Is it too early to bust out the linen?
Dress codes are in flux right now — my professional Before Times wardrobe just doesn’t seem right anymore. My formula for dressing now is to combine a traditional silhouette with relaxed elements.
This blazer from Madewell is a great example — the cut is looser than a traditional jacket and sports drop sleeves, but it still has a traditional lapel and two-button closure. The airy blend of cotton and linen will take you well into the late spring and beyond (and it’s machine washable for when things get toasty).
Dress it up with black slacks and polished loafers; dress it down with jeans and a white tee.
Madewell’s Cotton-Linen Relaxed Larsen Blazer is $148 at Madewell and Nordstrom and available in sizes XXS–4X. It comes in “faded earth” and “antique cream.”
At a lower price point is this cotton-linen blazer from Donna Karan New York that’s on sale for $79.99 (lucky sizes only); this linen-blend blazer from Uniqlo is $59.90 and available in XXS–XXL. Talbots has several linen blazers on sale in various colors and size ranges.
Looking for other washable workwear? See all of our recent recommendations for washable clothes for work, or check out our roundup of the best brands for washable workwear.
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!
Anon4this says
Help me figure this one out. My 4th grader last week told me that one of her friends has been talking about “wanting to die”. I asked her if she ever felt this way too and she said she didn’t feel this way too (and reached out to the mom to let her know too). Then this week, my daughter said she feels that way too when she’s doing homework/studying because she feels bored and that life is boring etc . I am obviously freaking out. What do I do, other than finding a good child psychologist?
anon says
You sure this isn’t just hyperbole? Kids that age tend to be dramatic and not really mean what they say. We say “kill me now” and definitely don’t mean that. I would just tell her that boring is a fact of life
Anonymous says
Get curious and dig deeper with your child. Let them know that talking about wanting to die is very serious to you, and that’s not the type of language that we should use when we are just feeling bored, frustrated, or upset that we have to do something we don’t want to do. Kids at that age are experimenting with language and expressions, and they don’t always mean what they say because they don’t understand the implications of the expressions they are using.
I know from experience. I have a very difficult memory of being about that age (3rd grade) and telling my mom that my new medication made me feel like “jumping off the roof.” She freaked out and thought I was suicidal and took me to tons of counseling, etc. What I was actually trying to communicate at the time was that the medication made me feel antsy/hyper and the phrase I was really looking for was made me feel like “climbing the walls” or something along those lines. I can still feel it when I think about it today. I was not suicidal. I wish someone would have just dug deeper with me to see what the real issue was.
NYCer says
+1. I would definitely dig deeper and have a conversation with your daughter about boredom, language, etc., but I don’t think this necessarily warrants an immediate call to child psychologist.
EDAnon says
I agree with this. From watching others go through the aftermath of suicide of a child, I am on HIGH alert, so I certainly wouldn’t blow it off. I would ask a lot more questions. If you have a good relationship with your ped’s office, that might also be someone your kiddo can talk to (and my ped has experiences with these conversations and could provide immediate referral, if needed).
Cb says
I get the impression from friends with older kids that the focus on mental health in schools is obviously a great thing, but also that all the kids are self-diagnosing with anxiety disorders and depression?
anon says
This. I work with high schoolers and if they’re worried about a test they decide they have anxiety.
Anonymous says
“What do you mean when you say that?” Is a good start. The way they respond will give you a lot of insight into the degree to which you need to intervene vs just explain it’s not an appropriate hyperbole.
Eg. Me this morning opening my email asking for the most annoying of tasks: “kill me now!”
Anonymous says
Gosh, I’m sorry. These aren’t things anyone should say lightly, but I wonder if she understands the gravity of what she communicated? In the military, they train people to ask the question : “Are you thinking about hurting yourself or someone else?” and note that the only safe answer is an immediate no. If there’s a pause, that’s a red flag, and a crisis hotline would be a good next step.
I think you can address the life is boring, thing, though. Studying and homework CAN be boring, so if it’s situational, I wouldn’t be as alarmed. I’m obviously a little older than 4th grade, but when I get in a funk like this, one thing that helps is having goals related to hobbies or sports. It sounds like she’s not very motivated by school goals right now, so helping her find something else to work toward might foster a positive and future-oriented mindset. And find ways to introduce novelty — get out of the normal routine and go for a hike, browse a new store, check out a show or museum, connect with friends she hasn’t seen in a while.
Anon says
I was bored enough in grade school that I didn’t want to keep living if it would only mean more school. I’m really grateful to my parents to this day for changing my situation; I’ve never felt that way again since.
Anon says
Comments are still disappearing for me.
Anon says
Same here.
