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It’s sniffle season, and this humidifier will help your tiniest one deal with the inevitable congestion and discomfort.
We’ve owned several of these humidifiers (one for each kid, plus at least one that broke because a kid knocked it over) and bring them out as soon as the weather gets chilly. This well-reviewed humidifier has an easy to clean, detachable top water tank that can humidify up to a 500 square foot room. You can also adjust the mist output and (as I can personally attest), it’s really quiet. There are even a range of fun colors to choose from.
Crane’s Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier is available at Amazon.
Sales of note for 9.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Extra 40% off sale styles
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- Zappos – 26,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 40% off everything
- Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs
Anon says
A little over a week ago, my 3yo daughter tripped and bit the skin right below her bottom lip badly enough that she got a stitch. It is healing nicely, but what do you recommend that we put on it to prevent scaring?
ElisaR says
we did aquafor to prevent scarring. they make a special cream (mederma) but i’d be hesitnant to put it near her mouth.
Anonymous says
Be vigilant about sunscreen/ sun protection. That’s the most important thing, long-term. (I had stitches on my face as a teenager and the plastic surgeon told me this very sternly.)
Anonymous says
Anecdata that I was a pretty clumsy kid and had stitches under my bottom lip more than once, and the scarring is barely noticeable now. I’d do something like aquaphor and not worry about it too much.
Vicky Austin says
I also have a nasty scar under my lower lip and it’s basically not even visible unless I pull the entire lip into my mouth, which I don’t often do.
Liza says
Neosporin or the like is what I’ve usually used. My thought is that the antibacterial promotes cleaner healing, and it still has the moisturizing properties of Aquaphor.
Anonymous says
You need to be vigilant about sunscreen after the main healing is complete. That’s how you’ll minimize the scar in the long-term.
Spirograph says
My daughter got a single stitch near her mouth when she was about 5. We put neosporin, vaseline or aquaphor on it at least once per day for the first couple weeks, but nothing after that. I asked the doctor about it when she got the stitch and he said that due to the location of the cut, her complexion (fair) and her age it was unlikely to leave a scar. I don’t know whether it’s luck or our actions, but If there is a scar at all, I haven’t noticed it.
Footwear Recs says
Looking for recommendations for preschooler rainboots and socks. On rainboots, Crocs have been too narrow in the calf in the past and while I’d like something durable, I’d also prefer to not break the bank. Socks-wise, I’ve been a little disappointed in Old Navy’s sock quality and impressed with Carter’s (though Carter’s is now always out of stock in the size/colors I’m trying to get) and absolutely do not want to pay Primary prices.
Anon2 says
I like Cat & Jack socks. They are soft and a good thickness (not too bulky, but not crazy thin). I don’t know that they’ll last through more than one kid, but they’ll definitely make it through a season or two
Anonymous says
I just buy loads of Hanes, even though they are pretty poor quality. I’m not sad if I have to throw them away or if we lose some. On the other end of the spectrum, Bombas are great quality, but are super expensive.
GCA says
Old Navy – the ‘gender-neutral’ socks we have seem thicker and more durable than the ‘girl’ aisle socks.
Smartwool – our thick winter socks are now on their second kid and they last through two winters, so I’ve been pleased with those. They are a little more expensive but I get them on sale at Sierra.
Anonymous says
We had a lot of Western Chief rainboots
Anonymous says
The heels on those have caused us problems!
TheElms says
I like the LA Active socks for my preschooler. I get them on Amazon. They hold up well. Depending on where you live can you buy Bog boots and use them as rainboots and winter boots?
Anonymous says
I’ve been happy with the Cat & Jack rainboots from target.
anon says
Children’s Place kids socks seem to be pretty good quality for the price, if you haven’t tried those yet.
Anonymous says
Target rain boots have been great and the entire preschool class is wearing them. My older kid (elementary) switched back to Crocs now that his legs stretched out from chubby toddler legs.
anon says
I’m a big fan of Bogs.
Anonymous says
Oaki rain boots. We do target or old navy socks. I prefer old navy socks with grippers because we have hardwoods.
Anonymous says
Hatley is our go to for cuteness. Columbia for serious hiking in the rain gear.
End of Rope says
What do you do when your partner is a good father but a horrible husband? For eight years I dealt with his controlling and manipulative behavior, doing the majority of the housework (and cleaning up after him) and earning the majority of the household income, and barely got a say in anything from vacations to going out to dinner to furniture for our house. For years I put off having kids because I wasn’t sure I wanted to have kids with him, but I convinced myself the situation was temporary and things would be better once he finished a big contract at work, etc. Now we have a toddler. Through couples therapy DH realized he needs to step up or I’m out, so now he does the majority of childcare, waking DS in the morning and making his breakfast, and packing his lunch, to daycare drop off and pickup, to putting DS to bed. He is a good dad but we still have many of the same issues, and that plus the past trauma of our relationship makes me in a constant state of sadness and anger, so we are back in couples therapy. I think about divorce and whether it would make me happier, and what it would do to DS. At what point do you put your own happiness before your child’s?
Anonymous says
You call a lawyer today and figure out how to get a divorce. Don’t let the fact that you should have done it 8 years ago keep you stuck now.
Cb says
Yes, best time to plant a tree and all that.
