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A. says
I also posted this on the main page, but would love your input on a warm-weather vacation destination for my family of five (me, spouse, kids age 13, 9, and 7). We’ll be coming from the Midwest and have access to a major airport. Criteria:
– Combo of relaxation and “doing stuff” is ideal.
– We need to travel roughly 12/28 – 1/4 (can flex two days either way, but those are roughly the dates)
– We can AirBNB or hotel
– We like good food
– Budget is ideally $8K – $12K, but could go up to $15K
– International or domestic is fine, but we’ve been to Florida a fair amount already and went to Scottsdale last fall so would ideally try something new
Any ideas, o wise ones?
Anon says
Hawaii, hands down.
Anon says
I don’t know if this fits in your budget (try Costco travel for deals) but we had a fabulous time at Xcaret Hotel for that week last winter. It’s an all inclusive. Amazing Mexican food. Stunningly beautiful resort. Tons of big kid activities all included, from swimming down underground rivers, to zip lining through rainforest, to all terrain vehicles and speedboats. I highly recommend it.
Boston Legal Eagle says
I’m not sure if Hawaii will be in that budget (that timeframe will probably be peak $$), but it’s got the nice mix of beach relaxation + hiking/snorkeling/other outdoor activities. San Diego is nice too – probably won’t be warm enough for swimming in the water, but much warmer than the Midwest. There are various places to drive around to in the area.
Anon says
Yeah flights alone can be $1,500 per person at that time of year, which for a family of 5 would eat up over half the max budget.
Meg says
My family with a 12 and 10 year old did San Diego for that week last year and loved it. Better weather (even though we caught a record cold snap it was lovely), fun things for kids to do and a pretty easy city to get around. We stayed north of La Jolla in an Airbnb, but there are lots of options.
Anonymous says
Costa Rica
Anonymous says
Costa Rica. Our next family vacation like this will probably be there. My childhood BFF and her family go a lot and always do AirBNB. I’ve gotten estimates from our travel agent for all inclusives for our family of three, and they fit that range. Especially with access to a major airport.
Spirograph says
+1 for Costa Rica. I haven’t been with kids, yet, but it’s one of my favorite trips ever. We did a few days of surf lessons, then headed to the rainforest for hiking and hot springs
anonamommy says
Look into Aruba or other areas in the south Caribbean where it will be warmer. Aruba is great for kids. It will probably be towards the upper end of your budget. Belize would also be great, but we found the food there somewhat lacking overall (it was fine, just nothing to brag about).
Anonymous says
We did New Orleans at the holidays one year. It was magical and inexpensive.
Meg says
Can I ask what you did with kids there? I’ve only done a girls weekend so have trouble picturing a family trip, but this sounds totally our speed
Anonymous says
WWII museum, aquarium, self-guided walking tours of French Quarter and Garden District, light display in City Park, riding streetcars, eating beignets, fancy Christmas dinner and lights at Roosevelt hotel. We stayed at the Hilton on Poydras Street, which is just a big not-fancy conference hotel, but very affordable in the off season and within walking or streetcar distance of most everything.
Anonymous says
Oh, and there is also a Mardi Gras museum that is popular.
Anon says
There is also a zoo, and I have always seen ads for swamp tours, etc. but have never done one. Kids would also probably like a ghost tour.
I grew up in the SEUS and went to Nola several times as a kid (even once as a school trip). Outside of Bourbon and Frenchman’s street, there is a lot you can do with kids. As others mentioned, the weather that week is also ideal. The Sugar Bowl is typically played on 1/1, but that shouldn’t affect you much.
SC says
I live in New Orleans and thought about recommending it earlier, but figured for $8K-12K, you’re looking for something fancier. If New Orleans would be your speed, I highly recommend it that time of year! With kids ages 7-13, I’d recommend the Mardi Gras museum, an airboat/swamp tour, a day in City Park (beignets at the park’s Cafe du Monde, putt putt, an amazing botanical garden, an amazing sculpture garden, bike and pedal boat rentals), a jazz show at Preservation Hall (all ages), and walking around the French Quarter in general. We do have an aquarium and zoo, but in my opinion, they’re both skippable if you have a good aquarium and zoo near you. The older kids would probably enjoy the WWII museum, but I’m not certain about the 7 yo (I haven’t taken my 7 yo yet, but he is very sensitive). The street car is fun to take up and down St. Charles Avenue, and we also enjoy taking the ferry across the river to Algiers and walking around that neighborhood.
I think the children’s museum, which is amazing for younger kids, skews too young for all but the 7-year-old, and even then, my 7-year-old only likes a couple of things.
Between Christmas and New Years, there will still be some Christmas events going on. The hotels will still be decorated, and the Ritz Carlton and the Roosevelt are stunning. City Park will run Celebration in the Oaks, which has amazing lights, for at least a few days after Christmas. The Windsor Court has a holiday-themed high tea that goes through 12/31 (and they offer regular high tea after that).
I recommend staying uptown, in the Garden District, and renting a car if car rental prices drop by then. There’s a Hampton Inn that’s really convenient (free parking, free breakfast, free Wifi). AirBNBs are also allowed in the Garden District but not in the French Quarter.
Anonymous says
We went for Christmas in 2019 with a baby and it was really nice. Not too much going on at that time so the crowds are manageable. The zoo and sculpture garden are fantastic.
Anonymous says
We just booked a trip to Belize and I think it might be what you’re after. It’s a four-hour flight from ORD, if you go direct to Belize City. Once you’re there, you can choose beach, jungle, or a combination. It’s also nice and warm at that time of year.
anon says
If you wanted a different Florida experience, you could get a rental house in Crystal River with kayaks. The manatees are in the bay that time of year and it’s very fun to kayak around the area in search of the gentle giants. There are also great bike trails and the Rainbow River makes a really nice day trip for tubing/kayaking. There are also fan boat tours. It’s possible to do a very ‘old Florida’ nature experience that is nothing like the Orlando/Miami tourist+beach scene.
Anon says
We normally travel internationally but this is high in my list. It sounds so cool.
Anonymous says
Crazy to see CR mentioned here! We lived there when I was I middle school in the late 90’s…very happy when my dad got a job in Chicago and we moved away. Small town for sure.
Anon says
It’s a small town, but fairly well known (at least recently) for manatee tourism. About a decade ago, I drove there after having a conference in Orlando to do the manatee swimming thing. I was there in the wrong season, so the water was murky but it was still pretty fun. There were many tour operators to choose from, and I met people who’d flown from all over the US and even other countries to swim with manatees.
