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I loved the phase of babyhood when you could just leave them in the car seat and snap them into the stroller. It was so simple! When food shopping, I would just use the stroller and throw groceries into the storage basket of the stroller, which was large (Uppababy). When I saw this contraption, I immediately realized how useful it is. You can still use a regular shopping cart, but with all the ease of keeping them in the car seat. I think this would make a great gift for expecting parents. It is $39.95 at Amazon and eligible for Prime and free returns. Car Seat HammockThis 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!
A snow day without any snow (freezing rain/ice) and a full day of calls. Ugh. Thank god for our au pair but being stuck at home without the ability to really go outside and play is a nightmare. Yay winter…
Anonymous
Dec 17, 2019 8:48 am
When I had kids in carseat / carriers (I called them bucket babies), the whole thing just fit into the cart. Maybe they are wider now?
Sitters / mothers' helpers
Dec 17, 2019 9:08 am
I work with guys, so I do not know this at all.
At what age do kids start babysitting or becoming mothers’ helpers? IIRC, I was in middle school when I started watching kids in my town for 2-3 hours at a clip, maybe longer if the parents were out at night and I had a couple of hours of TV watching after the kids went to bed.
My kids are in late elementary school, so I think that they still need a sitter, but are also probably old enough to leave them at home if I went for a run or to the nearby store. We have a home phone if they needed to reach me. Older kid is 11.
I think they may be old enough to baby sit in middle school (if anyone would have them), but if they don’t have any experience at home alone first, then they probably wouldn’t feel comfy watching younger children in a home that isn’t theirs. [And I’d get them a phone if they are booking gigs.] Or is this not how this works anymore?
FWIW, I sometimes use a middle schooler to come play with them and walk to the park when I WFH over snow and hurricane days. Part of this is that she can walk down the street and my kids think that she is cool b/c she is 1) older and 2) not me. She is also cheap and we are friends with the family, so have known her forever (so perhaps things are different among close friends’ families vs random people in the ‘hood). I’d hate to age out of this (and maybe things are different at night), but at some point it will be time to age out of all but the driving sitters (useful b/c they can drive more than that they supervise).
Pumping bra recs
Dec 17, 2019 10:06 am
Going back to work from maternity leave in 2 weeks. Any recommendations for hands free pumping bras for the very busty?
I attempted to use my old one from my first time around and…no go. I am around a 36H right now.
Anonymous
Dec 17, 2019 10:16 am
What’s the appropriate/typical holiday tip/gift/bonus for a nanny? Bay Area, if it matters. TIA!
Anon
Dec 17, 2019 10:30 am
Uch. This morning i don’t have to be at work until 11 because we are having our holiday celebration. DH agreed to get up with the kids until our nanny got there so i could sleep in. At 7:30am once she arrived, DH woke me up to tell me to get dressed bc we usually commute together…and then i couldn’t fall back to sleep. So frustrated
dc anon
Dec 17, 2019 10:49 am
Help! I am looking for an experience gift idea in DC (or nearby) for my 5 year old to do with grandma from out of town. We have done shows at the Kennedy Center, the zoo, gardens, and museums. Any other ideas?
Anonymous
Dec 17, 2019 11:09 am
Any books on parenting for 1-2 year olds? Just looking for some perspectives and things to be on the lookout for. Thanks in advance!
Anonymous
Dec 17, 2019 11:18 am
How did y’all introduce solids when baby is in daycare from 8-6 every day? He is cranky by dinner time and not as interested in trying new things. He did great over the weekend but there doesn’t seem to be time during the week to be consistent!
Anonymous
Dec 17, 2019 11:37 am
Anyone have advice on buying twin mattress for kids bunkbeds? I feel like spending $1000 for a 5 year old’s bed is ridiculous but what is reasonable?
ElisaR
Dec 17, 2019 11:58 am
Daycare Drama Question: I recently received word from another parent that the lead teacher in our classroom is requesting back scratches from our 3.5 yr old kids and rewarding them with stickers (I later learned it was also a gift from the treasure chest). I think it’s weird. My son isn’t being asked because he kind of keeps his distance from this teacher in the first place, but still. I think it’s indicative of poor judgement, misplaced priorities and sends the wrong message to the kids. Wise hive, what say you?
The thought of searching for a new daycare for my 2 kids is overwhelming but I’ve already considered it for other reasons.
Pogo
Dec 17, 2019 12:50 pm
Those of you with kids at in-home daycares/nanny share/nanny – when did you make the move to “school” and how did you go about it?
I honestly wasn’t thinking about it at all but apparently the registration for our public pre-k starts in like, February and is super competitive (just in terms of spots). So I’d have to start thinking now for my to-be-3yo, though my suspicion is none of these options would work for me as the “full day” pre-k is like, 9:00-1:00 or something. Have you switched your 3yo entirely to a full-time daycare that has a pre-k? Did you keep the nanny and have the nanny drive 3yo to a public/part time pre-k? Some other option?
Also if you have a second who is a baby at the same time (which, fingers crossed, is what I’d have next fall), did that factor in? I’m thinking we definitely don’t want two dropoffs, so having both at the same full-time daycare/pre-k would be easiest from that perspective, or nanny with some part-time pre-k. Money is not a major limiting factor – I know we’re going to be paying a lot whichever route we go, I’m looking for easiest solution.
So Anon
Dec 17, 2019 1:02 pm
Y’all, my heart is breaking for my kids. My kids have off of school from December 23 through January 1. I am taking that time off as well. The ex is taking the kids for five hours on Christmas, his regularly scheduled weekend, but has otherwise said that he “does not have time” to see them. He lives 15-20 minutes away and works 9 hours per day (30 minute lunch and 2 15 minute breaks). His hours are generally not 8-5, but more like 6am-3pm or 11am-8pm. In other words, if his kids were a priority, he could see them. My son keeps asking to see his dad more, and I am at a loss for what to tell him. My daughter refused to go with him on Thanksgiving, so she is not exactly asking for more time with her dad. Any advice on how to talk to my son (9) without having his Dad be a bad guy?
