This post may contain affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
You’re probably aware that Amazon has a bunch of its own clothing brands, but did you know that their cashmere is worth checking out? We’re featuring a cashmere sweater from Lark & Ro today, but they also have a men’s sweater line called Buttoned Down (for example, this men’s cashmere full-zip sweater). My husband just got a Buttoned Down sweater as a gift and it’s really soft — I’d say it’s comparable to cashmere that we’ve gotten from Neiman Marcus Last Call and other places. I don’t know what the Black Friday deals will be at Amazon, but if you see any on Lark & Ro cashmere in particular, go ahead and grab them. Lark & Ro 100% Cashmere, 12-Gauge 3/4 Sleeve Crewneck Cardigan
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Hope you enjoy the long weekend with your families!
Psst: Amazon’s toy deal of the day is on wooden toys from Hape, including some great marble runs, play kitchens, and more.
This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!
Sales of note for 9.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Extra 40% off sale styles
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- Zappos – 26,000+ 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 – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 40% off everything
- Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs
See some of our latest articles on CorporetteMoms:
Click here to see our top posts!
And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
Redux says
Any ideas for keeping a nearly 4- year old quietly entertained at an adult Thanksgiving?
My poor kid once again will be the only child at Thanksgiving. This year it’s a small, very adult (as in, child-free by choice, as opposed to last year where there were future parents or parents of grown children). She likes doing letter work (montessori) and I am printing out a booklet of letters for her to trace which will keep her attention for a good while. I’m also going to print out some simple mazes, which she’s never done before, in the hopes it will spark her interest. Other activities that might fit the bill? She’s got a good attention span and I’m hoping that I can introduce some new types of activities that will be exciting for her at an otherwise not terribly child-friendly dinner.
AIMS says
I would get some coloring books, download some ipad games maybe, have a show or movie that she likes on standby in case of emergency meltdown… Maybe some turkey arts and crafts (google for ideas).
Wow says
My 4 year old loves puzzles, books, magnatiles, coloring, etc.
Also, I know that she’s the only kid but I would hope that the other adults realize that a well behaved 4 year old is still a 4 year old and it’s natural and normal that she may do kid-like things. :) It seems like you’re worried that she will act up? I wouldn’t worry about that so much. It is what it is and I would hope your friends are understanding. Also, I would also hope that the adults are willing to play and interact with her as well, so she’s not so bored. Even my friends who are kid-free by choice are very happy to read to my 4 year old.
Anonymous says
Let her bring a backpack with activities – books to ‘read’, puzzles, coloring sheets, doll or lego etc.
Blueberry says
+1 – Sticker books are a great addition too if you have any. But yeah, if you truly need peace and quiet, I’d opt for a movie or a TV show. Hopefully childless friends will be understanding and even want to spend time with her though :)
Anonymous says
Screen time is the most reliable option for us.
Em says
+1 I try to avoid using at as a “go-to” distracter and am pretty anti-screen time in public places except in cases of emergency, but this is exactly the situation where I would utilize it. It is a one-off and is sure to keep my kid distracted and happy for as long as necessary.
Anonanonanon says
I was going to say the same thing. I wouldn’t start with it (just because it’s more effective towards the end in my experience) but this is one of those situations where a tablet is sometimes the only option unless you want you and your child to both be miserable. I’m sorry, these situations stink :(
Blueberry says
Oh yeah, my kids don’t get that much screen time, and when they do, they go berserk when we turn off the TV. So, agree that this should be saved for maybe later in the meal when she gets antsy and the grown ups aren’t done yet.
Redux says
Mine too. Turns into a complete monster when we take the device away it’s not worth the 20 minutes of entertainment. I’m hoping she’ll grow out of it but right now she just seems too young for tv?
Anonymous says
My kid (almost 4) turns into a total monster when we turn off TV or take the device away, too. I have found it’s most helpful to talk to her BEFORE we start any screen time with a little discussion: “screen time is a treat for your brain, like candy is a treat for your belly, so we are going to have a little bit [i.e., until the next commercial or until the timer goes off] and then we are going to turn it off, and make healthy choices for your brain, like playing toys.” It seems to be helping. The unpredictability of “i never know when the grown up is going to take it away” seems hard for our LO.