Hot Baby says
Advice or product recs to keep a baby cool in the car? When the weather tops 100 the air conditioning can’t keep up and he just screams himself hoarse :(. Rolling down the windows helps, but doesn’t work for the freeway. We have a KeyFit 30 in the middle seat of a Chevy Aveo.
Anon says
USB rechargeable clip on fan from Amazon?
Anonymous says
You need to have your AC checked this isn’t normal.
Lily says
+1. No judgment, but really you should get it checked. 100 degrees should not be limiting for your AC (Maybe 120, yes). High temps can be dangerous for babies, they can’t sweat as efficiently as we can.
Anon says
Yeah, this. I have no problem cooling a car to 65 when it’s 100+ out.
Anon says
Yeah it is not normal or safe to have a baby be so hot in a car that he screams himself hoarse.
Anon says
I’ve considered getting the Noggle.
Anonymous says
We DIY’d one and then eventually bought one and it was a huge help. The rear A/C in our old car just didn’t work and we could not afford to fix it.
Anony says
Noggle.
Anonymous says
Move the seat to one of the side positions – I find the car seat in the middle seat seems to block air circulation more.
Anonymous says
Add a fan to a neighbouring headrest and sim fan at baby – don’t attach it to the one directly in front of the car seat.
anonamommy says
Carry a washcloth and a water bottle with you and apply a cool washcloth to his face, neck, and arms as you are able.
NeglectedHeels says
As a fellow Aveo driver, unless you are living outside the US your car is at least 10 years old because they stopped making Aveos in 2011. You should get your AC looked at, perhaps the coolant is low. Alternately, maybe it is time for a new car. Your AC should be able to keep your baby safe and cool. I reluctant donated my beloved Aveo last year and got a Chevy Spark. It’s very similar and I love it almost as much!
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
Just wanted to say thanks for all the empathy and suggestions yesterday. It inspired me on a few fronts. I squeezed in a workout yesterday, and wake up this AM and exercise before the day started. I also confirmed my birthday massage, and have lunch planned with a BFF this weekend. Next up is booking the hotel once we get some of DH’s work travel dates sorted.
DS #2 had PT yesterday and the PT thinks he needs to build strength in his hips to help him independently stand and walk more. He did progress, so I’ll take it. Of course, being impatient/anxious I wish there was a magic wand solution but trying to find encouragement in the day by day.
anonM says
Any campers here? Camping/canoe trip this weekend with both kids (4 and 2). We’ve done this same trip basically every year of my life except 2020, but this is the first time actually tent camping with both kids. (It’s fairly rustic too – no running water, it is along a river, etc.) I’ve got the basics covered (lifejackets, etc.), but anything extra/wish you would have thought of? Or brought camping and wasn’t worth the space? Please don’t comment with “why would you do this?” as it is unhelpful and I’m already asking myself this, but the kids are too excited to back out now.
AwayEmily says
We camped last year when the kids were 5 and 3. Some things that we wish we had: something we could use as a nightlight (kids were TERRIFIED when they woke up and it was pitch black), a couple of little plastic toy animal or people that they could have played with. Some things I was very glad we had: some books, so when it rained we could snuggle up and read, a hammock.
Also, we decided one night would be pizza night and we drove into town, got a pizza and some beers, and ate it at our campsite. It was a very nice change of pace.
Honestly, it was a much better experience than I expected, and I am not at all a camper (though my husband is).
Pogo says
Each kid gets a headlamp!
Little potty if you think they’ll be scared of latrines or if it’s a no latrine situation.
anon says
We find inexpensive LED lanterns to be less obnoxious than little kids with headlamps. They have a soft glow that isn’t as blinding as a full on headlamp straight into your eyes.
anon says
We camp a ton with our kids, starting from when the little one was still in a Pack-n-play. It’s very fun.
I’d recommend a picnic blanket with a water resistant backing as a play mat. My kids like bringing little toys and having a place to sit and play. Some trips we bring a stack of magnatiles. Other times they bring pop beads or duplos. We always have some toy for quiet play.
They also love building little houses, but it helps to have some figurines for people or animals (or dragons/dinosaurs).
Walkie talkies are good with kids a bit older.
The kids also like reading in hammocks. Very popular.
Our big rule when camping is no playing in the tent during the day. It keeps the tent cleaner and the kids from popping the air mattresses.
Things we always forget are empty tupperware for kid snacks and lunches. We forget it nearly every time and then don’t have a way to pack on the go food.
Anon says
+1M to all of this, especially staying out of the tent. We also have a no shoes in tent policy for everyone as well.
So much better, IMO, to primitive camp with little kids. I actually find big KOA or national park group campsites to be super stressful with little kids – no separation between sites, and really hard for the kids to understand where they can go/when they are literally walking into someone else’s bedroom. Also, my kids are inevitably up at 6:30, and I’m trying to shush them in a tent like four feet from our neighbors.
We keep our non-swimmers in lifejackets at all times when we canoe camp with them for safety. Some of the nicer infant life jackets are slim and comfortable, but still have a head rest. It’s much easier than putting on/taking off all the time when they arbitrarily go close to the water at the campsite. We tell them upon arrival that the rule is that they are in a lifejacket unless they are in the tent (and they aren’t in the tent during the day).
Each kid has a headlight, and we usually buy them a Coleman kids glow stick. I’ve also been known to put a glow necklace or bracelet around a toddler if your site is really remote/dark.
Love the figurine idea too for dirt playing. Bottom line, I absolutely love this trip, and find these to be some of my favorite times with my kids. Huge fan!!
Spiritandguts on Insta has done a TON of backpacking and camping solo with tiny kids and her tips are super practical (down to good easy snacks to pack) and helpful.
Anon says
Typically when I’ve gone camping with my toddler. I find it helpful to stop by the dollar store and pick up some extra “new” sticker book or other activity book. Maybe a little toy or two. Nothing to excessive to pack. I feel like when tensions are high or kiddo wants to wander off, it’s easier if there is something new and shiny to distract.
I also feel like this trip sounds like it’ll require a lot of instant coffee for you and spouse. Best of luck!
Pogo says
Starbucks VIA! Perfect for camping.
Anonymous says
We do pour-over using the plastic Melitta cone I bought in college before pour-over was fancy. Super easy and good.
Anonymous says
Any way you could swing an air mattress? It changed the way I thought about camping.