Do you want your kid to grow up to expect that this is how marriage works? What guarantee do you have that he’ll maintain this “good” behaviour?
Anon says
You leave him, and you work with a therapist to understand this isn’t a binary choice between your happiness and your child’s happiness. I guarantee your child is or soon will be aware of the terrible dynamics in your marriage – you have a chance to teach them that is not normal or what they need to accept for themself.
Anonymous says
If it was your kid in this situation, would you tell him or her that they should be miserable for the rest of their life for the sake of their own kid? And what IS that sake anyway — you kid is seeing your relationship as a model for their own future relationships. Is this the relationship you want your kid to have? How will you feel if your kid grows up and is in a relationship where their partner treats them the way yours treats you?
I divorced my horrible-husband-but-good-dad. The good dad part makes it easier, because I don’t worry when my kid is with him. I’m 5 years out from my divorce, toddler is now in middle school and doesn’t remember when her parents were even together. We share 50/50 custody and live a few blocks away from each other and co-parent in a low conflict way (which takes a lot of effort sometimes, but it’s worth it). I’m remarried to a wonderful man who treats me well and not only do I feel happy and loved, but my kid sees a loving, happy relationship where everyone is treated respectfully and conflicts are resolved productively and with kindness. My ex is in a serious relationship as well, and his new partner seems lovely and my kid gets along well with her. Kid is sometimes sad about having two homes but it’s also all she knows. I miss my kid a lot when she is at her dad’s, but having the free time to be an adult again has also been great for my mental health. I’m a much better and more present parent because I have regular downtime.
Whatever you decide to do, best of luck! It’s a tough place to be in.
ElisaR says
this is well said Anonymous and very important! : “my kid sees a loving, happy relationship where everyone is treated respectfully and conflicts are resolved productively and with kindness.”
OP, he can’t be a “good dad” if he isn’t modeling a healthy relationship with you.
So Anon says
First, all the hugs. I’ve been through this and am on the other side. I want to challenge the idea that someone can be a great dad but horrible partner. A great dad treats his partner with respect and sets a positive example of what constitutes a healthy relationship. I’m not saying he is a horrible dad, but I think that we need to raise the bar to mean that a great parent is one who treats his partner well. Also, perhaps he is only controlling and manipulative towards you, but in my experience, at some point that behavior will be targeted to your child or, at a minimum, your child will learn that this is how to relate to all people or women.
In terms of your happiness or your child’s, I think this is a false dichotomy. Your happiness, your peace, your sadness and anger all impact your child. Children follow what we do, not what we say. Would you want this relationship for your child? If not, then my advice is to show your child that you can do the hard thing, set the boundary and say enough. In terms of what will happen to your child, if custody is 50/50, then for the 50% of the time that your child is with you, you can provide the loving and healthy environment that will be your home. Your child would also benefit from a happier, calmer parent.
Anon says
I married a divorced dad who stuck with a bad marriage to a good mom for the sake of the kids, until he couldn’t take it anymore. The kids were 5 and 7. The divorce has been very hard on the kids, and I think they would be much better off if it had happened the first time my husband and his ex discussed divorce (when the kids were toddlers), because they wouldn’t remember their parents’ marriage.
Anonymous says
Can you talk more about why he is currently a ‘horrible husband’? Part of deciding whether to stay or leave involves considering how things have been, how they are now, and the prospect for improvement. It sounds like you have started couples therapy which is a good sign and that he has made substantive changes to issues you identified – like taking more responsibility for the kids. Are there other areas you need him to step up and he has not?
It took us about 2.5 years of monthly couples therapy to get in a really great place. Initially we focused on the basics like how to not fight in front of the kids or deescalate/resolve issues when we were both frustrated, then we moved on to figuring out what we both needed to be truly happy beyond just amiable co-parents. For me that was regular weekly date nights outside the house, for DH it was regular time for physical activity and more physical touch.
I took the view that I fell in love with him for a reason and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. And because of the children he would continue to be in my life in some capacity for the rest of my life. And I wanted to explore if we could get back to the strong romantic connection we had before kids. At the end of the day I thought about what I wanted to be doing in 5-10-15 years and I imagined various adventures and life events with DH. It was a challenging path for us but we are in a really good place now and it was worth the journey. It would not have been possible with a partner who was not commitment to improving things. It also took us 3 counsellors to find the right fit but once it was the right person, we made significant improvements.
Good luck in your journey and your decision. There is no one right decision.
End of Rope says
Thanks everyone for your advice. DH is trying to be better, by taking on more childcare duties and chores around house, but throughout our relationship he isn’t interested in spending any time with me or doing anything fun, whether it’s going on a vacation, going out to dinner, going shopping or even watching tv together. If he’s not working or parenting he needs a lot of alone time. Whenever I do ask for one of these things it ends up being a fight and I end up compromising more than I want to. He resists any major purchase I want to make, recent examples include a new laptop or chest freezer. Through couples therapy he may make progress on these things, but I can’t seem to let go of the past trauma and all those years that were awful. I am going to individual counseling to learn why I can’t stand up for myself or think I deserve better, but DH is very similar to my dad. My parents fought a lot in front of me and my sister, but DH and I don’t do that, I just constantly feel disrespected. By the way, I am Indian-American, and most Indians still marry for family obligation and other reasons vs love so it’s another reason I am struggling with the idea of divorce. DH is White American.
