right questions! What are you worried about exactly? That you get it? (The odds are with you even if that happens! And, just leaving the house does not mean you will get it!) That you can’t buy groceries? (You won’t starve, I promise) That your office cancels? I think it’s a scary time right now but life has a way of going on and you have to just assume that you will go on with it while taking all the reasonable precautions that you can (key word there is reasonable). Good luck! And post here if it gets to be too overwhelming. These thoughts tend to echo more if you don’t let them air out.

  19. Anon says

    Woo hoo! My husband got a note from HR that he can have 6 weeks of paid leave to care for an ill family member or (much more excitingly!) perform childcare! This makes the near future doable!

  20. Pogo says

    I was one of the people definitely being grouchy about how this would affect moms more so than dads because so many men have stay at home wives at my company. Still true, but this week I had a call with a coworker with his 3 young kids audibly harassing him on the other end and he told me he was watching them while his wife went to the grocery store. Another guy was presenting on a call today to 100+ salespeople and warned everyone that he had 3 kids in the other room who might barge in at any moment. Finally the most touching to me was one of my young, single fratbro coworkers who went to his brother’s house to help his SIL with his niece & nephew because his brother is a first responder. It is really helping to hear guys step up and talk about how they have child care responsibilities too.

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