Anonymous says
Air mattresses are so cold. An insulated sleeping pad is better.
Anonymous says
It’s July.
Anon says
We camp and travel a lot with toddler twins, and recently upgraded to the Stokke air beds. They still fit my 9 year old, come with an internal hand pump, blow up in 3 minutes, and compress down to the size of a large envelope when packed. They have been a game changer for us when we are on the move. Highly recommend if you can get over the sticker shock.
Anon says
Bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper and anyone in your family snores!
Extra plastic bags to put dirty clothes.
Coloring or some other activity kids can do at a picnic table.
Marshmallows as a treat.
anonM says
Yes, thanks for the reminder on earplugs!
I just found the extra-large (aka giant) ziplock bags, which will be perfect for all the dirty/wet clothes, shoes etc.
Anonymous says
Thermometer (assuming you already have a good first aid kit) and rapid tests!
Kelly says
Glow necklaces! Helps to see them outside but also works as a nightlight in the tent.
blueberries says
With those ages, all the shortcuts so there’s less to do because they’re going to need a lot of supervision and attention. Examples:
-can you bring already prepared food (like dinner already heated in a giant insulated container?
-limit the amount of prep and cooking you need to do. can you bring hot water in a thermos for morning coffee/adding to instant oatmeal?
-if you’re using reusable dishes, bring a giant trash bag so you can pop them in dirty and take them home to the dishwasher for the last meal. that way, you don’t have dishes + packing up
DLC says
So many great suggestions!
We don’t bring too many toys, but the thing that always gets played with is a set of mini construction vehicles.
I think your trip sounds like it will be awesome!
Bento Box for First grader says
My kid is going into first grade this year and I will have to pack lunch for the first time ever… (shout out to child care that includes food, because it absolutely made my life easier). I’m looking at the Bentgo box. Do people use bento boxes? Or should I use something else? Totally open to suggestions.
Anonymous says
Bentgo is fine. I also have some inexpensive containers from Amazon. I prefer them because they can all go in the dishwasher, but kiddo prefers the Bentgo. My advice is that if you’re sending lunch every day, get two.
AwayEmily says
There was a thread with bento box recs on yesterday’s post. But for first grade I would go with the Munchkin one, it’s a great size and all the parts can go in the dishwasher. Definitely get two.
HSAL says
We got the Munchkin one based on recs here last year. I will say that I wanted it to be dishwasher safe, but because it takes up so much space we generally just hand washed anyway.
anonamommy says
We use Yumbox which is similar to Bentgo. Bentgo is also popular. Yumbox is great – really leakproof, has held up well over a full year of use. Only suggestion is to buy at least 2 because that way you don’t have to wash out every night; we put ours in the dishwasher and run every other day.
anon says
We’ve been using Yumbox brand for years now and I think it has a bit less plastic than Bentgo so it holds a bit more food. If your first grader runs on the hungry side, you might consider options with slightly more capacity. I think Bentgo is best for preschool/younger kids. The Yumbox was still plenty of food for my 8 yo last year.
H13 says
Big fan of the Yumbox. We’ve used them for probably 5-6 years and they’ve held up great.
Meg says
Not what you asked, but this is a great time to get your kid to pack his/her own lunch. It will be a pain to supervise this year, but I promise it will pay off very quickly as they are able to do it on their own going forward. Other than shopping and if lunch is done, I haven’t done a thing since my kids were 8.
AIMS says
We have this. It’s good – and currently on sale for prime day.
Biggest complaint is you can’t have hot food in it. You can put it in the top rack of the dishwasher (though I will say that it kind of warps over time a bit. That could be from leaving it on the stove though when oven was in use). I just ordered a new one for the upcoming year because my daughter refuses anything else. My younger kid has an OmieBox and I think it’s objectively better (and allows you to keep food hot/cold if you want). But it’s heavy with the thermos in (it’s removable) and my daughter only wants a BentGo because of the designs.
Pogo says
I like the Bentgo a lot. We bought just the plastic insert part (which is only like $9.99) and put it in a Packit Freezer Lunch Box.
Anonymous says
My kids are going into first and third and a bento box is too small for both of them. Maybe they just eat more than normal kids but they eat two bentos of food, easily. Plus they have snack.
Maybe you will get lucky and they will like hot lunch!
Anon says
We have to pack lunch for preschool. I like a thermos for a hot main dish (if we’re doing it that day) and the Zip Top reusable silicon bags for a sandwich as the main if that’s on deck or for the sides. My basic formula is a main, a fruit, and either a veggie or a crunchy snack or both (depending how filling the main is) like goldfish, pretzels, or pirates booty.
anon says
I love Lunchbots. Makes it easy to pack lunch. They’re not cheap, but super sturdy and dishwasher safe. I’ve never needed to replace one and they still look great after years of tough use.
S says
Hi – We’re doing our first ever family beach vacation later this month in Bethany Beach DE. We have a three and five year old. I’ve obviously been to the beach, but I have no real sense of what I need to make a bunch of day in a row at the beach fun and comfortable with kids that won’t be too big an investment should we not do this again next summer. Clearly some beach toys – do I need a shade structure? floaties? A cooler? I’d like to bring enough to make this really fun but not spend a ton on stuff we may not use over and over again. Thanks!
Cb says
Shade structure definitely. Get the pop up one with stakes, not the one with poles. No floaties on the ocean/sea, kids can get blown out to sea if the wind picks up (a kid was rescued by a cargo ship near me recently!)
We are big sandcastle people and I like the silicone molds for creative building. Get the sturdiest shovel you can find.
NOVA Anon says
Make sure you check the beach rules re pop up structures. We went to the Middlesex Beach portion of Bethany Beach this summer, and certain types of shade structures were not allowed. We tried renting umbrellas and had a bad experience with the company not dropping off the entirety of the poles the first day, then the second day dropping off a broken pole, and then refusing to refund our money for the day we didn’t have umbrellas b/c we hadn’t complained soon enough about the missing poles. (Company was Coastal Beach Services).
We otherwise loved Bethany Beach and had the best time – everyone has great suggestions above so I don’t have any to add except i second beach wagon — we bought a dedicated one this year with big wheels and it was so much better than having our Radio Flyer.
anonM says
If you are doing airbnb or something along those lines, I would ask if they already have some of this stuff you can borrow.