Anonymous says
@ redux
– we don’t do a lot of tv but we have apps on the ipad that have puzzles or memory games that kid can play on their own or with someone. There’s also episodes of PBS kids shows on you tube.
bluefield says
@ Anonymous, we give warnings either before or during – “only one episode and then no more” or “after this episode we’re turning the TV off.”
Anonanonanon says
My son really liked color-by-number (or letter or whatever) sheets at that age, and there’s plenty of free printable thanksgiving-themed ones online.
NewMomAnon says
Do you have time to run to Target or similar? The magic pen books, where the pen makes colors appear on the page, can keep kiddo entertained for 15-20 minutes apiece. They also have some little activity packs with stickers, crayons, and little coloring books that kiddo likes in the dollar bin section. Sticker books, Highlights magazine (or the little kid version, High Five), a few of those $2 packs that have a little plastic character in them, or a kid’s puzzle (Melissa and Doug have some good ones; kiddo can do a 60 piece puzzle by herself) would all be good entertainment.
You might also bring headphones and download some kid’s podcasts; Disney Story Central and “Stories Podcast” are two of our favorites; “Brains On!” is a science podcast meant for kids (I recommend the one on boogers); “Peace Out” is a guided meditation podcast for kids.
And also – I wouldn’t expect “childless by choice” people to be totally disengaged with kiddo. I have a few childless by choice friends who are wonderful; they don’t want to be parents but enjoy playing the role of “auntie” or “uncle” once in a while. And kiddo loves to spend time with them because they interact with her as though she is an interesting person, not as though she is an imminent behavior problem to be monitored (as parents often do).
I love sleep so much why does my daughter hate it says
We had a great schedule going- bed at 7pm, up at 7am. But the time change has really thrown things off, and my 13 month old is now waking regularly at 5:30, if not earlier, despite still going to bed at 7pm. Earlier bedtime isn’t really an option between work, traffic, and dinner. Will she eventually adjust? Will we suffer until the next time change? Or do I just have to accept I have an early riser?
AIMS says
Maybe let her go to sleep a little later? This is counterintuitive to most sleep advice but you’re dealing with a time change here – 7 is 6 for her. We usually allow for 15 min. increments around this time – so naps and bedtime 30 min. “later” than the time on the clock (still 30 min. earlier than actual time for kid), and then 15 and then “back to normal.”
Anonymous says
She’s probably going through some kind of developmental thing, like learning to talk. I remember we had lots of very early mornings around then. I have vivid memories of my 13-14 month old waking up every day on our vacation at 5ish, standing up in the pack and play, and yelling “Up! Bye Bye!” And then he wouldn’t nap well either. She’s also at an age when kids start dropping the morning nap, so depending on whether that has happened maybe experiment with nap length and timing? The total numbers of hours of sleep in the day are what should be staying somewhat consistent. But my son, now 5.5, still goes through phases once or twice a year when he suddenly seems to need an hour less sleep every day for a couple weeks, and then he goes back to normal (or sleeping extra). I think these coincide with some kind of developmental leaps. Hang in there.
Anon in NYC says
Yep. For us, months 14-16 were really really hard, sleep-wise. It was a looooooong cycle of colds, developmental changes, and teething.
I love sleep so much why does my daughter hate it says
This makes a lot of sense- she is on the verge of walking and also more words. She’s also transitioned to one nap at daycare, which she is doing ok with. Their nap is later than I think she would prefer, which is why I don’t want to keep her up later at night- I think she still needs slightly more sleep than she is getting during the day. Thanks so much! It’s really helpful hearing other experiences.
anon says
These comments make me anxious, as my 12 month old woke up at 5:15 today. I am hoping this is not a new trend. (And my husband insists she said “Oh, sh*t!”, which I find unlikely because all she says is cat, kitty, dada, and yeah. But I suppose there’s a distinct possibility she could have picked that up before mama.)
