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I love the Maeve brand that is exclusively at Anthropologie. I find their patterns to be fun and cuts flattering. It’s no different for this wrap top. I love the color and pattern combination with the wrap silhouette. I’m not sure why for some of the photos they unbuttoned the sleeves — it looks a little comical just having the model’s fingertips peeking out. Everything else though, I really love. I also appreciate the elasticized back to help with the wrap fit. The top is $88 and is available in regular, petite, and plus sizes. Lisa Puff-Sleeved Blouse
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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?
Kid Activities says
I’m thinking ahead for my toddler and how to choose activities with her when she is older (I’d like to hold off on more structured activities until she reaches grade school).
I want to keep the number of days committed per week (week and weekend) to a minimum. I don’t want to overstructure or overbook us with kid #1, especially with kid #2 2 years behind her. Do you typically just pick one sport and instrument (or dance etc) at a time?
Also, should I consider Girl Scouts? I know it varies troop to troop but I was never one and it wasn’t on my radar until my aunt asked if I considered it.
Anonymous says
Girl Scouts can be really great, but as you said it depends so much on the troop dynamics, both in terms of whether they’re doing interesting things that your kid likes and in terms of how much parental involvement they expect. My daughters aren’t in K yet, but we will probably try GS when they’re old enough and see how the local troops pan out.
Anonymous says
FWIW I have girls and they are in girls dens in cub scouts (“boy” scouts are now co-ed). They do a lot of outdoor activities and camping (vs selling cookies for months on end). I was a Brownie growing up but new no older girls in scouting; in my city, many boys keep up to earn their Eagle. Even if my girls don’t do that, I thought it would be a good source of activities at least throughout middle school and a chance to learn responsibility as at the “Boy Scout” (not cub scout) level most activities are scout-planned and scout-led.
When my kids were <5, we just did swimming lessons and a music activity at church, each once a week and < 1 hour.
Anon says
My daughters are not yet school age, but I plan/hope that they will participate in Girl Scouts. I was a Girl Scout until high school, and had an amazing experience. I got everything out of it that you mentioned for Boy Scouts, and I think it’s important that my daughters have a girl only space to explore activities.
Just a plug that some or many Girl Scout troops are just as good as any Boy Scout troops. And for what it’s worth, I didn’t spend any more time selling Girl Scout cookies then my brother spent selling Boy Scout popcorn.
LadyNFS says
My experience was the same as yours, and I was also a girl scout well into high school as a result. It’s actually where I got a lot of my female role models and I hope that my daughter has a similar experience when she is old enough!
Anonymous says
Same for me, as someone who was in GS from K through 12th grade and got my Gold Award.
Pogo says
fellow gold award here too!! And camp was my absolute favorite.
Anonymous says
I didn’t mean to appear to rag on the Girl Scouts. Our church for some reason sponsors Boy Scouts. It has an outreach GS troop it sponsors at a school across town, but it not open to us because you have to live in that area and also attend that school.
In House Lobbyist says
As a mother of boys, I kind of hate that girls are allowed. Boys need a place to be boys. They get so much grief in school as it is for being wild and not listening and not being as mature.
Anonymous says
I still have a preschooler and baby so I’m not sure about scheduling activities, but I can weigh in on GS. I’ll definitely be putting my daughter in GS and continue as long as she enjoys it. I did it until I was 13 and I appreciate the outdoor experiences and knowledge that I gained. I also liked that it was a female only activity (ie no boys as distraction) that wasn’t typically “girly”. Yes if you frequently take your kids hiking or camping they can get those experiences but my parents didn’t so GS and GS camp filled in that gap. I think starting in 4th or 5th grade we were responsible for designing and completing activities for our badges so there’s an element of responsibility there. And from what I’ve heard the activities have expanded to include coding etc..the cookie thing is a complete scam since troops get a minimal amount of profit from cookie sales but whatever
avocado says
My daughter is in her ninth year as a Girl Scout. The badge program is pretty weak and gets lamer with each revision. The requirements for many of the badges are just not very substantive or educational. I was happy when our troop leader shifted her focus away from badge work to meaningful experiences that might or might not lead to badges.