Lily says
BEACH WAGON! Best investment
Cooler backpack (we like Artic brand)
Definitely a tent (better than umbrella, but umbrella if all else fails) for shade
One beach chair per person (they make kid size ones that are cheap)
Beach toys, mesh bag to throw them i
Wet bags (or plastic grocery bags) to carry wet things back from beach
One beach towel pp plus a couple extras
More sunscreen than you think you need
Floaties (or even life jacket for when you actually go in the water)
Brightly colored swimsuits
Battery powered individual fans (ones that squirt water are great too)
External battery back for cell phone
waterproof cell phone cases (or put phone in ziplock)
Fun magazines with word puzzles, etc.
Mary Moo Cow says
My kids are 7 and almost 5, and we’ve been to the beach almost every summer since the oldest was 2. Are you staying in a house on the beach or within walking distance? We stay on the beach, so we don’t pack a cooler, but instead bring morning snack down to the beach, go up for lunch and a rest, and come back down late afternoon and after dinner. When you bring food, bring it in tupperware, not plastic bags that will go flying in the breeze (ask me how I know.) At 5, my oldest started to boogie board on baby waves and loved it for short periods. Walking on the beach and finding shells, crabs, etc. is entertaining, and I make them go twice, once to the left of our chairs and once to the right. We rent chairs for everyone and an umbrella and bring toys. I love the Green Toys sand pail set because it is sturdy and the rope handle is much easier to carry. We’ve had ours for years. If you have snow toys (shovels, brick makers), those are good sand toys. My kids also have played with toy dump trucks or cars, and tea sets. As long as you don’t mind cleaning it off, toys you have at home that they already use can be great. We pile ours in a blue IKEA bag. The Surfin Sally toy is neat, but if the kids aren’t interested, you’ll be chasing after her in the waves. Definitely bring at least one towel for person (my kids like an extra one to wrap up in to sit in a chair and eat their snack.) Also bring more sunscreen than you think you need. Our family of 4 goes through about 3 bottles in a week. I also pack some new toys for the beach house: puzzles, LEGO, doll accessories, figurines, not just for gloomy days but also for evenings when we’re making dinner. My best advice to make this really fun is to relax and indulge. Don’t worry about sweeping up sand three times a day. Get out of the peak sun and heat with a movie or a nap in the afternoon. Eat the chips and oreos. Have fun!
Boston Legal Eagle says
+1 to all of this and to everyone else, but especially the part about having some toys for the house in addition to the beach! Unless you are outside literally all day, there will be downtime at the house and if your older kid is not napping, plus mornings + evenings, it’s nice to have things to keep them entertained.
Anonymous says
I wouldn’t buy chairs or umbrellas just for one trip. I’d just rent them right on the beach and they’ll set up the umbrella for you too.
Spirograph says
+1 I haven’t been to Bethany but tons of beach towns have beach rentals and set up the chairs and umbrellas for you. We’ve done a beach week every year for the last 6 years straight and would have gotten our money’s worth out of buying our own umbrellas and chairs by now, but especially with young kids, it’s worth every penny to me to save schlepping & setting up every day. (Plus, I don’t have to store them at home or find space in the car.) If you’d rather do a tent, just be sure to check whether they are allowed, there are restrictions on some types of shade structure at some beaches.
You also may be able to rent a beach wagon vs buying your own. In a pinch, a regular radio flyer will roll on sand as long as you pull hard and the kids aren’t sitting in it.
Definitely brightly colored swimsuits (matching makes spotting your kids easier!), rash guards, and hats. Sun hats are the best, but my kids prefer baseball caps because they stay on better. Cost guard-approved PFDs. Puddle jumpers are probably still fine for those ages, otherwise look for zip up swim vests.
I prefer the soft-sided, smaller coolers to the big rolling ones. We usually have one for food, one for drinks/water bottles that we throw in the wagon.
I’ll also add that if you want to do a non-beach day, there’s a fantastic little water park, Jungle Jim’s, not too far away in Rehoboth. It’s perfect for 3 and 5 year olds.
anonamama says
And FUNLAND on the Rehoboth boardwalk!!!! My heart swells for my own childhood memories everytime I see pictures of littles on the rides. Hope you have a great trip!
Anon says
Bethany has rules about shade structures. You can have umbrellas less than 8 feet in diameter (but honestly, I would call and see if you can rent if you’re not sure you are beach family) and baby tents (no larger than three (3′) feet high by four (4′) feet wide by five (5′) feet long and without grounding wires or ropes that extend beyond the perimeter of the device). If you are buying an umbrella, strongly recommend also buying a sand anchor so it stands up to the wind.
I would also get life vests for the kids (our rule is they are worn any time kiddo is on damp sand, so pretty much all day); we use Stearns so not terribly expensive. Also makes it easy to hold onto kids in the water (and see them if they get loose in a rogue wave).
If you are not renting chairs, get the back-pack style chairs for you and spouse (Costco carries Tommy Bahama brand), and we use ours in the backyard too for playdates or extra seating at BBQs. If you set up closer to the water (be mindful of the tide, you may have to move up depending on the tide) you will be able to sit and watch the kids at that age rather than to actually have to chase both of them (my 4YO was able to play (out of the water) about 30 yards ahead of me with just visual supervision on a solo beach trip this summer, but YMMV)
I would also recommend a cooler for drinks (bring lots of water, also good for rinsing hands) and snacks (can be a cooler you already own; I personally prefer tote style for ease of carrying, but you lose the table aspect of a hard cooler) and I also keep my phones (and the sunscreen!) in the cooler in a ziploc so they don’t overheat in the sun. Snacks are a good way to enforce rest time and shade time. A picnic blanket (ours is pendleton and folds up into its own case and strap) was a surprise win this summer for giving kiddo a good place to chill but still staying relatively sand free and easy to carry), or the sunsquad quad chairs from Target are about $15 and pretty lightweight if your kiddo will be particular about where he or she sits.
A cheap bag of beach toys will be helpful (you want at least two shovels and two buckets); I also like to have a small water friendly ball (a mini kickball is my ball of choice).
Towels. You will want one towel per person and one or two extra for the end of the day when the other towels are wet and sandy. There are fancy beach towels that are low pile (turkish maybe?) which will make hauling towels easier, although I prefer the old-fashioned fluffy ones and make it work. I made my 4YO carry her own bag of toys (in a grocery sack) and towel to manage what I was hauling down to the sand.
Anon says
Bring one long sleeve and long pants (like linen or gauze) outfit in case there is a day that is unexpectedly cool or windy with blowing sand.
