My youngest has a birthday coming up and he’d like a pair of slippers. Here’s a delightful pair that will keep his feet warm well into early spring.
These critter slippers from Hanna Andersson are not just cute to look at — they feature soft, memory foam insoles for comfort. I especially like the higher cut for toddlers — I find that they are more likely to stay on their feet. The dragon and pink cat are perfect for whenever, but you can get a head start on the holidays with the reindeer.
These slippers are on sale for $35. They are available in sizes 7/8 to 4Y/5Y (selection limited for some sizes).
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!
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Sales of Note…
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – The Half-Yearly Sale has started! See our thoughts here.
- Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – Up to 50% off everything
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Loft – 40% off dresses; 30% off full-price styles; extra 40% off sale styles
- Lands’ End – Up to 40% off your order
- Talbots – Everything is buy 1 get 1 50% off
- Zappos – 28,000+ sale items (for women)! Check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kid shoe brands on sale.
Kid/Family Sales
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off sale styles; up to 50% off kids’ camp styles
- Lands’ End – Up to 40% off your order
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off summer pajamas; up to 50% off all baby styles (semi-annual baby event!)
- Carter’s – Summer deals from $5; 40% off new baby essentials
- Old Navy – 30% off your order; $13 kid/toddler jeans
- Target – Up to 60% off PlayStation games; kids’ summer styles from $6; outdoor toys from $3
GCA says
Good morning! Today as my 4yo was heading out the door to daycare (dad does drop-off), I said, ‘Have fun today!’ and she chirped ‘You too!’, which cracked me up. (Today is a perfectly ordinary workday for me, with a perfectly ordinary pile of work.) What’s your funny kid story for the week?
Pogo says
Yesterday I picked up the 2yo first so he was with me at afterschool pickup for the 5yo. 5yo insisted on holding his brother’s hand and introducing him to his friends on the playground, and the whole time talking to his brother in his best “adult voice” – “Now be careful, this is a BIG KID playground. When you’re five, you can come here too!” It was very precious.
Then this morning he asked if we could send little brother away because he was waking him up too early with his singing. lol.
Clementine says
My 2 year old is currently obsessed with walking her baby doll in her toy stroller… but the kicker is that she keeps saying she wants to bring ‘my coffee’ and carrying an empty Starbucks cup… Guys, I’ve seen exactly what I look like as a Mom and I’m oddly okay with it.
I also got a call from the teacher saying ‘okay, your kid might tell you he went to the principal but he wasn’t in trouble. Another student reported that he could see kid’s butt during class but after some investigation it turned out your kid’s pants were just too big and slipped down.’ Ironically, husband had asked kid if those pants were okay at breakfast… the perils of a tall lanky kid! And yes, they were adjustable waistband which have since been tightened.
Lily says
Earlier this week I was playing with my almost 4 year old and she… passed wind. I giggled and said “did you toot?” and she said “no! I made a lion noise… with my bu*t.” I can’t stop laughing every time I think of it.
Anon. says
We were talking about saying Bless You when someone sneezes and Excuse Me when you toot. And my 2 yr old now thinks it is Hilarious to say Bless You for toots.
Pogo says
that is cute tho.
Spirograph says
I read The BFG to my kids a few months ago, and for those that don’t remember: there is a whole chapter about frobscottle, a drink in which the bubbles go down instead of up, and therefore cause “whizzpoppers” instead of burps. The BFG waxes poetic about the beautiful music of whizzpoppers and even demonstrates at the end of the book for Queen Elizabeth (RIP, she was still alive when we read it). Needless to say, my children were delighted, and have adopted both the terminology and the attitude. *sigh*
ElisaR says
after reading BFG my 4 year old heard the song “Maneater” (Hall and Oates version) on the radio and he thought it was one of the Giants. Listen to the words, it could be a BFG! Now everytime that baseline comes on (more often than you might think) he yells “IT’S MY SONG!!!”
anon says
Going over to dinner to someone’s house we met recently and I have extremely picky eaters for kids. Do I just bring a dish that my kids will like for all? I feel like my 4 year old will say something rude (e.g., “this is disgusting”) and refuse to eat otherwise, but also feels strange to show up with our own food.
EJF says
If I were hosting and someone did this, I would completely understand (and appreciate it!). I think you could definitely say that kiddo is in a picky phase and didn’t want there to be a fuss. If your new friends are parents, I’m sure they would understand (and even if they are not parents, hopefully they still would!).