Not all troops do outdoor activities. Our troop leader is pretty outdoorsy and has a lot of camping and outdoor certifications. The troop still only does one campout per year, and all of their “hikes” are urban or suburban. If you want real camping, “Scouts” (formerly Boy Scouts, now coed) is more of a sure bet.
That said, Girl Scouts has been a wonderful experience for my daughter. It has allowed her to develop and maintain friendships with kids she wouldn’t normally interact with at school, everyone from a special ed student who spends zero time in regular classrooms to one of the “cool” girls who sits at the most elite lunch table. They have taken some amazing trips and are learning to plan events and lead groups of younger kids.
avocado says
If you are looking for an activity with minimal time commitment that will not ramp up quickly in early elementary school, Girl Scouts is your answer. Youth choir is another good one, as it’s much easier to get by without practicing much than it is if the child plays an instrument.
I would not let your child try any sport, musical instrument, or other activity that you aren’t willing and able to support at a reasonably high level of intensity as she gets older. After first grade or so, most activities are not widely available on a once-a-week basis “just for fun.” Plus that, your kid is likely to find something she really enjoys and wants to pursue at a higher level. My daughter is in the eighth grade, and all but one of her friends is involved in some sort of activity that meets several times a week for at least part of the year. The one kid with a once-a-week activity has signed up for an intense school-based activity in high school.
Anon says
I mean, you can say no…Letting your child take a tumbling class as a 4 year old doesn’t mean you’re signing a contract letting them do elite gymnastics as a 12 year old. Children (and especially children under 16 who don’t drive) don’t dictate their own schedules, and there are lots of reasons parents say no to super intense activity schedules, including finances, logistics, and conflicts with academics. I’m very glad my parents were saner about this than most parents in the very intense sport I did as a kid. 99.99% of kids are not going to make it to the Olympics, and school and normal teenage life should be the priorities for all but the very few with Olympic potential.
avocado says
… but your parents did let you do the very intense sport, even if they put limits on it. I’m just saying, don’t let your kid take ballet at age 4 if you are automatically going to pull her when she turns 7 and there is no class that meets less than twice a week, or gymnastics if you are automatically going to say no when she asks to join preteam at age 5. Pretty much every sport requires more than one weekly practice even at the lowest rec levels for kids beyond preschool age. Our subdivision’s purely recreational swim team practices every day and has weekly meets during its season. A musical instrument requires daily practice at home, even though lessons are typically only once a week. Drama requires endless rehearsals.
Being willing to let your kid pursue an activity in which she is interested is different than committing to elite training. Not one of my kid’s friends is going to the Olympics in their various sports, but their parents had to agree to multiple weekly practices in order for them to participate at all. A “one class/practice per week” rule is pretty much a “no activities” rule in elementary school and beyond.
Anonymous says
We just do 1 thing, period, and only on the weekend, in addition to afterschool. Afterschool programs provide a lot of structure/activity. We have done swimming lessons and soccer. If my son WANTED to do more than that, I would be open, but he doesn’t.
FVNC says
We do weekly, week night swim lessons for my daughter. She also has a weekly speech therapy appointment (not exactly an extracurricular, but it’s outside school hours). She has expressed interest in some kind of dance, like ballet, and I’m open to trying that but so far she hasn’t pushed it too hard so I’m holding off.
FVNC says
Oh, and we tried out GS this year (my daughter is in first grade) but the meetings are at 4 pm, not at my daughter’s school, so that’s a no-go for us.
Anonymous says
My oldest is 6. She has done ballet and tap (one place was full year, one was a 6 week “taste of” class), tennis, swim lessons, fall town soccer, fall/winter/spring indoor soccer, gymnastics. She wants to play lacrosse this spring. She desperately wanted to do cheerleading with all her friends and I was the Worst Mom Ever for saying no because there were two practices a week plus weekend games PLUS tournaments.* I stopped swim lessons as soon as she could stay afloat. I gravitate toward activities that have either a nice room for my younger kids to play in OR a simultaneous program for them. Or better yet, drop-off (or carpool-with-neighbors).
