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Last minute stocking stuffer? This cute mini eyeshadow palette does it all!
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Sales of note for 3.28.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase; extra 50% off sale
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- Zappos – 37,000+ 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 – 50% off entire site
- Hanna Andersson – 30% off all swim; up to 30% off HannaJams
- J.Crew Crewcuts – 40% off sitewide; 50% off select swim; 50% off kids’ styles
- Old Navy – 50% off Easter deals
- Target – 20% off Easter styles for all; up to 30% off kitchen & dining; BOGO 50% off shoes & slippers for the family;
AIMS says
All the underwear I buy my 4 year old seems to leave marks on him. I don’t think he’s especially chubby and we have tried sizing up but all to no avail. So far, we’ve done Gap, Hanna, Uniqlo, Carters, and Old Navy. Other ideas for the more “husky” boys? Specific types? I feel bad!
Cb says
Maybe some sort of sensory underwear where they might not have the thick elastic?
Anonymous says
If they’re briefs maybe try switching to boxer briefs. They’re a little harder to find but my boys all prefer those.
anon says
+1. Hanes has some that are a really nice almost silky material. My kiddo with mild sensory issues wears these without complaint. Alternatively, maybe he just needs the next size up?
EDAnon says
My kids boxer briefs are from target. He loves them!
Anonymous says
Not sure if they’d work, but we buy the Tucker + Tate underwear from Nordstrom. They have briefs and boxer briefs, both comfortable.
Cb says
Ugh, we’ve had a good long run but covid finally found us. The timeline doesn’t make a lot of sense. Negative lateral flow before I travelled on Monday, but I was under the weather Tuesday and Wednesday but felt better by the time I got home Wednesday night, husband was sick by Wednesday and felt pretty bad for 3 days. We tested Saturday, husband was positive, I was negative, but had a quick positive sunday am. Kiddo remains negative but sounds like a pack a day smoker, so I wonder if he had it first and we just thought it was the sniffles.
The guidance here is that he shouldn’t test and should go to school if there’s no fever, but we are keeping him home. He is worryingly gleeful about “mummy school”. We are supposed to fly to my parents Friday night :(
Anonymous says
I’m sorry, I must be misreading — the guidelines are to NOT test a symptomatic child with a positive case in the home AND SEND THEM TO SCHOOL???
Cb says
Yep, I think it’s a strategy of “if we don’t know how many kids have covid, we don’t have to do anything about it….” The UK has adopted a head in sand policy.
You aren’t supposed to send really unwell kids in obvs, but “testing children is not recommended….” and everyone assumed we’d be sending my son in today, with friends offering to walk him to school for us.
Anon says
It’s not that different in the US. Our daycare has been more cautious than most (masks were required for kids until summer 2022) and the policy now is that children don’t need to stay home just because there’s a Covid case in the home. Only if the child has symptoms or a positive test. My daughter attended school when my husband had Covid. We did test her every day but I’m sure many people don’t.
Anon says
But her child has serious symptoms?!?!
It’s insane to send a child from a COVID+ house with symptoms the week before X-mas. So many families will likely get sick for the holidays and then visit older relatives.
Anon says
yes we can send our child to school as well in that scenario as long as our child is healthy and the child has to mask. in this case the child is sick.
Cb says
Yeah, that was our rationale for keeping him home. It’s not like any learning will take place today and tomorrow and I don’t want my kid to spread things to their pals, who then spread it to grandparents. He’s just got a croaky voice, no fever or anything, but it doesn’t feel right?
Hoping he was patient zero and this is just a residual cough or some sort of other kid crud, and we will test negative before we are booked to fly on Friday, but who knows.
Cb says
I’m feeling alright, just a bit scared, I got the omicron booster but have lupus.
Anon says
Thank you for not sending him to school. I appreciate when people use their heads and recognize asinine guidelines for what they are. I hope you all feel better soon!
Anonymous says
Our US public school demanded that my daughter’s friend return to school 5 days after the first positive even though she was still testing positive.
Anonymous says
Timeline makes sense to me but off y’all were basically sick all week and didn’t test until
Saturday. You’re allowed to travel 5 days after your first positive test so should be fine to fly for Christmas.
Pogo says
yup, agree. likely you all had it when T came home w/ the sniffles, just being honest.
Hugs. It’s hard. I do like that with the relaxed rules we can test at home and feel OK about sending him (used to require a neg PCR and note from doctor which was 2 day minimum turnaround). I personally would not send a kiddo from a positive household into school, but I’m sure it happens here.
I’m seeing more masks around and that is one thing I like that we’ve come out with this – normalizing masks for not wanting to catch ANYTHING while travelling/in public crowds.
Cb says
Yeah, I think it’s a socialisation thing. There’s no guidance to test even for adults and tests are harder to find, so we only had a long expired pack of tests. No one is testing before gathering and small kids have never marked. I was surprised friends were happy to host us for a Christmas gathering yesterday… obviously we declined. But it made me think their hacking coughs about 10 days ago were covid so they knew they’d be in the clear.
Pogo says
oh WEIRD. The government here just gave out another round of free tests! We have a stockpile.
Cb says
Yeah it’s bananas. The neighbour’s daughter works in a care home so drove over last night with a stash for us.