Anonymous says
Same
Anon says
Same. I seem to have a problem every other day because yesterday was fine, today they are disappearing, the day before yesterday they were also disappearing.
Cb says
Me too!
NYCer says
Me too. For whatever reason, it seems to be worse in the mornings for me.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Same here.
Anonymous says
Same. I’m not having this problem on the main page.
Anon says
This may be a stupid question and I promise I’m not trying to offend Disneyphiles, but can someone explain what makes Disney so special for kids? I feel like I’m the only person I know (both here and in real life) not currently planning a Disney vacation for their kids. I admit I’m coming at this from the perspective of someone who’s not a fan of Disney myself, but if I thought my 5 year old would love it I would be happy to go and give her that experience. But I’m not convinced it would be that special for her? She doesn’t know any of the older characters. She has passing familiarity with Frozen and Moana but isn’t particularly into them. Is it only worth going if your kids are crazy about Disney characters? If not, what besides the characters makes young kids love it so much? I guess I’m just having a hard time grasping what makes a Disney trip so much more fun for kids than other kid-oriented family vacations.
Anonymous says
I did not grow up watching Disney movies and only knew the characters as the inhabitants of Disneyland, but Disneyland was absolutely a magical place for me when I was growing up. It is immersive storytelling not found at any other theme park with the possible exception of the Harry Potter world at Universal. Part of the magic is how disconnected it is from the real world.
Anonymous says
It was special to our kids because they knew the characters, so makes sense to me to skip if your kids don’t! I will say there is something about those giant character heads that kids seem to love? We first noticed it with our local baseball team mascot- our kid was obsessed. We have two girls, and one loves the mascots and superheroes and one loves the princesses.
I will say I also like that Disney is so wholesome- it is SO geared towards kids, all the music is appropriate, the programming, etc. Unlike other vacations where there is occasionally more of a drunk adult focus.
Anon says
I took my kids when they were 7 and 5 and while they’d seen a handful of the movies, we’re not super Disney fans or anything. We went to DW pre-Covid, as a caveat.
It was 100% more magical than I was expecting, even as an adult. The rides are really well done and focus on the entire experience, so even waiting in line is part of the story. Meals are turned into an experience, where even a quick grab and go breakfast is fun because the cinnamon bun is Mickey shaped. And then everything is geared to the whole family – it’s fun for the kids, but adults enjoy it too. (Opposed to say, Paw Patrol Live where kids love it but adults want to rip out their ears just an hour in.) The nighttime show on Cinderella’s Castle blew me away with how well the music went with the visuals, and how even through a million people were there, it felt like an intimate show.
In short, it’s because every part of your visit is perfectly thought-out for all ages and fully immersive. The transportation is part of the story, the on-site hotels, the meals, the rides, the shows, the parades, even the bathrooms are part of the fun.
Anon says
That said, I’m happy we went the one time and I don’t really see the appeal of going back again and again, unless you’re local. I’m not a big theme park person (don’t trust the rides at most other parks) so I’d rather do other big family vacations like Grand Canyon or Bahamas.
Anon says
As a data point, I am not planning a Disney trip and know only one person who has that as a future plan that they discuss and are clearly excited about. The Disney parks do go all out to make it an immersive experience which is unique but not necessarily more fun than the beach or staying at a National park or visiting a new city – it’s just a very specific thing.
OP says
Yeah, “everyone” was a bit of hyperbole, but it does kind of feel like a rite of passage for people of a certain income level to do at least once when their kids are between the ages of 4 and 10 or so. And we are of that income level, but I just don’t understand why a kid who isn’t obsessed with the characters would like this more than a trip to a beach resort with a bunch of fun pools or a city trip that involves visiting lots of kids museums and playplaces. A friend who recently went to DisneyWorld me her kids’ favorite part of the trip was the hotel pool, which I totally get and think my kid would likely be the same way. But if kids are going to love any trip that involves a hotel pool, why not go somewhere that’s more interesting for the adults?
Anonymous says
I don’t remember much to my childhood trip to Disneyworld except for the awesome hotel pools — one with a sand on the bottom, and one lazy river one.
Anonymous says
I commented above about how my kids loved it because they knew the characters. As a counterpoint to that, my brother planned a very expensive and hectic one day trip to Disney World, even though he doesn’t have Disney plus and his kids don’t know the characters, and his son said his favorite part of the trip was going to Waffle House the day before.
Anonymous says
I’ve never been to a Disney park (wasn’t really into it as a kid, get motion sick on rides) and my kids haven’t gotten into Disney and b/c I can’t go on rides, never really went to amusement parks. So we’ve never gone now for two generations. People react to this like I have two heads and kill kittens. Am I really missing anything? I went to Sesame Place as a kid and was glad I didn’t throw up on the ferris wheel, so I would sort of dread a week of an amusement park. I truly don’t know if it is like Sesame Place but with Disney characters but I have a feeling I’m not going to find this out personally.