After therapy he may become the model husband, but I don’t know if I can ever stop being resentful for what he put me through for so long. And then I don’t know if that is a good enough reason for leaving him, since we now have a child together.
Anonymous says
“Whenever I do ask for one of these things it ends up being a fight and I end up compromising more than I want to.”
This is really the kind of thing you can work out in therapy. I need a lot of alone time. DH had to realize that it wasn’t about not wanting to be with him in particular. Our therapist met with us individually to talk about our ‘ideal’ combination of couple time and alone time and then about how to communicate and find a compromise with our partner which we did at a joint session.
I’m also the person that wants to spend more and DH is the person who is wary of any new purchases (even ones I perceive as ‘necessary’). Our therapist worked with us on how to make those decisions and where to compromise. I’m also the person that wants to go out for date nights and on vacations. DH would rather staycation and do at home date nights. We compromised on doing date night every Saturday and every third date night we go out and do something I want. DH arranges the babysitter. This is all stuff we needed a therapist to work through. With parenting 3 young kids we were just too exhausted to see our way to compromises that might have been evident when we were childfree.
Anon says
I’m also the person in my relationship who needs a lot of alone time and wants to spend more money on vacations and things like that, and I agree with everything in this comment. This really seems like a perfect thing to work through in marriage counseling.
Anonymous says
Get the divorce!
Anonymous says
Because they can’t agree on buying a chest freezer or vacations?
Anon says
No because she characterizes him as controlling and manipulative and her as traumatized by years of it. Being an involved father doesn’t erase that.
Anon says
He’s made some big changes to please you. That’s a good sign that he cares and is invested in the relationship. When you ask for help or ask him to hang out or make a purchase, are you being neutral and expressing what you want in a constructive way? I know when I had years of hurt, I would be negative right off the bat without realizing it, like, “Why am I always the one to clean up around here?!” Rather than, “I’m tired. I could really use help with x, y, x.” If you start a conversation angry (even if it’s well-deserved), it often has no chance of ending well, and he’ll just get defensive. Maybe I’m projecting my own issues, but just thought I’d mention it because it’s easy to have blind spots, and there could be more hope than you realize if it’s not a one-way dynamic of his own failures.
Anon says
Hi fellow Indian-American. The textbook line in our culture is to adjust, wait, be patient. I think it’s spot on much of time, and then it enables people to be a**holes to their spouse some of the time, too. I had to work through a lot of hurt (for different reasons) in my own marriage after a painful period and it took time for me to get through it AND I had to see DH bending/evolving for me AND had to accept that I wasn’t perfect and had unintentionally caused him the pain he was in.
Only you know your reality and capacity. If he’s really changing, can you wait 3 months, 6 months, 1 year to re-assess? Can you tell him/get to a place where you can say “Hey – I felt disrespected when ____?”
It also took me individual and couple’s therapy to realize I deserve the world (most of us do!), I am not anyone’s emotional punching bag, and I don’t need to absorb/take on others’ feelings and make myself “small” – I had to learn to walk away and make very clear boundaries in these situations. It’s some generational trauma we’ve inherited and have to break, and I’m glad that, whatever you decide with your marriage, you are seeking that path forward.
Anonymous says
You get a divorce. He can still be a great dad, just not your husband.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Agree with everyone that your child will pick up on your unhappiness soon enough and staying in an unhappy marriage is not going to make that child better off. Plenty of kids of divorced parents grow up to be happy and settled! And yes, you have to think about how your child will see this relationship modeled and is likely to grow up thinking this is how to treat a partner, or how to be treated.
anon says
Take the time to remember the good things about your husband just to be sure you aren’t being too hasty. When you are in an angry black hole, sometimes you rewrite the story of your relationship and only remember the bad parts. You believe your spouse is rotten to the core. I know I did. But you might be overlooking something important.
When life becomes less stressful, sometimes relationships improve naturally because you aren’t so triggered all the time and you have a chance to breathe and rebuild. There’s a reason relationship dissatisfaction is high when couples have young kids. It’s just a tough season of life.
Again, I could be wrong. You clearly feel things have been terrible. I don’t know you. But it’s easy for internet strangers to say, “Yeah divorce now!” when you are the one who will have to live with the fall out.
Anonymous says
She’s been miserable 8 years what is wrong with you that you’re suggesting she is being hasty?!
Anon says
It’s a life altering choice and relationships are complicated. Why is it wrong to pause and make sure it’s the right decision?
Anonymous says
They’ve started therapy and he has made significant changes?
So Anon says
I know of no one who has gone through the legal, financial and logistical aspects of divorce with children in a hasty manner. I’m sure that there have been some, but it is generally a long thought out process.
OP/End of Rope – Take the time that you need to be comfortable with your decision moving forward, and you are the best judge of what will be right for you. If you have been in a controlling and manipulative relationship, I know that it takes a huge amount of effort to believe your own perception that things are not ok. The relationship may be better, but you don’t have to hang out and wait for your husband to become the partner that you hope he can be. It sounds like your values don’t match. Individual counseling is great, but it is hard to heal when you are still in a relationship that is damaging.