Right now, she’s doing a 6-week drop-in ballet class with some friends from school. She used to do gymnastics and the same time. When the class is over, she’ll probably go back to gymnastics. Gymnastics has “open preschool play” at the same time, so my younger two kiddos do that while she does gymnastics class. She LOVES tennis and does a tennis clinic one weeknight each week, year round. Starting in April my middle can do at the same time. And at the place she does it, you can easily do make-ups on other weekdays or either weekend day, so we take liberal advantage of that policy. She also plays indoor soccer with kids she’s known for a few years that live around town but don’t go to her elementary school. The place they play has a bar/pub, so our whole family goes and has lunch before/after, or can watch whatever SportsBall event is on TV while the kids run around. It’s social for the whole family as my two younger kids (a) love eating here and (b) have friends that are also younger siblings. They all bring toys and play.
Some stuff is seasonal, while other stuff is year-round. You can do tennis in spring, soccer in fall, basketball in winter, swimming all summer long. Ballet is typically fall/winter/spring with a recital at the end, as is something like Girl Scouts.
* Mom for the win here: all parents of kids that did cheer told me it was awful because their kids were so, so exhausted. They are modifying the program for the young kids to be ONCE a week, ONE game on weekends and no competition.
Worth considering: my kids don’t do after school. For the kids that are in the aftercare program at the elementary school, they do 1-2 activities during the weekends. My kid BEGS to go to aftercare so IMO it is it’s own activity.
anon says
I am shocked beyond belief that the cheer people have decided to tone it down a bit. Good for you for holding your ground, and I’m glad that parents actually expressed that the ridiculous expectations were Not Okay.
Cate says
I remember your earlier post! And I agreed with you then and I agree with you now! Way to stay strong!
Anonymous says
Aftercare is definitely its own activity. We have an awesome program that does “taste of”-type clubs for all kinds of stuff. The kids get to pick their club each month from a few options, and my son has tried out every sport under the sun this way without any extra effort from me. He has one real sports team, house-league with no travel, one weeknight practice and one game or practice on the weekend. For the younger two, preschool includes swimming lessons, and offers tennis, which the youngest loves, as an extra. I am all about any activities that do not add logistical burden, so happy to pay for that. If he still wants to do it in elementary, I’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
For activities that require transportation, I also prioritize activities that more than one can enjoy in the same trip. We only do one activity at a time and cycle among 1-2 month sessions of gymnastics, ice skating, and soccer. I’m adding dance into the rotation since daughter has been asking. They do children’s choir at church, which is right after the service/Sunday school, so we’re usually there anyway. To me, it’s all about low-stakes exposure to a variety of things they might like. If they really take to something, I’ll support one parent-time-intensive activity, each, but for now (3,5,7) they dabble. I’m going to make all of them take piano lessons until 6th grade (doesn’t count as their activity, because I’m insisting), but it will be via a music school that can do simultaneous lessons, or a teacher that comes to our house.
Note (ha! no pun intended) on music, since OP mentioned it: Many public elementary schools offer instrumental music starting in 4th or 5th grade. I wouldn’t bother with any instrument except piano before that, unless your kid is just dying to learn and/or really precocious. You have to wait for permanent teeth for brass and non-flute wind instruments, and listening to young beginners play string instruments is just painful.
Anonymous says
Swimming is our top priority, so we’re keeping that as our only weekend activity for the preschool years.
rakma says
I’m figuring this all out with my Kindergartner this year. We try to avoid after school events, but between school events and other things we usually have one every other week. We try to avoid two in a week–it just becomes too much for us.
We are doing Girl Scouts, and by we I mean I formed a troop and am leading it. (her older cousin was a Daisy last year so she really pushed for it) The upside to this is it has to fit my schedule because I need to be there, so we meet on Saturday mornings.
We just signed up for spring/fall soccer, on Sunday afternoons.
We do swim lessons in the summer, in the outdoor town pool. DD has pushed for all of these activities.