Anonymous says
I would feed your kids beforehand and bring some snacks or maybe a nice fresh loaf of bread or something similar that is easy to put out and that your kids can nosh on. I would also have a talk with your kids about how to behave as a guest when they don’t like something.
Related to both this and the funny kid story question above – my kid recently went on a Ferris Wheel with her dad who hates Ferris Wheels because they make him feel claustrophobic, and he tried explaining to her as they were on the ride why he doesn’t like them and she just turned to him and said, “don’t yuck my yum daddy!”
Redux says
We taught our kids to say “it’s not my preference” when they were in their 3-4 year picky stages and it has helped so much to have a script to say the thing that they want to say (it’s not different from a kid saying, this is disgusting) in a way that codes less rude. Highly recommend.
Waffles says
I have had friends over who packed their kid’s food. It was a relief to me. Even if it’s just because of pickiness and not known allergies, I know what happens when a kid is hungry and as the host, I am grateful that someone has thought ahead to help me avert disaster.
anon says
This is fine, but tell the hostess ahead of time. It’s kind of annoying when you go to the effort of making something and a guest shows up with an entirely new dish that you weren’t planning on. I realize that’s not a universal feeling, but it really sticks in my craw.
Anonymous says
Yup. Zero reason not to tell the hostess.
Anonymous says
Yep, definitely give the host a heads up that you’re bringing something. Also, depending on the level of pickiness and amount of notice, they might be able to do a side or appetizer that your kid will eat. My toddler gets upset if she feels she’s not being “included” because she’s being served something completely different. For example, my mom will serve cheese and crackers right before dinner so kiddo can eat that if the main dish is iffy for her. That way, she’ll see that at least one thing on her plate is the exact same as something on everyone else’s plate.
Anonymous says
“Can’t wait to see you Stephanie! My kids are dramatically unreasonably picky right now so I’m going to bring them plain pasta with butter please don’t worry about feeding them.”
Anonymous says
Exactly this.
Anonymous says
With a 4 year old, this is fine. You might bring a normal hostess gift (eg wine) and apologetically / nonchalantly say “and I brought something for Kiddo, who won’t eat anything other than Kraft. Just in case!.” I would give Kid a chance to eat- my picky eater always ate fine at others’ homes :).
Redux says
This is a good point too! Keep giving your kids the opportunity to try something new (and a not-rude script to say when they don’t want/like it).
Anonymous says
It would feel kind of weird to me if you brought an actual dish, like a baked pasta, without coordinating. But if you brought something more snack-y that’s designed to keep your kids happy, like PB&J sandwiches or cheese and crackers that everyone can share, then I wouldn’t blink.
Anonymous says
I usually give a big snack on the way over to prevent total crankiness and then my picky eater can just eat the parts of the dinner they want. Have yet to be in a situation where there is not something like bread or fruit. But it’s not important to me that the kid eat a big meal on a plate in this situation- more important they are pleasant and don’t make a fuss at the table. No one has ever been upset a 4 year old didn’t eat the dinner they made but just took a few bites of bread.
Discussions says
For slightly older kids, can we talk about how to approach problematic (hate that word) things you might see in media, etc.? The other day, my 7 year old wanted to watch a show with me -a little more of a “tween”-oriented one, but I figured it was fine. But then it started getting into territory that I found really grossly sexist.
The first time, I let it go, thinking how I might bring it up later, but then it progressed to the point I felt I had to stop it. She hasn’t really even understood the issue at play, so I tried to explain it and why it was wrong, but at this point, I was kind of mad and it probably came out as more of a rant (which isn’t really characteristic for me). Daughter, who usually questions everything, just said “Ok. Can we watch another one?” I tried to probe more to ask if she understood why I had concerns, and she just said she did and didn’t have questions.
So, I feel sort of unsettled by this -I’m glad I said something, but I can’t really tell if the message got through, and I was surprised by her reaction and that she didn’t bring it up again later. I don’t really remember discussing things like this with my parents -what are your experiences (with kids and what you might remember from your childhood)?