AnotherAnon
Dec 17, 2019 3:43 pm
We’re going to be home on Christmas morning for the first time since our son arrived! (he’s 2.5) What would you make for Christmas breakfast/brunch? Bonus if it’s something DS could help cook; caveat – DH doesn’t like sweets.
A snow day without any snow (freezing rain/ice) and a full day of calls. Ugh. Thank god for our au pair but being stuck at home without the ability to really go outside and play is a nightmare. Yay winter…
When I had kids in carseat / carriers (I called them bucket babies), the whole thing just fit into the cart. Maybe they are wider now?
I work with guys, so I do not know this at all.
At what age do kids start babysitting or becoming mothers’ helpers? IIRC, I was in middle school when I started watching kids in my town for 2-3 hours at a clip, maybe longer if the parents were out at night and I had a couple of hours of TV watching after the kids went to bed.
My kids are in late elementary school, so I think that they still need a sitter, but are also probably old enough to leave them at home if I went for a run or to the nearby store. We have a home phone if they needed to reach me. Older kid is 11.
I think they may be old enough to baby sit in middle school (if anyone would have them), but if they don’t have any experience at home alone first, then they probably wouldn’t feel comfy watching younger children in a home that isn’t theirs. [And I’d get them a phone if they are booking gigs.] Or is this not how this works anymore?
FWIW, I sometimes use a middle schooler to come play with them and walk to the park when I WFH over snow and hurricane days. Part of this is that she can walk down the street and my kids think that she is cool b/c she is 1) older and 2) not me. She is also cheap and we are friends with the family, so have known her forever (so perhaps things are different among close friends’ families vs random people in the ‘hood). I’d hate to age out of this (and maybe things are different at night), but at some point it will be time to age out of all but the driving sitters (useful b/c they can drive more than that they supervise).
Going back to work from maternity leave in 2 weeks. Any recommendations for hands free pumping bras for the very busty?
I attempted to use my old one from my first time around and…no go. I am around a 36H right now.
What’s the appropriate/typical holiday tip/gift/bonus for a nanny? Bay Area, if it matters. TIA!
Uch. This morning i don’t have to be at work until 11 because we are having our holiday celebration. DH agreed to get up with the kids until our nanny got there so i could sleep in. At 7:30am once she arrived, DH woke me up to tell me to get dressed bc we usually commute together…and then i couldn’t fall back to sleep. So frustrated
Help! I am looking for an experience gift idea in DC (or nearby) for my 5 year old to do with grandma from out of town. We have done shows at the Kennedy Center, the zoo, gardens, and museums. Any other ideas?
Any books on parenting for 1-2 year olds? Just looking for some perspectives and things to be on the lookout for. Thanks in advance!
How did y’all introduce solids when baby is in daycare from 8-6 every day? He is cranky by dinner time and not as interested in trying new things. He did great over the weekend but there doesn’t seem to be time during the week to be consistent!
Anyone have advice on buying twin mattress for kids bunkbeds? I feel like spending $1000 for a 5 year old’s bed is ridiculous but what is reasonable?
Daycare Drama Question: I recently received word from another parent that the lead teacher in our classroom is requesting back scratches from our 3.5 yr old kids and rewarding them with stickers (I later learned it was also a gift from the treasure chest). I think it’s weird. My son isn’t being asked because he kind of keeps his distance from this teacher in the first place, but still. I think it’s indicative of poor judgement, misplaced priorities and sends the wrong message to the kids. Wise hive, what say you?
The thought of searching for a new daycare for my 2 kids is overwhelming but I’ve already considered it for other reasons.
Those of you with kids at in-home daycares/nanny share/nanny – when did you make the move to “school” and how did you go about it?
I honestly wasn’t thinking about it at all but apparently the registration for our public pre-k starts in like, February and is super competitive (just in terms of spots). So I’d have to start thinking now for my to-be-3yo, though my suspicion is none of these options would work for me as the “full day” pre-k is like, 9:00-1:00 or something. Have you switched your 3yo entirely to a full-time daycare that has a pre-k? Did you keep the nanny and have the nanny drive 3yo to a public/part time pre-k? Some other option?
Also if you have a second who is a baby at the same time (which, fingers crossed, is what I’d have next fall), did that factor in? I’m thinking we definitely don’t want two dropoffs, so having both at the same full-time daycare/pre-k would be easiest from that perspective, or nanny with some part-time pre-k. Money is not a major limiting factor – I know we’re going to be paying a lot whichever route we go, I’m looking for easiest solution.
Y’all, my heart is breaking for my kids. My kids have off of school from December 23 through January 1. I am taking that time off as well. The ex is taking the kids for five hours on Christmas, his regularly scheduled weekend, but has otherwise said that he “does not have time” to see them. He lives 15-20 minutes away and works 9 hours per day (30 minute lunch and 2 15 minute breaks). His hours are generally not 8-5, but more like 6am-3pm or 11am-8pm. In other words, if his kids were a priority, he could see them. My son keeps asking to see his dad more, and I am at a loss for what to tell him. My daughter refused to go with him on Thanksgiving, so she is not exactly asking for more time with her dad. Any advice on how to talk to my son (9) without having his Dad be a bad guy?
We’re going to be home on Christmas morning for the first time since our son arrived! (he’s 2.5) What would you make for Christmas breakfast/brunch? Bonus if it’s something DS could help cook; caveat – DH doesn’t like sweets.