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As we approach summer, I see water games for your yard to be a big asset to entertain your kids. When I saw this one, I immediately texted it to a friend with a toddler. It looks like it’s fun for kids from a sensory perspective, as it fills up with water and wiggles underneath them, and it also cools them down because water sprays up from the inside. I also like that since it’s not a kiddie pool or something that fills with water, you don’t have to supervise as closely. I think any toddler or kid would find a lot of entertainment in this toy! It’s on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond for $20.99. H2GO! Fun Blobz Splashing Mat
Update: Unfortunately, this has sold out. An alternative for outdoor fun is this “water slide” (i.e., slip & slide) from the same brand, which is $30 at Target.
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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
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles; 60% off swim; up to 40% off everything else
- J.Crew – Mid-Season Sale: Extra 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off spring-to-summer styles
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Spring Mid-Season Sale: Up to 50% off 100s of styles
- Nordstrom: Free 2-day shipping for a limited time (eligible items)
- Talbots – Spring Sale: 40% off + extra 15% off all markdowns; 30% off new T by Talbots
- 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
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Up to 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off kids’ spring-to-summer styles
- Old Navy – 30% off your purchase; up to 75% off clearance
- 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
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
Patricia Gardiner says
Tell me I did the right thing, or tell me how I could have handled this better!
Yesterday afternoon I took my 19 month old for a walk in the park (I’m also visibly pregnant). The park is not crowded, and it is easy to stay 10+ feet from others. We walked to a less used path (within view of much of the park; it’s very open) and I took him out of the stroller to toddle around for a while. I noticed there was a youngish man who seemed to be watching us from a distance (had the impression he may be homeless or otherwise going through hard times). He was far away from us so I ignored it.
A while later I realized he was walking towards us, then he stopped about 5 feet away and said hello. I said “hello, sorry, we are trying to keep socially distanced” and moved a little bit away. He did not move away, but started trying to talk to us, “My name is…” and at that point I grabbed my son, said “We are keeping distanced because of the virus!”, stuffed son in the stroller and took off.
I was really shaken by it. I didn’t feel overtly threatened per se, but just very uncomfortable because it was so far out of the norm for these days- and he didn’t take the first brush off. My social conditioning made it hard though and made me feel rude- which also has me upset! And I think I would have reacted the same to any stranger but probably his rough appearance made me a bit more nervous (which I don’t love that reaction in myself but here we are).
Ugh, just wanted to vent I guess… how would you have handled it?
Anonymous says
I don’t think you did anything wrong. It sounds as if he did have some type of issue that might have made him less likely to take a gentle hint. In that case, it would have been perfectly fine to say something more direct like “please do not get any closer to me” or “please stay away.” I would also have said it loudly enough to attract attention from others in case things escalated.
Cb says
Oh that’s really tough but you did the best you could. We’ve had a few occasions when people have gotten way too close – either people who weren’t very well or elderly people who are absolute crap about social distancing. Be easy on yourself – we’re all in a weird place and it’s harder when you’re with a small child.
Anonymous says
I would have handled it exactly the same way and then had the same guilt trip over it. I think it’s the right call, but I hate being perceived as rude in any way, even when it’s justified.
Anonymous says
It is not rude to stand up for your own safety or the safety of your child.
Realist says
You did great. Don’t spend another minute worrying about stupid social conditioning that is nothing more but a convenience for the patriarchy.
Anonymous says
The same way and you did nothing wrong.
Nan says
You handled it perfectly. Your first priority has to be to protect your son and yourself. There’s no way to know what this guy’s motivation was but getting out of the situation is totally appropriate and not at all rude. Don’t feel guilty for a second — you didn’t scream profanities at him, you just exited what was becoming an uncomfortable situation. I think this reaction would be totally fine even in non-covid times and even more so now.
IHeartBacon says
You handled it exactly how I would’ve handled it.
Anonymom says
women need to trust their instincts. It sounds like you were polite, all things considered.
Patricia Gardiner says
Thanks ladies for the feedback. I don’t know why this was weighing on my mind so much but I feel better now!
Pogo says
My husband had a situation like this where a guy approached him at a park and tried to talk to him and even shake his hand! He thought he may have had some kind of TBI in the past because of his speech pattern/mannerisms and apparently he talked to him about having an accident in the past (he was complimenting husband’s mountain bike and talking about biking). Luckily my husband was putting his bike on his car and basically was just like, sorry, I have to go. But he felt bad because he thought maybe the guy legitimately didn’t have the full mental faculties to understand why what he was doing was not cool in the current climate. I wouldn’t feel too bad, it is awkward but it’s good to be proactive if you feel like the other person is not getting the message for whatever reason.
Anonymous says
Always trust your instincts. Honestly your brain may have even unconsciously picked up signals about him that you didn’t even notice. It’s infuriating how ingrained it is into us women that we must always be polite or worse, feel bad about protecting ourselves or our child!! How many women get attacked because they’re afraid of seeming rude? (Obviously never a victims fault, but still, we shouldn’t feel guilty about being assertive).
Sort of related – I recently told my husband I don’t like how a guy who lives down the street looks at my 3yo daughter. He could be a perfectly nice guy, but I don’t give AF my gut is telling me something is weird and I’m going to listen to that.
Anonymous says
You handled it fine!! You do not need to be polite to people who are making you feel uncomfortable. Read Gift of Fear and trust your intuition to keep you and your kids safe. Furthermore, I’d tell your friends about this so they can be aware at that park.