EP-er says
You guys — in my mind it is still February or something. The COVID time warp is real, even though we are back to (mostly) normal. I have been dragging my feet on the cards for this year… I took the photo weeks ago and just couldn’t pull it together. But they are ordered as of 20 minutes ago and I even went for Happy New Year, so it looks intentional. Now if I can just get the tree decorated and presents wrapped, I’ll be all set! (Well, and I buy some stocking stuffers…) Anyone else struggle this holiday season?
Anonymous says
Haha we put about 5 ornaments on the tree and then stopped. I might put some more up this week as I’m working from home, but I might not. Meanwhile my in-laws have mailed us about 50 amazon packages, so I feel like we will be set for presents this year.
Anonymous says
I ordered my cards same day printed from staples yesterday. Using a photo I took in October.
EP-er says
oooh… never heard of Staples cards before. Have you used them in the past?
Mary Moo Cow says
I’ve used them for paper birthday invitations and been pleased with the quality. One year I was even able to pick them up the next day.
Anonymous says
I posted above and they are just perfectly fine. They are not super duper high quality but neither was my photo ;). It was like $50 for 80 and done in one day. Worth it.
Anon says
We’re Jewish so we default to New Years cards, but I think I’d do it anyway. Super useful having the Christmas holiday to work on addressing them.
Hanukkah isn’t the big deal that Christmas is, but it started last night and we arrived home from a trip late Saturday so I was very unprepared. I didn’t even a full box of candles, although we found a couple spares from previous years to use. And kiddo got her present so that was really all that mattered to her.
Spirograph says
Yes. Literally have not purchased presents for the kids yet. And I gave all our ideas to the grandparents, soooo we’ll see what they end up with.
EP-er says
I hate the “gave all the ideas away” problem! I have done that to myself more than once….
Pogo says
I also only got like 1 thing for each kid, gave tons of ideas to grandparents and am hoping for the best. I made sure to get the big santa gift that 5yo wanted, I might get him another Lego set from us. But I know they’ll get sooo much from grandparents, I’m not too worried.
Anon says
last week there was some discussion of a public school with 12 days of christmas or whatever and a mom commented that a group of moms decided it wasn’t worth saying anything and I know it feels annoying to be ‘that’ mom, but last week on the main page someone else commented that they were nervous to put up Chanukah decorations outside their home because of the rise in anti semitism. my family doesn’t celebrating Christmas and so i am often ‘that’ mom at my kids’ school, and at times it is lonely and would be nice to have some support even from those who do.
Cb says
This is a good reminder, I am cowardly going to be that mom, but waiting til post Christmas. Mostly because the children had learned all the Jesus-y songs before we realised how much religion went into the Christmas show. Public schools aren’t secular here – you get Protestant and Catholicm but ours seem more Protestant than most.
anon says
We’ve been asking other parents in our kids’ classes if they object to all the Santa crafts they’re doing in public school, and keep getting responses back of “I’m atheist so my family only celebrates secular Christmas, so I totally understand, but don’t think you should complain about it.” Sorry, but kids who are Jewish/Muslim/don’t celebrate Christmas have a very different view on Santa crafts than your kid that does celebrate Christmas, even if you’re taking religion out of it??
anon says
I’ve been impressed by the crafts my kids are bringing home. They seem to be open ended enough that kids can add Santa if that’s on their mind or not if they don’t do Santa.
One was a draw/paint your own snow globe. My daughter’s had Santa and his sleigh,but kids could put anything inside that they’d like.
Another was an art lesson on perspective. They could draw a gingerbread cottage or workshop or house or inn, etc. My daughter’s became Santa’s workshop, but that was her choice.
They’ve also done lots with hot chocolate mugs and snowflakes. There’s an occasional “ornament” (i.e, kid art on a string), but usually with whatever subject the kid chooses rather than something overtly X-mas.
Anon says
I am Jewish and to me these crafts sound great! as they provide the option for kids to include Santa or not. An activity that involved pin the hat on the Santa would bother me. or decorate this green tree.
Anon says
Our public kindergarten class runs a science gingerbread themed unit in December. The kids read about gingerbread men and make gingerbread artwork and do science-y things with them like dunking them in water, measuring them, etc. Festive without being overly holiday specific IMHO. She also came home learning about Diwali and Hannukah, so I’m glad she is getting a multicultural experience unlike DH did in the same system growing up.
Anonymous says
Huh? Just because you don’t like them doesn’t mean other people have to also not like them
Anon says
there is a difference between not liking vs. trying to think inclusively and perhaps they don’t belong at a public school
anon says
Right, it’s not that I care if other people like them and I know that half of the class celebrates Christmas, but if the other half of the kids are all coming home really upset about the Christmas crafts, then it’s reasonable to talk to the teacher.
Mostly I was just complaining about the people who think that celebrating Santa but not Jesus is the same as not celebrating Christmas at all.
anon says
It bugs me to no end that my workplace puts up Christmas trees. We have walk-in visitors from a variety of cultural backgrounds who do not celebrate Christmas (higher ed). Even though I celebrate Christmas, I find the all-out Christmas-centric decor super inappropriate for our particular workplace and have filed an official complaint on several occasions. Absolutely nothing has happened, but I am trying.