bluefield says
My almost 4 year old woke up at 5:15 too. At least 12 month olds are still in cribs and can’t run into your room (I guess 4 year olds can self-entertain, but that still involved a lot of getting up from both of us)
H says
In reply to Redux (my phone doesn’t do the reply function correctly)… my 3yo loves the Crayola wonder colors – a set of markers that mark only on special paper, so no need to closely supervise in fear markers get on furniture, walls, or floors. We bought some books with preprinted coloring pages and some with just plain paper, and he can color for quite a while with that. He also loves those Melissa & Doug water coloring sets – you fill the little pens with water, color a page, and after about 10 minutes it’s dried and you can do it again. The books come with 4 or 5 pages and can entertain him for a good 30 minutes. And this one might be a little messy, but if you have a couple small tubs of Play-doh, you could offer that – we bought some cafeteria-style trays after seeing them used in preschool to do play-doh on to contain the mess. Or a tub of LEGO’s or other small building blocks? My kids love the LEGO sets that come in a mini suitcase and are self-contained. Good luck!
Anonanonanon says
Play-doh and cookie cutters were a hit with my son at that age if there’s somewhere you could set her up to do that. They were usually successful if I offered cookie cutters and toy animals (to make “animal tracks” in play doh with) as well.
You could also take the approach many people suggest for road trips or long flights, and buy a few cheap toys/activities and wrap them up and let her open her “present” once an hour or so, to keep things exciting?
Also, if she has the dexterity, I think that might have been around the age I bulk-ordered cheap sticker activity sheets (either from oriental trading co. or amazon) that I kept in my bag for my son for restaurants, waiting rooms, etc. The paper was a blank “scene” and the stickers could be arranged for the scene (so like a cupcake bakery, the inside of a fish bowl, a farm, etc.). They weren’t reusable but they came in huge packs.
I mentioned this above, but these situations just plain stink. Even if you give a kid something exciting to do, they want to engage with the adults and show them what they’re doing etc. and often interrupt to do so, and it’s no fun for the parents who are constantly asking the kid to “wait their turn” and it’s no fun for the kid who doesn’t understand why they can’t engage with everyone/why everyone isn’t interested in hearing about their drawing RIGHT NOW
Tfor22 says
I have to agree with this. You might want to also think about the times when you’ll be able to engage with her and when someone else might be able to. She won’t be able to entertain herself for very long.
Two Cents says
How do you get a 2 year old to take a first bite of a food he hasn’t tried before? My son won’t eat try a variety of foods like avocado, grapes, oranges. I actually think he might like some of these foods if he bothered to TRY them, but he just looks at them and refuses. Any tips?
Anonymous says
Are you eating the food in front of him regularly? My 3 year old will sometimes turn down food unless they see me sitting down with them to eat the same thing. Offering a piece from my plate often works (especially if I emphasize that they are only allowed one bite because I want to eat it all). And repeated exposure works – my 6 year old is obsessed with pad thai but wouldn’t touch it for the first million times we offered it.
Anonymous says
I have no idea. My 5 year old refuses to try such exotic foodstuffs as rice and potatoes. Occasionally we’ve had success by saying you can spit it out if you don’t like it, offering choices about which of 2 things he will try, bribes, star charts, and lavish praise when he does try something (and spits it out).
Em says
I have the best luck if I keep it low pressure and eat the food in front of him. I will throw the new food on his plate with his dinner, nonchalantly give him his plate, and then sit down and eat the same food in front of him. I don’t mention it’s a new food, don’t ask him to try it, and don’t say anything if he doesn’t try it. I also have luck occasionally if I offer him a bite of my food. This works even if he has the exact same thing in front of him on his own plate.
AwayEmily says
I very much agree with all of Em’s comments. We keep it very low pressure. Along those same lines, I’ve also noticed that she is most likely to try a new food when we aren’t looking directly at her (kids are SO bizarre).
It also sometimes works to ask if I can have a bite of whatever is on her plate. She’ll often either pretend to give me a bite and then take it for herself (she thinks this is the funniest joke ever) or else give me the bite for real and then try a little herself.
But honestly, we have maybe a 50% success rate with trying new food, and a 20% success rate with actually enjoying it. I don’t know if this is normal or not but I’m happy enough with it. And it is entirely unpredictable to me what she will try and/or like.
