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I have combination hair that can get oily near the scalp and dry at the ends. Since I started reading women’s magazines in my teens, I’ve seen the holy grail boar bristle hairbrush by Mason Pearson. Maybe if I’d put away a dollar a week since that time, I’d be able to afford one today (kidding… kinda).
No matter how old I am, I cannot justify spending more than $200 on a hairbrush; however, I have come to the realization that a boar bristle brush would help to distribute the oils from my scalp to the ends of my hair. I started using this about two weeks ago, and not only does this brush help to do so, but it feels really good on my scalp.
The best part is that it’s under $10. The brush is $9.99 (and has a coupon for 10% off) at Amazon and is eligible for Prime. Boar Bristle Paddle Brush
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 4.18.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off full-price dresses, jackets & shoes; $30 off pants & skirts; extra 50% off sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles; 60% off swim; up to 40% off everything else
- J.Crew – Mid-Season Sale: Extra 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off spring-to-summer styles
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Spring Mid-Season Sale: Up to 50% off 100s of styles
- Nordstrom: Free 2-day shipping for a limited time (eligible items)
- Talbots – Spring Sale: 40% off + extra 15% off all markdowns; 30% off new T by Talbots
- Zappos – 29,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Up to 70% off baby items; 50% off toddler & kid deals & 40% off everything else
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off spring faves; 25% off new arrivals; up to 30% off spring
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Up to 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off kids’ spring-to-summer styles
- Old Navy – 30% off your purchase; up to 75% off clearance
- Target – Car Seat Trade-In Event (ends 4/27); BOGO 25% off select skincare products; up to 40% off indoor furniture; up to 20% off laptops & printers
See some of our latest articles on CorporetteMoms:
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
Anon in NYC says
Are other parents of 2-4 year-olds opting to not have their child wear a mask? We’re in NYC and when the pandemic started we made a few attempts to get my 2.5 year-old daughter to wear one but she would not keep it on at all and it felt more dangerous to have her touching her face all the time. We focused on getting her to not touch her face/mouth and have had pretty good success with that. As COVID progressed I started to feel more comfortable with her not wearing one based on the data on infection rates among small kids. Now the WHO has come out with guidance that kids under 5 should not wear one. Our daughter has so far only played outside with other kids – we don’t take her inside anywhere, not even the drugstore or grocery store. I guess I’m just looking for some solidarity that I”m not crazy for taking this approach. We have good friends who have opted to not see us (adults masked, toddlers not) because they don’t feel it is safe to meet up outside with our 2.5 year old without a mask. I’m feeling pretty sad about it.
Cb says
They aren’t required for under 11 here and it’s rare to see a little kid wear one. I would like to get my son to learn to wear one just in case we need to take the bus. We’ve avoided thus far but suspect the time is coming.
Anonymous says
In NYC little kids are wearing masks
Anonymous says
In my red Midwestern state, most kids wear masks even though the state mandate says kids under age 8 don’t have to. You certainly see far more unmasked 2 year olds than 5 year olds, but I would still say the majority of 2 year olds are in masks, especially in situations like the zoo where there are lots of other people around. Even though this issue was originally politicized in the US, it now seems like mask-wearing is far more widespread in the US than in Europe. I have two close friends in Europe and they only wear masks when they absolutely have to do, and take their masks off the second it’s legally permissible. It’s different than in the US where most people seem to mask up voluntarily now.
Spirograph says
You do you. My youngest just turned 4 and we’ve had good success with him wearing a mask, but all kids are different! I don’t think you’re crazy, and I wouldn’t prevent my kids from playing with a maskless 2.5 year old, but I also don’t think you can fault people for feeling differently. There is a HUGE range of risk tolerance and interpretation of the guidance and research among laypeople that I have given up trying to reconcile. My system is to be completely honest about where we’ve been and what precautions we’ve taken, and then not take it personally if that isn’t good enough for someone to be comfortable hanging out with us.
If that outdoor meetup is important to you, your friends would probably feel better if you made a good-faith effort to start your kid out with a mask on a playdate, irrespective of whether it came off at some point.
Anonymous says
My 4 y/o is the most prickly of my 3 kids and she wears a mask just fine. My 2 y/o does not.
Anonymous says
My just turned 4 year old is great at wearing it. It hasn’t been an issue at all. My almost 2 y/o cannot keep it on for a second (we were testing it out). It’s not required for his daycare class and he doesn’t go inside anywhere (the 4-year-old gets to come in for carry out orders because he has a mask). I think kids likely can handle it at some point between 2.5 and 3,5, so I wouldn’t push a 2.5 y/o.
Anon2 says
I didn’t make my two-year-old wear it (I tried, but didn’t want it to be a battle) since the law here says 2 and under are exempt and I felt he was on the cusp, but now that’s he’s nearing three I am having him wear one. I calmly stated it’s a rule and he has to wear it to do X – and got a pack of very soft Paw Patrol ones that he likes. Maybe if you’re outside on your own there’s more leeway, but if you are going somewhere you should make a good faith effort (he has been wearing his to the pool and the zoo, for example, because it’s required).
I’ve always had my four-year-old wear one, but we also don’t go many places so it’s only maybe 1-2x per week.