Anon says
The CEO of my company is Jewish, as are many employees, and he still gets a Christmas tree to decorate the front entrance of our office each year. No one complains or views it as a personal affront to their worldview.
Anon says
Usually in university Christmas trees are done up in school paraphernalia and colors, taking down the X-mas impact several notches. I’d be surprised if anyone found that offensive without more context, such a history of discriminatory behavior.
Jewish anon says
Eh, a Christmas tree is still a Christmas tree even if it’s in school colors. I’m not sure I’d say I find it “offensive” – I’m pretty numb at this point to the fact that the whole world has Christmas decor everywhere – but I think it’s silly to say a Christmas tree isn’t a Christmas tree because it follows a theme like school colors.
anon says
I mean, there isn’t a Baby Jesus ornament, but there are still plenty of Christmas symbols represented in the ornaments. And, you know, the tree that looks very much like a tree.
Anon says
The one I’m recalling didn’t have any religious ornaments and was topped with the school mascot. The ornaments said things like “Go [mascots]!” and [University] Est. 18XX”. No Jesus.
Anon says
And a lot of people are explaining on this thread that it doesn’t have to involve Jesus to be a Christmas celebration. There are winter things like snowmen that aren’t Christmas, but Christmas trees and Santa are Christmas things even if there’s no Jesus.
Anon says
Everyone knows that Christmas trees are associated with Christmas, but thanks for making it *super* clear. Really appreciate it.
Anon says
I mean, clearly, not everyone does because one or more people on this thread are arguing that it’s not offensive to only have Christmas trees as long as there’s no Jesus…
Anonymous says
Thanks for sharing. This is a really nice reminder of why speaking up matters.
Clementine says
Interesting that I’m having a totally different experience, turns out my kid’s class went all out on Hannukah this year – like, kid knows the rules to Dreidel, a full song with verses, and made menorahs in school. Our elementary school is very diverse in terms of race/religion/background but is the school where all the professors/doctors/engineers kids go (less economically diverse than our daycare was or our middle school will be) and thus, we have all these parents coming in to talk about Ramadan and a big Diwali celebration.
This week, they’re doing ‘spirit week’ and it is very clearly non-Christmassy but also not super annoying. Like, crazy sock day, superhero t-shirt day, etc. which is fine with me.
Anon says
that sounds like a great experience for your kids to learn about so many different cultures/holidays even if they don’t celebrate them (or at least that is what i think. i’m sure there is someone out there who things this is terrible and that people are trying to convert your kids or whatever)
Anonymous says
Hannukah isn’t a major holiday or a Christmas equivalent—do they discuss Passover or Rosh Hashanah?
Anon says
thank you for this. on Friday I took my daughter to the pediatrician and the first thing she said when we entered was where are the Chanukah decorations. And then this receptionist kept trying to get her to take a picture with this balloon that said “north pole,” and then wished her a Merry Christmas and she said “I don’t celebrate Christmas.” She is at a Jewish preschool, so we’ve been talking a lot this year how we can still enjoy looking at Christmas decorations, etc. and if someone things we celebrate and we don’t, we can politely say, thank you, but I don’t celebrate Christmas, I celebrate Chanukah or why it is better to say “happy holidays” than “merry christmas” if we don’t know what someone celebrates
Anon says
Our daycare doesn’t officially do holidays, but this year my kid’s teachers wanted to put up Christmas trees in their room and they got a menorah for my kid. They were very excited to show it to her today. I know it was well-intentioned, and better than leaving her holiday out completely, but it felt kind of other-ing to me, like it’s just another reminder she’s the only Jewish kid in the class. I wish secular schools didn’t do religious holidays at all, but that’s probably an unpopular opinion.
Anon says
It’s really weird for them to personalize it and say “and we put up this menorah for you, Billy.” Why not just put it up and say, “check out the holiday decor everyone!” This time of year some people celebrate Christmas and some celebrate Hanukkah. Want to learn a dreidel game? There’s no reason to single anyone out.
Anon says
Yeah, exactly. Having the menorah is nice but making it all about our family was weird. They were showing it to DH and me like they expected us to be super grateful and praise them for doing it.
anon says
Their hearts were in the right place, but that sounds uncomfortable.
Anonymous says
This is what my kid’s daycare does. They ask what religious holidays a child’s family observes when the child is enrolled, and they do a pretty good job of putting up decorations throughout the building that reflect those holidays (if decorations are appropriate for that holiday, obviously). They don’t single kids out unless a family volunteers to come in and talk about their traditions. We do both Christmas and Hanukkah, and my 2-year-old’s room decorated paper trees and dreidels last week before everyone was sent home with RSV. They were going to try spinning dreidels today.
DLC says
My kids school always does something for Lunar New Year and, as an Asian American, it very much feels like box checking. I know I should be more gracious about it- everyone is just trying their best.
I guess the line between “othering” and “inclusive” is very fine and personal.
Pogo says
Our private pre-K, while not affiliated with any religion, did do Santa-type crafts. They also did crafts for all other major holidays (Chinese New Year, Diwali, Hanukah, Kwanzaa are some that I recall).
Our public school seems to be keeping it to Winter-only themes: snowflakes, snowmen, gingerbread men, candy canes. I think that makes the most sense?