SC says
+1 to keeping it low pressure. We eat new foods in front of him, and he often wants to eat what we have (even if he has the same thing). Sometimes, we’ll serve the new food only to ourselves and give him something he’s familiar with, and then he really wants to try what we have–and, of course, if he likes it, we’ll serve him a portion of it. We praise him for trying new foods but don’t place too much emphasis on the outcome/whether he likes it. If he doesn’t try something, we don’t try to pressure or cajole him into eating it, and we don’t have a rule that he has to try something. (We might make that a rule when he’s older.) I would say we have a very high success rate on Kiddo trying new foods (probably 80% the first time we give him something, and 100% by the third time). We have probably a 30% success rate on him actually liking the new food, but the number of things he’ll eat is growing, not shrinking, which is my goal for this age.
Also, I try to cook new foods simply and well. For example, I want to show him how good green beans can be–blanched and tossed in a little salt and butter. The first try is not the best time for microwaved-from-frozen vegetables or using a seasoning or dressing Kiddo might not like. (I use plenty of short cuts for foods he already likes.)
Anon in NYC says
I agree with all of the suggestions about keeping it low pressure. I will sometimes put new food on my daughter’s plate and then ignore her. Sometimes I see her try a bite, and other times she won’t touch it.
A few things that have worked recently:
1) letting her pick out the item she wanted to eat (in this example, she picked out a pomegranate seed from a container to try. Now she’s super excited about pomegranate seeds). But maybe it would work with a bowl of grapes.
2) having her peel a clementine with me. She was excited to help and then eat the orange.
3) putting a new food in the “treat” portion of her divided plate. We tried this with dried prunes recently where she normally gets something sweet — she willingly tried one bite, but decided she didn’t like it.
Anon in NYC says
Also, sometimes my daughter will like something (roasted butternut squash) but then refuse to eat it once it’s on her plate. So if she asks to eat something, I will let her eat out of a different container, like a small bowl, instead of putting it on her plate. I think the different vehicle makes it seem more interesting.
SC says
Haha, your #3 reminds me… Kiddo had a cough recently, and the doctor recommended a spoonful of honey before bed. So after I put on his pajamas, I asked Kiddo if he wanted a treat. Of course he did! I led him into the kitchen with lots of anticipation about our special, before-bed treat and put some honey on a spoon. He opened his mouth wide, I gave him the honey…. and he spit it out everywhere! Then he started wiping his tongue with his hands and screaming, “I don’t want this treat!” I tried a little cajoling, telling him “The doctor said it will make you feel better,” but he refused. I didn’t force it. Who doesn’t like honey?!
Anon in NYC says
Haha. I did this with brie recently. She loves cheese, so I gave her a bit and she immediately tried to push it out of her mouth. Brie is basically a food group to me, so I was baffled.
Anonymous says
Ewww, don’t let my adult manners know but brie is gross.
Anonymous says
try cutting off the rind and spreading on bread like butter.
Signed,
Love Brie but hate Brie rind.
H too says
My 3 year old is the same. We’ve had some luck after repeated attempts. Also, we aren’t above bribery. Ice cream works pretty well.
PEN says
Daniel Tiger, “Try new food ’cause it might taste good” episode. and then we sing the song when the occasion arises. Kids also know that they don’t have to clean their plate. Rule is just that you have to try everything.
CPA Lady says
If it makes you feel any better I ate approx five kinds of bland and “safe” foods (pb&j, macaroni, etc) for most of my childhood, and now I’ll eat pretty much anything. I don’t seem to be worse for wear.
I have pretty good luck encouraging my kid to try new things if I say that it’s a lot like something she’s familiar with. She likes chili so when I made a thick soup that she was hesitant to try I said it was “like chili”, so she decided to try it. We also keep it very low pressure. If she doesn’t like something, fine. We are also not pushy about how much she eats. Some days she eats more than my husband. Some days she takes two bites of air. It’s fine.
Have you read any of Ellyn Satter’s books? She helped me way chill out about food struggles.
Anonymous says
I have started ignoring it. I give my child an empty plate, and serve myself at the table, and start eating. If she wants something, she asks for it. Sometimes dinner is a banana, and sometimes she tries everything on the table! I decided I’m done fighting about what she’s going to eat.