Anon says
I’ve offered and tried various activities for my kindergartner, but he doesn’t want to do anything structured beyond school + aftercare (or beyond daycare when he was in daycare). And so he has 0 formal activities.
We live in a place that has a reputation for high pressure parenting, so I think we’re a little unusual. However, I’m happy to give my kid the time he needs to rest, play, and putter. He’s 5.
Anonymous says
Wait until she’s older to solve this problem when you have an idea of a) what she wants to do and b) what options are available. Zero reason to be fretting about this now.
anon says
It really depends on the types of activities you’re talking about: year-round vs. seasonal. Do they happen mostly during the school day (like music), or do they require a lot of shuttling around and off-site practices? Here’s a sample of what our family is doing at the moment:
Kid in elementary: Cub Scouts (2 meetings per month, with an occasional special event), violin (happens during the school day), choir (requires weekly practice before school, but he’s already there for before care, so no extra shuffling. He’s required to practice 90 minutes per week and does that at home. This spring, he’ll do soccer, which is an 8-week season (1 game + 1 practice per week.) This summer? No extracurriculars whatsoever.
Kid in preschool: Swimming lessons one night per week. Dance lessons on Saturday mornings. That, too, is just an 8-week “season” rather than a year-round commitment. Again, we take the summers off.
It sounds like a lot when I write it out, but it feels well-balanced at the moment because the older kid’s activities are mostly happening at school. He’s old enough that many of his classmates are in very intense athletic leagues that require a lot of the kids and the parents. That’s not what our family values, so we don’t do those. I might feel differently if he truly loved a sport but he seems content to dabble.
34DDD says
Can I just ask the bust-ier ladies how you approach tops/dresses like this? I like the style but it always shows so much cleavage and I can’t seem to ever get any combination of fashion tape and safety pins to make it look ok.
Anonymous says
Maybe I’m a prude, but I don’t think there is any bust size where this is work appropriate without a camisole underneath. I am very small-chested and also can’t get away with this stuff in the workplace.
rosie says
I agree. I cannot imagine being any bust size where I’d be comfortable with this much skin exposed in the workplace.
FVNC says
+1. I think this is a gorgeous top, but for date night, not work. And I’m basically flat chested, so no cleavage to worry about.
Pogo says
+1 agree
Anon says
Totally agree. It’s not work appropriate on the relatively small-chested model.
ElisaR says
camisole underneath which kinda destroys the look of the top so i usually avoid stuff like this….
Anonymous says
+1 if I have too much cleavage then it’s just not the top for me, generally avoid most wrap dresses as well
AwayEmily says
I have sort of the opposite problem…because I have NO bust, wrap tops fall open constantly. I wear a camisole (actually, the Uniqlo bra tank top, which comes in lots of nice colors) underneath. Probably not the most stylish option but keeps me from stressing about it.
GCA says
Same re: no bust and wrap tops flopping open. I usually sew a press stud in to close the neckline higher, which can make it drape funny if I get it wrong. If they are not for the small of bust, and not for the large of bust, who are the unicorns who are getting away with these sans modifications?
Anonymous says
People on TV or in magazines with lots of fashion tape, I think.
PinkKeyboard says
I’m not overly busty, but busty for my size. I typically goof with it in the store (or when trying on at home) to see if it can lay nicely closed higher up, then sew a tiny metal hook and eye on the inside. Just avoid making like the incredible hulk during the day and not noticing. Not that I’d know anything about that….
Anonymous says
I can’t wear wrap tops without a camisole or boob tube.
June says
I just got down to a 34DDD and I wear a black or white (or coordinating) camisole or tank under anything that’s not a crew neck or turtleneck. Of course, I mainly wear V necks because they are the most flattering. I like turtlenecks for warmth but use a necklace to create a V shape/elongate the torso.
Anonymous says
I wear a cami and safety pin. Not hard
anon says
I kind of hate tops like this and definitely wouldn’t wear it to work. Just so much adjusting and fussing and NO.
Anon says
I’ve been noticing that my daughter’s (27 months) eyes intermittently turn inward. We have an appt lined up to get her checked out, but was wondering if anyone has been through this process. This runs in my family as my brother and sister had corrective surgery 30+ years ago.