A couple years ago, when my kids were maybe 1 and 3, I had a very similar encounter in the parking lot of my daycare. The man approached us as I was putting my kids in the car in the afternoon, tried to make conversation, said something like “you probably would like to come play at my house” to my daughter, and was generally making me feel uncomfortable. I was polite enough when he just walked up and said hi, but then I buckled up the kids as quickly as possible and got out of there.
Turns out, he was homeless and had been hanging around the church where the daycare was located. The pastor was trying to help him, but at the same time was concerned about the man’s interactions with kids. He tried to walk off with 2 kids who were playing on the playground after the service that following weekend. It was a whole big thing that resulted in daycare kids being kept inside for a week , a restraining order, me talking to the police etc etc. Your gut is usually right, and I am so glad that the kids were ok. If anything had happened, I would have felt awful about not speaking up to the daycare director immediately after the encounter.
Anonymous says
At what age can babies have popsicles? Asking for a friend aka my 8 month old who I’m pretty sure really wants one. Can he gum some frozen yogurt or something? Not asking my doctor because I’m pretty sure this is not an important question.
Cb says
Maybe put some frozen fruit or yogurt into one of those mesh chewers? I feel like ice cream is fine but a popsicle feels like a choking hazard, maybe?
Spirograph says
Now, with supervision. I would get the Dole fruit ones or similar. Alternatively, if you have a little mesh bag (Munchkin has them) pop it in the freezer with some fruit.
XStitcher says
I have a silicone mesh feeder that I’ve been using since my daughter first started to get her front teeth. Put the popsicle in the feeder, break off the popsicle and put the handle back on the feeder. They stretch a bit, so you can put quite a bit of popsicle in there. I’ve been getting the ones that have no sugar added. Great to gnaw on and cool down now that the weather is finally nice.
Anonymous says
Awesome. My chunky baby thanks you all.
Pogo says
Pretty sure our ped OK”d popsicles at that point under supervision b/c LO was dehydrated from a cold and wouldn’t nurse or have water (vague memories now lol) and suggested the pedialyte pops (which also did nothing for him at the time, again, vague memory).
Anonanonanon says
Popsicle sitting in the bathtub (makes cleanup easier) can buy you some work time! Sitting on the toilet or floor with a laptop, but still!
octagon says
We put the stonyfield yogurt tubes in the freezer and I think they would be perfect for this.
Redux says
+1. my kids thought this was actual ice cream for YEARS. you should have seen their delight when they got real ice cream!
Anonymous says
I put frozen fruit in those Boon silicone feeders and call it a popsicle. I have the Munchkin mesh feeders too but use those for more solid foods (like banana) and the silicone ones for liquidy or messier things.
AnonLaywer says
Google Nuby Gardenfresh Fruitsicle Molds. A sweet potato/breastmilk popsicle is the only food my 6-month-old has gotten super excited about.
BabyBoom says
Talk to me about taking lunch to elementary school. What is your favorite lunch box/ bag and all the accessories? I know that I am very early, but if school starts in the fall I’m assuming that we will need to send lunch with our new kindergartner. Our school system is releasing information on plans for next year. For social distancing lunch will probably be in the classroom and bag lunches will be available to buy, but no hot lunches.
I want to get on this, because I feel like whenever I attempt to get something recommended, it is sold out! Also I still have nightmares from our first daycare experience that didn’t offer lunch or snacks. I would wake up every day an hour early to make food to send with 2 kids. There must be a better way!
Anonymous says
Bentgo. And there’s a lot of ideas on Pinterest.
K. says
We have the Bentology Insulated Dome and really like it. Easy to carry and fits a lot of food. It comes in different patterns.
Realist says
Planetbox Rover. We have 2 boxes with one carry bag. It is kiddo’s job to unpack the lunch, take off the magnets, and put the empty box with the dirty dishes right when kiddo gets home. Lunch is packed up the night before with protein in one compartment, fruit in another, veggie in another, then usually silverware and small cloth napkin in the long slot (sometimes crackers or other finger foods go there is no silverware is needed). For special days, we put a gummy or chocolate in the tiny middle compartment. The boxes have held up really well and have lasted several years. The carry bag gets a bit beat up and gross, so we have bought a new one each year and wipe it off/down as needed.
blueberries says
Lunchbots snack size tin with four sections was perfect for my kindergartener. I have two, so one could be in the dishwasher while I pack the other the night before.
It looks tiny, but was the exact right amount of food. I put it in a soft lunch box from the grocery store.
Anonymommy says
Check out Bentgo. We have three of the trays, one for each day our toddler (normally, pre CoVid…sigh.) is in daycare. I did buy the extra lids, slim ice packs, and lunchbox from the company. I was sick of having four separate Tupperware containers to clean every night. I fill up most of the compartments on the weekend with things that stay fresh awhile, like yogurt, apples, etc. If it’s something like avocado, I add it last minute. Cons- they are bulky and expensive. Pro- I send one container. The bentgo fresh may be better for an older kid though, but I didn’t compare that much.
Anon says
We really like the Bentgo Kids boxes for being only one container and making it easy to pack a variety of food groups.
I haven’t heard anything from the public school system, but many of the daycares in my area are planning rules for reopening and including that lunch boxes must be hard-sided (no cloth lunchboxes or bags). I don’t know how wide-spread this will be or if it will make its way into the elementary schools, but might be something to think about.