AwayEmily says
Me too. That seems easiest for everyone. Just don’t do any holidays. Do seasons! Do made-up special days! Just ignore the holidays altogether. TBH maybe this is Grinchy of me but I’d be on board with schools getting rid of Halloween, Valentines Day, etc, as well.
Pogo says
I do like that the kids get to learn about each others’ backgrounds, but it has to be done in a way that is non-exclusionary and also takes into account the fact that Christmas is just so mainstream/dominant and it feels very different to be the kid who doesn’t do Christmas vs the kid who doesn’t do Diwali.
I know they discussed in their ‘family’ unit about heritage and holidays, so it wasn’t AT the Christmas season, which is a good call. I was pleasantly surprised to find my son even retained some of the info when we were reading his atlas and I pointed out Morocco and he goes, “Oh, Amir’s family is from Morocco!”. But you can’t make this part of the whole Christmas thing bc as people point out above, then you get into ‘othering’ the non-Christmas kids.
Anonymous says
Yes, exactly–because they aren’t ACTUALLY learning about the holidays, because they’re never discussing the actual religion. If you’re going to do Hanukkah, Christmas, etc., then I think you should actually present and explain the religious aspect of it. And if you feel uncomfortable doing that, then maybe you need to stop showcasing the holiday. I would actually really love my kids to learn about other religions at school. Instead, I get a lot of questions about, why aren’t we going to celebrate Hanukkah? Well, Judaism is a beautiful religion, but it is not our religion.
Anon says
Yeah we are Jewish and have our kids in Sunday school to learn about the actual meaning of Jewish holidays. Playing with dreidels and menorahs is pretty meaningless if you’re not going to explain the actual significance, and daycares and public schools never do that. I imagine observant Christians and people of other religions feel the same way about the holiday symbols without the religion. It’s weird and I wish schools would just stick to non-religious stuff and leave the religion to churches and temples.
Anonymous says
This. We are Christian and I think public schools cekrbrstung Christmas to be weird.
Anonymous says
My kid’s Montessori elementary school the last couple years did actually learn about the cultural and religious roots of major holidays. The school sent home a print-out for families with a few paragraphs on each holiday and which teachers or parents would be sharing their traditions with the kids. They did the Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, but also Passover and Easter, Rosh Hashanah, Enkutatash, Lunar New Year, Nowruz, Diwali, Holi and Ramadan+Eid. My 1st grader will talk your ear off about lunar calendars and how different cultures and religions use them, and it blows my mind because I could not have named a single non-mainstream Christian or secular American holiday other than Hanukkah at his age. I love that he was exposed to so many different traditions (and the idea that there are so many different traditions in America and the world) so young.
This year we’re in public school and the very diverse elementary school takes the seasons-not-holidays approach, for the most part. They do keep Valentines Day, but there’s “fall fest” instead of Halloween, “winter bazaar” in December, etc. To me this is more like ignoring diversity than celebrating it, but I agree that a public school is on safer footing to do no holidays than to potentially make people uncomfortable with holidays they don’t celebrate.
Anon says
This is what my public school did growing up and I hope they still do when my daughter starts in that system. We didn’t even do Halloween – it was all “harvest festival” stuff.
Anon says
Yes, I’d love if my school did this! Or even if they did snowmen and snowflakes for the first 2 weeks of December and then only brought in Santa this week, that would be fine too.
Anonymous says
Frankly – we are Christian and celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, although Easter is a more “important” religious holiday to us, and I find a lot of the “secular Christmas” stuff weird. Like I would not expect our public school to do anything Christmasy, we don’t do Elf on a shelf, and we emphasize Jesus vs Santa. So basically I agree with you and I’m sorry schools push this so hard!
Anon says
My kids are at an Episcopal school. We are mildly Episcopalian but really send them there for the excellent education. They have chapel and religion class and the like, but there are families of all faiths there and the school does a great job of being inclusive but also really teaching about the other religions. I think it’s awesome.
anon says
Has anyone done ISR and can provide feedback? We have a backyard pool and a 14 month old. I swim at the Y fairly often and am super unimpressed with the lessons I observe there. We have a pool fence as our primary safety layer and am debating if ISR would be a valuable addition. it is feasible for our family as there is a very-well-regarded instructor nearby and class slots that fit in with my work and daycare schedule. Local reviews are glowing but I’m scared it’ll be a traumatic experience. Also scared of toddler drowning though soooo
MBRec says
ISR classes don’t really drown proof, and provide a false sense of security. YMCA classes actually teach a lot of water safety, such as “don’t get in the pool without an adult”, if you fall in, swim to the wall, and how to float. The absolute best way to prevent drowning in vigilance and safety. I’d invest in pool alarms and covers before ISR TBH. Because even if they do fall in, ISR doesn’t allow self rescue, an adult still needs to pull them out. We do YMCA parent/tot classes and my now 2 year old can pull herself up on the wall and knows pool rules. We’re also aggressively vigilant about pools.
anon says
I agree with you on the YMCA classes. Does your area have any swim schools? Those, IMO, have provided the best swim instruction, though it’s not cheap. That said, it will literally be years before kids are truly competent swimmers and can save themselves.
