Maternity Monday: Knit Sweater

Have any of you worked with a more senior person who has kids whose manner of preserving her work-life balance seems to be to feed everything to you? I’m working with a partner who I was excited to work for at first, because she seems to do a good job managing her work-life balance, but I’ve realized these days that she’s doing so off my back. I guess there’s no magic to it, and I just need to push back as well as I can, so this is more of a vent about someone who keeps holding herself up as an example of someone who makes working motherhood work, when things are falling off the rails a bit for her working mother associate who is running her deals. Blech. Just feeling resentful.

I have a nanny starting soon. It’s a short term arrangement (3.5 months) to fill the gap before we can get into our preferred daycare. We don’t have a contract because I want to keep her at will, but nanny is well aware of the end date. We made what I think is a very generous offer, several dollars an hour above her last job (both her last job and her job with us pay on the books). What would you do about holidays and vacations? For the holiday (there’s only one, MLK Day) I’m thinking of telling her she can take it off unpaid or she can come to work as normal and maybe DH and I will go have a day date. We also have a long-planned vacation – I’m guessing we need to give that as paid time off, right? Any guidance would be appreciated.

First-time mom here. I am trying to figure out how to bundle up my infant for the car in the cold weather we’ve been having. I know coats in a carseat are a no-go, but what’s the best alternative? Just blankets (on top of the straps)? I don’t want to use something so bulky that smothering becomes a concern, but obviously need something warm. Any hacks for this?

I’m getting ready for my LOs first day of daycare. He’s 3 months old and we are breastfeeding. I can’t figure out how to label his bottles and pacifiers — do I write directly on them? Am I supposed to buy labels somewhere? This seems like one of those things that should be really easy, but I’m a clueless new mom here.

Talk to me about year-end gifts/bonuses for your nanny, especially when they’ve only worked for you a short time. We just hired a live-out nanny at the beginning of November and she’s been great so far. She’s with us about 35 hours/week. What is an appropriate year-end gift or bonus for a nanny who’s only been with you for a few months? I’m thinking $200 cash ($100 for each month she’s been with us), but I’m open-minded. What should we be budgeting for year-end next year, when she will hopefully have been with us for the full year?

I keep getting Linkedin requests from people I don’t know, asking if I can chat with them on various positions in my company and then refer them. I’m not remotely in a managerial or HR role – not looking to hire anyone – and this is getting on my nerves. I feel like a jerk because I imagine this is what they’re advised to do. But I don’t have time for this! Any advice? Do tell me if I need to just s*ck it up and if I’m being a jerk.

Moms of older girls, where do you buy juniors size clothing? We adopt a couple kids for holiday gifts every year. This year we have a 15 year old girl who gave us her sizes in juniors. My go to is usually Old Navy, but it only has girls and womens. From Google, I see that Kohl’s has a junior’s section. But due to a horrific customer service experience, I have vowed to never shop there again. Where else should I be looking? Thanks so much!!