This post may contain affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’ve been hearing great things about the Universal Thread line from Target. The designs are cute for the summer and on trend without being too youthful. I love a good striped shirt, and this one gets good reviews for its length and soft fabric. Even though it’s only $10, I can see it being something I reach for over and over on summer weekends when I don’t want to put too much thought into what to pair with shorts. Bonus points to Universal Thread for also having an amazing shoe line, which I’d love to get my hands on one of these days. Universal Thread Knit Muscle Stripe Tank Top This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!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
See some of our latest articles on CorporetteMoms:
Click here to see our top posts!
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?
Yesterday's Blazer says
Okay, sorry to bring this back up. But I keep thinking about the comments about yesterday’s blazer. I realized this whole line from Athleta really reminds me of the Zenergy stuff from Chicos that my mom and aunts and their BFFs all wear. They have pants, skirts, jackets that are a step up from hoodies, vests, etc. in a bunch of different colors that are all in a nicer looking casual, wrinkle free material. They all wear it to travel or when they need a comfortable outfit for running around. It’s their age’s answer to athleisure that isn’t leggings, I think. I feel like this Athleta stuff is maybe directed to having a similar purpose in a younger age group?
I also think a stylish person could definitely figure out how to wear yesterday’s blazer similar to the model for weekend wear that is also a step above a hoodie.
GCA says
But not for $198, ouch! I’ll take the Going Out blazer for less at full price. Plus as someone with a toddler and #2 on the way, I would expect to wear a blazer on a weekend about twice a year. It would just be a bit too out of place among my crew of friends, as the dressiest we ever get is booties, jeans and a nice top — even for those of us without kids. If you have older kids or more fancy weekend activities (theatre? ballet matinee?), the not-athleisure stuff could work better.
And to your point about Zenergy – come to think of it, when I was growing up, I don’t remember my very stylish grandmother ever leaving the house to meet her friends in anything less than a nice blouse, slacks, lipstick and perfume! She came of age during the 40s and 50s (think Marvelous Mrs Maisel), when you got Fully Dressed to leave the house. I wouldn’t mind a bit of a swing back toward that era’s style conventions, minus some of its outdated social norms.
Gardening Advice? says
Hi All. This is kind of an embarrassing topic, but it seems like the ladies here are really helpful for this kind of stuff. Since having our daughter 2.5 years ago, I have very little gardening drive. I’m wondering to what extent this is normal or if I should bring it up at my next physical. I nurse my daughter. From her birth until I got my period back when she was around 13 months, gardening hurt pretty badly but I could make it work. It definitely doesn’t hurt anymore, and it is certainly enjoyable, but I don’t feel like I have a need for it. Right now my daughter nurses once per day when she wakes up. We just dropped the bedtime nursing. I am hoping we’ll be done entirely early this summer. Regarding gardening, I can take it or leave it. I don’t really like that. I think my husband wishes I would be more into it but doesn’t seem too hung up on it since we still are gardening. It just isn’t the same as before. It’s starting to bother me because I don’t want it to hurt our relationship, and I’d really like that passion/desire/healthy part of our relationship and my life back. I guess I’ve sort of answered my own question. It is important enough to me to talk to someone about. But I have zero idea what the recommendation from my doctor or a professional would be. Can anyone weigh in on that? Does anyone have any recommendations that might help me? To what extent is it normal for things not to be the same as they were before? Thanks in advance!
EB0220 says
My experience was that my hormones, and therefore my drive, were very different while nursing my kids. Once I weaned them, it took me 4-6 months to stabilize again. I think it’s great to talk to someone about it since it’s obviously bothering you, but know too that what you’re experiencing isn’t abnormal.
Anon says
+1. When pregnant, I was in the mood plenty but couldn’t get to the finish line. Our very first time pp I was able to again and I was like YAY, we’re good! But, I definitely don’t have the drive. I really do think the hormones are a big part of this.
One thing that works for us is weekends during naptime. At which point we also nap and snuggle after which is really, really nice.
Liquor is quicker says
Sadly, the only thing that has helped is drinking a little bit.
I think my mind is just always engaged in the HUGE LOGISTICS JUGGLE that is life now. Working all.the.time (like working at work, picking up kids, minding work when I’m home, and then working at night after the kids go down). School stuff. Planning summer camps. It never ends. My mind is always on some sort of task.
If I take a step to slow down and mentally unwind, I am so physically tired that I just fall asleep.
[FWIW, if my husband wakes me up in the middle of the night, my mind doesn’t have these problems and it’s like I am what I was pre-kids; but he usually wants to sleep, which I get.]
so anon says
+1 to this. My mind is never at rest. Whenever we’ve been on a night or two away without kiddo, then it’s totally different because I’m not listening for the monitor or thinking through the million tasks that need to get done. And sometimes a little booze helps too.
Anonymous says
This is me too, except I’m also the one who needs the sleep.
Redux says
me too. on the few occasions that my husband wakes me up I lose it. I am so tired! what is wrong with you? DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WAKE ME FROM MY FRAGILE SLEEP STATE!
Anon in NYC says
lol. My husband tells me that if he’s asleep and I want to garden that I should wake him up. I told him in no uncertain terms that he should not do the same to me.