Frozen peach says
We are big Ellyn Satter believers.
That said, we have one trick to get our kid to try new things– and it works really well. We very elaborately feed each other. Example”
DH: “That’s okay Kiddo, you don’t have to eat it.”
DH: “Mama, would you like to try some of this delicious jackfruit?”
Me: “Oh yes, thank you Daddy! Jackfruit is delicious and I want to try some!”
DH: “Here, have a bite!
Me: “Oh, this is such delicious jackfruit! Thank you Daddy! Yum yum!”
Frozen peach says
Okay so the most important part of my comment got eaten, which is that after this little play, we studiously ignore kiddo. Who usually then demands a bite of whatever food because we’re eating it without her.
Anonymous says
If kiddo eats quesadillas or soup or scrambled eggs or pasta with sauce you can try adding a little bit of the new food to those things. My LO ate avocado in quesadillas for a while (now by itself) and broccoli in quiche or omelets (that’s a sometimes), peas or zucchini in pasta with sauce.
AIMS says
Just an FYI – PishPoshBaby is having an uppababy sale this weekend, with Vista and the umbrella strollers all 20% off. There’s usually no sales tax if you don’t live in NJ and free shipping. We ordered our stroller and car seat from them when we have our 1st kid and I was very impressed by their customer service/the whole experience. Figured I’d post the info here since it’s not a typical big box store most people know about.
AIMS says
Should add: sale starts midnight tonight so prices as of now as still “regular.”
Anonymous says
Thank you!
Edna Mazur says
Can we talk wiping? How old does a kid have to be before they can, reliably, wipe their own bottom? My son potty trained about a year ago, will be four in a few months, and we’ve never even had him try. It’s time? No?
Anonymous says
It takes a while. My six year old is only just now starting to get confident with poop wiping. Around age 4 or 4.5 we start to get her trying but adult supervision/follow up is necessary for a while. They need to independently toilet for kindergarten.
Blueberry says
I asked at daycare a while ago, and I think 4 is to early. We still take care of it for my kid who just turned 5.
Blueberry says
Hmm, reading these replies, I guess it’s time to encourage kiddo to start doing it on his own. Always so informative, you ladies.
Anonymous says
My son wanted to start doing it on his own somewhere closer to 5, but he’s still not that great at it at 5.5. In my experience preschool will help with wiping, but not kindergarten, so they need to do it on their own by then. I think you could definitely start having him try and then you do a “check” wipe after.
Legally Brunette says
My son is 4 and does it entirely by himself. He’s also sort of a neat freak and very fastidious so he does a very thorough job. (I used to check but stopped after I knew he was fine).
Anonanonanon says
I think my son was trying around that age but I would do a follow-on “check” wipe to make sure, and talk to him about checking himself to make sure he was wiping until the paper was coming away clean. When I transitioned to him wiping on his own, we started with flushable wet wipes (he could be trusted to not clog the toilet with them) which I felt like gave him a better clean than regular toilet paper.
POSITA says
My daughter has been wiping for herself since she potty trained at 2. She used to ask for help if she had trouble, but I don’t think we’ve had to help for more than a year now (she’s 4 and a bit).
Anonymous says
Same, but my daughter was particularly bad about wiping after #2, so I started buying flushable wipes (in the “adult incontinence” section of the store, unfortunately) and she knows how to use them at school and everything.
Sarabeth says
Be aware that “flushable wipes” are only kind of flushable – they don’t break down the way that toilet paper does. I would encourage her to just throw them away, to avoid the risk of plumbing disasters.
Anonymous says
Yes – they are so bad for municipal sewage treatment centres. They badly clog everything.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/10/are-wet-wipes-wrecking-the-worlds-sewers/504098/
Edna Mazur says
Oh this is good info. He is going to be starting preschool, from being at home, soon and this was a concern. I suppose I should just email the teacher, but its good to know his class of three and four year olds probably don’t all have this skill mastered.