AIMS says
We talked about everything! It was great. My mom did a really good job of explaining stuff without ever making anything off limits. When my daughter wants to watch shows that I don’t like I try to explain to her why I think they suck – like she went thru a phase where she started to watch Mermaid High or something like that on Netflix and we talked about how it was very superficial and not well written and all that, but then she told me she just liked how they were all friends and changed outfits. So I said okay, you can watch it a little bit but let’s also look for shows that are smarter and better written and she kind of easily transitioned to the other shows.
So Anon says
My kids are 9 and 11. My approach is that I call it out in the moment. If I can, I will pause a show, talk about it, rewind and watch the scene again. The first time I remember doing this, my daughter was young (maybe 5) and watching my little pony. One of the characters made a rude remark and expression in response to a pony being “heavy.” I try and engage my kids in a conversation about what the character said and why, and what the message was behind the statement. I will explicitly state that I don’t agree with the judgment being made (whether that is misogyny, fat shaming, racism, that it is ok to drink as a teen, etc.). A recent conversation was around Hocus Pocus where the teen is made fun of for being a virgin. The conversation entailed explaining what that means, the value judgment behind it (both in terms of virginity being a thing v. social construct and why a teen male was being made fun of v. the female), and that it is ok to wait.
anon says
my questoin is, what show was this?!
HSAL says
Not OP but I ran into that with Scooby Doo! It’s one of the more recent versions where they’re all coupled up and it just skeeved me out. My solution was just not watching that show anymore. The older Scooby Doos also have some problematic stuff (particularly Native American) that I’m okay talking to them about, but we also just skip those episodes the next time. I think I’m just trying to put those conversations off for a little longer (oldest is almost 7).
Anonymous says
My siblings were 7 and 10yrs older than me, so our household “age” skewed older and my parents would discuss everything with me. From my perspective I think your daughter could’ve interpreted your rant as you being mad at HER for asking to watching the show. She probably shut down a bit and didn’t know what to do. We don’t need to get into sexism with 7 year olds, I’d straight up say “I don’t like how this show is treating characters and it’s my job as a parent to protect your mind”.
A 7 year old is not a tween, and frankly stuff marketed for tweens is really inappropriate today. So this was your goof. It’s extremely easy to say “That show is too old for you”. Common sense media is also a good place to check before approving a show.
Waffles says
What is your exercise routine?
I swim once or twice a week. Recently, I decided to add in treadmill walking on an incline (max) to build lower-body strength. I was surprised that just 15 minutes of incline- walking could make me sore, as I think I walk a decent amount.
Anon says
I do Purebarre (via the app) or weight interval training 5 mornings a week, and take a 4 mile hilly walk the other two. Nothing higher intensity or impact than that right now because I’m pregnant (and obviously plenty of people do higher impact stuff, running etc. while pregnant, but it is outside my personal risk tolerance).
I also spend a lot of time carrying around a 30lb toddler :)
Emma says
Hello from another pregnant mom! Does PureBarre have prenatal focused classes? I’ve been streaming Fit Pregnancy Club videos but would love to switch it up with something else safe for pregnancy
Anon says
Hello!
They do but I don’t do those because I didn’t like the slower pace. I just do the regular ones and modify the abdominal portions so they are pregnancy-safe (and I only do pushups elevated on the back of a chair after 12 weeks, and no frontal planks after 12 weeks). All of the arm, thigh, and seat portions are pregnancy-safe as-is.
Boston Legal Eagle says
I try to walk/jog every day for around 25-30 minutes – either outside if the weather is decent or on our treadmill. I also try to do a longer run on the treadmill on one of the weekend days. Sometimes I incorporate light strength training on the walk days, but usually no more than 10-15 minutes.
EDAnon says
I do this except I always fail to do strength training (even though I like it!). I have a dog so I try to combine walking her and exercising me.
NYCer says
I do a 30-45 minute barre type class (video on demand) two times per week, and I try to run 2.5 miles two times per week. The run only happens one time some weeks, depending on what I have going on. I also try to end up with 3+ miles per day of walking every day (on run days, I count the miles from running).
govtattymom says
I used to do in-person Pure Barre classes about five days per week. Unfortunately, my chronic disease has become more serious and I can no longer keep up with an in-person class. I now walk/jog at the gym or outside four days a week. I really miss Pure Barre; however, the new routine is more convenient and involves more time in the fresh air!
Anon says
Walking, hiking, and mountain biking are my main ones and I ski in the winter too (I also do physical therapy for a back injury, but don’t really consider it “exercise” in the same way). I’m considering TTC and the image of a little kid toddling around on a balance bike with me gives me baby fever. I’m very big on incorporating fun/adventure/scenery/risk/a trip into my workouts. It makes me feel alive.