Marilla says
Same same same. It got a little better once my kid was closer to 2. Then I got pregnant and now it’s worse again (including physical discomfort). Having a glass of wine helps to unwind and relax my brain but, pregnant.
anon for this says
I’m in the exact same place. It also legit hurt for me for the first year (side note: why is that?? It felt like it just…didn’t fit, if that makes sense. I was terrified that it would last forever and was so glad when it finally got better). I got a bit of my drive back once I stopped nursing but it’s still not where it used to be. Do you have a decent v*brator? I do find that when I’m more diligent about using that on my own, I start to think about/anticipate gardening more. It’s like I’m reminding my body “hey, there’s this fun thing you can do!”
ElisaR says
interested to hear advice on this – I’m dealing with the same issue
CPA Lady says
Several things have worked for me:
– getting off hormonal birth control (obviously not an option for everyone)
– doing it more often– the more often I do it, the more often i want to do it. If I’m doing it once a week or less I dread it. If I do it more than that I want to do it.
– telling my husband that it puts me in the mood when he takes the kid out of the house and lets me have time to myself alone at home. now when we’re getting ready to leave the house on Saturdays for whatever afternoon activity with kid he offers to take her by himself. it works out well for everyone.
Anonymous says
Me too. You’re not alone. I didn’t find it changed post-weaning, either, so I’m a little concerned.
NewMomAnon says
Oh! I have a book recommendation. It’s called “Come As You Are,” and it is a great discussion of the interaction of stress, anatomy, physical response, and s*x drive. Will post a link in the reply.
NewMomAnon says
Book link: https://www.amazon.com/Come-You-Are-Surprising-Transform/dp/1476762090
Mrs. Jones says
This book is great.
Anonymous says
We got our spark back when our youngest was around 3 which was about a year after I weaned.
What helped was a weekend away without the kids, regular ‘date’ nights even if we just sit on the couch and drink wine, reading a few romance novels, asking DH to lean into the flirting and romance – light candles, play some music, focus on stuff other than the ‘main event’ – basically treat it like we were dating, just fooling around here and there – like make out in the kitchen for a couple minutes while kids are watching cartoons. And more time to myself for selfcare – tried to get more sleep, light exercise, long baths (sometimes together).
DH said I could wake him up anytime for gardening. I did a few times.
Anonymous says
Perhaps random, but in addition to everything else everyone mentions (to which I concur), I will add – are you practicing good, reliable birth control? For me, I knew I didn’t want to be pregnant at all anytime soon and never felt truly at ease until I was back on the pill. And then again really at ease once we decided to go for #2…
Cb says
It has been a long winter here in Scotland and it is 70 and sunny today so I came home at 2 and hung out in the garden with baby CB. Loving academic flexibility today.
GCA says
That sounds lovely!
The weather in Boston is currently worse than the weather in Scotland. I continue to daydream of a vacation that we can’t afford to take.
Meg Murry says
So jealous. It was snowing this morning, again – it’s like it’s January 109th here instead of April 19th. I want a vacation but I’m afraid I would break down if we came back and it was still cold and miserable here for another few weeks on end.
Pogo says
lol @ January 109th… omg yes.
Anonymous says
I don’t want this to sound braggy, I am just really excited and looking for next steps! My daughter just turned two a couple of weeks ago. She knows all her letters! She picks them out on signs/posters/books/etc. and says “A for apple!” “B for bumblebee!” “D for daddy!” When I learned all my letters at three, my parents taught me how to read. She obviously isn’t ready for that… I don’t think she has a big enough vocabulary yet. She really just knows one or two words each letter is “for,” and she certainly doesn’t know what “rat” or “hen” means or whatever words they start with in the old timey books my parents taught me with. So I’m just looking for tips to grow her interest in letters/words without explicitly cramming academics into a two-year-old. I think we’ll start saying other words that start with the same letter when she points one out, so if she says “A for apple” maybe I can say “yes, what other words start with A? Avocado! Ant!” but that’s all I’ve got. Any other way to build off of this that you ladies can recommend? Maybe videos? We haven’t really done much TV at all yet, but I’m open to expanding that.
J says
We have an easel with a magnetic whiteboard and have the oldschool letter magnets on there. Kiddo loves to play with them. I’d think you could do some fun stuff with those as she progresses. And right now you can just reinforce naming the letters.
Frozen Peach says
My DD loves the educational shows on Netflix like the old-school Magic School Bus and Octonauts. I have the english subtitles turned on and it has really increased her interest in reading on her own. Pretty magical life hack, IMHO. Reduces my guilt about saturday morning TV time too!!
Anon in NYC says
Yes – I think magnetic letters would be a great toy. I am normally SO bored by alphabet books, but two very cute alphabet book is Alpha Block or LMNO Peas.
SC says
+1 to both Alpha Block and LMNO Peas. We’ve had both of these books for a while, and Kiddo loves them.
People have recommended letter magnets. I’ll add the bath toy foam letters (which stick to the side of the tub). Kiddo was a lot more interested in the letters at bath time than when all his toys were available.
Also, can you tie letters/reading to an activity your kid likes? For example, my kid really likes puzzles, so he really learned letters from the Melissa and Doug alphabet sound puzzle. I’m sure kids who don’t care about puzzles wouldn’t learn that way. If you can figure out a way to add letters/reading to something your kid plays with all the time, it really reinforces the idea.