AwayEmily says
I haven’t been through it myself but my good friend’s daughter had surgery to correct this at around 13 months and it was super easy (it also ran in her family).
K. says
This was my daughter–she has a lazy eye we caught at 18 months b/c her eyes were turning in sometimes–especially at the end of the day when her eyes were tired. She needed glasses to help her eyes from straining and patching. We started with 4 hours every day. (Screen time and candy were bribes we used since she didn’t usually have those otherwise). She is now 5 years old and only needs to patch once a week. Her eyes are basically corrected at this point–the turning at least, she still needs a prescription b/c she is farsighted. She is at the point where she gets her glasses because she knows they help her.
Anonymous says
A pediatric ophthalmologist will give you the answer. We took my DD to one at like 25 months. They’re surprisingly good at giving kids vision tests. It’s best to get any eye issues corrected ASAP. Most are fixable until age 8 when they may lose vision in a weaker eye
Annual physical says
Do I need to keep my annual physical appointment with my primary care even though I’m pregnant? I don’t have any chronic conditions or take any prescriptions.
I feel like it is important to get all my usual blood work etc checked, but maybe it’s unnecessary since I’m already going to my OB so frequently. I’ll be about 19 weeks by the time my appointment rolls around.
Anon says
No. They probably won’t even want to see you if you’re pregnant.
ElisaR says
+1
ALC says
I had this issue and I called my PCP and asked, and they told me to reschedule for about 2 months after giving birth, which I did.
Curious says
I’m curious: when did everyone disclose their pregnancy at work? I’d like to delay as long as possible as I know from last time I’ll be taken off of some projects and not get any new ones. But I don’t know what’s reasonable.
ElisaR says
i would say 12 wks is “typical”
Anon says
Almost 16 weeks, but that’s unusually late. I wanted to wait until I heard the heartbeat at my 14 week appointment (hasn’t heard it since 9 weeks), and then I didn’t have a meeting with my boss for almost 2 weeks after that, and I wanted to tell him first.
I am tall and slender, but was showing by 8 weeks and in maternity clothing by 10-11 weeks, so even if I had disclosed at the more typical time, it would have surprised exactly no one.
SF says
This is what I get for not reading all the posts before posting myself. so, I guess everyone can ignore my similar question below and I’ll follow this :)
anon says
I’m short and small and my last pregnancy began showing at 7 weeks. True story. First pregnancy I disclosed around 12 weeks? Maybe earlier to a couple people because I felt terrible. Second pregnancy I disclosed at 10 weeks because I had a major pregnancy complication that required me to wear a visible medical device (!) Third pregnancy, around 7 because i was showing and felt terrible.
Short answer is that I think you can wait to tell until later. A lot of people find it hard to hide and that’s why they tell earlier!
ElisaR says
good point. for my 2nd pregnancy i was showing as soon as i peed on a stick.
Katy says
I waited until about 16 weeks because there were some internally shuffles happening that resulted in me being promoted and one guy in particular that I didn’t want to “keep around” to “help” out on my mat leave. (Note: in Canada so mat leave ~ 1 year). I am tall and lost a bunch of weight in the first 6 weeks due to nausea, so I don’t think it was super noticeable, but I was very surprised that my boss seemed genuinely surprised when I told him. I had started wearing maternity dresses right around that time, but my height, winter dressing etc allowed me to hide it until then (loose shift dresses)
Anon says
Told my boss around 11 weeks because we were doing a lot of planning for the year, and it was clearly relevant to those plans. I haven’t told anyone else at work yet, but plan to do so after my next appointment goes well which will roughly coincide with the end of my first trimester.
Anonymous says
20 weeks, but I was an older mom and wanted to make sure everything was as good with the pregnancy as possible. I was also in a new job (internal transfer).
Pogo says
Waited til 14w (I think?) with my first but I am going to have to tell my boss earlier this time. We’re going on international travel in a few weeks and it will be super obvious that I’m sick and not drinking. I am sure several colleagues could already guess from this same situation last week while I was travelling, but no one said anything. We have a very drinking heavy culture during travel, otherwise I could hide it for awhile I think.
