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Looking for other washable workwear? See all of our recent recommendations for washable clothes for work, or check out our roundup of the best brands for washable workwear.
Sales of note for 4.18.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off full-price dresses, jackets & shoes; $30 off pants & skirts; extra 50% off sale styles
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- Nordstrom: Free 2-day shipping for a limited time (eligible items)
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- Zappos – 29,000+ 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 – Up to 70% off baby items; 50% off toddler & kid deals & 40% off everything else
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off spring faves; 25% off new arrivals; up to 30% off spring
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- Target – Car Seat Trade-In Event (ends 4/27); BOGO 25% off select skincare products; up to 40% off indoor furniture; up to 20% off laptops & printers
Anon says
Just screaming into the void and reminding myself that it’s okay if your 8 year old didn’t make the travel soccer team, or doesn’t have an agent, or hasn’t put a professionally produced song online, or appeared on Broadway, or isn’t a starting pitcher. I *know* this is true, but as I’m just trying to get my kids through life, it feels like an impossible hill to climb when everyone around us seems like they are light years ahead of what my kids are doing.
Anonymous says
I overheard the neighbor kid reading to his mom the other day when I went to drop something off. He’s the same age as my kid and light years ahead of him. I had to work very hard not to beat myself up about it. I read to my kid every night, and he practices reading every day. My kid’s teacher is pleased with his progress, but my mom is FREAKING out that my kid isn’t an avid reader in first grade. I guess my fear is my kid will get made fun of or think he is not smart. Anyway, I feel you. It’s hard.
Anon says
We have friends whose 7yo has read the Redwall series to himself. My kid won’t stray from graphic novels. I get it.
But I found that first grade was a big turning point. My son was super resistant the first half of the year, and I didn’t push it (even though he had a homework reading chart that went blank half the time). The second half of the year he discovered Dogman and his reading life took off.
Like I said, he still prefers Wimpy Kid and the like (he’s in third grade), but he’s an excellent reader with a big vocabulary. I’m trying to trust the kid and the process. And we read more of that “classic literature” at night together so he’s still getting those more complex stories.
Anon says
Only at the beginning of first grade? Don’t worry. Reading has to “click” for kids and it clicks at different times for different kids. Totally normal to not be reading much at the beginning of first grade.
Anonymous says
YES. It clicked early (late K) for my oldest and I’ve been fretting about my second grader who has fought reading tooth and nail. A few weeks ago, overnight, she loves to read and can’t get enough!
octagon says
YES, it’s okay. I have this conversation with myself daily. It’s really hard – we live in an area filled with Type-A parents who are raising Type-A kids. I remind myself that the single most important thing to me is raising a child who is happy, confident, kind, and well-adjusted to be able to navigate whatever life throws at him. Success for him may not be the same as success for me or success for other kids – my goal is to help raise a kid who will be a great adult in whatever form that takes.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Yes, to all of this, and what everyone else is saying. I’ve had to re-think a lot of what I consider as “success” – at the end of the day, the most successful people I see are those who’ve found “average” jobs, with work life balance, have a good group of friends and lead a relatively normal, peaceful life. You don’t have to be the tippity top of everything, and most people are not.
Anon says
DH works in BigLaw, and we talk about this a lot. While he, for now, is likely in the “top” of his profession salary-wise, and our combined income certainly makes a lot of things easier, the things that bring us happiness haven’t changed much. Quality time with loved ones, good food, good reads, etc. He loves being able to go to our neighborhood brewery once a week to read and decompress. I love to get books from the library and hang out with my circle of friends and fam.
Anon says
I saw someone describe their kids as “delightfully average” and that’s how I feel too. They’re funny, kind, interesting people but they don’t excel at any academic, athletic or artistic pursuit.
Boston Legal Eagle says
If my kids can remain healthy and delightfully average for as long as I live, I will consider myself so lucky and grateful. Not to be all “it could be worse,” but I really do try to remind myself of how much of a gift it is to have healthy kids who are not in and out of hospitals.
Anon says
Absolutely. I have a high school friend who lost a 3 year old to cancer so I’m well aware that it’s a privilege to watch kids grow up at all, and seeing them being happy, healthy and well-adjusted is icing on the cake. I don’t need anything more than that. (And although I can’t speak for extreme athletic or artistic talent, I think being exceptionally smart makes life harder in a lot of ways for both kids and parents. I don’t think anyone wishes for kids to struggle with school, but it’s a huge relief to me that my kids seem average-to-bright and not off the charts gifted.)
Anon says
+1 – We lost our nephew (14) earlier this year to suicide.
Now when I hear anyone in casual conversation making assumptions or comparisons around their own kids, I always have this twinge of – I don’t know if it is sadness or just a realization – that having your kids present, healthy, and alive is such a gift.