After letter recognition, the next big cognitive leap for reading is realizing that the letters go together to make words, which then mean a specific thing. If you think about it, it’s a huge concept. From there, it’s usually a pretty quick jump to actually reading. Besides reading books to our kid, we try to reinforce the idea by pointing out/talking about words on normal, everyday stuff he gets interested in–a Stop sign, an Exit sign, a label for milk or bread, “Red” printed on a crayon or marker, etc. (Our almost-3-year-old isn’t reading but spelling out the letters and excitedly saying “Spells ___” based on context/memorization.)
For videos, I really like the Sesame Street “Great Alphabet Race.”
Anonymous says
Love An Excessive Alphabet (Barrett). It’s a great letter book, and my 2 year old is OBSESSED. Each page is full of pictures of dozens of things starting with each letter of the alphabet. There’s very little text (no labels to the pictures!), which IMO keeps it fun but still helps with learning.
Anonymous says
A-zon has a good preview: https://www.amazon.com/Excessive-Alphabet-Avalanches-As-Zillions/dp/1481439863
Mama Llama says
I know flashcards have a bad, Tiger Mom reputation, but my daughter really loved her alphabet flashcards at that age. We went to a bookstore, and out of everything she picked them out as her one thing to buy. They are nice set with Eric Carle illustrations, and she just liked to go through them and say the letter and the animal that goes with it.
She also liked a Leapfrog “laptop” thing that had a few different letter-based activities.
NewMomAnon says
My kiddo loves her number and alphabet flash cards too. Very strange. I would not have thought to buy them for her, but she got them as a gift. I get some weird looks from strangers when I’m quizzing her in public places but she’s happy, so whatever.
EB0220 says
My kiddo likes to talk about her friends and what their names start with. Montessori also has this object activity where they lay out four objects and the child finds the one that starts with “H” or “T” or whatever letter. You could also consider talking about the sounds vs the name of the letter. Like, “What sound does cat start with?” because that is helpful for reading.
anon says
If you can, you might working on rhyming. Hat, cat, bat, sat, mat, fat, that, etc. It’s an important pre-reading skill.
Meg Murry says
In addition to everything else listed here, if you get a set of letters (magnet or whatever), try to find lowercase if possible, or look at books that have both “Big A and little a” etc. Since most books contain mainly lowercase letters, that is what many reading programs focus on now moreso than uppercase letters.
Another fun book/video is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom since it has all the letters, and a very cute and catchy song.
Anonymous says
OP here– Thanks all! These are great suggestions. I think she’d like learning about rhyming and would probably love the flash cards, and she and her twin LOVE the vegetable bath foam stickers we got them, so I think I’ll pick up a set of alphabet ones too. I thought of magnets, but most of those are 3+ for choking reasons it seems like, but in case anyone else is wondering, a great help has been these 3d Sesame Street plastic letters from like 1982 that I found on eBay. My parents pointed out that I had 3d magnets and they helped me learn letters just like I learned other objects, like oh that’s a cat, and that’s an A, and that’s a boat.
And I second the capital/little letter suggestion– what helped her learn all her letters the most is Dr. Seuss board book we got that goes “Big A, little a, what begins with A?” We would pause right after “begins with” and let them fill in the letter, and now both twins can do that for all the letters, she’s just taking a little more initiative with pointing them out in other situations.
Anon in NYC says
For magnets, check out LeapFrog Fridge Phonics. The manufacturer recommends it from 2+. We have them and I don’t think they’re a choking hazard. It makes noise, but the kid can put different letters into this base and press the letter and it sounds out the letter and uses it in a sentence.
J says
We definitely have the choking hazard ones, but at 2.5 our daughter is fine with them. I can see how letters like “i” and “l” might be issues for some kids. And if the magnets were to fall out, those might be a choking hazard size. If your kids are past putting things in their mouths, I wouldn’t get too worked up about them.
Pogo says
I literally cannot imagine a day when my kid doesn’t put everything in his mouth! lol.
J says
Haha, Pogo, I so get that.
A big help for us was to actually stop telling her not to put things in her mouth. She knows better and she wants to assert her independence if we tell her no. I’ve held back a few things that seem to be a problem and would truly cause harm as a choking hazard. For example, some pretend food, because we’re still working on how to pretend to eat without putting the food in our mouth.
My MIL has always made a big deal of telling her to stop putting stuff in her mouth. It has always annoyed the crap out of me. First, there is a time where it is totally developmentally appropriate and how babies learn. Second, it just makes her do it more. Third, why are you so personally offended by this that you have to tell my child not to do it right in front of me in our home with our toys? End tangent. Sorry.
Delta Dawn says
My son has a toy with all the letters that he loves. It’s like a little briefcase, I think? It has Elmo on it, and then you open it and all the letters are inside, but he can pop them out and play with them. He will hold up M and say “Mama’s letter!,” etc. They are big enough not to be a choking hazard. Your child might like that?