Formula for twins says
Any idea where to find formula in the DC/DMV area? Or words of wisdom on navigating the shortage? I’ve been pumping for six-month old twins and have always gotten just enough for the next day at daycare; we send fifty ounces, which sometimes includes a bottle or two leftover from the prior day. I haven’t been able to bank any when they’re home and hungry on weekends. This has been workable, if not ideal, but I’ve got two days of work travel in august and am getting nervous about having no backstop in terms of supplementation. They’ve just started baby food in the past week, but more on the floor than in their mouths, of course. FWIW, they had some formula in the first month or so when my supply was getting established — the readymade Similac in little two-ounce bottles. We still have some of those floating around, but definitely not enough. Any thoughts would be so appreciated.
Anon says
I’m so sorry. I have twins and I can’t imagine having to navigate this shortage when they were small.
I am in Virginia, and I was able to find some Similac 360 total care at a Target that would deliver to my house. If you post a burner email, I’d be happy to have some delivered here, and we can arrange a pick up.
Aunt Jamesina says
I would reach out to your pediatrician, I’m not in your area, but my ped’s office has a sign at the front desk that said to let them know if you had trouble finding formula.
Anon says
I’ve just been buying formula at Target. Have you looked around? Any time I’ve gone to a store during the shortage I’ve been able to buy like one cannister – so it feels like a shortage but I’ve still at least got something. Target’s been the best- CVS is often out right now but maybe worth checking too.
My baby’s been on formula this whole time – it hasn’t been a fun feeling but it’s never been a crisis, at least in my metro area. She’s also willing to just take regular similac or other formulas, and I don’t need specialized which I think has been very lucky!
Aunt Jamesina says
I have a comment in moderation, but check with your pediatrician!
Anon says
So sorry you have to stress about this. From friends in the area it seems like the shortage has somewhat eased. If you can’t find at your Target or Costco, call your pediatrician and check Asian or Latino markets where people may not think to look. There is also a Facebook group called Formula Fairies.
And this may be unbearable because I’m sure you’re exhausted but if you can manage to do a power pump a few times (just leave the pump parts on and go on and off every ten minutes for like 90 minutes) you may be able to get a little stash built up. Good luck.
Anonymous says
When I had not enough, I rented a hospital-grade pump which was much more productive than the Medea I had.
Separately, maybe also less milk and slower nipples? I never sent more than 12 Oz per kid for a 10 hour span based on LA Leche League (yes, they’re a little extreme but there used to be a helpful working mom thread) and Kelley mom guidance, but YMMV.
Anon says
I know I’m late in the day, but Wirecutter has an article on navigating the formula shortage that includes links to formula you can purchase online (they seem to periodically check stock) and I successfully used it to purchase some last month.
I also, looking around on my own, have noted that Target seems to have their Up & Up Infant powder in stock online with some consistency (looks like you can buy two packages a day) and that Walmart has Parents’ Choice Advantage (I’m almost certain identical to Target’s Up & Up Advantage, which I used and liked with my first baby) in stock online.
Finally, Target in my (California) neighborhood has consistently had Similac 360 liquid in stock (probably prohibitive in terms of size and cost for twins, but in a pinch…) and also Up & Up soy.
Anonanonanon says
I’ve been able to order from w@lm@rt , even similac sensitive, for my cousin. I check a couple of times a day and order right when I see it in stock.
Cb says
Two starting kindergarten questions:
1) School lunches are free (and thus, what my child will be eating) and kids get fruit for snacks 3x a week, but what do we pack for morning snack? No nuts, kiddo tends on the hungrier side. Mildly carnivorous, but maybe meat is weird for morning snack. He’s outgrown his dairy allergy so brave new world…
2) As part of the plan to torture working parents, school runs from 9-12 EVERY Friday. Do I sign him up for some activity or just figure starting school is exhausting, take him to lunch and let him hang at home or bring a friend home. Friday afternoons tend to be pretty quiet for me/my husband so we can tag team it, avoiding aftercare.
Anon says
I think Friday afternoons at home is the best plan, at least to start, if you think you can swing it with work.
Anonymous says
Assume that starting school will be exhausting. I’m not sure how activities work where you live, but around here many entry-level extracurriculars for this age group are run month-to-month or in 8-week sessions. If he gets bored at home and you’re up for it, you can sign him up for the next session after he gets settled in school.
Boston Legal Eagle says
We did a mix of fruits + pretzels/crackers/cheese crackers + string cheese (or shredded cheese by itself if they’re like my kids). You could also do veggies and hummus or ranch if he likes that.
Yes, I would avoid any activities for those first few months as he adjusts. If you can keep home and entertained, that seems good.
Anon says
The Friday part is up to you and your preference, but I would not count on school being so exhausting that he will be mellow the rest of the day, especially after the first week. I personally could not work well with my pretty self sufficient Kindergartener around the few times she was. Not because she needed me to do things for her, but she just has no sense of time as to how often she’s already asked me to play etc. But if your jobs are quiet enough and you can handle that I’m sure people do.
anon says
Yea, tired for a 5 yo isn’t mellow, but loss of physical and emotional regulation. For mine it means she does potentially deadly backflips off of furniture and sobs uncontrollably when I say I have to work and can’t play with her. Our kid can usually play by herself very well, but not on a Friday after a long week of school.
Anon says
It depends on the kid I think. My 4 year old is often mellow when exhausted. Sometimes disregulated and crazy. But more likely to be mellow. And she’s not a super chill kid in general.
Mary Moo Cow says
+1. Based on comments on this board, I was prepared for my kids to be exhausted when they started K and JK, but they weren’t. However, you know your kid best. I would leap at the chance to have lunch and playtime with them every week, though, especially as they get older. Even though my job lines up with most school holidays, I really miss pulling them out of daycare to spend my day off with them and as time (and summer) just march on, I find myself nostalgic for unstructured, non-weekend time with them. So in your shoes, I wouldn’t plan on aftercare just yet. Although I think you have said before it is sign up now or never, so it is is a gamble.
Anonymous says
Based on Cb’s vacation experience and other things she’s posted here, I’d expect Friday afternoons at home to work best for her son and the entire family. I would not, however, expect to get any work done during that time.
Cb says
Our current afternoon routine on days we are home is lunch, play, read some stories, an hour solo play/ rest in his room and then an hour of screentime, so we could work during that 2 hour block, as it’s rare he needs anything more than a snack or a change of programme. I could also get the 10 year old grandkid next door to play with him (my son thinks he hangs the moon and the grandkid is lovely with him!) if we were doing something that couldn’t be interrupted.