AIMS says
I think this is a perfectly natural part of parenting. I definitely have all those feelings. But I also see a lot of older kids and adults having anxiety or cracking under pressure and I try to remind myself that my main goal is to raise well adjusted kids who are going to be reasonably content in life and productive in a way that suits them. It’s sometimes hard to keep your eye on the big picture but it’s important to keep these things in perspective.
(btw, I am not saying that every kid who excels at something is going to crack up. Some kids excel at excelling! But there is so much pressure now in a way that didn’t exist when I was growing up even, and my goal is to not add to that with my children unless they are genuinely passionate about something in which case I will just be their absolute biggest supporter).
Mary Moo Cow says
Yikes. I would have a very hard time staying positive and confident in my parenting if this was my circle. My oldest is 8, so I’m still figuring it out, but we’ve seen so much emotional and intellectual growth in the 5 months since turning 8. Kids hit their strides and have growth and setbacks at different rates, just like we all do. It must be really hard to tune out these super achievements you’re seeing but as always, “good for them, not for me.”
Anon says
Same. And while there are some very exceptional kids with kind, humble parents, I think a lot of kid achievements (especially if you’re talking about younger kids) have more to do with the parents tooting the kids’ horn than anything else. (I say this as a former gifted kid who was very smart but didn’t really need to be told I was A Genius constantly.)
GCA says
Yes! It is totally okay. Is there anything going on specifically that is making you feel that way? (In my immediate circles at least, my kids are healthy, happy and also delightfully average! Okay, maybe a tad sharper than average, but they seem to be having a relatively normal time in school and life.)
Anonymous says
A lot of these “achievements” are really imaginary. The kid whose book was published at age 12? His mother self-published it for him on the ‘zon. Anyone can post a video of a terrible song on line. It’s just annoying that these outward markers of shallow precocity and parental effort are valued so highly in our culture, while real skill and accomplishment are ignored. There are so many successful singer/songwriters out there whose music is just boring repetitive garbage. But that’s what sells because people love to buy into the dream that someone with no education or training can write a three-chord song with one catchy rhyme in their bedroom, record it on their phone, and become an instant star. Don’t let your kids get dragged into this junk culture.
/end rant
Anon says
i was having those same feelings as i try to sign my kinds up for spring activities – we don’t have time to try every single activity in kindergarten, nor do I think they or I can handle a sport with multiple practices per week at age 5
Anon says
Multiple practices per week is too much for 5 year olds. My daughter has a bunch of friends on intro dance competition teams and 3-4 practices per week + regular weekend competitions is the norm. It’s nuts to me. The kids have no downtime for normal things like play dates and going to the park. We’ll stick with our once a week program at the Y with a yearly recital, thankyouverymuch.
AwayEmily says
I get it. My kids are the embodiment of perfection, and also steadfastly average. What helps me to stay out of the comparison trap is being very deliberate about what I *do* want for my kids, and focusing on that. I want them to be emotionally resilient, empathetic, confident, and perseverant. Figure out what you DO want for your kids, and keep your eyes on that prize. That’s what really matters.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
I feel this so hard even with small kids! I parent I run into from time to time at pickup loves relaying to me how smart her twins are. I now just try to avoid anything but a minimal interaction.
My kids are probably average, sometimes below average, sometimes above average. I’m good with this, and always appreciate the perspective of this board on forcing what kids “should” be doing.
Ifiknew says
I so get this. I just grew up very middle class and have lucked/worked hard into a very financially lucrative life at 33 and while I know we are no happier than my parents were being middle class, it gives me so much anxiety to think about my kids not having our lifestyle. I know a lot of people that have our lifestyle work way way too much and have broken relationships with families etc but I just want the flexibility and conveniences money brings for my children. I know being gifted at a young age is no guarantee of money though. I was not academically gifted but did above average and have just crushed it in jobs as an adult. no real advice, just commiserating..
Anon says
Won’t your kids have a huge advantage financially just by virtue of growing up in such privilege? DH & I have an outsized lifestyle for our income and attribute it mostly to the fact that our parents prioritized putting us through private schools with no loans, and our parents “only” paid for undergrad, not grad school. Even without handing kids a cash inheritance, funding education gives them such a huge head start in life. And of course if they can expect an inheritance they’ll be even more affluent.
Anon says
honestly…as a former precocious gifted child, while I am thankful for the educational opportunities I’ve had, I often wish I hadn’t been quite so advanced as a kid. It made things harder for me socially, and turned me into a perfectionist. My many prestige points have not brought me much happiness. My relationships have. My son is not so academically advanced, but he is very socially adept. I think he will have great success as a result, and probably be happier!