We also play a letter matching game where I write letters on sticky notes and put them on the floor, then I write the same letters on more sticky notes and have him put them on top of the matching letters. I think I got this from the Busy Toddler instagram.
shortperson says
gently, i would urge you to not get too excited. put out a few letter toys and follow her interest. once she is five or six it will not matter when she started reading.
background: i have a nephew who was interested in letters at two and his parents helped him learn to read before he was three and everyone was very proud. and he just has had a hard time with academic challenge post elementary school. he just announced he was taking a leave of absence from college after he got his first C. there are a lot of factors going on with him, but i think some issues started when he was treated like a prodigy as a preschooler.
my kid is 3.5 and while i get an internal twinge of joy when she makes a step on the letter journey (right now it’s writing new letters) i try very hard to hide it and never suggest these activities. she has letter jobs available at montessori but ive repeatedly discussed with her teacher that we are not in a hurry for her to read and i do not want her pushed into reading.
i also dont think interest in reading is a reason to ramp up tv or tablet time from what it would otherwise be, because from what i read these programs are counterproductive in young children.
Anon says
+1. The single best thing you can do is read with your child as much as possible. I have a 2.5 year old who is very much the same; he does not go to school yet and I’ve never “taught” him anything, but he can recognize letters and numbers, spell a couple words and do very simple addition. I read to him all the tim (like, 30+ books a day, at his request), and he seems to have picked up everything from the books.
ER says
+1. I also do not think it matters all that much at what age kids start to read. I learned to read at age 3 (my parents are not “tiger parents”, but my SAHM read to me All The Time when I was young). My husband learned to read in kindergarten. He is a HYS professor.
Things that are important: instilling a love of learning.
Anonymous says
Our 3 year old loves letters, sounds, and words. He is really interested in reading, which is in tension with my general belief that learning to read later might be better. So we don’t do any formal instruction but read to him allllll the time and include a variety of “levels” of books– from his old board books that he has memorized (where he enjoys finding sight words) to books at the upper level of hiscomprehension, which have more interesting stories and lots of interesting words. He plays with magnetic letters constantly, likes us to spell words for him, and we play rhyming games and other word games. This way he’ll pick up reading when he’s ready but we still get to read interesting stuff to him.
Anonymous says
I know you’re trying not to sound braggy, so I hope this will not sound condescending, but letter recognition is actually not that important for learning to read. I know several moms who are early education experts (one teaches teachers how to teach reading) and none of them are concerned at all with teaching kids the names of the letters. In fact, one is pretty annoyed right now that her (our) preschool is teaching kids in the “A is for Apple” style.
Both are teaching their kids “phonics first.” So instead of saying Bee is for banana, whenever they see a “b” they just say b-b-b (without any vowel sounds).
I mean, it doesn’t matter, since middle/upper class kids learn to read (barring disabilities). And I’m totally teaching my kid the A is for Apple. But if you want a toddler who reads, these women would tell you you wasted several months and will now have to reteach your kid phonics.
Anonymous says
I know people say not to make any big life changes or decisions about work in the first year after you have kids since your hormones are still settling, you are adjusting, etc. but I am about 4-6 weeks away from having my first two (twins), and a really interesting opportunity has popped up at work.
The new role would be a promotion and part time, which really appeals to me, though there is a chance that it could be made into a full time role (I like the idea of it being part time), but there is a lot of uncertainty as to if/when that could/would happen. It could be in 2 months or 4 years. Pros about the new role: (1) it’s a promotion, (2) opportunity to expand my skillset, which would probably make me much more marketable in the long term, (3) part time (which really appeals to me). I work in a very flat office with few opportunities for advancement, so this is a unique opportunity. My hesitations are (1) I am very good/comfortable in my current role, but I don’t know if I will be as good at the new role, (2) uncertainty of role potentially becoming full time. It has been a while since I’ve had a role that really challenged me and a part of me has become accustomed to not being challenged at work – is now a bad time to be challenged? The new role will also involve more face-to-face interactions and I am more of an introvert, so I do not know if this kind of role will be too draining? There is a part of me that really wants to go for it and do not want to let my fear/risks of the unknown hold me back, but there is that other part which is thinking, what if I don’t like it and I’ve made a huge mistake. I will not really be able to slide back into my previous role, or at least not in the short term.
Pogo says
You sound really excited about this, so I would explore it! I had something similar come up (although it was right after I came back from leave, not before I left) and I decided to apply because I couldn’t think of a real reason not to – only positives (title bump, compensation bump, cool role, etc) and my only hesitation was I felt comfortable in my current role.
It’s not super easy with an infant, but nothing is. I think it’s important to look at the culture of your office and how you think the role really will be structured. Is there anyone in a similar role who you can look to (esp the part time aspect – are they *really* part time? etc)?
J says
If it interests you now, you should go for it. I think the advice might be better put to say don’t make any big life decisions in the first year that are based on the sudden chaos in your life that you don’t know how to handle. Like don’t decide to take a new job after you’re back for 3 months because you’re super behind (totally normal and will get better). Or, don’t move out of your awesome neighborhood because you feel super behind at home when your child is six months and you think losing 10 minutes of commute time will change your life (probably not worth it in the long run).
If this is something that interests you now (both the new role and being part time), you can probably count on it to be fairly logical. My biggest concern would be if you learned that being a part time SAHM wasn’t for you. But if the role is potentially full time someday, you would probably be able to go there if you wanted it by initiating it yourself.