My job is writing heavy but normally by Friday afternoon, I just want to prepare my teaching deck, reply to emails, or format references, nothing that can’t be interrupted if kiddo needed some extra time.
Anon318 says
My kids like deli meat and cheese roll ups, crackers, carrots/veggies/peppers with ranch/hummus (it’s all about the dipping sauce!), cheese sticks, jerky, and of course any and all packaged carb marketed to kids. It’s not always feasible, but I try to get them to pack their snacks to reduce the likelihood of returning home with spoiled perishable snack foods.
Mary Moo Cow says
I pack cheese and smoked sausages for my carnivorous rising Kindergartner. I’ve often wondered what the teachers think of her mini charcuterie. A produce and a protein is a good rule of thumb from my doctor, albeit aspirational. Mixing and matching bell pepper slices, cheese cuts, pretzels, hummus, grapes, carrot sticks, graham crackers, plain crackers, goldfish, celery sticks, berries, peeled clementine, granola bars, and nut butter-alternative cracker sandwiches are all relatively easy to pack and stay fresh.
Cb says
Ah, let me know if you come to Scotland, and they can have a play date with bacon for snack :) My poor vegetarian husband.
anon says
By Friday afternoons my kindergartener lost all ability to self regulate. She was an exhausted feral animal. I’d keep Fridays low stress and expect her to be on her worst behavior.
(Friday afternoons did get better as the year went on and she adjusted, but they were still typically the lowest point of the week behavior wise.)
Cb says
Oh no! Was it the same when she was in daycare? Sometimes Friday mornings are a bit grumbly here, but Friday afternoons are normally fine. If it’s me doing pickup (a rare treat), we go to ice cream, he and my husband go to Starbuckles.
anon says
She was home because of covid before kindergarten. Her school was closed.
Even ice cream couldn’t fix her exhaustion, so usually we focused on dinner and getting her to bed early.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
I think you have a ton of good ideas for snack here, so I’m in the “cured meat + cheese” camp.
I say pay for the aftercare and then get him early as needed/possible; caveat I’m biased because I can’t depend on my job to be slow even when things seem like they would be.
Cb says
The advantage of academia, there is so rarely an emergency!
Anon says
Snacks I pack for my very hungry (but extremely picky) rising K-er at camp this summer: yogurt pouch, fruit snacks, chocolate pudding, sliced apple, sliced grapes (when she was eating these), banana (when she was eating these), room-temp pancake (made with kodiak cakes so has protein), goldfish, lucky charms cereal (no milk, just dry). T
AIMS says
I always packed yogurt pouches for my kid (you can freeze them ahead of time if you’re worried they may spoil without refrigeration).
Anon says
I’m 32 weeks pregnant with my first child, a girl, and am having trouble deciding on a name. I’ve narrowed it down to a handful I like but have not been able to choose. What was your naming process like? Did one just feel “right” compared to others? There is one name that “feels right”, but it is EXTREMELY popular this year so I’m very reluctant due to that. I don’t want to name her the 2022 equivalent of “Anne” or whatever
Naming babies says
We wanted a name that worked in the languages spoken by our families (English and three others), and that was neither popular nor so unique that people wouldn’t know how to pronounce it. I didn’t consider anything on the popular lists because I didn’t want a popular name (no judgment to those who do!). We had a short list of 5 and one was both of our favorites from the get-go, so that was that. And then we chose a middle name we both like that has origins in the non-family language that I speak. Oh, and we were firm on no-family-names (too much complication).
We’re having the opposite sex next, so we have to start from scratch!
Cb says
We had two names when I went into the hospital, and one was immediately right. We didn’t know ahead of time, and would have struggled if it had been a girl, our list was much longer and more contentious.
We wanted a name that worked well in different languages. Although my English in laws complain about it all the time because the nickname “is very American…” and it took son learning to talk to get them to use the right name.
Mary Moo Cow says
My sister has one of the most popular ’80’s names, so I get what you are saying. DH and I chose family names with a special meaning and then added an original middle or first name. Our oldest’ s first name is an old fashioned name belonging to 3 of our grandmothers but her middle name is her own. Our youngest has her own first name and her middle name is from my great-grandmother. We started thinking of names right when we learned the sex and narrowed it pretty quickly. Factors for us were family connection, popularity in their birth year, how it felt to say it/call it out loud, and compatible names for a hypothetical second child (would it be strange to have one XIE Aeon and one Dave, for example?)
AwayEmily says
Our process was that each of us would throw out names during the pregnancy and by the time we went to the hospital we had a shortlist of names we both liked. Then we met the baby, talked about it more, and made our choice. We also decided that the person who gave the kid their last name got somewhat more sway over their first name (we alternated last names between kids), though both people had to agree.
I wouldn’t worry too much about popularity. I’m an Emily in a world of Emilys and I adore my name. And even the popular names aren’t as common as they were thirty years ago — my kids’ daycare and kindergarten has very few repeats even of top 10 names.
Anon says
My husband and I picked out a name when we first started dating and we were so emotionally attached that we used it even though it was the most common girls name that year (think Olivia/Sofia/Emma). We actually haven’t meant any other kids with her exact name, although we met one or two similar ones (eg an Olive to our Olivia). Apparently even the most popular names now are much less popular than Jennifer and Emily were in the 80s. I wouldn’t worry too much.
Anonymous says
Say it out loud A LOT. You’ll figure out if you actually like the name, versus how it looks on paper.
FWIW, I was very sure that I wanted to name my daughter “Susie” up until maybe 37 weeks, when I suddenly realized she simply had to be “Marie”. So your gut feel can change… I would just keep cycling through your short list, saying the names out loud, and then make a game time decision the week you’re due.
anon says
Yes, this is a great suggestion! There was a name that DH and I thought we both loved, but every time I said it out loud or wrote it down, it just didn’t feel right. We ended up going with another name on our list, and it fits my daughter so well. No regrets on passing on the first name.
Anon says
I’ve always been between two names at the end and eventually you just pick one and go with it, even if it doesn’t feel “right.” Within a couple months it will fit the kid and you’ll wonder how she could have been anything else. There was always a twinge of “regret” for me, since I am super indecisive, but I got over it quickly. (I have three boys and it was a struggle deciding on that third name, especially – I liked but didn’t LOVE any of my choices. I love it now, though!)