Anonymous says
ISR is nonsense. And it’s dangerous nonsense. It does absolutely nothing to enhance safety and makes kids less safe because their idiot parents believes it helps
Take a parent and baby swim class because playing in water is fun! But don’t buy into ISR and don’t take an ISR class
anon says
OP here. Ys probably vary widely in their quality. The classes I’ve seen are just parents floating their kids around while the bored instructor occasionally encourages them to blow bubbles.
We do have a swim school around and I’ll check with them. We will also get a pool alarm.
It does seem like ISR marketing plays into a lot of fears which I was kind of falling for, so I appreciate the viewpoints here.
anonn says
We have a pool too and have never done ISR. mainly because of the time commitment. my older child did regular swimming lessons at the local club starting at 3 and is an awesome swimmer. The biggest safety tip we practice is having a “water watcher”, especially when people are over. we communicate who is watching the toddler/water, if one of us is going inside to grab a drink or talking to friends we hand off the responsibility to the other. All the stories will tell you about accidents that happened because the adults thought someone else was watching, and no one was. We have a pool cover too.
Anonymous says
So, I really like all the trappings of the holidays, but after baking numerous batches of cookies, decorating cookies with the kids, addressing holiday cards, adding more lights to the house because the kids thought it looked naked (they weren’t wrong), and trying to find suitable dress shoes for my daughter to wear on christmas eve… I had an epiphany that my mom was a SAHM and I am not, and probably I should lower my standards.
Mary Moo Cow says
I have this same epiphany every year. And yet, the next year…sigh. This year my last minute panic after being low key for a few weeks was to add more lights outside and make treat boxes for our neighborhood friends. I really do enjoy it all, though, and the return on investment (all the holiday cards from friends flung far and wide! all the “thank you!” for the cookies!) makes it worth it. The dress shoes, though…we’ve been to two different stores and no luck so she may be wearing Ugg boots to mass. At least they’re clean and solid color.
Seafinch says
I have kids’ Blundstones in every size they make for this reason. The are the most versatile shoe ever; party dresses or smart jeans, girl or boy. Have saved me many times!
NLD in NYC says
Amen to that!
Anon says
last night we went to a Chanukah event at a local synagogue for the first night, and we were sitting at a table with a random family we didn’t know with a teenager and the parents were trying to convince me to start the Mensch on a Bench tradition and I just smiled and nodded politely and thanked them for the suggestion….first of all, was this elf on a shelf always a thing? i dont recall it from when i was a kid. and even if it was, it is ok for each religion to not do the same things as other religions. my kids don’t need a mensch on a bench just to not feel left out with elf on a shelf, nor do i need something else to do
Anon says
Omggggg noooooo! The best part of being Jewish is not having to do that stupid Elf!
Cb says
Oh my goodness. Down with the elf! My son was freaked out by noises overnight and he thought it was the elf spying on him!
Anonymous says
No, elf on a shelf was NOT a thing when I was a kid. I didn’t know the Mensch on a Bench was supposed to be moved around until recently. My husband’s (Jewish) aunt was an early adopter because she thinks it’s hilarious, but she just props him up near her partner’s Christmas tree. My husband and I have been joking about getting a Snoop on a Stoop.
Vicky Austin says
Elf on a Shelf was decidedly a feature of a post-Pinterest world. And in my opinion, it deserves all the irrational loathing it gets.
Anonymous says
I would argue that the loathing is quite rational. The concept is creepy and the execution is a PITA.
Vicky Austin says
Ha, fair enough, and my wording that it “deserves irrational loathing” should have tipped me off that I do consider it rational!
Anon says
Yeah, you know what I don’t need every single night in December after my kid goes to bed? Yet another homework project. Who signs up for this???
Spirograph says
+a million to not needing another homework project. I have so much self-appointed Christmas-related homework in December already! And then the additional homework of wrapping the presents that everyone just sent direct to my house from Amazon. And then the additional homework of every kid activity having a holiday party/showcase.
I was tapped to organize the holiday party for the people in my dept at my office location and I am so proud of myself for just asking my assistant to make us a reservation for a couple hours during the work day at the local bowling lanes, wearing a holiday sweater, and calling it good. If that wasn’t festive enough, someone else can do it next year.
Anonymous says
my opinion too, the entire concept is creepy… they have ‘santa cam’ ornaments too, which i find equally abhorrent.
Anon says
Elf on a Shelf has only been around since 2005. the people who started it clearly have an amazing marketing/publicity team. if you enjoy it great, otherwise no need for mom guilt about not doing it
Anon says
I also used to think that SAHMs moms would do this stuff so much better! But as a new-ish convert to being a SAHM to a toddler and preschooler, I did not find this magical fount of time and energy to do cute holiday stuff when I quit my 9-5. Maybe it hits when the youngest goes to kindergarten? Please?
Spirograph says
I think it must. If anything, I’d think a SAHM of a toddler and preschooler has LESS energy at the end of the day than a mom who got “a break” for paid work. I’m the oldest and have zero memories of any Extra stuff my mom did before my younger siblings were in at least part-day preK, but once we were all in elementary school, she channeled a lot of her natural type A tendencies into making holidays magical. (Of course, that’s not necessarily how you should spend your magical fount of time and energy, should it appear!)