Anon says
Same here and I fully agree. The happiest and most successful adults I know are not exceptionally bright. Not dumb, sure, but not 99th percentile IQ.
anon says
I was an exceptionally gifted child and in many ways I find my early educational experiences were more similar to those of people who had learning disabilities than they were to those of “normal” smart kids. Lots of teachers (and other adults) resented having to deal with me, I knew I was different from my peers from an early age, I felt very lonely and isolated…it wasn’t great. I also had severe sensory issues, which is pretty common with gifted kids. My son appears to be shaping up to be like I was and I feel profoundly conflicted about it.
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Momofthree says
To the mom who posted yesterday about “feeling horrible” that she signed her daughter up for a mostly boys sports camp. Please don’t feel bad about this. I attended many basketball camps as a kid where girls were definitely in the minority/ I was the only girl & maybe only a little older than your daughter. She will be fine, especially if there are older girl coaches.
My personal opinion is that it’s important to put our kids in experiences that may not be ideal- we can’t manage their activities/feelings forever.
Anon says
I didn’t see the thread, but I don’t see a problem with this – it may well go totally fine and if it’s not a great experience, she can do a different one next time. It won’t be scarring.
Anonymous says
It was a massive gym filled with about 100 boys. While not “scarring” she really felt out of place, and I felt like I didn’t give her any heads up that she’d be walking into that situation.
Anonymous says
That was me! My morning update is:
– it was really interesting to watch as boys play so differently than girls. She is a middle of the pack girl player who gets the ball a lot bc she’s tall and was actually pushed a bit by the boys- some are much better than her but others aren’t, but one difference is they are all a lot taller so she was with same-height kids.
– she burst into tears as soon as we got in the car. I think she was really nervous/uncomfortable the whole time.
– through tears, she told me she wanted to go back. The girl coaches did a great job of encouraging her and including her without making her “one of the boys.” For example on the way out they had her do a tiktok with them that apparently she loved. The coaches have to be like, 14-16 so not really much older (and not much taller!) than my nearly 10 year old. They apparently have another one planned for next week.
– the director spoke to me after and said there was another girl signed up, but she didn’t come today. It turns out to be a girl my daughter knows through other sports.
– I busted out the NBA jersey I got for her 10th bday next month as a present out of mom guilt. She spent the night texting with her two BFFs who have declared me the best mom ever. (Both BFFs also play basketball but have a conflict for this skills session).
– we talked about how she’s done other activities that are all girls but girls she doesn’t know, and I asked her to think about how many of the boys she knew and was friendly with at this clinic, which is…a lot. Easily 4-5 boys in her class, plus another 5 she knows from school or around town. One is the twin brother of a good friend of hers.
– I also reminded her of some of the stuff she’s done that has been all girls/one boy in the past, like when she did diving over the summer and it was 6 girls and one boy (the boy happens to be at the basketball clinic and also in her class at school) or when she did musical theatre and it was 15 girls and one boy (this boy happens to be in the basketball clinic and ALSO in her class at school). She gave this a lot of thought and agreed that she’d rather be with kids she knows, even if they are boys, than girls she doesn’t know who are all friends.
Also, after she had already said she wanted to go back, I played my trump card, which is that the boy she’s very friendly with/has as much of a crush as a 10 year old girl can have is actually signed up for the clinic and just wasn’t there today. WELL after that bit of news landed she asked me how many days until the next one. She also said she hopes she’s in a group from the boy from PK and the kid from diving and her crush and NOT the other girl, who is “kind of obnoxious.”
Anon says
you are an amazing mom and sounds like you are raising an awesome daugther!
Anon says
You both absolutely nailed this. So great for her to be learning this and sounds like she’s navigating with wisdom and grace.
Anon says
Are there any pumping bras that have underwires or are more like normal bras, instead of like sports bras? I have a large chest, which is kind of huge now with breastfeeding, and want more support than the sports bra like normal pumping bras provide when I return to the office? And I hate wearing a seatbelt in the normal pumping bras them because it falls to the outside of my chest and feels like it’s strangling me.- I could avoid driving in a sports bra by changing at the gym but I can’t easily avoid it in a pumping bra.
Anon says
I only wore pumping bras while actually pumping. If you want to wear them all day, could you wear a normal underwire nursing bra and do the trick where you wrap the elastics around the pumps and hold them onto your chest that way?
Mary Moo Cow says
I wore underwire nursing bras and strapped on a pumping bra apparatus for that reason: Simple Wishes Hands Free Bra and LactaMed Simplicity Hands Free bra kit.
Cerulean says
Bravado makes an awesome clip on attachment you can use with any nursing bra that has clips.
anon says
I was an H cup when I was nursing! I bought normal, well-fitting underwire bras and had Nordstrom covert them to pumping bras.
Anon says
This is genius and something I would’ve never thought of on my own.
Anonymous says
I used nursing bras from Panache and loved them I didn’t use specific bras for pumping as I never felt like they held the flanges comfortably or at the right angle. I just opened both side of my nursing bras and held the flanges myself.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
Just a vent. DS #2 had a fever and diarrhea so I had to pick him up from school late yesterday morning.