Anonymous says
I have a superstition about names being self-fulfilling prophecies and shaping kids’ personalities. We picked a name that conveyed the personal strengths we hoped our daughter would have. It just sounded right, had a good nickname option, seemed like it would work for a teenager and an adult and not just a little kid, and belonged to a spunky, confident, resourceful woman in history. We also thought it would be unique, but unfortunately it turned out to be on the top 10 list for that year.
anon says
On the other hand, I’m an early 80s baby named Martha. Please don’t name your child Martha. There must have been a happy medium in 1982 between Martha and Jennifer/Sarah/Amanda/Jessica…… actually, I know there was because both of my sisters got those names. I’ve learned to embrace it, I suppose, but it absolutely played in to how I thought about naming my children. We went for very classic, timeless names that seem to be somewhat popular at all times but never of the variety that would result in 3 kids in your first grade class with the same name. We actually had one picked that ended up in the Top 10 three years running around the time I gave birth, so we nixed it for a back up.
HSAL says
I went to college with a girl whose first name was Martha but she went by her middle name. I didn’t know her well and always wondered if she had always gone by her middle or just used college to reinvent herself.
anon says
Now that’s funny to me.
Beyond it just being a really old lady name, there were a slew of movies and sitcoms growing up where the token Fat Girl / Gross Girl / Nerdy Girl / Outcast Girl was named Martha. I can’t think of all the examples right now, but Dodgeball is a more recent one where the cheerleader they all make fun of at the auditions (played by whatshername from All That, if you catch that reference) is named Martha. Then there was Big Bertha, whose origin I don’t know, but just the reference/saying is way too close to Martha. So I got “Big Martha” a lot, which for an athletic and tall girl growing up, stung hard. Then there was the Brady Bunch Movie of “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha” which became this horrendously repeated – even by teachers – “Martha, Martha, Martha”. Then there was Martha Stewart in her heyday of the 90s followed by a swift criminal record. Oh, and then in The Crucible (mandatory HS reading in my Greater Boston neck of the woods…), like 90% of the accused were named Martha, either first or middle name. Seriously – go to the Salem Witch Trial Museum and it’s ALL MARTHA’S plastered all over the walls.
Admittedly, my parents couldn’t have anticipated all of that but I used to seriously dream of just having a “normal name.” Some of the trendy names and spellings of names these day make me absolutely cringe.
OK. That was a cleansing I apparently didn’t know I needed. OP, thanks for thinking about how to name your kid. It matters ;)
anon says
It’s funny what names show up in class. My daughter was in a 6 person dance class with two Selmas. Who would have thought that a baby named Selma would ever have to go by their last name?
Anonymous says
As an early 80s Amanda, I just wanted to point out that I didn’t run into any other Amandas my age until I was well into my 20s. I had no idea it was such a popular name for people born at the time!
anonamommy says
My husband was all-in on a name that was the most popular name in our state the year before our kid arrived. I looked at the state records and found that even though it was #1, that was only like 350 boys in the whole state and less than 20 in our town of 150K. Odds were good that our kid would be the only one in his class, or that there would be only one other kid with his name, which gave me more comfort. If there had been 150 kids in our town with that name the prior year, I might have been more concerned, but honestly, go with the name you like.
Anonymous says
My husband and I each contributed around 4-5 names to a list. Then we each got to cross off any we didn’t like. I was down to two I really liked, and I let him make the final choice. I then got final choice on middle name.
As for popularity, I’m a 1989 Britney (there were 4 of us in my class growing up) and it was never really a problem. My husband, on the other hand, has a very unusual name, and it’s been kind of annoying sometimes in that no one can pronounce it or spell it, and he gets called lots of other things.
Anonymous says
We went with family names and ultimately, had a boys name and a girl name that just felt right to us (didn’t find out if baby was a boy or girl until birth). Our approach had been saying the full name out loud a LOT, as one person said. Also, googling the first and middle names together, and separately googling just the initials to see if it was an acronym for anything just so we were aware of what that might be (everyone is different , I just wouldn’t necessarily want a child’s name to have initials like “AAA” “AA” or “NRA”.). I know someone who thought they were making up their own name, never googled it, and it actually is a real name in a different language and doesn’t have an awesome meaning. Nothing wrong with the meaning, it’s just sort of odd. The parents in this case also have no connection to that other culture, which adds a bit to the oddity.
We also have a very difficult to spell and pronounce last name, so an easy to pronounce/difficult to misspell first name was important. And finally saying out loud all of the obvious nicknames, because while you can control what you call your kid, and you can tell people that you prefer they call your kid X, they might have a totally different name that they call them. For example, my son’s name is John, middle name Robert. One of my siblings insists on calling him “Johnny”. My mother in law insists on call him JR, and my mom John Robert. I would really prefer they all just call him John, but we knew these were possibilities of nicknames/alternative names and are okay with that. I have a friend who named their daughter Jacqueline, and gets mad that people call her Jackie. I personally don’t think that’s entirely reasonable, so something to consider.
Anon says
Yes think about the acronym! I knew an ASS who was mercilessly teased. We gave our daughter SAM thinking it could be a cute nickname if she doesn’t like her first name or common nicknames of it.
Anonymous says
Yes! I know a Laura that has the initials LBS and that has not been her favorite thing.
Anonymous says
Hello from another SAM parent!
Anon says
A friend regrets MGA initials for her child, because it looks too much like MAGA.
Anonymous says
I’m also 32 weeks. We want a classic English name with lots of nicknames available of different ‘sizes’ to suit a baby, child, teen, adult etc with different personalities. We have settled on Elizabeth, with Zibby as my current favorite nickname for her while she’s very little, though I like all the more common short forms too. I also call her Lizzeebee when she seems particularly active and busy.
Anne-on says
First off, what’s so bad about Anne?!? (kidding!!)
Our last name is very hard to spell/pronounce so we knew we wanted something no more than 2 syllables, easy to say/spell/pronounce and that wasn’t overly cutesy (the baby name book I had called them ‘bell names’ – brayden, jayden, etc.). With that in mind we basically made a list and each had veto power over the names (I strongly wanted a literary name, my hubsand found them too pretentious). We wound up with 2 finalists and then realized one just sounded more right/fit better. I’d also suggest you not tell people ahead of time, I could have done without the commentary from the peanut gallery.
Pogo says
We also have a hard to spell/pronounce last name and picked two short, easy to spell, 2-syallable names for our kids.