Anonymous says
We live in MD. In MoCo it’s required for 2 and older inside, outside if social distancing isn’t possible. My 3 year old wears hers without complaint because it’s the rule and everyone else is wearing one, including kids. At the playground it seems 50/50 if kids wear one. I think practice and consistency is key. I’m one who believes young children are at lower risk but we do it to follow social norms in my area and to make others comfortable.
Anonymous says
Same. I both love and hate how robust the norms are around covid precautions in MoCo. Yay, everyone wears masks! but boo, there is no nuance to when they’re “necessary” (imo: indoors, and outdoors when social distancing is not possible) and when they’re a nice-to-have.
Anon says
I am big on having my 2 year old wear one because of new evidence that masks protect the wearer by reducing the viral load you’re exposed it. I know kids are very unlikely to get severely ill to begin with, but anything that is likely to lower that risk even further is a win in my book. So even if we’re going somewhere outdoors like the zoo or the playground, the whole family masks up. That said, it’s easier to get her to wear a mask than to get her to wear sunscreen so I don’t really consider it a “battle” (even though there’s often some whining involved because…well, she’s 2). If it’s a huge battle or your kid won’t keep it on, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to let her go without. But I also think your friends aren’t unreasonable for not wanting to see you. I personally don’t see anyone who isn’t masked, even kids. For the last couple months, small gatherings of family and friends have been driving transmission, so I understand not wanting to let your guard down even with close friends.
Anon says
where we live the rule is ages 10 and up. i have 27 month old twins. one is literally scared of the mask and won’t even let me put it near her face, while the other one has a smaller face and her mask covers literally her entire face including her eyes. i haven’t taken them anywhere since March. i’m considering taking them to the Zoo, which is outdoors, has capacity restrictions and would love it if they would wear a mask, even though it is not required for their age. i would just try again every few weeks. at this age, i feel like every month makes a difference in their development/growth.
Boston Legal Eagle says
I think there is a BIG difference between 2/2.5, even 3, and 4 year olds in terms of wearing masks. I have an almost 2 year old and a 4 (almost 4.5) year old. The older one will wear his mask just fine whenever we go to a public playground or other crowded area, while the younger one just tears it off his face or refuses to put it on. They’re not required to wear them at daycare luckily. I don’t think we’ll be enforcing the younger one wearing a mask after his birthday because I just don’t think he’s developmentally ready to understand that he has to wear it. Maybe I’ll change my mind but seeing my two kids now, I see the big discrepancy in understanding and ability to wear the mask for its intended purpose.
Anon says
I share your friend’s concerns. We have not done playdates because my just turned 3 year old will not reliably wear a mask for more than 10 minutes or so (and I have zero confidence she won’t lick, hug or otherwise make out with another kid – very affectionate and we’re working on boundaries, but she definitely does not maintain her distance). She wore a mask to a doctor’s visit last week (way in, way out and about half of the visit) and has worn it when walking past the workmen we had in the house last week to fix a leak. But since we don’t ever leave the house except to walk around our neighborhood or play in the backyard where we also never encounter anyone closer than 20 feet, it hasn’t been an issue. That being said, we are on the extremely risk averse end of the spectrum, high risk ourselves, so we’re basically living as though we are still under the stay at home orders from March – except that we’ve branched out to do curbside dinner pick up once a week and occasionally visit the (always empty) neighborhood playground.
Boston Legal Eagle says
My comment was in moderation but in short, I think there is a big difference between a 2/2.5/3 year old and a 4 year old in terms of mask wearing. My older one (4, almost 4.5) will wear one just fine, but the younger one (almost 2) just tears it off or refuses to wear it. I wouldn’t worry in the 2 year old range as I just don’t think they are developmentally ready to wear the masks as intended. I may change my mind but I don’t think we’ll be enforcing the mask wearing for our younger one after his birthday.
Anon says
I think it’s fine to not have a child that age wear one, but I’m not sure I agree they’re not developmentally ready. My 2.5 year old is in a classroom which includes a number of kids who just turned 2 and they all wear masks all day just fine. I know daycare is a bit different, because everyone else is doing it, but I don’t think it’s a lack of developmental ability. Maybe more of a lack of willingness because kids who aren’t in a daycare with a mask requirement don’t see enough people their size in masks.
Anonymous says
I agree with this 100%, but I also think that, depending on how OP presented this info to her friends, the friends might be prickling at the fact that she said she wasn’t going to try. To be clear, OP is completely reasonable in that she tried, it predictably didn’t work, and the science doesn’t suggest it’s a hill worth dying on, but it’s partly in the messaging. If you say, “we’ll try to get him to wear a mask, but I just want to warn you that he probably won’t keep it on” that will be received very differently than, “we don’t make Johnny wear a mask.”
I make all kinds of assumptions about people I see not wearing masks. Like, I figure if your whole family walked past the MASKS REQUIRED sign on the door and thought it didn’t apply to you, you aren’t taking this seriously in general and probably were at a backyard BBQ with 100 friends last week, so I’ll stay far away. But if I see you with your mask on correctly but your 2.5 year old wearing his on his chin despite you reminding him to put it up over his nose, I’ll figure you’re trying your best same as the rest of us and don’t present any extra risk.
Io says
I haul my 4 yo out of the playground if she won’t wear a mask. Same if she tries to run around without clothes.
Anon says
Yup. A mask is as much a requirement for going outside as a hat, sunscreen and shoes. They may not be happy about it in the beginning, but if you’re consistent about it they’ll adjust quickly.