Anon says
yes, i think being a SAHM of kids who dont go to school is MUCH more exhausting than working. i think SAHM of elementary schoolers have more free time since their kid are out of the house for 7 hours a day
Pogo says
Yes if you are home with your kids all day your full time job is watching those kids! I think the only difference is you get their naptime. If you wanted to squeeze some pinteresting in then instead of laundry or god forbid having a hot coffee and minute to yourself.
anon says
I realized Saturday that I hadn’t actually bought any Christmas outfits for a Sunday event. Oops. I made a last-minute trip to Old Navy, hoping to find something, and everything was completely picked over and only available in random sizes. My sisters’ kids were all cute in their buffalo plaid, and mine just wore regular clothes. Oh well, it was fine. They’re older and have Opinions about what they wear to family functions these days anyway. Maybe it’s time to give up the holiday clothing, which the grandmas love.
Isabella says
Lol. I bought buffalo check fam-jams, because we generally like plaid and half the family already had some. But I have been chuckling over the fact that EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE is red buffalo check. 2022 will be instantly identifiable in our pics!
anon says
I am pro-buffalo plaid. I love it. Unfortunately, my family has other opinions, haha.
Anonymous says
I went to Trader Joe’s this morning to pick up snacks for holiday hosting and they were out of all the special holiday items–giant boxes of assorted crackers, tins of nuts and snack mixes, frozen appetizers, peppermint pretzels, etc. Grocery shopping a week before Christmas is apparently late?
Vicky Austin says
Oh my gosh, this happened to us over the weekend too – no oyster crackers and absolutely no Christmas sprinkles (which, okay, maybe I’m a bit late, but NONE?).
Anne-on says
Check back in on Tuesday – ours is a wasteland on Monday morning but gets restocked on both Tuesdays/Thursdays. I need to make a trip there too, being half/half with Hannukah this close to Christmas PLUS baking for both has really made my grocery bills insane this year. Also I remembered why I hate frying things, I swear it took my longer to clean up the stove/safely dispose of the oil than frying did!
Isabella says
I also love the trappings of holidays for kids, and my (working single) mom went all out for them, especially baking. I’ve had to scale back this year, but tbph, I’m spending my time on Christmas fun and letting go on the chores like laundry and bathrooms.
Anon. says
My cop out this year was the cookie boxes for neighbors. We got plates of homemade goodies from all of them. I reciprocated with cake balls from the Sam’s Club bakery department and I don’t even feel bad, I feel like a genius.
Anon says
I typed out a long reply, realized it sounded sanctimonious instead of helpful and decided to just go with yes, you should lower your standards to what you really care about and enjoy (as opposed to what someone else thinks you should), and then next year break those activities up throughout the course of December, because in no universe should you use the same weekend to do lights, cookies and holiday cards and still expect to maintain your sanity.
Anonymous says
you’re right! they do all make me happy, but my attempt at staggering them failed. I put some lights up the first weekend of Dec, just not enough. I was proud of myself for ordering the cards early, but then they arrived after the original delivery window last Monday and I had no time or energy to tackle them during the week. Cookies for teachers and the neighbors were always going to be this weekend. next year i’ll try again!
SC says
Yes, lower your standards. I was feeling great about myself because I finished most of the “work” of Christmas (shopping, wrapping, cards, decorating) early this year, and I thought nicely spaced out. I was excited to enjoy holiday events in the community and bake multiple batches of cookies the last weekend before Christmas. And then, absolute f*ing burn-out this weekend. We skipped train rides with Santa on Saturday. I never got around to buying anything to decorate cookies. I didn’t change out of pajamas either day. Yesterday, we watched Home Alone and Home Alone 2 on the couch. Today, I feel pretty recharged, which is a good thing because (a) we have plans every night between Dec 21 and 27, and (b) it’s looking possible to likely that DH and I will need to make an 8-hour road trip for a funeral between Christmas and New Years.
Anonymous says
I was a SAHM, and never did all of the things. do what you love the most and leave the rest.
Clothing help! says
Help! I need to order dresses for my girls (sizes 5T and 6) to wear to neighborhood New Years Eve Party. I’m picturing long sleeves and velvet and don’t want to spend more than $25 per dress ideally and am somehow having trouble finding something I like. Open to not long sleeves nor velvet if anyone can suggest better for a surburban young kid evening party at a neighbor,s house vibe (I often mange to guess totally wrong on the suburban dress code). Suggestions?
TheElms says
This one goes to 5T
https://www.target.com/p/toddler-girls-39-velour-tulle-long-sleeve-dress-cat-38-jack-8482-gray-5t/-/A-85967381?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000086349142&CPNG=PLA_Kids%2BShopping_Traffic_Local_Traffic%7CKids_Ecomm_AA&adgroup=SC_Kids&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=c&location=9061285&targetid=aud-1739091817841:pla-1069759242670&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtICdBhCLARIsALUBFcERcxUhyMgei8aZbh8FNmjfmSKLIbrrHaXgyjrQmLfk2TqLqXb8YPMaAlrHEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
OP says
Ohh – that is very cute and has a matching girls version!
Cb says
H&M cotton velvet dresses? Can you get Polarn I Pyret in the US? There were some very cute printed velvet dresses in their sale email.
Anon says
Polarn delivers in the US and they are pricey. I did get some hot deals on holiday dresses earlier this year, though.