Anon says
So one thing that is helpful to modern parents is that the most popular names today are way less popular than the most popular names when we were kids. That is a confusing sentence but basically there are more names in distribution so even if “Olivia” is the number 1 name, way fewer kids are named that than were named “Jennifer” in 1980 or whatever. So I think going with the name that “feels right” is probably the best call! Maybe pair it with a more unusual/less popular middle name.
Anon says
+1 wouldn’t worry about popular, unless you live in my city and are choosing Olivia, Isabelle or Eloise, in which case, yes, that’s a valid concern. My older daughter’s class has “the Olivias” and the number of Eloises has become a joke at our house – the kids do pick up on this. All great names though!
anon says
Huh, I haven’t heard of a single Eloise in my area. Olivia is very popular, though.
Anon says
Yes this is what I was trying to say above. We have an Olivia and at age 4 have never met another one, although we’ve encountered a couple of Olives or other variants.
Anon says
If that’s the name that seems right, go for it and don’t worry about how popular it is. At least everyone will be able to spell it. :) Fwiw, my first kid has a very common name and my 2nd has a more unusual one (and I’ve seen this happen with other people too).
Not as New Here says
Her middle name is a family name. Once I knew we were having a girl, I wanted to name her after my grandmother.
Her first name – I was scrolling Insta and saw a post from a singer I like and thought “Oh, I like that name”. I never found one I liked better, and neither did my husband.
anon says
Anon for this because it would out me.
We went through lists of a bunch of different names and ruled out almost all of them for various reasons ranging from popularity, the sound not fitting with our last name, and knowing someone once with that name who was an a**hole. We ended up with a short list of names, which were all classic because DH didn’t like any “modern” names. We were at a stalemate for a few months, and then (and I swear, this is not like me AT ALL) I had a dream where the baby (or fetus, timeline wasn’t clear) talked to me and told me his name, which was on our short list. That’s obviously crazy, and telling your spouse that seems like a really manipulative way to get your way on a baby name, so I didn’t say anything. A few days later, DH told me he was strongly leaning toward the same name, so I told him my dream story, and he was like, “Well, can’t argue with that.” And that is how we picked a name.
Anon says
I mean, manipulative, maybe, but sometimes you engage your daughter to the rich butcher but she wants to marry the poor tailor, whatcha gonna do.
anon@2:20 says
Lol! My favorite musical!
DLC says
Out first was born at 34 weeks and we didn’t really have a list of names. I had a favorite, but when she was born, such a tiny thing, I thought the name was too big for her. So we left the hospital without a name. Over the next month we tried out various names but I always came back to the original name, and the diminutive of that name as something I could just see myself calling her. Then one night during a 2am feeding I had this epiphany that I wanted to name my kid after a Beetles song, which was actually a variant of that original big name. And that was it. I don’t regret taking a month to make sure that I was settled with the name, though where I live it takes a trip to the vital record building an hour away to file the paperwork if you don’t do it at the hospital.
My Husband had no real preference, and still just calls her Baby Girl half the time even though she is almost in middle school.
Our second child we named in the hospital because I didn’t want to visit the vital records office on my own again. I love his name, but it is a little unusual so sometimes I wonder if we made the right choice. He was named after an artist and humanitarian- pretty much every other name I came up with, my husband had negative associations with, so we had to dig pretty deep for that one.
Our third child, we had a name picked out and as we were leaving the hospital, my husband says, “I don’t think that’s the name.” And so we scratched it out and submitted the form without a name. And then, like the first we spent a month trying out different names. For her we had the middle name set (after my father in law who had just passed away), but couldn’t settle on the first. The original name felt really out there, and didn’t really feel like it fit with the sibling set.
I guess my ground rules were- not in the top 300 of names on that list released by social security. Couldn’t be associated with someone whom we didn’t like or care for or admire. I actually like naming my kids after famous people because my culture doesn’t have a tradition of passing names down. And for me, nothing just felt “right” until we had lived with it for a month or so.
One Day a week says
I am going to have one day off during the week with my 5 year old and 8 month old. I’m trying to brainstorm how I can make the days both fun but also catch up on chores a little bit to make the weekend more enjoyable. Was thinking of doing an activity each day and then a couple of hours of chores. Wondering if anyone else has suggestions based on experience. Thanks!
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
If they are going to be around – get childcare for part of the day (a family member who can watch them counts as childcare). This way you can focus on a few housekeeping things, they’re covered for, and then can pivot to something fun later in the day.
Anonymous says
When I was in grad school I usually didn’t have classes on Fridays. I did morning activity + errands with kiddo every Friday because everything was so much less crowded during the week than on the weekends, then did schoolwork on the weekend.
Cb says
I had compressed hours prepandemic and we went to the library storytime and then a cafe, and it was so, so nice. I didn’t do loads of chores, maybe a load of laundry but would run errands as T liked taking the bus and going to the shops.
Mary Moo Cow says
My husband aims for this schedule during the summer with our 7 and almost-5 year old. They usually do an outing in the morning and spend the afternoon at home. Trampoline park plus lunch out, then home for a movie while he worked was one recently; morning snack at a bakery then a playground and movie/independent play while he exercised at home, grocery shopping in the morning and pool in the afternoon, museum in the morning and lunch out, etc. Once he dropped off the older girl for an afternoon playdate, which gave her some relief from her sister and gave him and younger daughter some good time together. From his perspective, lower expectations and know you really only have 1.5-2 uninterrupted hours to get stuff done, and think of it more as time with kids. So if you are aiming for a better balance, seek out childcare for a few hours that day.
Anonymous says
This is hardly exciting but I used to work from home Fridays when my kids were younger and I would go grocery shopping with them (stroller was great for food shopping in NYC) and start on dinner during the day (I’d make something that could just be popped in the oven like lasagna). Then in the afternoon, I’d take them to the park and dinner would be taken care off/easy when we got back (and with leftovers for weekend lunch usually). I also sometimes did this early in the week and then I would try to cook a few easy things to make the week go smoother – soup, banana bread for kid breakfasts/snacks, etc.
For something “fun,” I would take my older kid out to lunch or a treat during baby’s nap (baby would be there but sleeping in a stroller. None of this is groundbreaking stuff but doing anything more was beyond my bandwidth at that point.
rakma says
For some reason this summer I’m finding that afternoon activities are working better for this kind of day. Yesterday I had to do some telehealth things in the morning, got a lot of household things done while waiting for them, and then took the kids to the neighborhood pool after lunch. Knowing that I had already accomplished some things made me feel more relaxed and present with the kids in the afternoons.
We’re not working around naptimes anymore though, so YMMV.