Anonymous says
I’m the same way. Never went growing up, never felt like I was missing out, never had any desire to take my own children. I guess I’d be willing to take my kids if they asked but they haven’t. No one in our family enjoys theme park rides, so we don’t really think to visit a theme park unless there’s a very specific reason to. I do want to take them to Harry Potter World some day because I think they would get a kick out of being able to drink butterbeer and buy wands. But Disney does not seem to hold much appeal for me or them.
AIMS says
We just went. My kids liked it. We all had a good time. I am glad we went. I don’t think it was anything especially magical and I don’t know that my kids (4 and 6) care if we go back anytime soon. They’ve seen a lot of the movies, btw, so it’s not like they were unfamiliar. I really can’t tell you. I honestly think a lot of this is just people buy into the fact that it’s “magical” and therefore it becomes magical.
The one thing I will say is that it seems like Disney does an AMAZING job helping families with special needs. I got to see several instances where their “cast members” really responded in helpful and kind way to kids with various disabilities and it was sincerely heartwarming to see and made me wish that everyone would have the training to respond so well in those kinds of situations.
OP says
Ah yeah I’ve heard the special needs thing too. That makes sense. I totally agree, I wish more places were inclusive like that.
Anonymous says
Yes! I was just on a Disney cruise and cosign this 100%. There were several adults and children with special needs on board and the cast and crew were so accommodating, kind, and helpful to them and everyone looked like they were having an amazing time. It absolutely was heartwarming.
Anon says
I considered myself a Disney skeptic until we took a trip there in January. We only went because I was planning to go to Orlando a conference that was canceled last minute. It exceeded our expectations. We (kids and adults included) had the best time. Everything is so well done and thought out. Sure it’s expensive and you pay for that but even if your kids don’t know the characters it’s still neat. We enjoyed it so much we’re considering going back later this year (which shocks me, considering how skeptical I was before).
Walnut says
My husband was kind of whatever about Disney and I just wanted some sunshine in February. Our kids have watched most of the movies, but aren’t passionate. Covid’s been long and all our family vacations are generally to visit our parents. We usually consider vacationing with young kids to be parenting in a less convenient location.
Disney blew us away. We had no expectations and figured out kids would run out of patience, but they loved it. It was their first real “ride” experience and they were delighted by the spinning tea cups. My oldest said Space Mountain made his tummy tingly and basically floated in delight for the next hour. There is music everywhere and my kids love to break out into ad hoc dancing. Everything was very “real” for my four and three year old, so it may have been absolute magic for them. We paid an insane amount of money for a very nice room set up and it made the trip so much more enjoyable for my husband and I.
Maybe any vacation would have been magical and it was the confluence of everything that tipped this into a trip I’ll never forget. We’re planning to go back next year.
Anonymous says
I feel like Disneyworld was really advertised on commercials when I was little, and after school specials like Full House did episodes there. So I REALLY wanted to go and my family enjoyed an every other year trip there. We just have such good memories there, the fireworks are great, and some of the restaurants (especially in Epcot) have truly good food. Animal kingdom, Animal Kingdom lodge, and the safari are legitimately great. We would only do the parks in the morning and pool in the afternoon with a fancy dinner at night. My parents now live in FL and have season passes and go about once a week. My sister and her family are Disney fanatics.
That being said, I have one child who is not a fan of large crowds and loud noises. Not on the spectrum or anything, she’s just an introvert. She loves Disney stuff but Disney World might potentially be her idea of a nightmare. My DH doesn’t “get it” either but didn’t go to Disney until he was an adult. We just go to the beach instead.
Anon says
Disney Aulani in Hawaii could be great for your family. I have a similar kid and we’re thinking we’ll take a trip there when she’s a bit older. Or a Disney cruise. You can get the Disney magic and service, but without the theme park crowds.
Anonymous says
The Disney magic is real. Even my Disney-averse and theme-park-hating husband had the best time on a Disney cruise. I found the cruise surprisingly crowded, though.
AIMS says
Just curious – what is the magic? I see a lot of people say that but what does that mean?
Anonymous says
Magic = immersive storytelling environment.
AIMS says
Ok, I am really not trying to be difficult but, sincerely, what does that mean? I agree that the Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan rides have “fun” lines but you’re still waiting 40 min to an hour.