Anon says
I send my preschooler with a neoprene (washable!) built lunchbag (and then bought one for myself) and I use the stasher resuable bags to put her non-hot stuff in because they are resuable, dishwasher safe, leakproof, she can open them herself, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the durability. I also got two of the thermos that are 10 oz size – funtainers maybe – and we use those for hot food since there is no microwave – her teachers help her with those, but I imagine a kindergartner could do them. I like that they disassemble well for the dishwasher. They are great for dropping in some hot chicken nuggets, pasta, mac and cheese, beef and rice, etc. I was struggling to come up with a solution that didn’t involve huge dishwasher pieces or trays (ours is plenty full already), leakproof and not breakable (I personally have used glass pyrex for my packed lunches for over a decade, but that doesn’t work for little kids). I just couldn’t get on board with the bentgo boxes because I saw so many reviews about not being leakproof and they seemed like a lot for the dishwasher room-wise, and we already run a full load a day.
Anonymous says
Bento style box for lunch. Put in lunch bag and put recess snack separately on top. This prevents confusion about what is for lunch and what is for morning recess.
Pretzels, granola bar, carrot sticks, apples, a bananas were our go to recess snacks
Anonanonanon says
I guess I’m old school. whatever lunchbox they like the pattern of and a thermos, plus some small Tupperware containers. Have some brown paper lunch sacks or backup lunch totes on hand for when they leave their lunchbox at school or on the bus, which they will.
Took me a while to come around to the thermos, but it’s nice to put hot water from the Keurig or kettle in, microwave some easy mac, dump out the water, and throw the warm food into the container.
Small containers for things like ketchup (if you do chicken in the thermos, for example) dipping sauce for carrot sticks, berries, etc. Have your kid practice opening all of this stuff and getting used to eating out of it, because teachers do help, but it takes a lot of time for them to help everyone and lunchtime at school is really short these days.
Anon says
We have a Planetbox Rover due to recommendations from this site last year (that were backed up by a couple of local moms of older kids I knew). We’ve been generally happy with it. Agreed that a bento box in general seems like the definite way to go, even if it’s not the Planetbox. The only thing about the Rover is a regular sized sandwich doesn’t fit in the big square section (even though it looks like it should). We have to cut the crusts off to make that happen. Up to you if you think that will be a big deal. You can get decorative magnets to put on top that are fun, but just to note when they say to take them off before washing they are serious – my husband didn’t for awhile & now we have some rust on top (we were able to clean most of the rust off but not all).
Finally, it is a good idea to think about this now. The Planetbox was not on Amazon & was slow to ship. I mean, I think you only need a couple of weeks all in but we didn’t do it in time last year and didn’t have it for the first few days of school which in the grand scheme of things is no big deal, but at the time was a bummer.
Io says
I own a Bentgo, a Planetbox and a Lunchbot. I don’t particularly like packing the Planetbox, but it’s the only one my 4 yo could consistently open/close by herself. I imagine that “do it by yourself” is going to be even more enforced next year, so maybe try a few.
Anon says
Age old question but what strategies help get your kids to clean up toys? This was never as big of issue prequarantine because kid (3.5) was so tired from daycare she never played much at night and we were on the go on weekends. But now there’s junk everywhere. Our house is large and it’s all over. I try to make her clean up discrete activities before moving on but our sitter doesn’t have as much control. We have a one year old too so I’m often chasing him when I would otherwise be asking her to clean up. We’ve tried timers, songs, etc but she completely melts down.
go for it says
With 2 under 5 I had success with a handled basket. They had to go around and pick up whatever was on the floor, generally while humming whistle while you work ha ha. Sometimes midday cleanups in the same orde,r done before a snack /meal was served, with the caveat that we straighten up before eating.
Anonymous says
Now that kids are watching TV every day, our rule is they don’t get to watch until their room and living room are cleaned up of all kid stuff. My kids are 4.5 and 2.5. Some days this goes over better than others, if it’s really messy, we’ll pitch in, and we have to help the 2.5 year old identify what to do, but it makes a big difference.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Sticker charts with a prize at the end (i.e. ice cream) were somewhat helpful for my 4 year to clean up, and also to put his clothes on.
Realist says
The song or a timer worked for us, plus ruthlessly cutting clutter (giving away toys that are no longer played with) every few months. Our playroom design also allows for easy pick up. Nearly everything can be shoved into a bin and put back on a shelf, so the whole room can get picked up in 5 minutes.
Clementine says
Does, ‘Okay, you can watch TV but only after you pick up all your toys,’ count as a strategy?
Also: we try not to have too much stuff out at any one time (possible thanks to good storage), we keep small items sorted by type in clear plastic bins (double height of a shoe box but similar dimensions) and only pull one or two out at a time. So you can have Magnatiles AND vehicles, but if you want to pull out the bristle blocks, you’ve got to put one away.
For bigger toys, I just have huge wicker baskets I got at Home Goods where they can chuck everything in there. Dress up box and then 2 generic toy boxes. Done.
Anon says
This is basically our storage strategy, too. There are big boxes for Duplos, Magnatiles, dolls + accessories, dress-up clothes, vehicles, etc, and at clean-up everything just gets chucked in the appropriate box.
Anonymous says
It’s not pretty but we use large clear plastic storage bins so they can see what goes in each bin and know where to put things. Duplos, costumes, trains, doll stuff, puzzles, all have their own boxes. Tidying up together is much more effective.