Clementine says
Um, if that gives you baby fever… I have a pair of tiny little skis in my garage that would make you swoon.
Kid is so excited for ski season that she has been running around the house wearing her ski helmet for fun.
EDAnon says
Mine too!
Pogo says
Check out the shotgun seat. We rode a black diamond singletrack with my almost 2yo at the time on the shotgun w/ DH and almost 5yo on his trek precaliber hardtail (meanwhile on my full suspension there was stuff I couldn’t do). Kids are the best when it comes to adventure sports.
and yeah, the little one also toddles around on his balance bike constantly. He (like his older brother) also hits the pump track on it. the. cutest. (also the giant toddler helmets <3 )
Anon says
Yes! The Shotgun seat is baby fever level 2.0!
Anonymous says
What?! When do you all sleep? I’m feeling proud that I can finally commit to pilates once a week after years of almost no exercise!
Pogo says
I block time during the day (usually at lunch or 1-2 when my team is at lunch) for running; when I am in person w my team I stay on east coast time so I’ll get up at 5 to run before work. I had to recommit recently after about a year of stops and starts, and once you start honoring those calendar invites that say “Go for a run” it gets easier.
Being in person at my office helps as I have a coworker who runs at lunch too, so that’s motivating.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
+1 – Feel like I’m back in after all my stops and starts. Also, come to terms with some weeks/months will be better than others.
Now, if I’m I’m working from home (which I am, 3-4x/week), I’m working out. Period. I love an afternoon workout. Ideal state, I try to jog 2x/week and then peloton strength 2x/week, all for 30 minutes each.
Pre-pandemic I went to Orange Theory about 2x/week (it was very easy in my last job to do that, this job not so much) and then added 2 other workouts in somewhere – I’ve still been going back and forth on trying to return to that at some point.
Anon says
I mainly get my exercise (walking) during the workday. I’m about to walk to the grocery store (3 miles roundtrip) to get a couple ingredients I need for dinner tonight. My job is less demanding than that of many people here though.
I sleep a lot haha. 9 hours every night pretty much. If I don’t get enough sleep it’s because I was up late reading a book I couldn’t put down :)
Anon says
I’m Anon @ 9:32am, and I get up 5-530am every day, weekends included, so that I can workout, shower, etc. before my daughter wakes up (she’s almost 2). I did the same thing before I had kids, too – I’ve always been a morning person.
I did nothing except for a few gentle walks in the first few weeks postpartum, starting walking a few miles a day at around 3-4 weeks postpartum, and resumed normal activity after 8 weeks. It’s just always been part of my life (including during both pregnancies).
I sleep around 7 hours/night.
Lizard says
I dono, a typical schedule would be, wake up at 6, futz around on computer til 630-7, walk from 630-7 til 730, get ready for school/work 730-830, work 830-530, pickup kids and do evening routine 530-9, bedtime routine 9-10, sleep 10-6.
NYCer says
I sleep ~7.5 hours per night and just commit to making exercise part of my routine. My schedule varies depending on what is going on in a given week, but I generally will do my barre workout early (6am – I am a morning person, so this is no issue for me), and fit my runs in sometime during the workday on the days I am at home (8am, lunchtime or 5ish before our nanny leaves). My walking is to/from work on days I go in, or else 30-40 min walk before our nanny leaves in the evening plus maybe a coffee walk in the morning. This would be more challenging if we did not have a nanny.
EDAnon says
I get up early (before my family) and my husband takes a big role in getting the kids ready while I shower post-exercise.
Anonymous says
I do a HITT or body pump class at a gym 3 times a week (I need a set time and someone telling me what to do, otherwise I just wouldn’t exercise- former college athlete who needs structure), and try to do a yoga class once a week. I also use my bike as transportation and do a fair amount of walking as well (DC so very walkable/bikeable). I love it- it all keeps me sane and my gym has lux shower rooms and steam room so it makes me motivated to go.