The good news: He’s fine – fever never broke 102, Motrin and Tylenol help, no bowel issues, slept well. Took him to the ped today to rule out strep or flu. Mom is watching him while I WFH. He should be able to go back to school tomorrow.
The bad news: I have some version of what he has – upset stomach minus the fever – so am on a BRATY diet and so desperately want coffee. I’m worn out from all the running around yesterday and today, and just want to lay down! Plus he’s just in a crabby mood so I can hear him fussing downstairs…
Anonymous says
That sounds hard. Not that you asked but Feeding Littles has posted a couple times that the BRAT diet doesn’t actually help diarrhea. So I think you can have some coffee if you feel like it.
Anon says
I’m in an endless (trivial) argument with my husband about this. Whenever we have a stomach bug I go back to eating normally as soon as I stop vomiting, whereas he limits himself to unappealing food like dry toast and applesauce for weeks. I think it’s totally unnecessary.
Anonymous says
Yeah, I make the next meal or two something a little simpler to ease my stomach back into it, but I’m not restricting my diet once I’m feeling better. That sounds like a recipe to keep feeling crummy for much longer. Body needs fuel to finish healing.
Anon says
Ugh so sorry! I would totally have some coffee, even if it meant a couple extra trips to the bathroom but it depends how much you like coffee, lol.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
Thanks, all. I just checked and his fever was 100.9 after he was fever-free this AM at home, and 99.5 at the doctor’s. Guess tomorrow is another day of this…
Anonymous says
Y’all, my husband is currently unemployed, and he had our son home from daycare today because he’s got the slightest bit of a cough, so feeling fine but too risky for daycare. I keep getting texts about all the adventures they’re having, and it’s so sweet! I know my husband is really bummed about not having a job and the search is rough, but I’m really glad they’re getting some fun one-on-one time as well.
Anon says
Re: the discussion about PTO meeting times from the other day, is it standard for PTOs to have regular public meetings? Ours does not seem to have any public meetings other than one at the beginning of the year when the exec board is elected, and then the board just meets privately and doesn’t seem to seek any input or assistance from any parents not on the board. I’m not devastated about this – there are other volunteer opportunities with the school, and I prefer volunteering directly with kids to being involved in a potentially clique-y group of moms – but it does seem a little odd to me.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Yes, ours are monthly and open to all the parents.
Mary Moo Cow says
Hmm. I’m on a PTO board and by our charter, we have to have at least three meetings a year that are open to the whole school body. We usually combine them with something like back to school night, chili cook off, art show, and so they are less formal meetings and more the President or VP speaking. I think it is odd that your PTO isn’t having more regular open meetings but if you aren’t troubled by it, maybe don’t borrow trouble?
Anonymous says
Twice during the school year – usually October and early May. Then a newsletter goes out a few times in between that lists different volunteer opportunities/issues/upcoming activities.
The idea of adults only social events is not something I had heard of before the post here. It would be my literal nightmare. I see other parents enough at pick up/drop off or birthday parties (I try to work my schedule so I can pick up or drop off at least once a week).
OP says
There don’t seem to be adults only social events at our school either. I think it’s a nice idea, although at this point we’re getting busy enough and I feel like I know enough fellow parents between neighborhood, birthday parties and activities that I’d probably skip. I would have enjoyed it more during daycare, but our daycare experience was also so heavily impacted by Covid (basically nothing social happened for almost 3 years) that it’s hard to know what it would have been like in normal times.
Anonymous says
I was the OP. The PTO actually got feedback that after all the COVID restrictions, new families feel like they don’t know anyone and want a few events to meet with adults in town and their kids’ friends parents.
I don’t know what makes that a “literal nightmare”- it’s obviously optional- but I guess you have lots of friends and know your kids’ friends’ parents well enough, and don’t want to get any more involved in the school community than you are in which case it isn’t really intended for you :).
I’m a full time working mom with 3 kids in elem. i have friends that run the gamut from SAH to corporate CEO who is never in town. I think some people on this board have such a weird attitude about school communities. They are not a summons. DH and I both prefer to stay involved, but we also opted to live in the suburbs and have 3 kids so our priorities are not necessarily the same either.
Anonymous says
We also have 3 kids but spread across 2 schools and multiple different extra circulars (none intensive or travel just all different) so schedules are always tight which is where the nightmare bit comes in. It’s so hard to fit in more things.
Our kids go to public school but in a pretty privileged area so we focus any extra time we have volunteering in the broader community because we already know a ton of people (both parents and staff) at the school and it’s a bit of a privilege bubble.
Anonymous says
Ours are monthly and open to all parents. I there is a quarterly board only meeting which is technically open but like 5 hours long and v boring.
Our school committee also has biweekly public meetings, but also executive sessions which are closed door.