Anonymous says
Maybe it only makes sense if you grew up going to theme parks and are used to waiting in line? To me 45 minutes is a pretty short theme park line, and waiting in line with all the cool stuff going on is part of the whole experience.
The immersive storytelling is the music, the landscaping, the cute and clean restrooms that match the theme of each “land,” the employee uniforms, all of it. Walking down Main Street USA or through New Orleans Square feels like you are in a movie. Other theme parks just feel like theme parks.
Anonymous says
Thanks! Since my parents live near Orlando we’ll probably just visit Disney Springs sometime. Or do 1 day at Magic Kingdom (including the Bibbidi Boo Bop salon because that’s her jam) and 1 Day at Animal Kingdom. Its really just not a huge priority for us and we love more nature-centric vacations.
SC says
Bibbidi Bobbii Boutique isn’t open yet, but pre-pandemic, there was a location at Disney Springs. Assuming the Disney Springs location reopens, you can do that plus a fancy dinner without paying for park admission. If you’re in the area before BBB reopens, the Four Seasons Orlando offers a similar service, which they call “Belle of the Ball” and “Royal Treatment.”
Anon says
I remember Love Taza blogging about her stay at the Four Seasons Orlando years ago. It looked amazing for both kids and adults.
Anonymous says
Honestly I just think that’s sad. You’re in Orlando anyway? At least try a day at magic kingdom out. You sound allergic to fun.
EDAnon says
I think going to theme parks is fun. I grew up near them. But I don’t think Disney is more special than Universal or anything. I don’t trust non-name brand theme parks to be safe for things like roller coasters, which is why I am drawn to Disney or Universal.
I took my late elementary school niece and nephew to Universal and we had a blast. It was a one day trip. We have considered doing something bigger with my kids, since we don’t live near a theme park. But I think folding one day into a trip for another purpose is sufficient to get the experience.
Anonymous says
Counterpoint: I grew up near theme parks and have been to plenty, but I only really enjoy Disney. The others are all poor imitations. I especially dislike Universal. It’s mostly about movies our family doesn’t like, and it’s packed with kiosks for caricatures and face painting and other nonsense. The Harry Potter rides are reliant on video effects and made our entire family nauseated. Busch Gardens and similar parks are only fun if you enjoy extreme roller coasters. I prefer the Disney coasters where I’m not worried that my kids will fly out of the car or get traumatic brain injuries from the sudden acceleration and excessive vibration.
SC says
I grew up near Disney World and went pretty frequently as a child and even teen. My parents live 10 minutes away and are annual passholders, and my husband and I are planning to take our son at least every few years. We last went in 2018, and we’re planning a trip next month. We’ll probably take some other trips over the next few years and go again around 2025.
I think kids like Disney World because it’s intentionally designed for kids, and Disney is really good at design. There’s color and music and even scents. Things are their size and placed at their level. Most of the rides and shows are designed for them. There’s kid food at all the restaurants, but they’re also about experiences, whether that’s characters or an immersive environment or whatever. I don’t think kids have to know or love the characters to enjoy Disney World. In fact, I highly suspect Disney benefits greatly by introducing more Disney content to kids at Disney World.
Cb says
We just got an email that our child’s nursery is no longer providing care for fee-paying (rather than local authority-funded) children, and it’s not clear whether this applies in the future or whether this applies for current students.
I’m trying not to vomit while I wait for them to reply to my email / send out a clarification.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Oh no! That seems odd to me that they would kick out paying families but maybe there’s something I’m missing about UK daycares. Here in the U.S., it’s all paid, all the time.
anon says
actually we were kicked out of our daycare here in NY because they enrolled in a gov’t subsidized program.
Took two weeks from when they first enrolled to losing our spot due to space issues and we were given one months notice.
Aunt Jamesina says
I would hope that they would email or talk to parents individually rather than send out an email blast if they were discontinuing service for your kid! Fingers crossed, that can’t be a fun email to receive.
Anon says
Oh nooooo. Fingers crossed for you.
Cb says
Phew, it was a characteristically cryptic email… and doesn’t apply to current students. But it is a crappy change in provision which mean those who need full time care beyond the 2.5 days funded by the government will no longer be able to “buy extra hours”.
I was just panic spiralling thinking about telling my son that he couldn’t go back to the place he’s been since he was 1.
EDAnon says
That’s so rough!
An.On. says
What’s a good car seat when moving our of the infant phase? (I.e., child is getting close to 32″ height limit). We had a single car seat that snapped in with multiple bases, but now it seems like for the next size up the car seats are much harder to move so we need a seat for each car? My husband drives either a pickup or a sedan depending on the weather, and just moved the base in and out as needed, but it sounds like that won’t be practical anymore. And should the grandparents get a car seat if they babysit a couple days each week? They’ve never used the infant base they got, and I only work ten minutes away if there’s an emergency (and the hospital is between work and their house), but we can certainly get one if that’s best.