Anonymous says
Take it if you can get them to guarantee it will remain part-time for at least 6 months to a year after you come back from maternity leave. I have twins and the first year is really hard and exhausting. It’s worth it because the twin relationship is like nothing else but the first year is just hard.
FVNC says
Just a reminder not to feel guilty or apologize for taking as much parental leave as you want/your employer allows (I’m only posting this because I felt guilty asking for a slightly extended leave last year): a coworker is suddenly and unexpectedly out on medical leave for two months. No transition planning, no nothing. It’s fine; his work will be covered, but it’s much more of a disruption than any parental leave situation I’ve covered for, which involved weeks of transition planning for coverage!
Frozen Peach says
Amen to this. I had surgery unexpectedly last year and was out for a few weeks — and everything was FINE.
AIMS says
+ a million. I am back from leave now and really regret not taking longer. The world didn’t end and wouldn’t have ended if I stayed home another month or two.
Pogo says
Same. One of our project managers had a stroke once and everyone just dealt with it. Zero warning, and no one dared ask him anything because he’d just had a stroke.
Tall skinny toddler cloths says
I have a tall, skinny toddler. She just turned 2, and according to size charts is 3T height, but 18M weight. Does anyone here have suggestions for good brands of pants that might work for her? She’s potty trained, so she doesn’t have that bulk anymore either. Everything she has seems to either be really baggy at the waist (even the “adjustable” one) or short in the legs….which can be OK with leggings, particularly in the summer, but I’d still like some options that actually fit. ;). Thanks!
Tall skinny toddler cloths says
Gah, that should obviously say “clothes”! :)
anon says
I just posted a similar question for my almost 5 yo that’s stuck in moderation. We’ve made it through toddler clothing with a lot of adjustable waist Osh Kosh skinny jeans. They’re cut pretty slim. She can’t wear anything without an adjustable waist except for leggings (and even then I often take them in with my sewing machine).
AIMS says
Try boys clothes. I got my daughter some boy pants this past winter and they all fit a bit too narrow. She’s not a skinny kid, but this isn’t an issue for her in girl’s clothing.
AnonMom says
In my experience buying some boys clothes for my girl (cheaper, less pink/purple), boys clothes have more room in the waist which is not what OP wants.
EB0220 says
Primary’s leggings are tight even on my tall skinny kids so they might work for you!
AIMS says
General plug for Primary: I was so happy with my order recently and my daughter loves the stuff I got. Plus, their customer service is really impressive. I answered a survey they sent about their clothes and commented that the one downside to all solid colors was that stains showed more and someone wrote me back with a stain remover recommendations specifically for their cotton fabric and a promo code for a future purchase, which they seem to have pretty consistently so prices do come down a bit.
anon says
So curious — what was their stain remover recommendation?
NewMomAnon says
Was it “purge with fire” because that seems like the only option with daycare stains lately….
AIMS says
Wash Away stain remover. I’d never heard of it but it has a lot of really positive reviews online.
Anonymous says
Oh my gosh, I had exactly the opposite experience. Everything I bought was too short in the legs on my tall, skinny kid and shirts were too long in the sleeves.
Anon in NYC says
Check out Hanna Andersson. They list the height and weight ranges of their clothes. I find their pants work really well for my tall, skinny toddler. And, if I manage to time it correctly – like buying pants when my kid is just starting to fit into that size – I manage to get a really long wear out of them, especially as my daughter’s growth starts to slow down. A lot of their leggings are “basics” which are less expensive than their fancier ones, and sometimes there are additional sales.
GCA says
I have a similarly-shaped boy, and Children’s Place and Jumping Beans (from Kohl’s) are the brands that seem to work best for him. At almost 3 he’s firmly in 3T sizing – 3T girls’ pants with the adjustable waist seem to fit him best, but he now has Opinions about what he prefers, which is joggers that fit at the waist but are baggy everywhere else. At least they’re not falling off…
lala says
I really like Tea Collection, but I have boys, so I am not sure if their girl stuff also runs tall/skinny.
NewMomAnon says
I have a tall and medium-ish girl, and struggling to find the right Tea Collection size – I think it runs big? She has just now grown into the Tea Collection clothes I bought her in the right size last summer. Which might work; the pants were very long on her but fit in the waist.
Anonymous says
I like H&M for my tall skinny girl.
anon says
+1
Frozen Peach says
I have a skinny stringbean– we had this problem a lot. Burt’s Bees stuff is cut well for this, and Tea Collection too.
Marilla says
I started just putting a couple stitches in the waistband of my 2 year old’s leggings to make them fit. She’s also tall and skinny, and my MIL loves picking up clothes for her at H&M which are often super baggy around the waist. It takes a few minutes with needle and thread in front of Netflix and a few minutes to pick out the stitches a couple months later.
AnonMom says
My just turned 2-year old (April 15!) sounds similar. She rather skinny, tall but not that tall (67th percentile at her 2 year old checkup).