PinkKeyboard says
My friend taught both her kids at 2 when they potty trained she just bought a massive thing of wipes, lined a special trashcan with a grocery bag (for disposal each day), and said wipe till the wipe is clean. They improve and use less eventually.
bluefield says
According to the Oh Crap book, it’s whenever you are ready to accept the bad job they’re going to do wiping themselves.
Supply gone at 10 months? says
I am off this week and was so excited about a break from pumping. We have exclusively nursed/pumped until now but I think my body decided this is the week it’s done making milk? I noticed a really slow let down starting Sunday and yesterday afternoon my body just would not let down. Baby got super frustrated so I supplemented with freezer stash which he happily chugged. Pumped at nap time for 30 minutes and got an ounce. My pumping my output at work as been very consistent — 15-18 ounces over three 15 minute pumping sessions. Has anything similar happened to anyone? I started out with oversupply issues for months so this is perplexing.
POSITA says
You could get getting your period. If so, it should get better in a few days.
Anonymous says
+1
My period came back at 11 months but I had a dip in my supply in the month prior and continued to have supply dips monthly.
AIMS says
I had this happen when I took antihistamines or other cold meds. Also sometimes before my period. I found that nursing tea helped. But at around 10 months I also stopped worrying too much about it and started to supplement with regular milk. Maybe it was closer to 10.5/11 months? At any rate, taking the pressure off was actually very helpful to having the supply return.
Anonymous says
+1 to supplementing with regular milk – you don’t need to introduce formula if you haven’t already. Just go to milk.
Cornellian says
I have had similar issues. I kept nursing and pumping and the supply came back.
Agree with the period suggestion above, based on talking to my friends and my IBCLC, although that wasn’t what happened to me. I’m not sure what caused mine but it did come back up after a couple weeks.
Edna Mazur says
Happened to me when i was pregnant again.
NewMomAnon says
Periods did this to me too, but also – a change in schedule can mean that you aren’t drinking as much water as you normally do. I found that water intake significantly affected milk production.
Anon in NYC says
In terms of Hape toys, my daughter has these two:
https://tinyurl.com/ybenwzfm (xylophone)
https://tinyurl.com/ycq4vwxu (activity cube)
She still enjoys both (2.5), so it could be a good buy for a sub-2 year old holiday present.
Blueberry says
Fun holiday movie suggestions, anyone? Especially for sensitive young kids who don’t deal well with anything scary on screen.
Anon in NYC says
Elf? There’s one mildly scary moment with the police rangers at the end, but it’s not that bad.
Carine says
Elf is a good one to try. I’d put my kid squarely in the sensitive category and last year she would beg to watch Elf over and over – she thought it was hilarious. Of course last week when we suggested it for movie night she said it’s too scary when Buddy confronts the Santa imposter! Guess we’ll try again next year?
Anonanonanon says
How about those old stop motion animation rudolph movies from the early 60s? I remember enjoying those as a lil’ one. I think it only airs on one specific network (I want to say CBS?) but hopefully it’s available for purchase somewhere, but I’ve never tried. I think there was technically an abominable snow man of some sort who ends up being good? But the animation is so old school it’s almost impossible to find scary. I think they also did a little drummer boy one that was cute, depending on if you celebrate or talk about the religious aspect of Christmas in your household or not, and one about how Kris Kringle became Sanata Claus?
I would say muppets christmas carol, but since there’s technically the ghosts and the hooded ghost of Christmas future it could be scary if your kids are sensitive to those things. The frosty the snowman cartoon ends up with the kids all crying because he melted, so that’s probably not great either.
Blueberry says
I was thinking of the Rudolph one you mention, actually. I remember being a bit freaked out by the snowman when I was little, but maybe I’ll give it a try if I can find it. I didn’t know there were others, so I’ll look for those.
MSJ says
It’s on Netflix
Edna Mazur says
My kiddos are currently obsessed with the Charlie Brown holiday specials. Good music and not scary. And available on DVD.
Anonymous says
Frosty the Snowman is a hit with my kids. The 1950s/1960s 20 minute version – I found it on youtube. I hate the Rudolph one – I find it terrifying for some reason.
I was thinking of introducing Miracle on 34th street to my 6 year old this year but not sure if that’s too young?