Boston Legal Eagle says
We have Graco 4Ever carseats across both of our cars – so 2 each, for each of our kids, and then grandparents also have one in their car. It can be rear facing or forward facing, and turns into a booster eventually. It’s got cup holders too, which is a plus for us. I’d recommend getting the grandparents one unless they will have access to one of your cars.
anonM says
I’d get a car seat now that goes from rear-facing to front-facing, and uses the LATCH system (aka it clips into the metal bars by the seatbelt buckles). DH and I both have one for each kid, but not for grandparents anymore — they’re just really bulky and pretty permanent (especially if you plan to have more kids – non-parents probably don’t want the whole back seat taken up by car seats, but YMMV). The easier route is really just swapping cars for the day if that is feasible for everyone (but several days a week is a little different than the 1x/mo we have to do this, so again YMMV, and maybe you have the grandparents with the second set and you and DH just trade-off cars depending on who has the kids that day. Just an idea so you’re not buying so many car seats!)???
I would highly recommed investing in car seat protectors. It seemed silly before, but now after two kids and multiple spills/potty accidents etc., it’s worth it. Looking back, wish I had gotten both the seat protector for both kids AND the back-of-seat kick protector as soon as DS went forward-facing. You can apparently get sets which might be cheaper (like this on amzn — Smart eLf Car Seat Protector + Backseat Car Organizer Kick Mat, Large & Waterproof 600D Fabric Child Auto CarSeat Protectors Saver for Baby Sit with Storage Pockets for Leather and Fabric Car Seat).
Anonymous says
Pads and mats that go in between the child’s carseat and the seat of the car are not crash-tested so not considered safe, fyi.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
Our carseat situation:
Once DS #1 turned 14 months we got the Britax Marathon Clicktight. He’s a tall 4 year old and still sits in it.
DS #2 is 14 months and in the Graco 3-in-1
At some point, DS #1 may get the booster version of the Graco and DS #2 may get the Britax
For my Mom’s car, we had the Cosco Scenera Next (which was our travel seat pre-pandemic) for DS #1 and Infant Base for DS #2. Now we switched DS #1 to the Cosco Finale, and I plan to install the Scenera RF for DS #2. My mom spends a lot of time with them, so I think she’ll be fine with her backseat overtaken, but good reminder to check! We also ordered the Finale for a trip DH and DS #1 are taking to other Grandma next month – had it delivered directly to her house.
Anon says
Yep, you need a carseat for each car. You want a convertible carseat that can start rear-facing and eventually turn forward-facing. We got the Britax Advocate mostly because a friend who is more knowledgeable about carseats than me told me that’s what she was getting. She felt the anti-rebound technology (which is standard in Canada but not legally required in the US) was important. My daughter rear-faced in it until shortly after her third birthday when she got close to the weight limit, and is still forward-facing in it at 4.
Get the Cosco Scenera Next (the “travel car seat”) for the grandparents’ car (and the Cosco Finale when your kid outgrows the Scenera Next, which happened to us around age 2). If you’re traveling you can pull it out of their car and use it on your trip.
Anonymous says
I actually wouldn’t recommend the Cosco seats for the grandparent cars. They are not rethread harnesses, so if your child is using it infrequently, you may need to take out the seat to adjust the harness straps before you can use it.
Anon says
We have not had any issues using with Cosco seats in the grandparents’ car but my mom is better at installing and adjusting car seats than I am, despite being in her 70s.
AIMS says
We have Britax for our main car seat and i really like it. But once you’re past the infant seat stage, none of them have a base and it’s a pain to move in and out regularly. I would just get a car seat for each parent’s car. We also got the inexpensive Cosco next car seat for grandparents (ours are about an hour drive away though and they sometimes take them for the weekend so this is helpful). We use the Cosco seats for travel, too, since they are much lighter than the Britax.
EDAnon says
You do need a seat for each car, but I did decrease quality based on the frequency of car use. We have and like the Chicco NextFit (get the zip!).
Anonymous says
+1 for NextFit Zip. We have 4.
Anon says
You might be restricted in some cars to car seats that will fit, especially if you’re in the back seat of a pickup truck. A lot of convertibles are big front-to-back. We ended up getting a pricey Nuna Rava because it was an extended rear-facing seat that juuust fit in our Impreza.
Anonymous says
As you’re shopping, I would look at the height and weight limits on the seat for RF & FF. Also look for seats with non-rethread harnesses, easier to adjust. And then think about how big the cars are to make sure the seat will fit comfortably RF (many states require RF until 2, many folks try to RF longer), and what the install is like.