Anonymous says
I told the partner I work with the most at 9 weeks because we were going out for drinks with clients and I enlisted her help in pretending to drink (but she also knew I was undergoing fertility treatments, so it was not a surprise). I told rest of the firm around 13 weeks.
TheElms says
I had to tell a couple people at work quite early because I was asked to speak at a conference on my due date and I didn’t think I could decline for no reason, but they kept it to themselves and I kept it from everyone else until about 16 weeks. Even though I’m short most people were genuinely surprised. I think I could have waited until about 20 weeks if I had wanted.
Anonymous says
First pregnancy, I think 8 weeks because I was sooooo sick and was not able to do some work travel. I miscarried at 11 weeks. I’m glad I had told people because it was a very difficult time for me emotionally, I needed time off for a d&c, and then had some complications from that requiring follow up visits and additional time off. It was a small office and it was easier to have it in the open. Second pregnancy (viable) don’t remember!! I think I told some people I was close to in a similar timeframe, again because of illness affecting my work (had to miss a Very Important Meeting because I was vomiting every few minutes and there was no bathroom near the meeting). Third pregnancy (viable) I was in a much more flexible job and waited till 13 weeks- equally sick but it was easier to work around that, plus It was a much bigger office where I wouldn’t have wanted everyone to know of a miscarriage.
Dealtwiththis says
I wanted to delay announcing so that raises and promotions would go through and I would know that my pregnancy did not affect the outcome. I announced at 21 1/2 weeks. Luckily I had two weeks off for the holidays just before and then strategically chose my outfits for a couple of days until I could get the news out. It was fine. No one panicked that I hadn’t given them enough notice.
Meg says
I shared at 19 weeks when my anatomy scan came back ok. I had a health scare earlier in the pregnancy that made me wary of sharing early. Also management conducted their own reviews to determine promotions/raises when I was 18 weeks (then scheduled in-person reviews after), so I wanted their assessment of me to be based on my performance and not anticipated leave. Discussing leave was then easier when alongside positive feedback from the last year. I basically looked like an Eileen Fischer ad for months trying to hide it with loose dresses, long cardigans, and slouchy culottes!
AnotherAnon says
Not sure if this is a rant or request for advice but here goes. I feel like my primary work customer is gaslighting me. He will ask for a product: a report or chart. When I follow up with questions, he acts like he has no idea what I’m talking about. I have FOUR email chains going with this person ATM where he says “I need X fixed on this report.” I respond with “Do you need X formula fixed or do you need X attribute fixed?” and he responds “X what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Then we have a phone call where I explain the diff between a formula and an attribute (which in this role, he should know). Then I pose the question again, and he says “I’ll get back to you.” Then three days later he will email asking for the status of this request and I remind him I am waiting for an answer from him. Then he will have me explain my question again, repeat ad nauseum. I can’t just ignore his requests, but at this point I’m kind of lost. The rest of my team just shrugs and says “Yeah I had the same experience with him. Good luck!”
Anon says
Sounds like he doesn’t understand what you are asking. He probably hears “blah blah blah blahdy blah” when you talk to him. Have you ever had that experience — like, you are listening, but none of it computes?
Buddy Holly says
You can’t change the client, so decide how to deal with this that protects your interests. In your position, I would be sure to document everything to show that I am doing what I need to do on my end for the client. I would ask other people that have successfully worked with this client for any tips, although it sounds like you have already done that. When I had capacity, I would consider tactics that might help smooth the relationship with the client and try to implement those approaches to see if they improved things. Then, I would do what I needed to do to deal with the client when needed, and try not to dwell or think about the situation otherwise. If appropriate, I would be looking to fire the client or shift them to someone else that could develop a better working relationship. And I would occasionally let my boss know how I was dealing with this client and the problems I was encountering so that the boss already had my side of the story if the client became a problem for me.