There’s also a Barney the Dinosaur Christmas special that my kid seems to have watched at Grandma’s that she is excited to watch again.
NewMomAnon says
Our local pbs station is showing Sesame Street Christmas tonight, and I think kiddo would love that. Check out some regular kids’ cartoons for holiday episodes; I bet Daniel Tiger, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Arthur, etc will have age-appropriate specials.
I still find the stop-motion ones scary, and I was surprised at how boring Charlie Brown Christmas is when I tried to watch it last year.
NewMomAnon says
Oh! Also, kiddo really enjoyed the Nutcracker – New York Ballet has a version out on Youtube with Macaulay Culkin as a kiddo playing the nutcracker. The part with the rat king is a tiny bit scary, but the rest is fun.
Sarabeth says
Cosign this – my daughter has loved the Nutcracker ballet since she was about 2. She has fixated on the Mariinsky Theater version, but the NYCB one is better.
Also, The Snowman is short but lovely, and not at all scary (though slightly sad at the end). The sequel is not nearly as good, though.
Carine says
+1 to seasonal episodes of shows your kids already like. My daughter loves the Cat in the Hat Christmas special.
Anonanonanon says
Unsolicited review:
I ordered a maternity stitch fix and it… wasn’t horrible. I’ve used stitch fix a few times in the past and found that they really missed the mark on tops/skirts for me in terms of style, but they surprisingly always found me exactly the jeans I wanted that magically fit. I had the same experience with my maternity fix, I kept a pair of jeans and scarf. They sent a top that was way overpriced for what it was and was way off-base style-wise, and another pair of pants that unfortunately were too tight. However, it was 100% worth it to get a pair of jeans that fit, otherwise I would’ve been spending a saturday in a busy mall during the holiday season ultimately crying in a motherhood maternity dressing room.
Anonanonanon says
I’M SO MAD!
My son’s school is doing a “fun run” fundraiser that my son is for some reason very excited about. They are encouraging parents to come cheer their students on.
Initially they didn’t publish a time, but I dug around on the website for the event and found it listed at 8:30-10:00. I told my son I could make it and he was very excited, and I submitted a leave slip for that time. A subsequent email from the PTA said 12:00-2:00. OK, not great because I have a 1:30 meeting that afternoon, but I could probably come for 45 minutes at least, not a huge deal.
TODAY (the event is tuesday) they publicize that his grade will actually be from 1:30-3:00!! Now I’m torn- he’s been so excited that I could go, but that’s the exact time of a meeting I should probably attend. I’m so mad and disappointed that they would just keep changing the time of an event they encourage parents to attend.
This event is organized by the PTA, not the school, so I’m not sure there’s any point in complaining (they’ll just write me off as a complainer I’m sure) but I’m so mad/disappointed I could seriously cry. I was so excited to go support my son about something he was excited about, and he was so excited I was coming, and now I’m in a really tough spot.
SC says
Oh, that’s so hard. I’m not sure what I would do, but I guess it would depend on the meeting. Is there any way to move/postpone the meeting? (I wouldn’t tell the other participants why, just that you have a conflict.)
If you decide to go to the meeting, it’s a good opportunity to talk with your son about feeling disappointed (and let him know you’re disappointed too), and maybe you can come up with ideas together for other ways to be supportive (a special runners’ lunch, etc).
Tfor22 says
I’d be mad too! What is exhausting is all of the planning around the event that keeps moving. I’ve had something similar this week and the lack of clarity over the details has been driving me crazy. I am afraid I agree there is nothing you can do. I’d recommend going if you can since your guy is excited about having you there.
CLMom says
Perhaps he can run with another group at a different time? Regardless, try to use it as a teachable moment.
Jacque says
It’s times like this when it would be great to hit REPLY ALL to the PTO and the other parents with something like:
“I arranged for time off work based on your previous email of 12-2m. I can’t change my schedule for last minute time changes, and I’m sure other parents are equally inconvenienced. In future, please nail down a solid time before inviting parents.”
SEND.
Em says
Yea, me too. I am generally non-confrontational but I would totally pick this battle and probably do it in this way.