I absolutely love the “skinny pull on” leggings from Old Navy in size 3T for her at the moment (4T would be ok too just cuffed): https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=70136&pcid=37227&vid=1&pid=819792072
They are made of pretty substantial material and have pockets and don’t look like pajamas like a lot of legging do. Boden makes a very similar cord legging that’s adorable. We are wearing size 3T and 4T of the Boden legging cord like crazy right now, but Boden isn’t selling them right now – it will be back closer to fall I’m sure. There’s a baby version that’s lined, but it kinda has more of the sweat pant look :(
anon says
Does anyone have advice for transitioning from toddler to girl-sized clothes? My DD is too tall for toddler sizes, but swims in sized clothes from the girls section. Size 4T seems to fit her best around the waist and through the shoulders, but she’s too tall for the dresses and pants. Size 5T seems too wide and boxy, while being too short. Even the smallest sizes (XS or 4/5) from the girls section are huge everywhere. The shorts and pants fall right down to her knees. The shirts are huge through the chest, neck and shoulders, though they are the right length.
Previously I had shopped for her at Gap, Old Navy, Carters and Osh Kosh, but these aren’t working. I’ve found most Hanna Andersson to be cut way too wide. Any suggestions where I can find slim girls clothing or tall toddler sizes? Where else should I be looking?
Thanks!
AIMS says
Maybe try H&M? I have a big 2 year old and she wears a 3T in most places except for H&M where a few of her 18-24 month clothes still fit (shirts and dresses mostly).
lala says
No girl advice but commiseration from the boy side of the aisle. Target goes from 5t (barely fitting us) to XS 4-5 (way too large/baggy/boxy). I try to buy the “jogger” style in the larger sizes (cuff around the ankle) because I like it and it means the too long pants don’t hang too much.
Otherwise, I mostly shop the higher end brands that don’t seem to have this problem: Boden, Tea, Zara, etc. So you might try those? Or I think H&M runs similar to Zara.
Meg Murry says
Also on the boys side of it, my go-to for pants were those with built in waist adjusters. Sometimes I had to pull the adjusters to what seemed like ridiculous amounts, but then the pants stayed up and weren’t high waters.
Someone else with a skinny kid here recommended dapper snappers as a way to adjust pants to be tighter in the waist – I haven’t used them myself but I thought it looked like a cute clever solution (at least for pants with belt loops).
Knope says
Maybe this is a ridiculous question given my son’s age, but I’m wondering if there is some way to help my 13-month-old be a little more self-confident. He seems to always want me or my DH to help him do things that I know he is capable of doing, and reluctant to take risks. The biggest thing right now is that he still isn’t walking. He is super physically active, crawls and climbs everything, and will walk if we are holding his hands or the tips of his fingers are on furniture, but if we let go he will immediately sit down. If he’s playing with a toy or puzzle and is having trouble getting a piece to fit, he will literally grab my hand and have me do it for him. He even did the grabbing-my-hands thing when he was as young as 6 months – before he would clap on his own, he would grab MY hands and clap them together :) It’s very cute in a lot of ways, but I don’t want his progress to be stunted because he won’t try things on his own! Also I promise we are not the types to swoop in and do things for him whenever we see he is having trouble – he gets plenty of independent play time, and he will literally crawl across his room to me and grab my hand to help with a toy! Any thoughts? Or am I nuts to even be worried about this?
Marilla says
13 months is still early to be walking! I wouldn’t worry about this yet. Is he more independent at daycare vs at home?
Anon in NYC says
Yep, nuts (said gently!). My kid did not walk without assistance until about 15 or 16 months. Wait until he is older and better able to communicate before you start asking him to first try things on his own.
ElisaR says
oh i wouldn’t worry about him being stunted due to being cautious – it sounds like he’s smart!
I kind of follow the Magda Gerber mindset….in this case I interpret that to be just letting them do everything on their own time…..my niece didn’t walk until 20 months or so. It was ridiculous but now she’s all over the place at 6 years old and there’s no concern for anything developmentally whatsoever.
lala says
+1 Sounds like a smart and cautious kid. My first was like this, and he is now a VERY self confident 4yo, so I really wouldn’t worry about it.
ER says
I think you shouldn’t hesitate to help him when he isn’t willing to take a physical risk. At this age, your job is to provide an environment where he feels safe. This will do the most to improve his self-confidence and he will take physical risks when he is ready.
Delta Dawn says
Janet Lansbury has a lot of blog posts about this. (Most of them probably reference Magda Gerber like ElisaR mentioned.) She suggests things like, if your LO is having trouble getting the puzzle piece to fit, when he grabs your hand, you gently take your hand back and say something like “I see you are having trouble getting the puzzle piece to fit. It is very difficult, isn’t it? You are working very hard!” Basically she suggests narrating what you see rather than fixing it for him, which it sounds like you want to get away from.
Knope says
Thank you for the reassurance! A lot of this is probably me projecting…my parents didn’t let me do much in the way of taking physical risks, so it’s something I’m nervous about. I will keep doing what I’m doing!
SC says
I think there’s a difference between assisting when a kid asks for help and not letting a kid take risks. When my kid turned 2, we started to back off at the playground and let him explore on his own, but we’d come back when he specifically asked for help (giving him a boost to a platform he couldn’t reach yet, or teaching him how to climb a ladder). It was actually really hard for me to watch him take risks, so I had the opposite problem from what you’re describing! Anyways, I wouldn’t worry about stunting a kid’s learning by helping when he asks–parents are there to support and help when asked!