The comment about “remember the good” reminds me so much that women are told “well, it can’t be THAT bad,” and “every relationship requires work and compromise,” as a way to keep women in unhealthy relationships. OP – you deserve a relationship where you feel like a valued partner. Where your values, including how you spend money and what vacations look like, more closely align with your partner’s. If you don’t believe that you can see past the resentment of the last 8 years, believe yourself.
Anonymous says
I’m sorry you’re in this situation. I don’t have first hand experience sorting through this as an adult, but in case it’s helpful: My parents divorced when I was in middle school (so quite a bit older than your child), and it did not affect my happiness in the long term. I did not have a model of a “good marriage” to observe as a kid. My dad was an excellent provider in a financial sense, and a perfectly nice human being, but he wasn’t super emotionally or physically available to me and my siblings, and he and my mom (a SAHM who’s very achievement-oriented by nature, and who had been pressured by my dad and her dad into giving up an MS-required career) did not share the load in a way that worked for her.
If anything, I came to appreciate that my mom prioritized her happiness; it showed me that you don’t have to put up with things that are in your power to change. There was also a noticeable decrease in the underlying tension in our household after they separated. It was the whole “dysfunction in the suburbs” thing where everything looks picture-perfect, as long as you’re out of earshot of the passive aggressive muttering. I (much) later learned that they’d first talked about divorce eight years before it actually happened. I often wonder what it would have been like if she’d gone through with it then (my youngest sibling wouldn’t exist, for one, so at least one good thing came out of waiting).
FWIW, I know several divorced co-parents who seem to be making it work really well for themselves and their kids. with the usual caveat that you never really know what’s going on in someone else’s household, of course.
Spirograph says
I thought I’d commented earlier but perhaps I’m in mod.
I don’t have anything great to add beyond what others have said, but if the perspective of a “child of divorce” helps: my parents divorced when I was in jr. high. (Apparently my mom first asked/thought about it 8 years before that, but I didn’t learn that til much later.) I had a picture-perfect childhood and “everyone” was shocked when my parents got divorced. I was not; by then, it was very clear to me that my mom wasn’t living her best life with my dad, even though he was a good financial provider and a perfectly nice person. Of course your toddler isn’t picking up on any of this now, but he’ll figure it out when he gets older. All that to say, I don’t think you’re putting your own happiness before your child’s. Happiness is not zero-sum, and the expression “if mom isn’t happy, no one’s happy” exists for a reason. I’m glad my mom showed me that you don’t have to put up with things that aren’t serving you well when you have the ability to make a change.
Anon says
Thanks for the reassuring anecdata about my breast lump on Friday. I had my ultrasound today and it’s a fluid filled cyst, so no need for biopsy or further follow up.
Anonymous says
Great news!
Same says
Wonderful news. I had one of these a few years ago and it seemed to spontaneously go away on its own. But not before causing anxiety!
An.On. says
So glad to hear this!
Anon says
Counterpoint re: this humidifier – we have it, but I have learned that I have to dump out the water every morning and let it dry completely upsidedown (and clean with vinegar weekly) or it quickly develops the gross pink slimy mold.
Anonymous says
We gave up on humidifiers because they inevitably mold, and the condensation was destroying our window frames and trim.
Anon says
Another counterpoint– we have hard water, and our humidifier of this brand never lasts more than a year. Even if I clean it each week, it still won’t turn on the next fall when I try to use it. I have had better luck with humidifiers with filters.
Redux says
You should add a bacteriostatic treatment liquid to your humidifiers. All humidifiers (not just this specific one) should have this. The one we use is Essick Air brand but your local hardware store will have a few options. A friend was complaining about this issue this weekend and I was surprised to hear she wasn’t using a bacteriostatic treatment.
Anon says
Are those healthy to breathe in? I genuinely have no idea but the products have a lot of health warnings on them.
Redux says
I not qualified to answer your question. I suspect some people are more vulnerable to complications from inhaling bacteria or algae than to the bacteriostatic agents, and vise versa. We use humidifiers in all the bedrooms of our house through the long (6 month) winter, and add a small amount of bacteriostatic solution in every reservoir.
Redux says
Also: try using distilled water if you aren’t already. That may help generally even without bacteriostatics.
Anonymous says
I put a few mL of white vinegar in every time I refill the humidifier. It gets diluted enough that it the smell doesn’t bother me, and it keeps the gunk at bay.
Anonymous says
I need motivation at work. After 2.5 years of pandemic burnout, a transition to permanent WFH, chronic understaffing, and a tripling of workloads, I was finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel this summer as we got some competent new staff up to speed. Then a Huge Disaster happened on one of my projects. It was entirely beyond my control to prevent or fix, but I was 100% responsible for dealing with the fallout. It put all of my other projects behind and now I am being ordered to start up a new project where the Huge Disaster is sure to be repeated. My boss seems to be lining up her evidence to give me a bad performance review. I need to get my other projects back on track, but it’s so overwhelming. Every time I try to dig in I get a thousand e-mails about administrivia that totally derail me. I don’t have the bandwidth to give my staff the support they desperately need. Travel has started back up and I despise it in a way I never did before. I dread the meetings and events that used to get me fired up. Worst of all, the Huge Disaster and its fallout have damaged my professional relationships and credibility outside my organization in my small and specialized field, so it would be impossible to get a new job.