GCA says
Suggestions to help kids deal with extreme jetlag? (And tbh, to help family members comprehend that toddlers, jetlag and ‘fun’ activities don’t mix? My mother asked ‘What time does Baby GCA nap?’ ‘I don’t know mom, it’ll be unpredictable for the first few days’.) We’re about to fly halfway round the world. It’s a 13h time difference.
Anonymous says
There’s two schools of thought on this – gradual approach – shift baby’s schedule before you leave by 2 hours, then 4 hours. Adjust in similar increments on arrival. I found this just resulted in awful sleep both before and after we left.
We let kid do normal routine until arrival. They don’t sleep much in flight. We’re pretty flexible in the first 24 hours after arrival – there’s so much new and exciting, that it’s both hard to sleep and hard to stay awake. After that, we try to do LOTS of daylight when the sun is up. For winter travel we’ve also used a daylight lamp and for summer travel we’ve used black out curtains. We also adjust schedule to holiday lifestyle. So kids go to bed about 2 hours later than normal and we let them sleep two hours later than normal. It keeps the time zone slightly closer to home time zone and we’re not trying to put them to bed when big family dinner is just starting.
Tell your mom GCA’s current usual nap time. She’s probably just trying to get rough idea – like baby has one big nap in the afternoon or baby has a short morning nap and a short afternoon nap.
GCA says
True – I forgot he’ll probably not sleep much on the plane, and then conk out when we get there. Which is fine.
The last time we did this, he was 9 months old and naps were all over the place; this time he’s 2.5. My mom…wants to plan Fun Family Outings, trips to great-grandma’s, that kind of thing, for the day after we arrive. Oh boy. Expectations.
Anonymous says
Our rule is nothing within 24-36 hours of arrival (like a full 24 hours on the ground, at the house). We’ve had flight delays lots of times so I usually point out that it’s pretty touch and go to schedule anything for first arrival day alone. After that it’s generally a max of one activity per day (exceptions on occasion) and we try for a ‘do nothing’ day at least every third day.
lsw says
Just a PSA that we have and LOVE the Hape kitchen. And that price is amazing.
lsw says
We also have and love the Hape rocking boat.
Anon in NYC says
My comment got eaten, but we have the Hape xylophone and activity cube, and my daughter (2.5) still plays with them. They would be a good buy for a sub-2 year old holiday gift. The xylophone is a hand me down from a friend and it’s still in great condition.
Anonymous says
Hi! Kids make a mess at meal time and I can’t deal. Has anyone found a good wipe-able tablecloth? I want to avoid vinyl and unnecessary chemicals. Anyone found a great one online to recommend? Suggestions welcome!!!
PinkKeyboard says
We forgo all table coverings so I can scrub the table down with a sponge after the dog sneaks in to pre-clean it for me.
Blueberry says
How nice is your table? Our table is old and cheap and disgusting, but we won’t replace it till the last kid is 3 or so. We just wipe down the table after meals, and take the opposite approach of putting a table cloth on when we have guests.
NewMomAnon says
I do the same! Also stopped putting a table cloth on for daily use when kiddo decided one night to play “peek-a-boo” with the table cloth, and pulled our entire dinner off the table. *sigh*
Anon in NYC says
Yep. Have had the same Ikea dining table for 13 years (gah!), and it’s working just fine / not going to get anything nice for a while. We just cover it for guests!
Tfor22 says
Sometimes I buy laminated cotton at the quilt store and then cut it to fit my table. Here is an online example:
http://www.heatherbaileystore.com/category-s/111.htm
Once or twice I ordered oilcloth online from an etsy store. My table is a funny size so standard tablecloths don’t fit well. I also like being able to pick the fabrics. These last forever, I don’t think I have bought new ones in years.
Anonymous says
Thanks everyone! Our table is semi-nice (it is one of our few non-Ikea items), so I am trying to protect it a little. I’ll check out the laminated cotton. The 3 year old is still making a big mess…
Nonym says
Hi! Kids make a mess at meal time and I can’t deal. Has anyone found a good wipe-able tablecloth? I want to avoid vinyl and unnecessary chemicals. Anyone found a great one online to recommend? Suggestions welcome!!!