Anonymous says
Teach your kid how to do things safely. Teach “turn around and slide down” for getting off the couch. Teaching climbing up stairs (if your kid can crawl, your kid can climb!) and going backwards down stairs. Teach how to go down the slide feet first on his belly.
Once my kid knew she could get off of things safely she was much more willing to climb up on them.
Also, plop him down around some slightly older kids. My 2.5 year old saw a four year old “climbing” a tree at the park the other day. She barely waited for him to go down before she started to climb the same tree. (Being shorter, she did not get as far, but she had fun!)
You might also want to read Achtung! Baby, There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather and Vitamin N to help give you other ideas/peace of mind about all this. (I’m not good at letting my kid be messy, so regular reminders that it’s okay are important for me!)
AnotherAnon says
How often do you have thoughts of becoming a SAHM? I have a 13 month old (didn’t get maternity leave), just took a stretch assignment at work, and DH wants to sell our house. I am completely exhausted. DH invited me to do yoga with him and I told him I literally cannot take on one more thing right now. I think it’s kind of insane that I get stressed when asked to attend yoga class. I know I need a break but I think I want a total lifestyle change. Advice? It gets better right? I don’t have the energy to cook dinner most nights; I can’t imagine having another kid.
ElisaR says
i think about it all the time. but i know it wouldn’t be a good fit for me. i need to go to work so i am a better mom when i am home.
who has time for yoga??? that sounds lovely but totally unrealistic….
Boston Legal Eagle says
That is a lot of things all at once! I don’t dream of being a SAHM but I do often wish for a slower pace of life with less work, less commuting (for both me and husband) and just more time to relax. I’m not sure that that’s really possible with small kids, regardless of your situation – I think this is just a tough season no matter what. I’ve heard it gets easier in a lot of ways when the kids are older and more independent (different challenges come up, of course, but at least it should be physically easier!)
What I’ve found to help me recharge a bit is to do date nights and solo trips with husband, away from the routines of work + home. Fitting in exercise helps too, maybe that is what your husband is getting at?
AnonMom says
OMG never. Not interested for myself and think it’s usually not good for kids. That would not be the chance I’d make.
ER says
I actually think you would have a lot less time for yoga if you were a SAHM, unless you were planning on continuing to have childcare.
ElisaR says
in my area yoga classes are clearly planned around school times – i know SAHM that workout after they drop children at school and i’m jealous….. i realize they don’t have it *made* in terms of being home but they do seem to have a little more time to groceryshop/workout/get manicures. those are the 3 things i reallly want to do but can’t.
ER says
Oh yes – if kids were in school, that would completely change the calculation! But not with a 13 month old like the OP.
lala says
I did when my kids were under the age of 1, but that was usually stress/lack of sleep talking, and I am glad I stuck with it.
The best thing my DH did when I approached him with the thought that I “couldn’t do this anymore” (meaning work full time), he said, “what can we change so that you can do it?” He took half of the mental load, we upped our cleaning people, and I stopped assuming he needed help when he didn’t ask (aka He does drop off, I do pick up. If he’s picking up the kids for me because I have a Happy Hour, I used to assume I should do drop off instead. Now I don’t ask if he wants me to take drop off, but wait for him to ask . . . he usually doesn’t and I get a day free of daycare).
It sounds like your husband has lots of time on his hands mentally and physically (let’s buy a house! let’s do yoga!), so maybe you need to put some of the mental and physical tasks on him and make life easier for yourself.
Anonymous says
I thought about it all.the.time from when I went back to work at 4 mo to about 18 mo, and then it got much better. Now I am really glad to be working (for what I get out of it personally and my contribution to society as well as the obvious money/insurance- I am our main breadwinner so sahm wasn’t ever a real option). I did change jobs and we made a major move at about 16 mo. The 6 mo lead up to that was probably the most stressful time in my entire life and I definitely would have had the same response to a yoga class invite!
CPA Lady says
I have never once considered it, and I’m not the sort of person who takes on stretch projects at work. If you are, I would imagine that becoming a SAHM is an escape fantasy rather than a true urge to spend your days doing childcare and housework.
This internet stranger gives you permission to do the following things until you get out of crisis mode:
– lower your expectations
– ask for or hire all the help you need
– only buy pre-made food and takeout
– tell your husband that you are not available to help with the work of selling the house, including packing and coordinating, and that he needs to chill for x number of months (or years) until you can be an active participant
– skip yoga permanently
– have an only child
– halfa$$ everything for daycare events, holidays, and birthdays at least until your child is old enough to remember them
– lean out at your job or at least stop taking stretch assignments
– take a day off and use the time to set up ways to streamline your life– hire the cleaning person, set up auto bill pay, do whatever else you need to do. then take a nap or get a pedicure.
I did a lot of these things over the last year and I’m still overwhelmed and tired sometimes (see yesterday’s mopey post). It is easier than it was though. And each year has been easier. 1 was particularly hard for me. 2 was better. 3 is better still.