I really like the Graco Extend2Fit. High RF limits (my tall kid was RFing in it until after her 4th birthday), seems comfortable for kid, cupholders. It will go from RF to FF w/five-point harness to high-back booster. And then I think if you get the 4-in-1 model, it will convert to a low-back booster, too (maybe, we don’t have that model).
Anon says
I would highly recommend checking out “Safe In the Seat” online and on socials. She has buying guides that I found very helpful for infant and convertible car seats to help you find the best options for your family and car (and explains why certain things matter).
Anonymous says
Am I the only one or does this outfit look like a band-aid?
anonn says
Well, now it does. Or like one of those wraps they use when you draw blood and they wrap your elbow with the gauze pad… the tan-colored ones? Cannot unsee that now.
Anonymous says
Yup, I initially just thought it was a very unflattering color on the model, but now it definitely looks like a band-aid
Anonymous says
I loathe this color and the entire terra cotta/earth toned trend, but I think it looks particularly bad with this model’s coloring. Click through and look at the other pictures – one is taken at crotch level looking up. I’m clearly not the target audience.
Anonymous says
Agree on suitability with this model. And the soft/muted earth tones!! There are terra cottas that WORK for me but they are much more intense/clear. These muted earth tones make me look ill. I just walked into target to try to buy some tshirts and left with nothing because the whole spring color scheme is not for someone with my coloring!!
Anon says
following up on the disney conversation from yesterday and above – someone yesterday was saying that they were making sure to be on some app at 7am to register for rides, or making sure to order ice cream while waiting in line for a ride. do you ever just get to enjoy the moment, or are you always trying to plan ahead to the next step to maximize your experience?
Anonymous says
If you go during off-peak times you can enjoy the moment a lot more. I wouldn’t plan a Disney trip in the near future, as pent-up demand is resulting in record crowds.
Anon says
Isn’t “off peak” Disney still insanely crowded? I don’t have a lot of experience with Disney but I’ve been to plenty of other popular tourist destinations that were still very crowded at “off peak” times.
Anonymous says
I’ve definitely been to Disney when it wasn’t crowded (Oh Hey Recession in 2008!) but not since COVID.
Anonymous says
Off-peak is still busy but the crowds are well managed. You can get on a lot of rides in 30-45 minutes.
Anon says
That still sounds like a lot of time to me though? I don’t normally wait on a line for anything for that long.
Anonymous says
LOL. Have you ever been to a theme park? Or a city? Or even a restaurant?
Anon says
Yes, I’ve been all over the US and to dozens of other countries. I know popular restaurants in big cities like NYC have long waits if you don’t make reservations, so we make reservations or skip the trendiest places. I have never waited in line for that long for a restaurant and yet have somehow managed to have many excellent meals in cities all over the world at everything from hole-in-the-wall places to restaurants with three Michelin stars. I’m not a theme park person but I have been to a few and at the ones I’ve been to you don’t have to wait in line 30 minutes for every ride. For the biggest roller coaster or the best water ride on a hot day, sure. But at every theme park I’ve ever been to there are dozens of rides you can get on in less than five minutes. Viewing a 30-45 minute wait for a ride as short is absolutely bananascrackers to me. Clearly I’m not cut out for Disney.
Anon says
I’m the OP of the ‘why Disney’ thread and I agree it sounds so stressful! That’s part of why I don’t understand the hype. We’ve traveled a lot, including internationally, with our kid and I think I have a higher than average tolerance for travel-related stress, but the Disney parks sound so completely exhausting to me. Most of our trips with a kid have involved booking flights and hotels and making a general road map of activities we might like to do each day, but we always keep things flexible because little kids can be so unpredictable. We’ve never had to do the kind of down to the minute planning that Disney seems to require, and I don’t understand how that works with little kids – what if they crash and need a nap when you’re supposed to be using one of your skip the line passes!?
Mary Moo Cow says
I was just having this conversation with someone this morning. She didn’t like the “every minute of every day was planned in advance” aspect of her trip but still had a wonderful time, because her kid had a wonderful time. We’re in the very early planning stages of going next year, and I’m tentatively planning free time in the afternoons, or not having a plan for every afternoon other than a nap and pool if the weather is nice, and expecting to get some side eye. One reason we’ve put off the Disney trip is that I’ve needed time to get used to the idea that you’re planning ahead all the time.
Anonymous says
If you don’t have your heart set on maximizing your time or getting on certain rides, don’t mind waiting in line for some things, and pack your own snacks and water bottles in case of the long waits for food, you can just kind of bop around and enjoy yourselves in the moment pretty well. We found that the crowds greatly decreased in mid-afternoon, when a lot of families left the park for naps/pool/dinner.