I finally got a nice home office setup, but it doesn’t help me focus the way I hoped it would. I’ve recently gotten pretty serious about an old hobby that was my undergraduate major, the kind of thing that could still be an actual career or at least a bunch of little freelance jobs if I really put in the work and didn’t care about insurance and retirement and paying for college and needing to be able to support the family on my own if my husband lost his job. All I want to do is work on the hobby, daydream about the hobby, and follow endless internet rabbit holes about the hobby. I spend all day staring at my e-mail trying to get something, anything done. How can I snap out of this funk and get my mojo back at work?
Walnut says
I don’t want to doubt your instinct, but have you confirmed that you can’t get a new job in your industry by actually applying and getting rejected numerous times? Sometimes I amplify my own errors and they’re not as catastrophic to people not inside of my own head.
If you’re getting set up to fail on a new project and your manager is lining up a bad review, then maybe consider this to be paid interview time and GTFO.
Hmmm says
+1. Especially this was beyond your control.
OP says
I am at the point in my career where all real recruiting happens through networking. I can’t imagine how awkward it would be to say to one of my contacts “Hey, I know I let you down on that thing a couple months ago. It was because my employer s*cks and hung me out to dry. Got any openings?”
Boston Legal Eagle says
I don’t know what industry you’re in, but you seem like a caring, conscientious employee. Your current situation sounds untenable, especially with your boss not being on your side (I find that can make or break any job, whether it’s super stressful with tight deadlines or not – a good manager who is on your side is key). I’d suggest updating your resume, put some feelers out to your contacts and start interviewing. You can talk about what you learned from the experience, what skills you bring to the table, why you’re looking to move, etc. I find it extremely unlikely that it would be impossible to find a new job, even if takes time, unless you’re like Bernie Madoff or something?!
octagon says
If you can have the conversation face to face (or even by phone), I don’t think you’re totally screwed here. You can say something like, I was so upset at the way that happened, I wasn’t getting the support I needed from my management to prevent it or to handle it in a better way. I’m concerned that this is going to happen in the future and I may need to find a different role so that my reputation isn’t permanently damaged. Do you know of any roles that might be a better fit for me?
If I heard that from someone who had previously done good work, I’d listen and try to help. I’m so sorry, this sounds really maddening. You do probably want to leave before it happens again, if at all possible.
Anon says
What about “you might have noticed there’s been some issues at [company] lately. I obviously can’t go into details but wanted to put out feelers if you knew anyone looking.” That hints you weren’t responsible but also that you’re discreet about it. And gives them an easy out.
Ifiknew says
Has anyone done a Disney Alaska cruise? Our kids will be4 and 6 and I’m wondering if it’s the sort of trip that will be kid friendly but also interesting and relaxing for adults. Our best vacations so far have been beach trips where I don’t have to cook, clean, do laundry and there’s childcare in the form of kids club or grandparent. I have a lot of things I want to see in the world but it seems more hassle to try and take my kids on big hiking nature trips or European cities. Look forward to hearing everyone’s feedback
Anon says
I think a cruise is great and have heard good things about Disney crises, but personally I wouldn’t do Alaska with kids that young. It likely won’t be warm enough to swim which will be a bummer for the kids, and the scenery and nature will mostly go over their heads. I can see them being really bored whenever you leave the ship. I’d do a cruise to the Caribbean (or Europe if you’re up for the time change).
Anonymous says
I think the kids, especially the 6-year-old, will appreciate the scenery and nature. We took our daughter camping at Yosemite at age 6 and it made a huge impression on her.
Anon says
Yeah, but they have a 4 year old too. Maybe it depends on the kid, but I have to been to Alaska (both cruise and non-cruise) and I have an almost 5 year old and I would not take her to Alaska any time soon.
And fwiw I’m not someone who shies away from “hard” travel with kids. My kid has been to Hawaii twice and Europe half a dozen times. I do not think she would enjoy an Alaska cruise, because I know the highlight of a cruise for her at this age would still be the pool and she would be upset about not being able to use it. Also while she likes nature and animals we have better luck with things that are close and tactile (e.g. snorkeling and tide pools) versus like trying to show her a bear way in the distance with binoculars. She’d just get frustrated and have a meltdown because she couldn’t see the bear that we could all see.
The one place in Alaska that I think would be super fun for little kids is Katmai Natl Park, where you can see bears up close (safely, from viewing platforms). But that’s not accessible from a cruise.
Anonymous says
We did a Disney Caribbean cruise and I want to do Alaska someday. I was very skeptical about the idea of a cruise and my husband is anti-Disney, but it ended up being possibly our favorite vacation ever. The food was surprisingly decent, the stateroom was nice and super clean, the entertainment was entertaining enough, and the whole thing was relaxed and fun because we’d paid up front so my husband wasn’t constantly obsessing over how much meals and activities cost and insisting that we just sit in the hotel room the way he usually does after about a day and a half. I especially loved having a veranda room, which seems to be much more of an upcharge on the Alaska cruises than on the Caribbean ones.
The kids’ club and teen club were awesome, but the tween club was very lame.
Anonymous says
Adding this to my list of reasons I hope I wake up gay one day.