So Anon says
I’m a runner. Last December, I decided that this year I was going to commit myself to running outside, regardless of the weather. I have a treadmill but it feels like torture to run inside. I just ran my first half-marathon since having kids (oldest is 11) last weekend. I spent the first 6 months of the year building my stamina and getting comfortable running 3-4 times a week. I need to incorporate some other type of workout other than running to keep myself from getting injured, but I truly enjoy my time outdoors on the road. It is pretty much the only time I get that is just for me. I squeeze in my runs whenever I can. Sometimes that means that I run after I get my kids on my bus and roll up to my first meeting having basically stepped out of the shower, and some days I can go for a run over lunch. For my long weekend runs, I do laps in my area so that I am checking back into the house with my kids every 3-4 miles. The only routine part is that I manage to get it done. I had to make peace with done being better than perfect.
Pogo says
I run as often as I can, probably 3-4x during the week and 1-2x on the weekend.
I used to take yoga classes or do them via video/remote, but I have prioritized the cardio for weight loss purposes. If I had infinite time of course I’d do both but not in the cards this season of life.
Spirograph says
Fairly non-existent the last several months due to life & work getting completely out-of-hand. I do a ballet class once a week, bike to the kids’ school (and then on to the office, if applicable) a couple times a week if the weather is nice, and walk around the block every time I have 10 minutes to spare, which is not as often as I like these days. We try to do family hikes and bike rides on the weekends.
Now that it’s getting colder, I’ll probably turn my Peloton subscription back on again; I was in a good groove doing a 20-30 min workout most mornings, but paused it in the spring because I have zero desire for indoor workouts when the weather is good. I like lap swimming, but the bigger block of time I need to do that just hasn’t been in the cards lately.
ReineMarie says
I do MommaStrong 5-7 days/week.
anon says
I run about 30 miles/week.
EDAnon says
Wow! I run like 10
GCA says
Another runner here, about 20-30 miles per week. Earlier this year while training for a spring marathon I made myself get up at 5am to get it done and the habit stuck. The terror of not finishing the marathon was enough to motivate me to get up and go for a run outdoors or at the gym, but if I’m not training for anything specific I give myself a little more permission to lie in.
Anon says
I don’t exercise per se but I feel like I’m a fairly active person. We do a family walk most nights from March-December. It’s usually pretty short (<1 mile) but sometimes longer. I do walking dropoffs to Sunday school (~3 miles for two roundtrips for me) and am looking forward to doing walking dropoffs to elementary school next year (same location). I'm primarily WFH and too cheap to buy a parking pass for occasional use so when I have to go into work in person I park a mile away and walk in. We spend a lot of the summer swimming and I get in the pool with the kids. We travel a lot (1-2 weekends per month) and do a lot of walking, hiking and swimming on trips.
I gained 15 lbs during the early pandemic and am now on the cusp of overweight, but I think that weight gain has more to do with eating habits and perimenopause than with my exercise routine. I definitely feel more active now than I was in 2019. At the moment I'm not super interested in cutting back on food that brings me joy because I feel strong and active and I don't have any weight-related health issues. Of course if that changes I'll reassess.
Anon says
I do physical therapy for a back injury once a week, and we’re in the building strength phase so definitely a good 45 minute workout. I try to get in a walk one of the weekend days if I can, but I’ve been working every weekend so that hasn’t happened in a month or so. Frankly, most of my exercise minutes come from walking to get lunch at the office, or walking through the soccer fields to and from DD’s practice and games or the mad sprint around the house to get everything picked up for our housekeepers. Once PT ends, thinking about getting a trainer to do a once a week strength training session since that has been the only thing that has held my interest lately. I have a fantasy of joining the pool and picking up swimming again, but haven’t yet done it.
Anonymous says
I lift weights for 20-30 min 2-3x a week, do a 12-24 min HIIT workout 2 days a week, and try really hard to walk or elliptical 40 min each day to help make up for my very sedentary job. I try to do a few 10 min walks during the day (7:50-8 am , mid afternoon) the elliptical with a book or outside walk (if it’s light) after the kids go to bed. Currently I do my workout at noon or right at 5 pm depending on the day’s schedule. During the first 12-18 months of covid that wasn’t possible in my healthcare admin job since I had back to back meetings 7:30 am to after 5, but I’ll building it back in now.
Anon says
First time we are leaving toddler with a babysitter in the evening!! Tips? Do I tell her I will leave extra money for her to order delivery if she’d like?
NLD in NYC says
Congratulations! This is a reminder for me to get some non-family babysitters on the rotation. Grateful that I have them, but it’s good to have back up.