Anonymous says
Yup! If I can get my crazy three year old boy to understand that this is a rule, I expect others can and will too. It’s not that difficult to make this a rule. And if the kid refuses, you go home—just like you wouldn’t let them run around naked.
It sucks. I hate masks too. But it’s about keeping others and your child safe. Three and up can wear a mask.
Ashley says
My 2.5yo is wearing one pretty reliably. He gets that “we have to put our ‘maskes’ on when we go in stores.” Just today we were walking into a store, and I forgot to give him a mask. He nearly pitched a fit because everyone else was wearing one, and he wanted to wear one too. So far I have had to force the issue because he wants to be part of the “in” crowd so to speak. It’s both cute and a little sad that this is becoming so normal to him.
Anon says
My 2.5 year old is an awesome rule follower but not a great mask wearer, unfortunately. She has a smaller face/ears and even the smallest kids size ones slip easily off of her face. She hasn’t been anywhere other than the pediatrician’s office since March, so I don’t stress about it too much. I bought her a hat with a face shield attached that she tolerates but I feel more secure with her wearing a mask. She does great at keeping her hands to herself, not touching others, not touching her face, etc. in the very few times we’ve socialized or taken her out.
Anne says
Hey – Today is the first pants day and months and we realized that my 19 month old is a 2T length but the leggings we have don’t fit her thighs or tummy (which are wonderfully huge). I just scrolled online and it’s really hard to see what would fit a round toddler. Any recommendations on toddler pants that are generous on the thighs and tummy? thanks!
Cb says
Aww, she sounds delightful., I’d look at harem pants or pants meant for cloth nappies. There are some super cute ones on Etsy and from slightly indie brands. Stretchy and comfy!
Anonymous says
I would get the capri length leggings in the next size up. Hanna Andersson regular fit (not slim fit) and baby gap are more generous than Primary, Carters, Boden. I also got little joggers at that age.
Anon says
+1. My short-legged tank wears almost exclusively hanna and gap.
anon says
+1 to Hanna and Gap. My kids have skinny butts and long legs and Hanna leggings were also too big around the waist, even when they were wearing cloth diaprs.
rakma says
We had good luck with Old Navy and Walmart brands for wider pant legs. I also tended to pickup a few things from the boy’s section for the wider pant legs, Old Navy had these adorable lightweight cotton drawstring pants that my kiddos lived in for that period where they were a little rounder in the cutest way.
Anonymous says
I find Carters runs large in the bellies. I often have to take in the waists for my kids.
Anon says
Hanna Anderson wiggle pants are pretty generous
GCA says
Aw, cute! Gap runs wide; we also have an assortment of joggers (Uniqlo and Old Navy, mostly) for my cloth-diapered fluff butt toddler.
Anon says
+1 to old navy and carters – my just turned 2 year old needs a 3T for tummy and tush but they are way long on him – I look for joggers with a cuff at the bottom or leggings that can be rolled easily.
Anonymous says
I have a super chubby 2T – wears mostly H&M joggers. Uniqlo leggings worked well for my older kid- started out wearing them at 2.5 and chubby and kept wearing the same ones until 4.5 and skinny.
Lunch Bags says
Hi All. Any recommendations for reusable zipper bags for kiddo’s lunch? Are any of them dishwasher safe? She only uses 1 or 2 per day – most of her lunch goes into a 4 compartment bento. But lately I’ve been needing to put an extra item or two into zipper bags. Ideally I’d get a pack of 5ish or more in assorted sizes. If none of them are dishwasher safe, please let me know. I don’t want to be hunting for something that doesn’t exist! Thank you!
Cb says
This isn’t exactly what you’re asking for, and not dishwasher safe, but we’ve got the beeswax bags and I find them much easier to close and easier for kiddo to manage than the zipper ones. If you’re not using them to store something really sticky, they just need a quick shake and rinse in cold water.
Anon says
Stasher bags are dishwasher safe. We have four and I think they work really well (although they are not cheap and they are sometimes hard for me to open, so I imagine kiddo sometimes needs teacher help to open them too). Been using them a couple of times a week for a year and they still look and function just like I bought them.
anon says
I have a few from the (re)zip brand at Target that are are dishwasher safe. I think handwashing protects them a bit more, but I have run them through the dishwasher on occasion.
rosie says
Check out Bumkins reusable snack bags. I throw them in the washing machine. I tried various silicone ones that go in the dishwasher, but they never seemed to get totally clean and not have soap residue on them. The Bumkins ones are great — machine wash, and then they air dry very quickly. We used them the same as you — something that doesn’t fit in the bento box, taking the rest of breakfast with us, etc.
Anon says
+1. We use the Bumkins ones too. We don’t put anything super wet in them, so we just wipe out with a cloth and air dry.
Anonymous says
+1 – I put ours in the dishwasher. They are not completely watertight but good for things like apple slices, crackers, etc.
Cb says
Random but as you are shopping for autumn, can you keep a look out? My 3 year old is obsessed with otters. Has anyone seen any otter clothes in shops? He’s got otter PJs and one otter top, but sadly otters are not the llama of 2020 and are trickier to find.
anon says
No suggestions, but I am delighted that this is an obsession. :) Otters are pretty darn adorable.