Anonanonanon says
This is what we do in our basement playroom. Then, tidy up one thing at a time seems to work with the 2 year-old. So “Put all of the train tracks in this box!” and wait until that’s done, then when it’s put away “Now put all of the magnatiles in this box”. We don’t let more than 2 boxes of stuff out of the box at once.
We really minimize the amount of stuff allowed on our main floor to one wicker basket. We consistently have them put things in the playroom or their room at the end of the day if there is more than can fit in the basket. Other than that, they can throw the stuff into the basket when asked to clean up.
Pogo says
The struggle is real. According to daycare he’s really good at picking up. At home, not so much.
I bought an IKEA Kallax 8-unit system w/ bins and he’s supposed to only take one bin out before starting another, but like you, some members of the family are better at enforcing than others. There’s just toys everywhere half the time. I really miss the days when he was out of the house for 10+ hours not cluttering every surface in sight but alas. (this last statement goes for both husband and toddler…… and myself tbh)
Anonymous says
My son’s preschool teachers would play this game where they would say, “I’m going to close my eyes, and when I open them I want to clean up all these trains by myself. Every last one! I love cleaning! I will be so upset if someone cleans up these trains before i get to!” This sometimes worked with my son at that age. (Definitely not now at 7). He also liked putting toys into this net he had and them dumping them in the box. A dustpan works too.
If he was getting overwhelmed, sometimes giving him a specific job, like put away the train engines, was more helpful than just clean up. And I always had to clean alongside her.
Anonymous says
Him i mean. Oy.
Anon says
This kind of echos a lot of what’s on here, but throughout the day if there is ANYTHING you can leverage that they really want to do before you give it to them, try to remember to have them pick up what is currently out first. You want a snack? Great! Let’s clean up first. iPad? Show? Clean up! etc. etc. Anything that will motivate them that you hold the key to allowing them to do it or not.
You don’t mention this in your post, but I’m pretty uptight about organization & every toy in our house has some sort of assigned place, and the kids are almost surprisingly aware of where everything goes which I think helps – otherwise it might be kind of overwhelming. I also have to break it down into specific tasks they can focus on until it is all done.
Anonymous says
+ 1 to the break it down into specific tasks. DH gets frustrated when he tells them to ‘clean up’ and they don’t do it or they fuss. They need to hear ‘put all the legos in the lego bucket’ then once that’s done ‘put all the costumes in the costume box’ or whatever.
AnotherAnon says
What is your favorite medium impact sports bra? I haven’t bought a sports bra in 6 years, but since I no longer run, I don’t need an expensive high impact bra. My old one is a Brooks style they don’t make anymore (otherwise I’d just buy it again). I don’t like Lululemon bras – they’re offer too little support for me. I’m a 32DD.
Anon says
34DD here (but honestly probably a 36D thanks to some weight gain). Had good result with under armour for strength training sports bras with short bursts of cardio mixed in (burpees, mountain climbers, etc.).
Pogo says
I think the one I like that meets your needs is the Nike Victory. Should be like $25 and sold at a lot of retailers. It feels kinda tight when you put it on (34DD here and I wear the medium), like squashing the girls in a bit, but works well for medium impact (like Anon below says – burpees etc). Also indestructible – I think i Have one that’s 10 years old.
GCA says
+1 to the Nike Victory! Reasonably priced, medium impact, and apparently indestructible (don’t put them in the dryer and you’re all good). It’s a pull-on style, but doesn’t feel like you’ll dislocate something every time you take it off.
anon. says
The Sweaty Betty Stamina bras (2/$75) have been great for me. I looked for a LONG time.
Anon says
Any recommendations for a backyard camping tent and sleeping bags (okay for warm weather) for adults and kids? This is what I’m planning for a Father’s Day gift – I feel like I’m review sites I end up getting opinions from intense campers!
Anonymous says
If you’re exclusively doing back yard id buy a cheap tent and use sheets and blankets. If you think this might transition into real camping, I like LLBean for tents. Mostly what you pay for in a tent is it being lightweight and easy to set up, waterproof, and able to stand up to wind. If you’re just chilling in the backyard obviously you can just go inside in wind and rain, aren’t lugging it anywhere etc. same with sleeping bags- they’re fine but totally unnecessary. A camping lantern would be more fun, and an air mattress of some sort would add more comfort.
Also I think this is a fantastic idea and I might steal it.
DLC says
I second starting with your own sheets and blankets if you want to just try out camping and aren’t ready to invest for just going backyard or car camping. Also makes it easier to snuggle with little ones. Get sleeping pads, though. We have sleeping pads from REI (kingdom, I think) that attach together to form one big sleeping pad. Sleeping pads have also come in handy during sleepovers when the kids sleep in the floor.
KatieWolf says
The REI kingdom line of tents is really roomy, nice, and perfect for car/backyard camping, but you could look at cheaper options from big box stores if it will only get incidental use. For sleeping bags, but you would probably be ok with something basic given its for warm weather. I used a Coleman sleeping bag growing up – there’s one thats rated to 50 degrees on Walmart for $25.
avocado says
We are car campers. Our REI Half Dome tent is still going strong after nearly a decade. REI is currently having its annual sale, and members get a coupon for 20% off one item. REI tents are well-made and a great value, but they may be more than you need if you don’t plan to do actual camping. No matter what tent you choose, buy one that claims to sleep more people than you actually intend to use it for. “4-person” means that you can squeeze in four mummy-style sleeping bags and nothing else. Our 4-person tent is very crowded with three people.