I think it’s helpful to write out the evening routine so that toddler can stay in rhythm and expectations are clear. I think either leaving money for delivery or having food available at home that she could eat is fine.
Zennia says
We usually arrange the delivery ourselves for them checking it’s what they like. Seems like a lot to have to place the order but YMMV.
HSAL says
I always tell them they’re welcome to any food we have, but we’re paying $20/hour so I’m not going to pay another $20 for delivery. Some babysitters eat here, some bring their own food.
octagon says
We do not leave money for delivery but leave a plate made for kiddo and tell the sitter she can help herself to any food in the fridge. In several years of this I’m not sure any have ever eaten though.
We have a printout that we leave with a rough bedtime routine, mom/dad phone numbers, doctor phone numbers, and the wifi password/directions on working the tv remotes.
Anon says
Congrats. I usually have kid’s food and milk ready to server. I also offer they can eat anything they like and usually mention if there is a frozen pizza. Tables turned, frozen pizza is would would seem like a safe thing to make and eat in an unknown home.
Most of our sitters are from daycare. So I try to point out things that are ok for my toddler that are not allowed at daycare. Examples: (1) point out if it’s okay to watch TV or not. I know if it’s at the end of a busy day sometimes my kid needs to unwind with a little bit of a movie and I’d feel bad for the sitter to assume that’s not acceptable. (2) Foods you allow your kiddo to eat. My toddler is obsessed with popcorn. So I let them know she can have it, given it’s a no-no at daycare.
Pet death and young kids says
How have you handled pet death and young kids? Our daughter turns 2 next week, and we had to say goodbye to our cat yesterday. She loved her and knows that we took the cat to the doctor (it’s happened before) and continues to ask about her.
She has her own doctor’s appointment next week, too, so I’m trying not to create a doctor = scary place you don’t return from connection.
She’s verbally and emotionally advanced for her age, which I don’t say as a humblebrag, but just to put into context that she will absolutely continue to ask us increasingly detailed questions about the cat.
Anonymous says
Wait have you not told her “ the cat died and is never coming back” yet?
Pet says
No because it’s been less than 24 hours and we were trying to figure out how to handle it appropriately before we said anything. But thanks for acting like we’re terrible people for wanting to take our time and do this right!
We haven’t lied to her. When she says that Dada took [cat] to the doctor we just say yes and change the subject.
Lily says
I would tell her “remember we took [cat] to the doctor yesterday? Well, her body stopped working, so she won’t be coming home. It’s ok to feel sad. We will miss her very much, but we will always remember her. It’s ok to cry or talk about her if you want.”
Anonymous says
I just think that’s where you need to start is all! If you’d already told her that my advice would be different.
Anon says
I like the “its body got old and stopped working” explanation. If you say “got sick and died” then kids will worry they’re going to die every time they get a runny nose.
Sorry for your loss.
Anon says
i think there is a daniel tiger episode about this. we have not watched it yet
Mary Moo Cow says
Yes, Remembering Blue Fish. It is also a sweet book. There’s also a lovely Cynthia Rylant book called Cat Heaven.
Pogo says
This is really young to grasp the concept, so I wouldn’t worry too much. “Kitty was old and kitty had to go bye-bye forever, its ok to be sad.” Maybe explain that YOU will be sad (if so) but it’s because of Kitty, and you’ll be ok eventually etc.
Our son was 2.5 when our cat died, and understood generally what was happening and we told the truth of course, but he did stop asking eventually. He talks about it more now actually.
Anon says
I’m so sorry for your loss. That is a really hard age to figure out how to handle it.
There is a really good Mr Rogers book on “When a Pet Dies” that someone sent me when our beloved dog passed. I paired it with Dog Heaven and the Invisible Leash for a little touch of something more .. positive I guess. But I liked that it was very factual and to the point.
But 2 is still pretty young. I would tell them the truth and the gauge the need for books, etc based on her reaction. Our almost 2 year old didn’t seem to understand at all (but our 3 year old was really really sad).
Anonymous says
My DD had to come with me for the unexpected visit where I put my dog to sleep when she was 2. Also verbally advanced (still is at 5) and smart. I told her to dog was sick and dying. We might’ve watched the Daniel Tiger episode. She talks about the dog still but doesn’t actually remember her, just knows we had a dog.