Cb says
It all started with an otter finger puppet which became his bedtime companion. which led my mom to purchase a ‘mama otter’ and a pair of otter PJs. She also found otter fabric and made him a pillowcase. He’ll occasionally pretend to be a cat but all other animals have been rejected.
Anonymous says
Redbubble or Etsy? A zoo gift shop?
Cb says
Ooh maybe Monterey Bay Aquarium!
Anonymous says
Maybe this runs small and he’s a bigger 3 yr old (it’s only in size 5T)
Anonymous says
https://www.avenuepetitlou.com/collections/sweaters-hoodies-toddler-2t-5t/products/otter-3d-hoodie
also this
Anon says
https://www.teepublic.com/kids-t-shirt/sea-otter
Posting is just NOT working for me today…
Anon says
Maybe this runs small and he runs big for a 3 yr old? This is available, but only in 5T https://www.avenuepetitlou.com/collections/sweaters-hoodies-toddler-2t-5t/products/otter-3d-hoodie
Anon says
Have you checked Etsy? I feel like they have everything there.
CHL says
Boden had some maybe 2 years ago? Check ebay?
Walnut says
This otter stuffie is a beloved member of our family:
https://shop.montereybayaquarium.org/en_US/products/sea-otter-with-pup-signature-plush-20
Mm says
I still have a couple of months until LO reaches age 1, but curious how if I could partially wean at that point. Let’s say I hope to nurse only before and after work. Any experiences with how this works? Do I send cow’s milk to daycare?
Anonymous says
It works the same way as combo feeding, but you use cow’s milk in place of formula.
Many day cares provide milk.
Anonymous says
We did a mix of breast and cows milk in the beginning as we switched over. A coworker recommended it. Seemed fine. I think it can be helpful if your child doesn’t take to cow’s milk right away.
Quail says
My baby is 11 months and we are just starting to supplement with cow’s milk, mostly because I can’t pump enough to keep up at this point. Today I sent her to the nanny share with a little cow’s milk that I asked the nanny to put into about an ounce of breast milk and see if baby notices. (When we did the same with formula, she rejected it immediately and continued to reject for weeks, wasting a lot of precious breast milk, so we gave up.) If it works, we will increase the ratio of cow’s milk until she’s drinking just cow’s milk for a bottle or so a day. She will still get bottles of pumped breast milk – I just won’t be the sole milk source, hallelujah.
I plan to continue nursing, and pumping and supplementing with cow’s milk, until her first birthday when we will switch to all cow’s milk and I will stop nursing. I could probably keep nursing her before and after work, but I want to stop and so I’m going to stop.
With my first we introduced about 2 weeks before his first birthday, so that by 12 months we were done. It was a pretty easy transition – but with this second baby, who knows?
Anonymous says
My kid was mostly formula fed by 6 months and around 110.5 months he refused formula and they said it was fine to give him cows milk. Daycare provided it.
Sleep Crying says
Not sure if anyone has been in this specific situation, but I’m all ears if you have! We have a 6 mo old, who until recently was a great sleeper (sleeping 8-9 hours, getting up once to eat, going back down easily for another 3 hours). Now, she started suddenly doing something super weird for her. Around 11 o’clock or midnight, she starts sleep-crying. Literally crying while she is still sleeping (eyes closed, if we go in to calm her at all, she startles awake). She does this every 2-3 hours for the remainder of the night. It’s a totally different-sounding cry than her usual “I need to eat” cry (which she still does, and she still only wants to eat that once/night). So, she’s sleeping, but we’re not. What could be causing this? What can we do? Any ideas whatsoever?
Anon says
Stick a pacifier in her mouth?
Sleep Crying says
Unfortunately she does not use a pacifier – she never took to it, always spit it out. Not sure if we should be introducing one now.
Anonymous says
I seem to remember my kid getting re-interested in his pacifier around that age. It gave him something else to do than focusing on his new teeth and gave him a self-soothing mechanism for sleep. We had no problems dropping it around age 2. So it might be worth a shot to help her through this phase.
Anon Lawyer says
My baby dropped a pacifier early but then started wanting it again when she turned about 7 months. It can’t hurt to try – you can get the 6+ month size ones; we like mam.
Anon says
Aww. This isn’t helpful, but my kiddo started chortling in her sleep really early – before she could really laugh even. She is 6 (years!) now and still does it regularly. For her it’s totally normal, there is no way to “fix” it, and it coincides with sleep cycles. So maybe your best bets for your own sleep are either earplugs or move her out of your room and turn down the volume on the baby monitor?
Anon says
When mine did this it was teething. Ibuprofen helped when they were old enough.
Sleep Crying says
Maybe that’s it. Her first tooth just broke through the gums about two weeks ago (with no crying), but maybe there’s another one (or a couple!) on their way…
Anonymous says
I think phases like this are pretty common throughout development. But that doesn’t make it easier!
Anon says
I think babies may do that as they learn to connect their sleep cycles together?
Sleep Crying says
Yeah it’s just weird that she is doing this now, after three months of “sleeping through the night” – I had assumed she was already connecting her cycles? We didn’t have the 4 mo sleep regression at all at night sleep (it hit naps) so maybe it’s delayed…
Anon says
This was and still is a classic teething symptom in my child (now 2.5). I would try Tylenol before bed.
Anon says
How much severance would you give a nanny after firing? We have started with a new nanny just last week and really don’t like her. We’re going to finish out the week and want to be fair in what we provide.