Anonymous says
We went in November and it was amazing because there were no crowds at all. I won’t be going back during crowded times though, I’ve been spoiled!
Anonymous says
Also, I think it really helped that we went with another family who is extremely into Disney, so they did all the planning for us and we just showed up when and where they told us to. That’s probably key to a good experience for me!
NYCer says
We took our kids to Disneyland (not Disneyworld) and didn’t really plan ahead and definitely didn’t order food while waiting in line for a ride. We have family who live 30-45 min from Disneyland, so we went in with the mentality to enjoy the day and that this wouldn’t be our only trip there. So we didn’t try to see everything, just saw/did what we could, and will go back again some other time. We went on a non-holiday weekday, so it was not peak crowds. It honestly was a lot of fun.
AIMS says
So I was the one who said that about the app. And, yes, it sort of spoils it! But for context we only did one day because I refuse to spend my entire vacation in Orlando so part of it is that we weren’t committing a week to doing Disney in a leisurely way and I have no intention of going back anytime soon so I was happy for my kids to have one really great fun day this way. We also went during a crowded time, which obviously made everything more crazy. Also, the ice cream etc. is not a stress – it’s more like you’re waiting on line anyway and just thinking about what you’ll do after you get off. It’s no different from when I take snacks and water and wipes to the park with me. Just basic planning ahead. We spent the entire day at the park from open to fireworks and had two meals and one ice cream — it’s not a lot of ordering, but helps avoid hangry kids.
However, I do think that it has all been commercialized and monetized as much as humanely possible and people plan things a year in advance and this all makes it no fun for me. There are blogs devoted to it. It’s like a whole Disney language and infrastructure and I just wanted to take my kids on a whim and it was all very much a LOT. I think if you go for at least 4-5 days and don’t mind spending the time and money on that whole experience, it’s probably much easier to just slow down and enjoy.
Anonymous says
WDW is much more planned; it was traditionally easier to be spontaneous at DL, but they’re doing a lot via the app (to reduce contact points), but that does make it harder to “live in the moment.”
Anonymous says
I have always liked Disneyland better than Disney World. Disney World is a whole lot of concrete. Disneyland has better landscaping and is laid out in a way that’s easier to navigate.
Walnut says
I hate standing in lines, so it is 100% worth it for me to book my Genie plus stuff. I thought the app made it pretty easy, but I wouldn’t stress if it’s not your jam.
SC says
My co-worker went last week. He said that one person in their group was up at 7 am and on the app constantly to make sure everyone else had a good time. He said his kids had a great time, but he’s not in a hurry to go back.
Car seat for travel says
I see special car seats (Cosco Scenera Next) recommended here a lot for travel. I am taking my first airline trip with 2 kids this summer. One will be a lap baby and we will gate check the infant seat. The other will be 3.5 years old. We travel via air infrequently with kids (once a year on average). I am thinking since we travel so infrequently we should just use our day-to-day car seat for my 3.5 year old and buy one of those wheelie carts to take it through the airport since it is heavy (Britax Boulevard). Would you do the same? Also, should I plan to take the convertible car seat onto the airplane and have my daughter ride in it, or should I gate check it? It is only a 2.5 hour flight if that matters.
Thank you! The last time I flew with my daughter was 2019 pre-pandemic and she was just a little baby, so this convertible car seat travel is completely new!
Cornellian says
I’d probably get the Scenera next on the theory that when your infant is older it can be a second car seat for the family or the one that moves between cars. they’re useful if someone comes to visit or you have a rental car or whatever.
I have only ever had the Scenera next post-infant seat (it can do rear facing as well and i’m not worried about comfort as we just do commutes in our car, really), and for travel I ended up buying a travel stroller that you could strap the seat to. So you could push baby around in it, then use the stroller. My stroller was the Mountain Buggy nano and I loved it.
Anon says
A 3.5 year old will almost certain not fit in the Scenera Next. My kid outgrew it around age 2. But you can get the Cosco Finale which isn’t much heavier. I believe it weighs less than 10 pounds. I am not a strong person but have never had a problem just carrying it over my shoulder, often while pushing a kid in a stroller. We bought a backpack for it for the first time we used it, but it was way more trouble than it was worth and since then we just carry it by the strap.
You could not pay me to lug a Britax carseat through an airport. The Cosco seats are so much lighter and easier and perfectly safe.
Cornellian says
The size is a good point, I think I was mixing up lightweight Cosco seats.