EB says
This is a more general comment about kids and death, but hopefully it helps in a way. We live in rural Texas, and my kids (5 and 3) have been exposed to death in a number of ways. Animals die of old age, or in birth, and we’ve had family members and friends pass away that the kids knew and we brought them to the funeral. Also, everyone on my husband’s side of the family are hunters, and my kids have been around that. It’s not my jam in the slightest, but my kids are growing up in a world where that’s normal, and they’ve seen dead animals up close and know what “dead” means and looks like, and that it’s a fact of life. So it was really interesting to me this summer when our beloved dog passed away and my kids were really nonchalant about it. Like, they were sad for an hour, but we didn’t have to explain what happened, or why and there were no big questions. (DH and I were devastated and it was horrible, but this story is about the kids.) It was surprising because I had read so much about books, and daniel tiger, and how to talk to them about it, and none of it was needed. So my point in all this, is that sometimes we don’t talk about certain things because we don’t know how or think they aren’t ready for the concept, when really they are, and making a thing out of it makes it harder.
So for you, maybe you could just explain that the cat died because it was old, and help her understand what that means. I think she might be sad for a short period, but curious for a longer period.
Also, hope this makes you feel better, but we didn’t tell the kids right away about the dog because we didn’t know what to say. It was a week before they noticed she was gone and asked about her. They don’t know we didn’t tell them right away – no harm, no foul. Don’t feel bad for keeping it to yourself and having some time to grieve yourself before telling your kid.
JoJo says
WWYD? Colleague A told me earlier this week that she and her DH are struggling to get pregnant a second time (they have a 3yo). A did not say it was a secret, and has told her team and is basically telling more people now because she is going to be having more appointments to figure out what is going on. Colleague C told me yesterday she is pregnant (already has a 2 yo). A will eventually tell C her news, but C works from home a lot so it might be a while. C is telling everyone she is pregnant, including old law school classmates that she hasn’t seen for years. Do I give C a heads up about A so that she can be gentle/not in a group when she tells A she’s pregnant? Or just butt out? Also our managing partner is close with both A and C and while she is normally very sensitive to personal dynamics, I’m not sure if she would put this together because she learned A’s news a while ago. I’m leaning towards butting out, but when I had a good friend dealing with infertility, she appreciated a text message ahead of our book club meeting when I told everyone else.
anon says
Your heart is in the right place, but I would stay out of this.
Anon says
+1000
Pogo says
+1000
Anonymous says
Omg no don’t do anything. Do not
Gossip about other peoples uteruses
Anon says
With all due respect, I think you may be inventing some kind of anguish on her behalf. Let her manage her feelings.
JoJo says
Thank you for saying this kindly.
JoJo says
Oops, that was for Anon at 9:50
Lizard says
The situation with your friend and book club is so different that it’s not really relevant here. C and A are both adults and can handle this situation as they are best able. It is not your responsibility to mitigate any pain or awkwardness either of them might feel.
Paging So Anon says
I was late seeing your scream into the void yesterday, but I just wanted to send some more virtual love and hugs your way. That is a lot to carry right now, and I hope you’re able to find some relief on the work front to free up mental and emotional space for everything outside of it!
Also so sad to hear that update about the missing teen, I remember your post about that a week or two ago.
Anon says
yes i just read the post from yesterday. SO many hugs. that all sounds soo soo tough. and you managed to train for and run a half marathon in the middle of all that – you might not feel like it at the moment, but you truly are supermom
So Anon says
Thank you all for the support yesterday and today. Some days I feel like I should be able to manage all of this without breaking a sweat, so it is validating to hear that it is a lot to manage. Maybe not the best strategy, but I’ve turned off my email notifications for 1-2 hour stretches so that I can get some actual work done.
octagon says
Yeah I had two very quick reactions to your post: first, holy heck that’s a lot for one person to shoulder! It is absolutely, verifiably, A LOT. And second, it’s really impressive that you were able to carve out time to train for and run your race through it all. I know it added to the logistical nightmares, but can you imagine if you didn’t have that outlet? It’s really great that you were able to keep the commitment you made to yourself, even in these circumstances.
Help host gift! says
Going to a friends farm this weekend and there will be a campfire – any good host gift we could bring related to that? I’m assuming they’ll have s’mores supplies.
Or any other good host gift ideas for us? Family trip with kids 3, 6 and 7 (for both families)!