Anon says
And also, if anyone has tips on transitioning a 1 year old back to daycare I’d really appreciate them. We liked daycare but had switched to a nanny (teacher who returned to school) for the summer because of covid. Baby doesn’t remember daycare and I feel guilty about his inevitable sobbing as a masked stranger whisks him away from my car. I have Friday off and we could maybe do some half days next week for a more gradual transition.
Anon says
Call the daycare and ask for their advice on the transition. It’s a common question and they may have some go-to option to try.
Anon says
Ask the daycare, I bet you can meet the teacher before the first day. But honestly, even in normal times most 1 year olds cry the first time they’re left at daycare so I would try not to worry about it too much. I recommend easing into a full day if you can. I asked for advice about it here a few years ago, and the general consensus was no, don’t do it because the child will then learn to “expect” half days, but we went ahead with it anyway and I do think it made the transition on our then-16 month old much easier. I think with an older kid it might be different, but 1 year olds don’t really have that kind of understanding of time so they’re not going to freak out the first time you leave them there for the whole day.
Anonymous says
My son went back to daycare at 20 months or so. It went really badly for a week or two. He’s cry at drop off and was sad all day. Then it clicked and now he is happy to be back! It was just a matter of him relearning that school is safe and fun. We also read Llama Llama Misses Mama and it definitely helped!
Anonymous says
We just did this with our 14 month old, and the transition went better than we expected. He has cried a little in the morning when he sees the person checking temperatures at the door with a mask, face shield and protective gown on, but he’s over it by the time he’s all checked in and excited when he gets whisked away to his classroom.
Anon says
Do you have a contract? If not, for such a short time, I’d prob just do one week severance. Everyone in the world is looking for a nanny right now, so she should have options.
Anonymous says
We put 2 weeks in our nanny contract, to be fair and give time to sort life out. But we have known this person forever (daycare teacher for both my kids) so we didn’t feel the need for a probation period.
SC says
1 week, and only if the reason you don’t like her is more personality, temperament, or style. If you don’t like her because she’s showing up 45 minutes or ignoring your kids or yelling at them, then I wouldn’t give her anything.
She’s only been with you for a week–you’re well within a “trial period” where either side can say it’s not working out. Plus, right now, it’s a seller’s market when it comes to nannies. If she’s decent and has good references from other families, she can likely find another job within a week.
Anon says
I’m a grinch I guess but I would not give a nanny who had worked for me for 1 week any severance. Normally there’s a 1-2 week probation period, and I think if things don’t work out in that window you don’t owe severance.
Anonymous says
Same. It also depends on whether she continues working after her notice. I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable with this, but for example if you tell her today that her last day is this Friday, I don’t think you need to do severance. If you tell her on Friday not to come back on Monday, I would more likely pay for a week.
Anon says
Well, turns out we’re firing her right now and not on Friday after all – you would think starting a new job that you’d be on your best behavior in front of a baby monitor! Finding the right childcare is the worst thing ever. It’s a never ending source of anxiety. Really appreciate everyone’s insight!! You guys are always great.
Anonymous says
if you are firing for cause, no severance.
Anon says
Oh gosh. I want to hear this story! Sorry you are having such a rough time.
Anonymous says
For those who are not sending their preschoolers to school this Fall what curriculum, etc. will you be using at home?
Thanks in advance!
Anon says
For my three-year-old – nothing formal. With my older son we only sent him to four-year-old preK and that was sufficient to prep him for kindergarten. I have heard good things about Busy Toddler’s book “Playing Preschool” though! Or buy one of the myriad preschool workbooks out there (I like Highlights) and work through a few pages a week.
Reading is really great, so maybe follow your or your child’s interests and check out a bunch of books on one topic for mini “units”? I’m sure you could print out a corresponding coloring page. Add in some scissor practice and maybe some songs and you are set.
Anon says
Clarifying those are my recs if you have a young preschooler – if you have a 4 or 5-year-old recognizing and maybe starting to write letters would be a good activity, too. But there are so many awesome workbooks out there that I’d probably go that route vs an expansive curriculum. My pediatrician also recommended signing up for a sport or small playgroup (as much as you feel safe) to keep up social skills – she is way more worried about that than academics or screen time this year!
Anon says
Mine is 3, and we’re going with the school of PBS kids and sesame street plus lots of reading and her speech therapy practice. I regard this year as optional anyways though; if she were 4 I might feel differently.
layered bob says
This is honestly going to be way higher-quality education than most of the offers of virtual/online preschool that individual schools and school districts are attempting.
layered bob says
For my preschooler who we decided to keep home, we’re using the Homegrown Preschooler for play ideas, plus math games from Preschool Math at Home. We have sandpaper letters and various other Montessori materials too. But she’s 2, soon to be 3. For a 3/4/5 year old, Preschool Math at Home is not going to be challenging enough, I don’t think, at least not for the whole year.
I have a five year old who started school today, but if she ends up needing to stay home, we have Singapore Math for math and the Good and the Beautiful language arts curriculum.
We do a Charlotte Mason-style morning basket with composer studies, picture studies and nature studies with all our kids most mornings, and hear their Bible memory work (we’re religious).