CSFT says
Thanks for the heads up! I didn’t know the Scenera Next wouldn’t work for larger preschoolers. My daughter is 99th percentile for height, so this would definitely be a concern. I’ll look into the Finale. You all have convinced me not to lug the Britax through the airport.
Momofthree says
A few questions:
Will you be doing this alone?
How easy is it to install/ uninstall the day to day car seat?
If you’re doing it alone, I would 100% recommend the Cosco/ lightweight one. Even if there were two adults, given that you’re also going to be lugging around the infant seat, I might recommend the lightweight one. When you say “gate check” do you mean taking it through the airport or were you thinking of checking it before you go through security & picking it up at baggage claim. You’ll need to figure out whether the carseat will fit through the conveyor belt at security.
Also, the Cosco is super easy to install/ uninstall. if your regular car seat is more bulky, it may be difficult to install in a rental car. Also, if you’re planning on taking it in & out of taxis or multiple cars, I’d also recommend the lightweight one, it can make things so much easier
CSFT says
Thanks for the info! On the way there we will have 4 adults (me, husband, my parents), but on the way back it will just be me and my husband with the 2 kids. All these comments are making me think the lightweight seat will be worth it. I will probably end up getting some version of an inexpensive light weight car seat for my 3.5 year old and checking it with our checked luggage, then letting her sit on the seat in the airplane with no car seat.
Once we are there I’m not terribly concerned about ease of installation. We are renting a van at the airport and will use it all week. Don’t plan on taking any cabs/ubers.
Anon says
If you’re comfortable checking it at the curb the Britax might be ok because you won’t really have to carry it at all. But there’s a risk that the carseat gets damaged or lost in transit. I’m fine with having to replace a $50 seat, less so with having to replace a $300+ seat. Theoretically the airline should reimburse but that isn’t always simple.
Anonymous says
At that age I would buy a lighter forward facing car seat for travel. We like our Graco Tranzitions. It really is that much easier than hauling our Chicco Nextfit around. But by that age we were also not using a car seat on the plane itself so I don’t know how well that specifying seat works on a plane seat. I was comfortable checking it.
Anonymous says
I am an outlier on this board. I take the car seat on board, every time. This includes buying a seat for kids under 2. I have no desire for my child to become a projectile because I couldn’t hang on to her. We don’t allow this in cars; why do we allow it in airplanes? The carseats also keep my kids more contained and comfortable than an airplane seat. (and more likely to maaaaaaaaybe fall asleep.)
When I only had one, we strapped our Chicco NextFit to our umbrella stroller (Uppababy G-Luxe, so it’s still sturdy) with bungee cords. Kid could still sit in the carseat to stroll through the airport and I could finagle pushing it and pulling a suitcase, if needed. Carseats don’t have to fit on the security belt; they can be checked by hand.
Traveling this past summer with a 6 y/o and a 2 y/o, we coughed up the money for the WayB Pico travel seat, which folds up and has its own backpack. But that trip involved a lot of taxis, so I was mostly looking for ease of install there.
No matter if you’re gate-checking or checking at baggage, put your stuff in a bag/cover. My SIL sent her carseat unbagged and it was damaged at our destination.
Anon says
I agree with you about lap infants. We always bought a seat for under 2. But a preschooler using a lap belt is not going to become a projectile. Turbulence is not at all the same as a car crash and just because five point harness is necessary for the latter doesn’t mean it’s needed for the former. We stopped using car seats on planes at age 3 although my kid was big and met the official FAA guidelines for sitting in a seat without restraints.
NYCer says
Plane crashes and even violent turbulence are way, way, way less common than car crashes, so of course car seats are required in cars but not planes. The chances of a child becoming a projectile on a plane are very slim.
Anonymous says
Totally agree with you on carseats for under 2s. My understanding is that flying is so much safer than driving that it’s still safer if a baby is in arms on a plane than in a carseat in a car. But loving mother’s arms are no seat belt, and we could afford to buy a seat for our under 2 and always did.
Anon says
I’m this way as well. I also believe it is the safest way to transport a car seat on a plane. I have seen too many bags get damaged to feel comfortable with my car seat under a plane. I use my standard car seat for my toddler (Clek Fllo – which is very heavy) with one of those wheely carts in the airport. My toddler has generally been happy riding around on it in the airport. Installing it on the plane is a bit stressful but as long as you have someone else to hold the kid(s), it’s not too bad. I have found that letting DH board first with the car seat while I wait to board a bit later with the toddler saves some stress. I don’t check my stroller if I’m going to need one because the wheelie cart functions the same for me.
Potty training? says
Favorite potty for starting potty training? And any recs for good toddler books about it? Kiddo likes Sandra Boynton books best, if that helps narrow things down.