Anonymous says
No comment on Alaska but just wanted to point out that Europe outside of big cities is actually super kid friendly. The beach in Italy with kids is my happy place. Most larger resorts have English speaking caregivers at the kids clubs. Greece was also very kid friendly on the coast. The Kinder Hotels website has a great list of various independent kid friendly hotels in France, Austria and Germany. Martinhal resort in Portugal borders a national park and gets great reviews from friends.
Anon says
I actually think European cities are really kid-friendly too for the most part. I understand not wanting to deal with the jet-lag but once you’re there it’s not any harder than being in a US city.
Op says
This is super helpful, nixing Alaska cruise based on all these responses.
Tell me more about these kid friendly European trips. I had looked at doing two weeks in Portugal in the summer going between the martinhal in Lisbon or Cascais then algarve for th second week. I just didn’t know how my kids would enjoy it and if we would find it interesting and relaxing. Are there other destinations or itineraries you recommend?
Anonymous says
I have done a Disney cruise to Alaska. Disney would not have been my first choice but childcare was not available on other cruise lines as my child was under 3. I will say, I learned during that trip that I am not a Disney or cruise person, but it was one of the easiest trips we have taken. Disney is set up to be accommodating to families. I traveled with my husband and 2 year. For dinner, we were assigned a table with other couples with one 2 year old. When we did not want to eat at the selected time or location, there were several other options and always child friendly options. One night we went to the adult’s only restaurant I would not consider it a Michelin starred restaurant but it was a nice change. My kid enjoyed the shows and they were better than I expected. I heard great things about the kids clubs but was only able to experience the babysitting service. It was obvious that the kids were having a great time.
I was there at the absolute end of the season, so there were very few people in the pools. Yet people did visit the pools.
You can do excursions with or without your children, as you see fit. My child went whale watching, on a floatplane, to the Yukon, a historic railroad, and petted Husky puppies. Does he remember it now, no. But we still had fun. My husband went ice climbing. I wish I would have left my child on the boat for whale watching, so I could have been on a smaller boat and been closer to the orcas. There was a sea day where we visited the Hubbard Glacier. We were able to see walruses from our balcony. I wish we would have booked the excursion from the boat to travel closer to the glacier. Excursions add up, but they were great.
The cruise leaves out of Vancouver. It is a fun city, we particularly enjoyed the aquarium.
The trip to Alaska was different than I usually prefer but was a great trip. It was by far the easiest trip we have ever had. I really enjoy traveling, particularly to cities that I have not visited before.
Anon says
I’m very jealous of you seeing walruses! Our cruise went to Hubbard too but it was “just” the calving glacier (which was cool for adults, but I don’t think would interest a 4 yo). Walruses are on my wildlife bucket list.
Anonymous says
I almost stayed here but it got cancelled for Covid – https://amp.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/24/country-kids-farm-stay-france
Anonymous says
Not the OP, but this looks amazing. I just texted it to DH and told him we’re going to start saving.
Anon says
Haven’t been, but other than free babysitting for kids under 6 nothing about this place looks super unique to me. There are places to do farm stays all over France, Italy (agriturismo), Spain (finca) and probably other European countries at a variety of price points. Many of them cater to families and if you go at the right time of year your kids will find other kids to play with, and the kids can basically roam the property unsupervised because they’re in the countryside.
Anonymous says
My kids were slightly younger than yours (almost-4 and almost-2) when we went, but are now 4 and 6, and I’d re-do our Portugal trip in a heartbeat. We spent 4 days in Cascais (including a day trip to Sintra) and 4 in Lisbon. Cascais was very cute and the beach and park were both perfect for young kids. Lisbon was more for the adults, and is lots of hills so not super stroller-friendly, but lots of delicious food, and my 4-year old loved the streetcar, especially given his interest in Daniel Tiger’s trolley.
Anon says
Florence is my favorite city in Europe for young kids. There’s enough to do to keep adults interested for at least a few days, but the city is small and easy for kids to navigate on foot (I visited with a fairly lazy just turned 4 year old, and our stroller was destroyed on the way there and it was fine). There’s a great carousel in the city center. We did pasta and gelato making classes the whole family enjoyed. Kiddo made it through some art museums with the promise of gelato afterwards. Chasing pigeons in the piazzas was a life highlight for her. The city is really scenic so just taking short walks is fun. Staying in the nearby Tuscan countryside is also fun and can be kid-friendly if you have a place with a pool and farm animals. Italians love kids and it’s hard to get better food for picky eaters than pizza, pasta and gelato.
I think pretty much any place (save for maybe the Alps) can be kid friendly if you build time into the itinerary for playgrounds and pools/beach/splash pad, but Florence was definitely the trip where it felt like we were not really going out of our way to accommodate our kid and we were all having a great time (possibly because all I want to do in Italy is eat haha).
Anon says
Why not a Europe cruise? That combines the relaxing aspect of a cruise with something that’s interesting for the adults. Kids will probably be willing to get off at each port and walk around for a bit (especially if ice cream is involved), but if they’re not you can leave them in the kids’ club.
Chl says
We did a week in cascais and Peniche this summer and my 8 and 10 year old loved it.