OP says
This is all good advice – thank you. I think you helped me identify the underlying issues: 1) He’s been promoted above his level of expertise. 2) His business unit is unprofitable, and he’s attempting to bring me into the scramble to make it profitable, when that is not my job. I think my best bet is to provide the requested products as best I can within the specs provided, document that and stop being annoyed by his waffling.
Katy says
It sounds like he is incompetent and doesn’t actually understand the work. Someone else is asking him for changes and he is passing it along. This sounds very frustrating. A couple ideas – (I) Try to include his broader team in any meetings / calls? (II) if it is practical try to have in person meetings with him. It is easy to be distracted on the phone but hard to brush someone off if they are actually sitting in front of you.
June says
Can anyone recommend a good New England (Vermont/NH) ski resort for a trip in March. We’re solidly intermediate skiers and we would also need childcare for our two year old while we ski. We went to Killington last year and liked the skiing and amenities, but it was a little crowded and I didn’t like all the flat areas to get across the mountain, so we’re looking for other options. Also, does anyone have any insight on Canadian spring break and whether all New England ski resorts will be packed with Canadians in early March?
anne-on says
Jay Peak, Stowe, and Smugglers Notch are the popular ones in VT. In Stowe you have more options off mountain, and more choices outside of a ‘resort’ or big all inclusive lodge, which I personally enjoy. Smuggler’s Notch is probably the one I’d chose with a 2-yr old though, their kids program and entertainment options are really good. I’d also book soon – a lot of private schools, boarding schools, and Canada have a ‘winter break’ in early March and then a shorter spring break (more like a long weekend) around Easter.
Pogo says
I’ve heard Stratton has the nicest little “village” area in their resort if you’re interested in more non-skiing stuff. Jay also has a water park thing I think which can be fun for kids.
In NH, I like the Loon area but my husband claims the trails are super lame (it’s the closest to Boston tho which is why I like it). I think Jay Peak is his favorite in terms of actual skiing, but in VT he also likes Sugarbush and Mad River Glen (which are close together so you can stay in between and do both). Mad River Glen does not allow snowboarders and I don’t think they have any amenities like daycare etc.
Anon says
North Conway is lovely. Loyal VT skiers sometimes turn their nose to NH, but I love Attitash, Wildcat, Cannon and anything that’s otherwise in the North Conway/Jackson area. Lots to do as a family in those two towns and the mountains all have kids programs. Those three mountains in particular have the perception of being more advanced than, say, Bretton Woods or Cranmore, so I’ve found those three to be less crowded because they can scare people off. Still, if you’ve done Killington, any of those three would be perfect for you.
As long as the snow is good, your busiest week is going to be the week of president’s day in February when we in the northeast generally all have “February Vacation”. Seldom do you find a public school system with a March spring break. We’ve done a ton of skiing in March and never felt it was overrun. The one exception is Loon Mountain, which I wouldn’t recommend for a few reasons, but one important one is that it’s the furthest south/easiest to get to from Boston so it’s always jam packed.
Anon says
Solo parenting in wintertime ideas! I’ll be solo parenting my 3.5 year old and 1 year old this weekend when it looks like it will be cold and or rainy. What am I going to do with them? I bought a valentine making kit which can probably buy me an hour but…any other ideas tips or tricks for keeping preschoolers entertained (but that don’t require my 100% participation since I’ll have my little one also?)
AwayEmily says
The Melissa & Doug jumbo coloring pad + watercolors is the only thing that consistently keeps my almost-4-yo occupied for more than about ten minutes.
Other options…sticker books, hide-n-seek (this can require minimal participation if you count for a really, really long time), “restaurant” (send her off to make increasingly complicated orders).
Also: do some research ahead of time to figure out when libraries, museums, etc are open so you can maximize time outside the house.
H13 says
Lots of fort making. Take all the pillows, make a fort, and then use the heck out it. Have a snack in there. Watch a video. Read a book. Drag out some toys they haven’t seen in a while. And don’t be afraid of a little extra screen time if needed.
Anon says
TVvvvvvvv
Anon says
Library, mall and children’s museum are my go-tos in this situation.
rakma says
Large cardboard box and a box of crayons, or empty bathtub and bathtub crayons. Sanctioned drawing on the walls always buys me at least an hour.