For sleeping bags, get something that’s at least somewhat water-resistant on the outside. Moisture will build up in the tent overnight and get a cottony sleeping bag all wet and clammy. Also be sure you have something to put under the sleeping bags. Air mattresses are okay if it’s very warm, but if it’s even the slightest bit cool out an uninsulated air mattress can feel cold. I see some people using yoga mats at Girl Scout campouts. We have insulated sleeping pads, but again that’s probably more than you need for backyard camping.
AnotherAnon says
No sleeping bag recs – we use ours for Oregon Summer camping but they are not suitable for hot weather. We bought a tent off Amazon. I think it’s the Core 9 person instant cabin. There are three of us, heh. But last time we used it, kiddo was in a pack n play so we needed the “wall” to keep him from waking up when we went to bed after him. It’s so roomy, easy to put up and the wall creates a good separation for kids vs adults.
mascot says
REI is having a big sale right now. This looks like a great kit and a good price for an intro to camping. https://www.rei.com/product/152039/kelty-discovery-2-person-camp-bundle
We’ve got a Kelty Kids Big Dipper bag for my kid.
Pogo says
Last year we got the Coleman CORE 9 for car camping, I think based on some rec’s here and a bunch of reading I did. We didn’t want to spring for a fancier REI given that it was just car camping. We also went big because car camping and wanting to be able to stand up, put a full size air mattress in it, and have a separate room for LO in his pack & play (at the time). It is very easy to set up and take down and actually survived a massive t-storm with high winds that blew a bunch of other stuff over at our site (which was one of my big concerns w/ both a giant tent and a cheaper one). Very happy with it!
Anonymous says
If you are really just going backyard, I would stick with inexpensive stuff. I think Coleman has a good balance between quality and price. The Wirecutter recommended their Sundome tent and at least one of their sleeping bags.
Beth @ Parent Lightly says
This may be more than you need, but I can give my recs. We camp a few times a year and really like REI’s tents. We have the Kingdom and Hobitat and Half Dome and they have all held up very well. REI also has excellent kids’ sleeping bags that we use frequently for both camping and indoor sleepovers (Pinecone I think?). If you get a big enough tent you could just use air mattresses and sheets/blankets. Otherwise the camp pads (Thermarest or REI brand equivalent) for sure.
Anon says
I bought Walmart sleeping bags about 10 years ago for a last minute camping trip and I still love them to this day. If you are just starting, go with something like that. They will probably suit you just fine. Mine are mummy style, rated to 20 degrees but also have vents on the side with zippers for when you want to cool down.
Coach Laura says
Someone else recommended Coleman Core 9 and last weekend my local Costco had two Coleman Core tents. They also usually have sleeping bags for cheap. I agree about using regular bedding to start although we have about four fleece sleeping bag liners, which are great for using with sleeping bags because they’re easier to wash but we also use them alone for sleepovers and summer camping. They are polar tech with side zippers. They are only about $20-25 and are very versatile so not a waste if you end up not using them much. I’ll post a link to follow.
Coach Laura says
These are amazon but we got ours at Costco, different brand.
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Stratus-Adult-Fleece-Sleeping/dp/B07CGP1X16
Amelia Bedelia says
I need a recommendation for my 5 year old’s oily hair! she has very fine, but relatively thick, hair. it is absolutely dripping with oil one day after i shampoo it. But i don’t want to start washing her hair every day – she is too young for that!
any shampoo recommendations for her? I’m not putting any conditioner in her hair. she doesn’t need kid “no tears” formula. I just want something that can combat the greasy conditions.
TIA
avocado says
I am usually a “no sulfates, no phthalates” person, but the only shampoo that can deal with my daughter’s oily hair is cheapo Suave.
Anonymous says
I’d try a clarifying shampoo and see if that helps. Sometimes it prompts more oil and sometimes not.
mascot says
Maybe add a deep conditioner (Aussie 3 Minute Miracle) once a week or so to balance her scalp and hair. It seems counterintuitve, but my similar hair really likes it.
Anonymous says
I use a basic cheap shampoo (Suave, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Tresemme, etc), nothing sulfate-free, and sometimes need to shampoo twice.
Anon says
My daughter and I have hair similar to your daughters and it is an oil slick the day after a shampoo as well. I know you said no conditioner, but that’s the only thing that keeps the oil at bay for us. I apply a small amount to the ends and then use a super-wide-tooth comb to distribute it through the hair. Let it sit while you wash your body, and then rinse out really well. I use argan oil of morocco for her, aveno clay conditioner for me.
avocado says
Lockdown absurdity of the day: when I picked up my grocery order this morning, they gave me rutabagas instead of rhubarb. No, I do not want to make rutabaga jam.
Anon says
Haha, wow, that’s quite the substitution!
AnotherAnon says
In the before times, I was always mystified by the Instacart people wandering the grocery store with a deer in the headlights look. Do these people not grocery shop for themselves?
Anon says
So, I have not grocery shopped (other than for major holiday meals – that’s part of my tradition) in over 3 years. I have to say that the substitutions proposed these days are infinitely better than when it started (in fact after some dreadful ones, I turned off substitutions entirely for a good year) – not that rutabaga for rhubarb is a good one, and the propensity for odd ingredients to be “out of stock” (i.e., the shopper couldn’t find it) has dropped significantly over the last year. Not sure if it is more experience, better training, better apps for locating the ingredients or what.
avocado says
This wasn’t a substitution (I would have seen it in the review before pickup); the shopper just didn’t know what rhubarb was. When I called about the mix-up, the supervisor had a good laugh.