Anonymous says
Smitten Kitchen had a detailed post a couple years ago about a trip with kids to Ireland. Looks like she’s also done Scotland, London, and Iceland with kids relatively recently, too. Might give you some ideas or at least change your perspective on doing big European trips with kids.
Anon says
Europe with little kids can be fun, I’ve gone several times. But I would caution that rich bloggers aren’t necessarily the best example of what a real person’s trip is going to look like. For one, because a lot of stuff tends to be sponsored and it’s essentially their job to market it, so you’re not going to get a lot of honest opinions (like of course you think this super luxe hotel is wonderful if you stayed there for free! The question is not “is the hotel nice?” it’s “is it actually worth the insane price” and the blogger isn’t in a position to answer…) and two, because many of them are very wealthy and travel with unseen nannies or au pairs (Looking at you and your amaaaazing trips, Julia B). No judgment, but it isn’t representative of my life or most people’s lives.
Anonymous says
For anyone who hasn’t read the blog post, the beginning of the SK Ireland post literally says that nothing was sponsored or tagged on request. I don’t think things like pointing out good playgrounds in Dublin are exclusively for wealthy bloggers. I pointed out this one in particular because, aside from the castle stays, it looks pretty much doable on a double-public-interest-lawyer budget.
Funeral for family member says
My Dad’s Cousin died yesterday. We were close with her – always at family events (not holidays but graduations, baptisms, and the like). We have friends coming for the weekend they are flying here. Husband’s friend from high school and his girlfriend. Not sure what the arrangements are but it will be a 2+ hour each way. We have a 6 year old and almost one year old. I’m thinking I would just go to the services by myself but not sure if that makes sense. Thoughts?
Anonymous says
Go by yourself. It’s a reasonable that you will have to be away for part of their visit. The closure will be good for you and DH will be fine with the kids.
Walnut says
Definitely attend services without DH. I would bring my kids if it means you’ll have lots of family around to lend a hand.
Anonymous says
I wouldn’t bring an infant or a 6 year old to a funeral. Certainly not one that is more than a 2 hour drive away for their grandfather’s cousin!
Liza says
I looked into this once and general guidance is not to bring kids under age 12 to a funeral, unless it’s someone they’re really close to like a grandparent. I agree with you going by yourself to pay respects; people will understand that DH had to stay home with the kids.
Walnut says
Wow, this surprises me, but must depend on funeral/family norms I guess. Funerals for me are a typical length church service, a trip to the cemetery and a luncheon after. When I’m solo, my parents each take a kid and tote them around the full time. The luncheon after picks up a boisterous celebration of life feeling and there are lots of relatives around to catch up with.
Definitely role play through the likely scenario/chat with your parents and leave the kids back if it’s not appropriate.
Anonymous says
Agree that this is something that varies by family. My family is very much in the camp of wanting children at funerals as a sign that life continues. In OP’s situation, I’d consider taking the baby (mine would’ve napped in the car on the way to/from) and leaving the older kid at home with DH and the guests.
So sorry for your loss, OP.
Anonymous says
I would agree that this is typical in my area. Under age 12 only if grandparent/aunt/uncle/cousin etc. 12 wouldn’t be a hard guideline. My daughter is a quiet responsible 10 year old so I might take her. Her brother at 10 was an agent of chaos and would not have gone.
anon says
Does anyone have experience with donor egg IVF? We are considering it, but it looks like it is fairly uncommon and we don’t know any families that have used it.
Anon says
I don’t (just regular IVF), but there are definitely a good number of accounts on the Gram that talk about it.
Wishing you so much luck on wherever your journey takes you!
octagon says
A friend did it several years ago and now has a very sweet 5-year-old daughter. I remember her hormones were quite intense, but I think that’s true for all ivf procedures. Her clinic connected them with a counselor to help talk through some genetic issues and think about how they’d want to talk about the donor in the future.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Matt and Doree’s Eggcelent Adventure is a podcast about IVF and they have a fb group, where I believe there are lots of experiences discussed, including egg donation.
Pogo says
was going to suggest this. I wish I had known about the podcast when I was going through IVF!
anon says
I think it is actually not that uncommon – it’s just that fewer people speak about it publicly. Have you checked out the Parents via Egg Donation forum? A friend mentioned finding access to a lot of great resources and support on it when she was considering donor egg.
Anon says
Agreed. I think people are (reasonably) wary of revealing their children’s genetic heritage widely but it is pretty common these days.
anon says
I’m the OP – I thought that but my doctor said it’s only 10-12% of IVF cycles annually. So it’s not unheard of but definitely still a pretty small number.
Anon says
But keep in mind it’s probably more likely to be successful than own egg IVF and most people who do donor egg have also down own egg IVF. So you get fewer cycles but a lot of successful pregnancies.
Anonymous says
10% seems like a lot!
Anon says
Haven’t done IVF but 10% also sounds like a lot to me.
op says
And thank you!
anon says
It’s not that unusual. You probably do know someone who did it, they just haven’t told you. If it were as rare as you seem to think, there wouldn’t be multiple large reputable independent egg banks in the U.S., let alone worldwide.
I know several people who did it. One did a donor pregnancy years after adopting from an Asian country; they were able to use a donor who shared their adopted child’s ethnicity, which was kind of neat. Another got pregnant with twins as a single mom, which was a hard road especially at first, but she has no regrets.