Also, floor picnics or complicated to eat (but not complicated to prepare) meals and snacks seem to be my go-to. Things like veggies and dip or make faces out of fruit.
Anonymous says
If I had a day solo with my 3.5 year old, we would:
7-9:30am: Wake up, watch cartoons and drink coffee. Make a breakfast she can help with: mix up pancake batter, make funny shapes, decorate with berrries / chocolate chips. Enlist her help cleaning up after.
9:30-12: get dressed, head to the mall. Wander around, window shop, and end up at the playspace. play and have snack.
12-1: eat lunch at chick fil a (also has a playspace).
1-2: downtime- coloring, tv, snuggles
2-4: activity like ice skating, trampoline park, etc.
Make preschooler dinner: make your own pizzas/ pizza bagels/ whatever.
You can also sub in any of the following:
Build giant fort out of boxes and paint it
Get in snow gear and play outside
Play barbies for 2 solid hours (my 3.5 y/o will do this solo…)
Read books together
Go to the library, take out books and books on cD; let them listen to CDs/“read” books while you relax
Go to the wine store and let your kiddo help choose wine based on the label (this is a legit activity IMO)
Go to the gym and drop kiddo in nursery
Go to gym and take kiddo to pool; spend an hour or three showering and blow drying hair in lock room after
Anonymous says
Puddle walk followed by warm bath. Tape a giant sheet of paper to the table and draw on and off all afternoon.
GCA says
Playdate for the big kid, so that you only have to keep the small one entertained!
‘Science experiments’ consisting of baking soda, food coloring, diluted vinegar, and a variety of implements (paint brush, dropper, measuring spoons).
Process art – tempera paint on tinfoil, markers and a big cardboard box, etc.
Alphabet scavenger hunt if your 3.5yo has a particularly good attention span and is relatively advanced in the literacy department – go round the house and look for objects that begin with the letter / sound ‘A’, ‘B’, etc. Or something that is green, blue or what-have-you.
anon says
+1 for playdate!
We can kill 2-3 hours at a good Target
SF says
How far along were you when you told work you were pregnant? This is my second child, first child is 3. I’ve been at my company for almost five years. I’m nearly 11 weeks, just took the NIPT test so I’ll have those results next week. I had a miscarriage in September, but this pregnancy seems to be sticking.
I know there isn’t a right answer, so just curious to others’ experiences. I work in client services and am pitched as the client contact, so I’m feeling a little dishonest on new business that I won’t actually be serving but otherwise have freedom of timing.
SF says
I didn’t mean to ask something so similar to the post above. oops!
Anonymous says
I told my boss earlier than most people. I think I was around 9 or 10 weeks. I’d had enough nausea that it was affecting my billable hours, and we were having a big picture discussion for the rest of the year. It felt right, and I didn’t regret it. But my department is small enough that they can’t afford to pull me off projects until I’m truly on leave and won’t work.
Anon says
Has anyone who uses HomePay filed taxes with Turbo Tax? Our taxes are incredibly simple but for the nanny payments (standard deduction, no income other than two W-2s, etc). Home Pay gave me a tax packet that seems straightforward enough but I don’t know how to “override” Turbo Tax electronically to include the payments related to the nanny. I’m thinking I will do Turbo Tax as normal and then, instead of filing through them, fill out a 1040 by hand, copying most of the info from Turbo Tax but including the info that Home Pay gave me. Is that crazy?
Buddy Holly says
I used HomePay and TurboTax. It did not work well with TurboTax. TurboTax had trouble understanding we had already made estimated payments for the nanny’s taxes, but then also tried to count the estimated payments we had made as for our own taxes. I figured out how to get the software to do it correctly, but I don’t remember it being a super simple thing. Although if you start early, the TurboTax technical assistance could probably help you do it. And maybe they have patched it and made it easier since I filed. I would think it is worth figuring it out on the software to keep yourself from making an error elsewhere. Even “simple” tax returns can have complex calculations going on behind the scenes in TurboTax and you don’t want to create a headache for yourself with the IRS.