Anon says
we have these wonderful expandable marshmallow roasting sticks, but i don’t know if they already have those. and i’m guessing you need to buy the gift today? alcohol for the parents? depending on where you are, fancy hot chocolate? are you staying the weekend or just going for the evening? some kind of fall/halloween craft for the kids to do, flashlights for the kids or glow sticks?
Lizard says
How spendy are you wanting to get? Portable camp stools are great for sitting around the fire, and you can pretty much never have too many. Something like this:
https://www.rei.com/product/765283/rei-co-op-trail-stool?CAWELAID=120217890000764508&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=112659721122&CATCI=pla-977794318478&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_7652830003%7C92700057855100949%7CPB%7C71700000074212062&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnP-ZBhDiARIsAH3FSRf9n_muK-z15lgmRdp4YgEYwF-dOaC2LEKuZtmxS0mARSuz2RUPrcIaApZHEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Anon says
Do they have smores sticks? Those are a hit at our house and I love just tossing them in the dishwasher. Also you can buy (from solo stove I think, but maybe somewhere else) packets that are safe but turn the flames different colors which I think are totally cool. Also glowsticks make an excellent add to s’mores nights.
OP says
Ahhh GLOW STICKS is the winner here! What a fun idea! Thanks all! What would I do without this corner of the internet? And alcohol and maybe some breakfast pastries.
It’s our first time visitng these guys so tucking away that camp stool and those s’mores sticks for future ideas. Oh and flame packets seem awesome, going to keep my eyes open for those.
Clek? says
Another carseat question! Does anyone have the Clek Foonf or Clek Fllo? Is it worth it?
I keep seeing these recommended by all of the internet carseat people (Car seat Lady, the Car Mom, Safe in the Seat etc.) But when I look up the BabyGearLab crash test results they performed fine but not outstanding. There are definitely cheaper seats that performed better.
Are these seats worth it? Am I missing something here?
Anon says
we have a clek, i cant remember which one (whichever one is cheaper bc the more expensive one did not work well in our car). it is very easy to clean and the real reason we bought it is because it allows for rear facing for longer, and i think has higher weight and height limits generally. i don’t know that it really is so much better than anything else, but there is this fantastic baby/kids gear store near us that often runs good sales and they are wonderful there with installing things for you and helping you with them (once we couldn’t re-lace our infant car seat straps after washing the seat and we brought it there and they did it for us even though we hadn’t purchased the seats there, we also once called them when on a trip to ask them to explain how to install a seat over the phone) and so we like giving them business.
startup lawyer says
We have a compact car, so the narrowness of the Clek was a big consideration and we also like the way it looks over the other carseats (it’s more sleek and minimalist). Thanks.
startup lawyer says
Oh god, i was on a call and was just thinking in client facing email terms and wrote thanks. lol disregard. i agree re: rear facing, which is generally suppose to be safer, so that was a plus.
anon says
hahahhahaha this made my friday! i’d do this.
sort of like how i sometimes sign off my conversations with my spouse like its a work conference call.
Anonymous says
I had the Fllos and loved them. They are popular because they have a short rear facing pitch and also because they are narrow and work well for three across.
Moving In-House from Litigation says
Sharing because I feel like this has been a question a lot recently — I am a litigator and just accepted an in-house role outside of litigation. I work in a specific industry and at my firm do litigation and operations work. I am at a small litigation boutique specific to my industry.
I interviewed for two positions over the past 4-6 weeks. The first position was litigation and claims management for a company in my industry. I ended up withdrawing my application as it was more litigation than I was really looking for.
The second position was for an in-house operations role in my industry. This specific company has a lengthy on-boarding process and has a lot of company and position-specific knowledge, so their new hires would need a significant amount of training even if they had a background in operations/transactions. They also like to have former litigators on their team for when litigation issues arise. In addition, the former litigators I talked to told me that certain things in the new role like negotiating contracts, etc. are similar to arguing in litigation, etc., so they didn’t really see the change as being so abrupt. This company seemed primarily interested in me due to my industry-specific knowledge, experience talking to clients, soft skills, and undergraduate degree in business.
For both positions, I applied to listings, but for the job I accepted, I also knew someone through a board I am on. Hope this helps someone!
Pogo says
Congrats! I work with our GC’s office on contracts and patents primarily and I love someone with the industry specific knowledge who also ‘gets it’ from a real world perspective.