Mary Moo Cow says
Hanna Andersson’s got you covered in velour, tulle, and holiday print. Some are about $32, but the quality is good and you can usually resell. (We have the rainbow tulle dress and I can vouch for quality and softness.) you could also try searching for HA on Kidizen, ThredUp, or Poshmark, but it might not arrive before NYE.
startup lawyer says
I just bought one from Hanna Andersson (it’s around $30 on sale)
Anon says
look at old navy and children’s place as well (they have a simple long sleeve velvet). also- just ask what the dress code is, some kids might be in their regular clothes or pjs. my girls have the shimmer star dress in soft tulle from hanna anderson and it washes incredibly well for something with tulle. they even wear it to school. we have it in pink, which looks like is sold out. target also has some. while i now live in a warm climate, i’ve never understood why so many of the holiday dresses are sleeveless/short sleeved. h&m s another place to check
Pogo says
Hanna Andersson has some!
Anon says
Zara kids has really good dresses right now
TheElms says
I think my link is stuck in mod – but look at Target there are some fun sparkly velour and tulle dresses both in toddler and kid sizes.
Diapers says
Would you rather do Disneyland with a toddler still in diapers or one who has recently been potty trained?
We have a Disneyland trip planned for May with my toddler who will be 2.5. We don’t need to potty train yet for daycare. He has sat on the potty just fine but never used it.
Trying to decide if it would be easier to bring a diaper bag and not have to worry about going to the bathroom constantly, or if not needing the diaper bag (but presumably needing a change of clothes just in case) would be more convenient.
AwayEmily says
Definitely diapers.
Anon says
+1,000,000
Also, for a newly trained 2.5 year old (that’s still pretty young for potty training! Doable but young) and a full day of chaos at Disneyland you would probably need more than one change of clothes and plenty of wipes, fwiw.
NYCer says
+2,000,000
Anonymous says
Diapers for sure at that age.
Anon says
Diapers.
Anon2 says
Diapers. 2.5 is a prime time to potty train (yes, even boys) but IMO doing it any earlier is a fools errand with most kids. Plus, it’ll be at least 1-2 months after training that you can comfortably trust your kid out and about for an entires day. I’d go to Disney in diapers and train a couple weeks after you return.
Anon says
We just took my 2.5 year old to Disneyland for my oldest’s birthday and we intentionally did not potty trained him prior to that trip. We are going to try to potty train soon but it was so much easier not having to make bathroom stops all of the time.
Diapers OP says
Thanks all! Sounds like diapers it is!
Anon says
i know it is only normal given the season, but yesterday was a day. my 4.5 year old twins must have asked every 30 minutes when the sun is going to set and we can light the menorah, eat gelt and open presents. their behavior was atrocious all day in anticipation. i think i prefer when Chanukah falls before winter break starts cause if yesterday was any indication, it is going to be a long 8 days…
Anon says
We’ve always been lax with the timing of Hanukkah on weekends.
Party Favors and the Patriarchy says
Feeling compelled to share an anecdote from this weekend because it just struck me so hard.
My kids (2.5 girl and 5 boy) attended a princess themed birthday party a few weeks ago. All the girls got fairy wands with their goody bag. My son was one of only three boys invited; the boys got plastic swords. The swords were of course a hit and my kids play with ours regularly still and share well. This weekend after a game of knight and dragon my daughter found her fairy wand in the toy box. She looked at it, looked at her brother’s sword and came and sat in my lap then sadly said, “Why did the girls not get swords?” We decided she could use her wand to do magic to stop the dragon, but it was sort of a lame attempt as compared to the sword. She’s not yet 3 but she knew that the boys were treated differently from the girls.
anon says
Your 2.5 year old is speaking in seven word sentences and remembering the gender breakdown of favors from a party that was weeks ago?
ElisaR says
relax anon at 2:26
Anon says
Meh the sentence seems plausible to me, particularly if the kid is almost 3. And if she has a brother and noticed their toys aren’t the same, that’s where it’s coming from. Not a memory of what happened weeks ago.
Pogo says
Yeah I have a 2y4mo old and he could put that together easy. He talks about a triangle that he colored at daycare like two weeks ago. And this morning reported to me that I needed to fix the batteries in the toy train and I needed the screwdriver. If it’s about something his brother got that he didn’t, he would find the ability to communicate it.
Anonymous says
Yep, my 2y3m would notice and be able to put a sentence like that together. She a) does remember things that happened 3+ weeks ago, and b) notices when others get different things than she does (and when they get the same things).
HSAL says
At his second birthday, my son asked “mommy can I have a hairstyle too?” when I was doing his sister’s hair. A 7 word sentence at 2 1/2? Easily.
EDAnon says
I have a super verbal kid and can validate that he could definitely speak this sentence at that age. He was always blowing people’s minds. And his memory is amazing – I claim it’s because they have so much less to remember!
If it helps, he’s still working on social emotional stuff that other kids get more easily. Everyone has their strengths.
Anon says
That’s infuriating. I have a 5 year old girl who is really big into superheroes and ninjas and would have probably had a full-on meltdown if she’d been at that party. I really hate how early the gender stereotyping starts.