Redux says
Should I purposely aggravate my knee before seeing the orthopedist? I have exercise-induced swelling a pain in my knee that resolves after a day or so but has been plaguing me for 5 months. I finally decided to see an orthopedist about it but because it only pops up after running or hiking, I don’t anticipate I’ll have any pain or swelling for my office visit this week. Should I intentionally aggravate it so that the doctor can see it inflamed?
Anonymous says
No
Anon says
Call and ask them. I would explain exactly this, and ask for guidance.
Anonymous says
Help me understand Pokemon. One of my daughters (6) keeps coming home with cards that another girl on her bus gives her.
According to another of my kids (9), kids on the bus give their unwanted or “fake” cards to the younger kids.
So now my 6 year old wants some cards, but idk what makes them unwanted or fake- and I don’t want to get the wrong ones. Some are plain cards and some are all gold (she loves these but they are apparently “not real cards”)
Neither of my kids know anything else about Pokémon. My 9 year old could care less but did clarify that 6 year old got them legitimately on the bus when I started to get suspicious.
I am laughing so hard about this because back in the late 90s my youngest sibling was sooooooo into Pokémon. I was 13 and DNGAF.
Anon says
Both of my kids were into Pokemon at this age, but I did not know anyone who actually played the game. I had one friend who actually tried to figure out the real game, but the kids just assigned arbitrary values to the cards and traded them freely! I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Just grab a pack of cards online or at a local game store, and let your kid have fun!
Anonymous says
OP here. Apparently a group of them do play the game (or maybe…they play *a* game?). My 9 year old reports that there is a big faction of kids that plays at recess and it’s pretty serious. She doesn’t play or care, but my younger one is interested.
Are there specific decks? There seemed to be when I googled. Are they all the same?
anon says
My kids are into Pokemon (both playing the game and trading). Yes, there is a game. It actually is decently fun. You will need a full deck to be able to play the game. Each deck will only have Pokemon from a specific energy type (ex. fire, water, fist, etc). Your kids will likely want to collect different energy decks. Then, they usually combine Pokemon, Trainers, and Energy from various decks to build the best 60 card deck they can. After you get the deck, you can purchase small packs with random cards in them to supplement the deck/increase collection. My kids love purchasing those, but they always seem like a waste to me because there are so few good cards in them.
Anonymous says
Haha you’re me; right down to the younger sibling and NGAF at the time. Any chance you can call your sibling and ask? I mean it’s probably different now but s/he could give you some pointers maybe. Also, FWIW, my 5 year old asked for Pokémon cards and I just grabbed a small pack from Walmart to put in his stocking. He’s a pack rat (no judgment! I am too) so I know he just wants them for his stash and won’t have interest in playing the game. He also has no friends who are into them atm so I’ve no one to ask. Surely there’s a Reddit thread for this?
Book Rec says
Any recommendations for books similar to Llama Llama Red Pajama? I tried the others by the same author but they’re too short, unless I’m missing something.
Anon says
There are some Llama Llama baby books like Llama Llama Zippity Zoom but also some of the older story books. Llama Llama Gram and Grandpa, Llama Llama Time to Share, Llama Llama Misses Mama, and Llama Llama Mad at Mama are all at the same general level as the original.
Other books we’ve liked at about that level – Benji Davies books like The Storm Whale (actually this is a little shorter but quite lovely); some of the classics like Where the Wild Things Are and The Snowy Day; the Pigeon books and Elephant and Piggie by Mo Williams; and Kitten’s First Full Moon.
Julia Donaldson probably skews a little older (like six months not years) but I love her stuff, especially The Whale and the Snail. The Zog books are really fun too. And in the category of classics that hold up we love Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal.
Anonymous says
My kid’s favorite in that line is Llama Llama Gram and Grandpa, which is about the same length as the original.
Anonymous says
+1. My toddler also likes Llama Llama Loves to Read.
Pogo says
There’s a Llama Llama 5 minute stories book, with longer, more complex storylines.
Anonymous says
Pout pout fish
Cb says
In the vein of the Pokemon, wtf is this batu? baku? thing my son keeps talking about? His bestie has one and he’s very jealous but I can’t even figure out what it is to put it on his Christmas list. Is it large? Is it small? Does it have batteries?
In return, my five year old’s newest joke:
How do you get Pikachu on the bus?
You poke-him-on!
Spirograph says
Bakugan. they’re little battle monsters. no batteries, I think. the ones I’ve seen are kinda cute:
they’re like little transformers that fold up into a ball and then open up when you drop them. I have no idea how the game works.
GCA says
I suspect it’s Bakugan. Toys, based on an anime, or perhaps the anime is based on the toys – who even knows any more. The toys are like little…balls that spring open magnetically and transform into creatures? (Nb. just get one or two and a couple of the little magnetic discs. My kid and the neighbour kids were into them a couple of years ago but no longer. Same with Beyblade tops.)
Cb says
Ah, thank you both! I will get a couple for his stocking.
HFM Nails says
Thank you to the person who recommended OPI nail envy. That stuff saved my nails (and sanity). I’m now 6 months post HFM and still using it on one nail. But I didn’t have any nails totally fall off! Yay for the little wins :)