Anonymous says
The differences in what groceries people buy based on class and race are huge. Your instacart shopper is an unskilled laborer with no training or employment protections.
Anonymous says
Presumably they can read labels, though.
Anonymous says
Wow.
Coach Laura says
I did get my rhubarb from instacart but have had lots of missing things, like I can’t find any La Croix water.
All of my Instacart delivery people have been young and probably don’t cook much gourmet food for themselves. They don’t likely have capers in their refrigerators and don’t see the difference between olive oil mayonnaise and regular.
Anonanonanon says
Haha! I haven’t tried instantcart but I loved Shipt for this. They text things like “They don’t have red apple slices, but they do have green apple slices” and you can say “Thank you! Do they have whole red apples? If so, please get 3 of those. If not, the bag of green apple slices is fine” etc.
I HATED the prime now whole foods delivery experience the two times I tried it. They would offer truly bizarre substitutions and if I rejected them, I just didn’t get the item. For example, I’d ask for precut strawberries, and they’d suggest precut pineapple instead or precut watermelon as a substitution, but not offer whole strawberries, if that makes sense. And no opportunity to ask if whole strawberries are available.
I haven’t tried any grocery delivery since COVID, though. I’ve done Walmart curbside and nonperishable delivery and I think they intentionally save the dented cans for curbside and delivery.
Anonanonanon says
fwiw, I was today years old when I first heard of a rutabaga… haha
IHeartBacon says
Ha! Me too! I had to google it.
Lyssa says
They’re actually delicious! I just learned that a few years ago and want to evangelize for them – they look horrible, but they’re really good – similar to a sweet potato, but lighter and more vegetable-y.
avocado says
What do I do with the rutabagas? Boil and mash them? Roast? The store doesn’t want them back.
Anon says
Boil rutabaga and carrot pieces at a ratio of at least 1:2 then blend with a mixer and add salt and pepper. The sweetness of the carrot balances out the bitterness of the rutabaga. Or roast the rutabaga along with other root vegetables, put it in soup, etc. I use it similarly to a potato, but it is a little bitter.
Anon says
I recently got a mesh bag filled with brussel sprouts instead a mesh bag filled with limes…
Anonymous says
Now that would make a delicious margarita!
Anon says
I ordered the costco sized bag of limes for margaritas (or tacos, we eat a lot of tacos). TBD if I get my period tomorrow, in which case all the margaritas, or a positive stick, in which case so much better than margaritas.
Lyssa says
Fingers crossed for you!
Beth @ Parent Lightly says
Maybe the shopper has a toddler at home and has been watching a lot of Tumble Leaf! That is always my first thought now when I hear rutabaga.
Anonymous says
We got gluten free flour instead of bread flour.
Anonymous says
Lol that’s like the opposite of bread flour.
Anon says
I just ordered Rhubarb earlier today (which my Instacart shopper found – yes!) but the suggested substitution on Instacart was – leeks.
Because who doesn’t love a strawberry and leek crumble, I guess.
Anonymous says
Or strawberry leek pie! We’re going strawberry picking next weekend, so I guess I should probably start sourcing my rhubarb now.
GCA says
That made me LOL. I’ve had generally decent experiences with grocery pickup and Instacart, though I did once get 4 pounds of icing sugar instead of granulated sugar from a young shopper. I eventually gave them away on the local Buy Nothing page to someone frosting a large cake…
Nanny payroll service says
Does anyone have recommendations for a nanny payroll/tax type service? I’m accepting that our daycare is not going to reopen in time for us to avoid the threshold with our part-time babysitter.
Realist says
I used Homepay a few years ago and was really happy with them.
Anonymous says
+1, loved homepay. their customer service is excellent.
Anon says
+2 for Homepay. It’s not cheap but it was worth it to not have to do anything related to taxes and payroll other than cut my nanny a check every week. I had one or two minor issues and their customer service was great.
IHeartBacon says
I use Homepay now and am really happy with it. Especially with all the Covid-related changes in law (sick pay, tax deadlines, etc), they have been great at keeping up to date on the laws and keeping me informed.
LSC says
Nanny Chex is wonderful and affordable.
Ifiknew says
Help, I need ideas for my 3 year Olds birthday next week. I don’t think I have any good gifts because it feels like she has everything but I’m sure she doesn’t. What are gifts your kids loved at this age? TIA
NYC Girl says
I like to just give a book and give the difference in a check towards savings fund/college account.
SC says
3 is a great age for more complex pretend play–if you already have a play kitchen, my son loved his shopping cart at that age. He also loved pretend food that was a little more interactive–the Melissa and Doug pizza set with slices of pizza (he liked to take orders and serve), and MIL’s set of play food that came apart and went back together with velcro (he liked to make “salad,” not that he actually eats salad). DS also asked Santa for a “real” lawnmower that “makes noise like a real lawnmower” when he was 3, so that was a challenge. Oh, and his doctor’s kit was a huge hit at that age.
I’m pretty sure DS was about 3 when the grandparents gave him a play tent. He still likes to set it up with blankets, take in some favorite toys, and hang out inside it “by himself.” We all need alone time right now.
Magnatiles are expensive but worth the investment. DS didn’t receive them until he was 4.5, but he’s been playing with them a lot lately. So they definitely have staying power/won’t be outgrown quickly.
You can also stock her up on consumables–chalk, bubbles, bath paint/bath bombs/bubble bath, art supplies, coloring books, etc.