Anonymous says
Blossom and Root for my 3.5 year old. Doing the first book cause she has little to know interest in letters/numbers. She knows ABCs and can count to 20, but doesn’t like recognizing the symbols. It doesn’t take much time a day at all. I may order a more traditional workbook and do 1-2 pages a day eventually
Anon says
i have 2 year old twins and we decided to keep them home with our nanny instead of starting them in school and i wasn’t planning on doing any curriculum. am i supposed to be doing that?
Anon says
No. Definitely not. Playing and reading are the best for little kids. Formal curricula are more to give parents something to do with their kids than something a tiny kid needs. You are all set!
Anon says
No. I wouldn’t even consider a formal curriculum until 3 and I don’t think it’s important until 4.
Anon says
I’m of the mind that preschoolers don’t really need a curriculum, especially if they’re not going to K next year, but if you want a formal curriculum, this is the one my kid’s school uses and it seems good: https://www.virtuallabschool.org/elm-curriculum
It looks like they have pretty detailed lesson plans on here.
Anon says
bug spray recs for toddlers? what we are using isn’t cutting it
Anonymous says
We use OFF family right now, but typically just use anything with DEET. AAP recommendations are less than 30% DEET. I don’t find that the non-DEET ‘natural’ sprays work for us.
OP says
this is what we’ve been using and we are all covered in bites!
anon says
Sawyer 20% Picaridin.
Spirograph says
Have you tried permethrin repellents? We use the Avon skin so soft wipes/spray, and I love them. There are tons of mosquitoes in our area and the Avon does a great job. I can’t speak to efficacy against ticks, though.
Spirograph says
oops, I meant Picaridin. Permethrin is for clothes!
Anon says
We use off family (smooth and dry) or the off deep woods one. DEET is required here in normal years (we back to a creek), but given the massive amounts of rain we’ve had, the mosquito population is out of control. As a result, we avoid the outdoors in early evening, and I also usually require leggings and (if it’s not super hot) long sleeves in addition to spray. My toddler gets tennis-ball-sized welts from her bites. See also – why I prefer being outdoors in the winter, not the summer.
Anonymous says
This summer I discovered that mosquitoes can bite through tight clothing. I was outside for two hours during prime mosquito time one evening and purposely wore a fitted tank top so mosquitoes wouldn’t be able to fly under it. My arms and legs, which were covered with bug spray, didn’t get bitten, but my entire torso was covered with welts.
Anonymous says
Spray your clothes! My DH always sprays his clothes
Marshmallow says
We use Aunt Fanny’s spray (lemon eucalyptus oil) and it really works for us. But our Thermacell device is really better than any spray. We have awful mosquitos and after the Thermacell has been on for about 15 minutes, it really clears them out.
Anon says
If it’s for your own yard consider getting a bat house. We have bats and rarely have mosquito bites despite being outside a lot.
Anonymous says
Isn’t the risk of rabies from bats way worse than the risk of mosquitoes? Especially in the US where mosquito-borne illness is rare.
Anonymous says
That was my thought! Although I might be extra worried about bats because I know someone who had to get the rabies vaccine while pregnant and another person who had to have her infant vaccinated.
Anon says
No, the risk of rabies is incredibly low. :)
Anonymous says
Google says 1% of wild bats have rabies? I wouldn’t call that incredibly low, especially given that the risk of a mosquito carrying a life-threatening illness is orders of magnitude lower in the US. I know someone who was bitten by a bat that tested positive for rabies so it’s not a strictly hypothetical risk to me.
Anon says
The CDC site says that from 1996-2007, there were 19 cases of rabies in the US. Only 4 were bat related that did not involve trying to touch/pick up bats. You’re more likely to be struck by lightning.
Anonymous says
But how many more people had to be vaccinated to prevent rabies after being bitten by a bat or waking up in a room with a bat? Bat bites can be difficult or impossible to detect, so you are supposed to get vaccinated if a bat is found in the room where you were sleeping. You’re also supposed to vaccinate a small child who has been alone in a room with a bat for any period of time, awake or asleep.
Anonymous says
This is so interesting! I have never in my life woken up in a room with a bat, nor has anyone I know. It’s obviously not impossible, but this is just not a risk I ever considered before literally right now reading this thread, and I enjoy watching the bats flying around my neighborhood every night.
Anonymous says
People in the US don’t get rabies often because we have a “post-exposure prophylaxis”protocol, which is a series of shots and IV medicines. The person I know who was bitten by a rapid bat had this treatment and did not develop rabies, but it was still scary and painful and definitely not something I would want to have to put a child (especially a baby or toddler) through. You’re apparently supposed to be vaccinated whenever you have any contact with a bat because their bites are small and not always visible and a not-insignificant percent of them are rabid.
Anonymous says
If you wake up in a room with a bat, the first thing you should do is check your reflection in a mirror.
Anonymous says
I want a bat box! My husband has been talking about this for years, but we don’t have a good place to put one. We did a mosquito spray service for our yard for the first time this year, and it has helped a lot. (I was nervous about it harming other insects, but I still see bees everywhere, so I think it’s OK.) It’s probably too late in the season to start now, but something to consider for next year!
Anonymous says
Has anyone considered participating in a phase III trial for the COVID-19 vaccine? One of the sites is where I live and I am thinking about volunteering. I have two small children. Anyone have any special insight on the risks?