ElisaR says
thank you for this CPA Lady
Delta Dawn says
I think needing a break and becoming a SAHM mom are two completely different things– as ER says above, being a SAHM might mean even less time for breaks. Do you want to spend each day at home with your kids? Or do you just want to not be stretched so thin?
Could you go part time? Could you look for a less demanding job? Cut out a lot of stuff. Buy premade dinners that you can just heat up. (Bertolli frozen pasta family size for the win. Stauffer’s frozen lasagna.) You are too tired to cook. Don’t cook. Don’t sell your house right now. Don’t do anything you don’t have to do.
When I found out I was pregnant with #2, I quit everything. Literally everything. Book club, volunteer group, a professional organization where I was on the board of directors, all of it. The only things I didn’t quit were church and my job. I may gradually add things back in later, but right now, I can’t do anything extra. Nothing. And I’m very happy with that choice. Maybe that would help instead of going directly to being a SAHM.
Anonymous says
Can anyone recommend favorite children’s charities? My workplace does fundraisers in the summer and I’d like to suggest something related to childcare, early childhood education, or improving maternal health. TIA.
mascot says
Are you just raising funds or are you looking for a service project too? At least in my town, there’s a program that provides free lunches to kids at local parks/libraries because there are so many kids that otherwise get free breakfast/lunch during the school year and may not have the same access to food during the summer. A service project would be to pack lunch bags to be handed out. Local children’s hospital’s and medical clinics are good, as is Ronald McDonald house.
OP says
It’s fundraising. We do a day of themed activities and raffle prizes with proceeds benefiting a selected charity.
NewMomAnon says
I’m always partial to the charities that provide that services to kids in foster care. We have a couple locally that provide pro bono legal representation or grants for specific things parents usually cover but foster care expenses don’t (orthodontia, summer camp, fees for an expensive sport, etc). But ours are very local (not national organizations), so you’d need to search in your area.
Everlong says
The posts today have me dreaming of cleaning help twice a month. I feel completely unjustified in this because my husband does at least his share of the cleaning, if not more. He is very opposed to hiring help for something we can do ourselves, and our toddler truly likes helping us clean. It’s the deep cleaning that I would just love someone else to do. I don’t think I’m looking for anything here, just a vent. I don’t dream of SAHM-ing, I dream of relatively minor cleaning help.
ER says
If you want support, I’m here to give it. Deep cleaning help is not relatively minor help. It is fantastic!! Obviously I don’t know your financial situation, time constraints, etc., but I don’t think that you need to be shouldering all of the work in order to have permission to hire it out.
mascot says
My husband grumbled a bit when we hired someone, but now he can’t imagine it any other way. We have weekly cleaning and there is still plenty of daily cleaning and straightening that has to happen. Lots of chances for kids to wipe counters, clean up spills/crumbs, put away toys and clothes, etc. And if the toddler is just itching to help, hand him/her a Swiffer and let them work on the kitchen floor. That toddler phase ends, btw- about the time they are capable of actually doing a decent job.
Boston Legal Eagle says
DO IT!! My husband and both clean up after ourselves and our son everyday (mostly kitchen and living room/play area) but I hate deep cleaning the bathrooms and other intensive cleaning tasks. I would rather not waste our precious weekend days with that as yet another chore so I love having a cleaning person come every other week. I’m thinking of outsourcing laundry too soon, as that is one of my tasks and I will be heavily pregnant soon, so would rather prioritize sitting on the couch than laundry :)
lala says
Seriously, DO IT. best money we spend every month. I made it a non negotiable on our budget when we had our first. I will cut EVERYTHING ELSE that is discretionary before cutting the cleaners. My husband was so so about it, until I injured my knee and he was doing everything (kids, house, etc). he sat down on the couch after a cleaning day and said “I am so glad we have cleaners”. Ha.
NewMomAnon says
Oh, do it! I have a house cleaner every two weeks, and I still do a ton of house work – dishwasher loading and unloading, laundry, cleaning up the odd spill or craft project, wiping down counters and tables that get grimy between cleanings, taking out the trash, making beds, etc. But the first time you realize that somebody else has dusted your blinds and fan blades and gotten the toddler hand prints off the windows…it’s magic.
Anonymous says
Maybe try to convince your husband you need help quarterly? Like real deep cleaning/spring cleaning type stuff.
My mom used to hire someone to come in once a month, but every year before we hosted Christmas Dinner, she would have the cleaning lady come for a whole day (and bring her two cousins) and scrub down all the base boards, louvered cupboards, switch plates, door knobs, the top of all the doorways, the air vents, fan blades, light fixtures, all the picture frames etc. And since my mom swapped out a ton of the decor for Christmas decor, things that were never moved were moved and cleaned and dusted and packed away. I dream of having that done yearly. (Someday the student loans will be paid off.)
Anonymous says
My sister is a SAHM and she has either my mom or her MIL come over almost every day so she can exercise. I’m jealous of that. I love exercising but have been finding it so hard to fit it in lately. I wish I could exercise in the middle of the day and not have to squeze it in at 5 am or 8 pm. Also would be nice to do activities for myself on the weekend without the guilt that I need to spend time with my kids since im not with them much during the week. SAHM are probably happy to unload their kids on their spouse etc. when they can. I feel like if I’m not working I should be with my kid.
ElisaR says
i complete agree with this – commiseration!