Anon says
This is dark but sometimes I wonder what pretend play will look like in a year or two for preschoolers – like how will they be able to “play” grocery store or vacation or restaurant or doctor when they don’t have any memory of doing those things? . Adults obviously won’t forget what pre-corona life was like, but I feel like little kids will!
Anon says
My 4 year old daughter the other day had on an apron and was playing with her pretend food. She delivered a fake pizza to me. Then she rethought it, said because of the virus she couldn’t do that (even though we do get pizza delivered still but….); told me I needed to come in the kitchen to get my food. I went in the kitchen, there was a fake hamburger ready for me near the door & she was halfway down the stairs to our basement telling me my food was by the door (so I could socially distance pick it up!). I was mostly just amazed by the reminder that they observe & absorb everything going on.
Anonymous says
They can pick some of this stuff up from TV. See! Not all screens are the devil. My daughter acts out a lot of situations from tv shows. We can also play with them and act out these situations.
Anon says
+1 they can also pick it up from books, parents and friends. I definitely played airplane before I had ever been on a plane.
Anon says
For my August 3YO (who has pretty much everything), I’m starting to think about gifts because family has started asking already. My sisters just got her a little rolling suitcase (presumably for when we start to travel again – not much use for it now). More brio tracks are always welcome (she loves her trains). Consumables – new crayons, stickers, coloring books, etc. Some of her favorite “candy” – i.e., Gerber yogurt melts (blegh). She already has a tricycle, if not I would definitely go for that. Maybe a kid-sized set of baking tools, more for me than her because she flings flour everywhere with an adult sized whisk. I have an easel on my list that I always think about, but she’s just not that into coloring and I can’t handle paint in my house (that’s what preschool is for), so we haven’t gone there yet, and I don’t really see her using a play kitchen because she spends so much time in the real kitchen – I think the dollhouse she constantly plays with serves the same purpose.
DLC says
Clothes. Because I don’t feel bad passing those along when they get outgrown.
Also someone gave use a kid’s cup and plate from the Tate Museum and it was a perfect blend of functional and fun and we use it every single day.
Also when my daughter was that age, she got a pair of dress up Cinderella shoes that lit up and she loved it.
Cb says
We told our soon to be three year old he could have three presents for three years. He wants Annie and Clarabelle for his brio set, a tractor with a trailor and assorted cars. We did a balance bike at the beginning of lockdown rather than waiting.
CCLA says
It took a couple of months post-bday, but the puzzles my 3yo got turned out to be a big hit (the Melissa and Doug block one, or some tray puzzles from target – she also likes regular ones but needs help without the trays to guide her). Also cooperative games, Magnatiles and drawing/coloring materials.
Emily S. says
A Radio Flyer trike was a strike with my older daughter at 3 but my soon to be 3 year old daughter loves it! The Leapfrog Ice Cream Cart was a huge hit. An kiddie pool, if you don’t already have one; when it is not warm enough to swim, you can fill it with plastic balls. If you’re going to a beach at all this summer, the Hape Ice Cream Sand kit kept my kids entertained for long stretches of time last summer. I also like the Green Toys sand bucket set because it lasts more than one summer — and can be used in a sandbox, back yard, beach.
If, like me, you are going the quantity over quality route because of These Times, a bunch of inexpensive stuff like bubbles, sidewalk chalk, a playground ball, sunglasses, candy, small figurines (like Peppa Pig), new beach towel, and books, stickers, crayons, markers, coloring books, Water Wows, bathtub paint, etc., wrapped individually or in a big sand bucket. (DD has a birthday next week, too, and I can’t believe how much stuff I’ve bought her in an attempt to make up for not having a party.On top of a character sheet cake for a family of 4. And flower delivery, and character plates and napkins.)
Runner says
Funny things your kids did this week? My husband got an inflatable pool for our tiny patio area (no backyard for us, but lots of parks nearby). When he blew it up it was….well guys it covers the whole patio. I thought we were aiming for a kiddie pool. We look a little crazy but the toddles love it! I guess that’s more of a funny thing my husband did rather than my kids.
DLC says
Oh! the other day I asked my 3 year old what story video he wanted for nap time and he said, “I want to watch the shovel bomber.” And I was like, “huh?”
And we went back and forth a couple times. Then he said, “Shovel bomber reading Gruffalo!”
And then I realized he was asking for Michelle Obama’s Mondays with Me story time.
Anon says
Lolllll. “Shovel bomber” is too funny.
Anonymous says
I walked to the grocery store this morning using my granny cart – I live in NYC – and brought the entire bag of recycling I meant to leave in the apartment building’s trash room on my way out with me. I ended up leaving it outside the store while I shopped, and it was still there when I left, so then I toted it back home on top of my groceries. But I had to make one more stop on the way home so went in the other store with cart full of groceries + bag of recycling. I’m sure I just looked crazy.
Anonymous says
My 9 month old is finally figuring out how to clap! It’s so fun. He is so pleased with himself when the clap makes a solid “clap” sound.
Ms B says
The Kid Facetimed with the ILs this morning and somehow MIL convinced him that he should show her how the vacuum works. Hot d*mn, he vacuumed the whole family room and then took the iPad and vacuum to his room to do more.
I give the vacuuming a s solid B and MIL an A+++ for this morning.
GCA says
That’s a genius grandma moment! I still have trouble getting my kids not to cower behind the sofa when we vacuum.