Anon says
Safety risks are relatively low, but it’s not something I would do personally with small kids. If my kids were grown or I didn’t have kids, I would probably be inclined to volunteer (and yes, I realize it would be problematic if everyone thought that way, but it still doesn’t change my decision for myself).
Fwiw, unless you work in a front line profession like healthcare or education, you’re unlikely to get picked. The goal of putting trial is to maximize the number of infections, so they can quickly determine if the vaccine’s working. An office worker who can work remotely has little chance of getting infected, so they probably won’t want you. And from what I know about the current clinical trials, they’re not considering your second degree exposure, eg., through kids in school or daycare.
Anon says
PS. If you want to enroll, I would be more inclined to enroll in Moderna or Pfizer, which have each already had ~15,000 people get injected as part of Phase 3. If anyone died or had a serious adverse reaction, the trial almost certainly would have been halted. So when you factor in the fact that there’s a 50% chance of getting the placebo, you’re probably looking at a less than 1 in 30,000 chance of a serious immediate reaction to the vaccine itself (though of course there’s still the issue of what happens long term, especially if you get infected with Covid post-vaccine). The trials that are just starting like J&J have been tested in far fewer subjects so far and I would not want to be the 500th person to get a new vaccine.
Anonymous says
I’m in one of the phase III trials and I’m okay with the risk at this point. I’m healthy with no pre-existing conditions. I work in an office with some interaction with the public (not frontline, but in an industry considered critical infrastructure that didn’t have to go remote during the shutdown). They keep tabs on you after each injection and there are protocols for increased monitoring if you get sick. You spend a lot of time at the first appointment going over the informed consent form.
Anon says
I need help via some kind of perspective and telling me that I’m insane. In addition to issues related to The World Right Now, I recently went “back” to my consulting job after a 4.5-month maternity leave and my 5yo son just started kindergarten today (in person, and I’m pleased about that). I’m WFH for the foreseeable future. Husband is in litigation and just made partner at his mid firm.
My house is a mess. I feel like I never have anything under control. My job is stressful and I work at least 10 hours a day, including at least 90 minutes after bedtime, and I still feel like I’m behind on projects. I’m also studying for a professional exam I’m supposed to take in two months and feeling like I’m not making any progress. I am getting barely 6 hours of sleep a night and can tell that’s affecting everything. Our weekends are absorbed with kid stuff because they require attention, obviously, and also I just love spending time with them and refuse to give that up. While I would love to make a dent into getting rid of stuff or cleaning or work out, it seems like I never have time to do it. I don’t watch TV. I do mindlessly scroll on my phone and suppose I could cut that out (but to the tune of an hour a day? I don’t think I do it that much).
Am I different from anyone else? I’m guessing not but maybe it would just help to hear that. Part of me wants to leave my job or go 70% time, but also I really had a hard time tolerating SAHM life when I was on leave and my son was home to school closures — and honestly doing so would mean working 100% of the time on 70% salary with my job expectations.
I don’t even really know what I’m asking. This has been such a tough month and I am not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Anonymous says
However often your cleaning lady comes double it. If you don’t have one hire one immediately. You both have Big Jobs. You are not supposed to be spending time cleaning.
AnotherAnon says
Right. There. With. You. I’m literally fantasizing about quitting my job today, but I know we can use the money and kiddo needs to be in day care for the socialization and I feel like a brat for even complaining about the fact that I have the option to quit my job. If you just need to vent, stop reading after this sentence because I hear you – it’s hard.
If you want to know some things that have helped me: TBH I stopped giving 100% at work. At 4:30, I log off and do a workout. Then I have dinner with my family. Once a week I take a bath. DH and I have date night (my mom keeps my kid) once a month. I got off social media for a month. I stopped checking my emails after work and on weekends. Does your professional exam have to be completed right now? I’d maybe hit pause on that. These may not be an option for you, but try to force schedule as much sanity as possible back into your day.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Hi friend. You’re not alone. Besides this year being a chaotic mess, it’s really really hard to have two small kids! And two working parents, particularly two who work a lot (guessing your husband works a lot too?) I think that you may feel this way even if you were a SAHM too though, as, again, it’s really really hard to have two small kids. They need so much from us that’s it’s hard to find any time for doing things that we want to do. I think that this will get easier when they get older, but give yourself some grace and permission to let go of everything else – can you hire weekly or biweekly cleaners? Get food prepared/delivered? Hire more childcare? After having two kids, I didn’t really start working out again until my youngest was 18ish months. That just couldn’t be a priority for me before that.
Anon says
you aren’t insane. you are in a major transition period. you have a 4.5 month old! are you nursing? does your kid sleep through the night? what is your childcare for the 4.5 month old! anyone with a 5 year old and 4.5 month old who works a demanding job, while also trying to study for a professional exam is going to be exhausted. to me you are a total supermom bc i couldn’t hack a job like that even pre-kids. you know yourself best, but do you think you could have some ppd/ppa? i have one friend who like clockwork after each kid, has developed it about 5 months after they are born. you also sound like i sound when i am exhausted. can you choose a few nights to go to bed earlier, maybe take a melatonin, put in some ear plugs. i am guessing your 5 year old doesn’t nap anymore, but on weekends, while the baby is napping can you and DH trade off who hangs with the 5 year old and then otherwise nap. we have twins and for the first 9 months of their lives our home was always a mess and DH and I each napped on the weekends. even now that they are older i’ve prioritized napping during their weekend nap to getting stuff done. sending lots of hugs
Anonymous says
I think many of us are in the same boat. I wish I had better advice, but all I can suggest is 1. outsource as much as you can (hire a housecleaner if you don’t have one. It is my single best mental health investment), and 2. lower your standards.