Anon says
yes, i spent a lot of time on saturday trying to explain to my two 4 year old girls that there is no such thing as ‘boy’ colors and ‘girl’ colors and that everyone can like any color. also, i personally would never give out a weapon themed toy
Anon says
Lol…I used to think in these lofty ideals until I had a 7-year-old (boy…maybe it’s social conditioning, but I came from an all-girl family and yah my three boys are just much more physical than I or my sisters). We gave out blow-up ninja swords after his party at a ninja course, to the girls & boys.
My boys also have and love their foam swords from Sarah’s silks. Sword fighting looks like the last thing *I’d* want to be doing, but it seems to meet a (sensory, social, physical) need for many kids
Anon 2:41 says
Yeah I also thought I would never have violent toys and that was never my interest as a kid but now I have a girl who is super into that stuff and we have a lot of swords and even a (gasp!) toy gun.
Anon says
Well, there’s giving them to your kids and then there’s giving them to other people’s kids at a party.
Anonymous says
My child has taught me that any toy can be a weapon! It would not occur to me that an unrealistic foam sword is remotely objectionable, and I live in a liberal bubble.
Pogo says
I try really hard on the boy/girl colors. It’s funny because my son’s lovey is a tiny pink plush doll, but at the same time, he declares pink a girl color.
I blame a lot of the toys/marketing/TV. Like Skye being the ‘pink’ Paw Patrol member and Everest being ‘purple’.
Anon says
Paw Patrol is the worst for the color stereotyping.
Anonymous says
For reasons unrelated to our stance on weapons, I would be SO SO SO MAD to have a toy sword given to my kids because as noted below they likewise already make everything into a weapon and I really don’t need anything else in my home broken due to waving swords around.
Induced early due to baby measuring large says
Were any of you induced (or recommended to be induced) early due to “baby measuring big”?
Baby boy measured 7lbs6oz at today’s 36 week MFM scan (+40 and IVF so I see both a regular OB and a MFM). Plan has always been to induce at 40+1 if he hasn’t made an appearance, which is the same route we took with previous baby. However, I’m wondering if they’re going to start talking about a 39 week induction.
Stories and data/anecdata, please!
In case this context matters, my first induction (just pitocin, otherwise unmedicated) was a vaginal birth. Hoping for a repeat. I wear a Jcrew size 8 when I’m not pregnant and I’m 5-8 so I don’t think I’m small from a birthing standpoint.
Induced early due to baby measuring large says
Were any of you induced (or recommended to be induced) early due to “baby measuring big”?
Baby boy measured 7lbs6oz at today’s 36 week MFM scan (+40 and IVF so I see both a regular OB and a MFM). Plan has always been to induce at 40+1 if he hasn’t made an appearance, which is the same route we took with previous baby. However, I’m wondering if they’re going to start talking about a 39 week induction.
Stories and data/anecdata, please!
In case this context matters, my first induction (just pitocin, otherwise unmedicated) was a v– birth. Hoping for a repeat. I wear a Jcrew size 8 when I’m not pregnant and I’m 5-8 so I don’t think I’m small from a birthing standpoint.
Anonymous says
That doesn’t seem very big? I was induced at 41+6, partly because they thought my baby was 10 pounds, and he was 9 even, born at 42+0.
Anonymous says
I was 5’10”, 160lbs. I have child-bearing hips. I was 10lbs. My sister was nearly 11lbs. My brother was 10.5lbs. My baby was “measuring big” at 8lbs and they wanted to induce. I laughed and said the baby was probably more like 9lbs. They said “no way do you have a 9 lb baby in there.” I guess I carried low or something but guess whose baby was nearly 10lbs? Delivered vaginally, only a small tear. My subsequent kids were high 8 to low 9 pounders, too.
Pogo says
Late in the day, but fellow big birther here. I think if you have had a successful birth you could make the argument that your body is well prepared, even if baby is big. Interesting with IVF that they want to induce as IVF is SUPER accurate on timing as opposed to normal LMP dating.
Anyway, you wanted some anecdata, my second was 6oz bigger than his brother, coming into the world at 9lb2oz, and he literally slid right out. I think he came at 39+5. My OB was not talking about induction until after 40w so it wasn’t on my radar, but just giving you support that if you really feel like your body can do it, you can probably do it. I personally wanted him to cook in there as long as possible so I could finish my nesting, but I also would not have really complained too much with an induction at 39? He still would have been like 9lbs tho!
Both my kids were high %ile for the first year and then started to lean down a bit. I just make big babies!
Anon says
Agreed that this doesn’t seem that big. These measurements are notoriously not super accurate, and weight doesn’t matter that much anyway since fat squishes. I was induced at 40+3 for medical reasons and had a really smooth and fast birth of an 8 lb 6 oz baby. I’m very tall but my OB said that it has more to do with pelvis size/shape which apparently isn’t very correlated to height.
Anonymous says
Late in day but I’m the same size as you and my second baby was 9lbs7oz. We didn’t know he’d be big until the day of when he “measured” 10lbs3oz, so they were off by a fair bit. My first was like 7lbs, and my second birth was WAY easier and very minor tearing. Much easier recovery. His head also wasn’t that much bigger than his sisters, the extra weight was length and fat. I was totally freaked out when they said he was big but I repeated “women have big babies every day” to myself and had an epidural free birth. We were all prepared for shoulder dystocia (my cousin has a child with permanent injuries from this) or a c-section but it was totally fine!!!