IHeartBacon says
I love your MIL. Is she for sale?
Ms B says
It’s complicated. Sometimes she is amazing (see: retired kindy teacher who has The Kid journal. owns every Magic Treehouse book ever published, unending patience for The Kid to read to her on Facetime) and sometimes less so (see: believes she has license to do whatever she wants regardless of good sense as a result of being a grandparent, spent many years referring in all contexts as “Mrs Hubs’s last name” even though she no longer has that name and I was 100% clear that I WAS NOT taking his name, willfully refuses to understand why we will not have “even a little Xmas tree” in our Jewish home).
Pros and cons, as with all humans.
Lyssa says
My 7 year old discovered Wheel of Fortune, and thinks it’s the greatest thing ever. (Someone gave him an old video game, and he became obsessed.) He begs to watch it nightly and goes on about everything – Vanna’s dress is pretty, Pat is so funny, let’s play the i-pad game, etc. We can’t discourage it, because I mean, it’s a great game for a kid who’s learning to read and spell.
Anonymous says
My kids also love “The Letters Game.” They’re obsessed with the vacations, and every time ask if we can go there when coronavirus is over. Thinking it had a similar travel vein, I let them watch a few episodes of House Hunters International, but that went south when my daughter (5) literally burst into tears because some couple chose the house that SHE wanted to buy in Spain. This was probably a 10 minute sobfest, no matter how many times I assured her those people wouldn’t live there anymore by the time she is old enough to move to Spain and buy a house.
Anon says
this made me lol.
Anonymous says
Older twin keeps sighing dramatically and saying ‘little brothers!’ whenever younger twin does something silly as though the 3 minutes makes him so much more mature. He picked it up from their older sister.
Realist says
Not from me but from Lyz Lenz:
My daughter did an impression of me the other day. She put on my sweater and yelled, “If you’re bored empty the dishwasher! I’m not a restaurant!!! I’m working!! Nachos for dinner again!!”
Out of House says
Thanks for all the recommendations yesterday for getting out. We had a picnic from the Golden Arches at a local middle school (no playground equipment) with a bunch of outdoor toys. The kids loved it, the big hit was our RC car and their new plastic toys (Poppy from Trolls). It was empty! Thanks, all, it was a great night.
Next time I’ll bring the bikes, their parking lot was great, too!
Anon says
Thanks to everyone who suggested soccer as an alternative activity in these weird times when I asked about Gymboree and other indoor activities. I found out there’s a class for 2 year olds in the park across the street from my house, and I feel like this is a relatively low risk (since it’s all outdoors) way of getting my lonely 2 year old some interaction with other kids before school reopens (hopefully) in the fall. I signed her up and she’s pumped about it.
Anonymous says
Hooray!
Anon says
~8 weeks pregnant. Had pretty strong nausea (no vomiting) last few weeks which now has turned into 0 appetite/grossed out by most food, sore feet, and SO TIRED. Anyone else go through this?! This is pregnancy #2 for me but I can’t seem to remember how symptoms came/went for #1.
Realist says
Every pregnancy is different so just take this one for what it is. Does eating a little something first thing in the morning help, like a few crackers? DH actually got that tip from his preparing to be a father book, and it really worked for me. I kept some crackers right by the bed and would just have a few right when I woke up. Helped so much. Hopefully you can get some rest as needed, the first tri fatigue is no joke.
Anonymous says
Um yeh this sounds like completely normal first trimester symptoms. Sorry! With my first (a girl) I had horrible morning sickness until 15 weeks and really didn’t have a good appetite until 20 weeks. With my boy I had more fatigue, morning sickness only during weeks 8/9. Felt great at 12wreks.
Mrs. Jones says
I was also SO TIRED during the first trimester. It was all I could to stay upright at my desk. I drank coffee and tea but not a lot.
OP says
I was fine with coffee first time around, this time have a MAJOR aversion and even the smell (which I usually LOVE) annoys me.
Anon says
Yep, very normal. I never had serious nausea or fatigue, but I was kind of grossed out by most food for my first trimester and even well into my second. I ate a lot of Eggo freezer waffles with heaps of butter because that was the only thing that sounded palatable. My nausea/food aversions were always worse in the afternoons and I found the drive home from work particularly bad on an empty stomach. It might help you to take small bites of bland food throughout the day so you never really get “hungry” because hunger can exacerbate nausea.
Anon says
Right there with you sister. I’m at 11 weeks and hoping this dies down within the next couple weeks.
Anonymous says
6 weeks here and other than a sore chest, no symptoms, not even that tired, it’s totally freaking me out, I won’t relax until my sono in 3 weeks. Really wish I’d written down symptoms by week from my first, so I’d have something to compare to.
Anon says
I had no nausea or fatigue whatsoever, my only real symptom was very sore boobs, and I had a perfectly healthy baby (and a girl at that, even though the wives tales say they make you sicker). I would try not to worry! Some people are just lucky.
(Former) Clueless Summer says
17 weeks now so totally out of it, thankfully, but yes! I found the nausea worse when I was tired, so really tried to lean into sleeping in and going to bed early, which was much more possible given covid. Hopefully you can too, but may be harder if you have another little one running around.
AwayEmily says
Does anyone have or know of an all-plastic doll? Looking for something that can be left outside overnight without disintegrating (bigger than Barbie…regular doll sized).
Anonymous says
Dolly doesn’t want to be left outside all night!!
Anonymous says
https://www.target.com/b/our-generation/-/N-5r27n