I read a book recently that recommended auditing how you spend your time for a couple weeks — you’re likely wasting more than you think in places you weren’t expecting. I haven’t formally done it, but even the idea made me aware of how much time I waste (like now! on this s1te!). In theory, you could then replace the time-wasting things with non-productive stuff that at least mentally refreshes you, like a walk. The book is Do Nothing by Celeste Headlee, and I liked its thesis, even if I haven’t managed to implement the guidance!
GCA says
Solidarity. You’re not alone and you’re not insane. I was in your position a little while back with a non-sleeping toddler (molars, in her case) and a work project that was psychologically draining (challenging client) and a lot of meaningless busywork. And I enjoy spending time with my kids as well – it’s all the other stuff that weighs on me. Laundry doesn’t do itself. Dinner doesn’t make itself. Someone still has to make a grocery list. Et.c. (Also, my pet peeve with most of the time management self-help literature is that it seems to assume that all hours are created equal, with equal energy, and no unpredictable interruptions – which, when you have small children, are basically the norm rather than the exception.)
Ultimately, something needs to give. Without knowing your work situation, can you hang tight till your current project/s wind down and then ask to be placed on something internal or a bit less demanding? If you’re already at breaking point, what can you drop either at home or at work? Second the suggestions to hire cleaners and have food delivered.
anonymommy says
Give me your best moving/prepping new house/packing/moving-during-covid-with-a-baby-and-toddler tips! I know there’s been some threadjacks on this but I can’t find them.
Anon says
Pack for a week long vacation in a poorly furnished rental in your car (bedding, clothes, tolietries, a couple of favorite toys, cleaning supplies, PNP, bassinet, black out curtains, dishes, bottles, etc.) plus valuables and alcohol. Then pay for someone to pack the rest (worth every penny).
Second best advice: start early, label boxes with contents and room location, use out of season clothes and towels to pad things, get wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes and put shoes or pillows in the bottom.
Anon says
Pay people to pack everything for you. We just pandemic moved with two little kids, and I literally cannot imagine having done otherwise. We didn’t pack a thing really, they showed up the day before the move, and had everything packed up in literally like 3 hours. That would have taken us WEEKS which isn’t just the labor, but going weeks living with your stuff in packing limbo. I realize it’s kind of a privileged position to say, pay someone to do it. But seriously even if it is a stretch, pay someone to do it.
Otherwise, we did pack a suitcase and a backpack with enough stuff for a couple of nights like we were going on a trip. Remember to include phone chargers in this! And just keep in mind ANYTHING sitting out they will pack so make sure you’ve done a once over of organizing what you don’t want them to (sunglasses, a cup or two, etc). The day before we moved in to the house my husband went over and set up the WiFi and everything WiFi related (nest etc) so while unloading and unpacking the kids could watch the iPad.
Good luck!
SC says
If you can afford professional packers, they are worth it. I used them once when my company’s moving allowance covered all but a few hundred dollars, and it was amazing. In our most recent move, even though the pros are worth it, we didn’t feel like we could afford it out of pocket in addition to all the other stuff that comes up.
+1 to starting early with packing. We packed china, glassware, decorative items, little-used kitchen gadgets, and serving pieces a couple weeks in advance with no real impact on our day-to-day lives. We also cleaned out our desks and our garage before we moved.
We used color coded tape for which rooms we wanted boxes to go in, and that worked really well when the movers unloaded the truck. It sped them up (we were paying by the hour), and it made our unpacking go SO much faster.
Move clothes in dressers. Move hanging clothes hanging up.
If you have pets, make an appointment to board them for actual moving day. If you don’t board often, make sure your pets are up to date on vaccination and micro-chipping requirements for boarding.
Prepping new house–consider hiring someone to deep clean the new house. Clean the insides of cabinets and refrigerators, make bathrooms shiny, wash windows, get dirt out of the nooks and crannies. Consider baby-proofing, or at least ordering supplies, before you move in. Also, make a list of companies to call to get utilities and internet set up. Call a locksmith if you intend to re-key the locks. If you are able to wait at least a few days after closing, it really makes a difference to move into a clean, safe house with all the utilities set up, and not be dealing with all that stuff while you’re trying to unpack.
If you have family help available, now is the time to call them in. My mom helped us when we moved about 2 years ago, and it was really useful to have someone watch Kiddo.
Unpack and set up the kids’ room(s) and/or play area first. It will give them a sense of normalcy, a safe place to be, and toys to distract them. I would also plan for kid containment–baby gates, pack n play, ball pit, etc.– while you unpack. Baby proof that room, at least, ASAP, including (especially) anchoring any furniture.
I took the approach of powering through and unpacking as much as possible on the first weekend. Our moving day was Friday, and we had 80% of our stuff unpacked and put somewhere by the time I went back to work Monday. In particular, the kid’s room, my desk, the kitchen, and my side of the closet were set up. That’s what I need to feel organized. We unpacked stuff like books and fancy china later, and we hung art later. We also rearranged half the house 6 months after we moved in.