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Beauty and Makeup Monday: Sarasara UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen

Makeup and Beauty for Busy Moms· Recent Recs | ·

Readers have been singing the praises of this sunscreen, and it’s my favorite — give it a try if you’re looking for a lightweight daily sunscreen to go on top of your moisturizer. It’s SPF 50. There’s a great blog post from Fifty Shades of Snail about why Asian beauty brands are so much better for sunscreen — it’s an interesting read and I haven’t looked back since. Biore Sarasara UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen SPF50 (Psst: I’ve seen some commenters on Corporette noting that there are bad reviews of newer versions of the sunscreen, so you should pay attention to the color of the bottle you get — I’ve always gotten this light blue bottle and have been happy with the feel of the product and presume it’s working fine as a sunscreen.) This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Sales of Note…

(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)

Kid/Family Sales

  • J.Crew – Up to 50% off kids’ camp styles; extra 50% off select sale
  • Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
  • Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off summer pajamas; up to 50% off all baby styles (semi-annual baby event!)
  • Carter’s – Summer deals from $5; up to 60% off swim
  • Old Navy – 30% off your order; kid/toddler/baby tees $4
  • Target – Kids’ swim from $8; summer accessories from $10

See some of our latest articles on CorporetteMoms:

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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!

Comments

  1. RDC says

    Kiddo has his first trip to the dentist tomorrow. Our regular go-to, Daniel Tiger, apparently doesn’t go to the dentist :( Other kids shows that have a dentist visit? Preferably that we can find on Netflix or YouTube? We’ve been talking about it but just want to give him some idea what to expect.

    • Anon in NYC says

      My daughter has her first dentist appointment tomorrow too! Good luck!

    • Momata says

      In book form, Maisy also goes to the dentist. Charlie’s teeth are “dazzling!”

    • Jax says

      There was a bizarre Yo Gabba Gabba episode all about teeth–cleaning, losing baby teeth, the Tooth Fairy. It was so weird it’s burned into my memory forever.

      • rakma says

        Is Bubble Guppies the most catchy kid’s show theme song? It’s gonna be in my head alllllll day

      • EB0220 says

        It is definitely the most catchy. When I first heard it, I wanted to cry. Now I kind of like it. Noooo….

        • JayJay says

          My kids don’t watch it anymore, but I used to pick which BG’s episode we’d watch based on which songs I wanted to sing along to.

  2. L says

    For a less drying Korean sunblock, I like Missha Soft Finish Sun Milk SPF 50+ (which I learned about from the Corporette blog comments!)

  3. Anon says

    I still swear by the Neutrogena Healthy Defense moisturizer for sensitive skin – purescreen, and I use the SPF 50+. If it’s a beach or other primarily outdoors day, recommend the CeraVe sunscreen stick for face – definitely heavier application and more whiteish, but works like a charm for heavy sun days. I have to use mineral sunscreens because the chemical ones make my psoriasis flare.

  4. Jax says

    Anyone have Pilates or Yoga DVD recommendations? I’m not looking for a hardcore workout, I’m picturing something I can do in a calming, stretching, this-feels-amazing, Zen state in my bedroom at night.

    (That probably sounds weird! By hey–thought I’d ask!)

    • SC says

      I like Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube (not a DVD or available to download, that I know of, if you’re looking for something to use where you don’t have internet). She has a variety of videos, including some more calming, stretching ones. And it’s free!

      • Jax says

        Thanks, that’s perfect, actually! I can pull up YouTube on my TV in my bedroom–away from the kids and husband. I hate working out with the family milling in and out of the room, so I’m isolating myself in my bedroom!

    • Anonymous says

      If you have some experience with yoga already, I really love Shiva Rea’s stuff. Her DVDs are definitely a bit longer and offer some advanced variations, but you can set up a shorter flows with the Yoga Matrix, and there are pre-made “lunar flows” that are meant to be more relaxing/calming. I have Yoga Shakti, Fluid Power and Daily Energy, and there are bits in all of them that would meet what you’re looking for.

      Note, I wouldn’t recommend Shiva Rea for a beginner unless you really do want to just sit down and watch the DVD the first time through (which, honestly, the scenery is pretty, and production quality is pretty high so it’s not the worst thing in the world) so you know what’s coming. If you’re not familiar with the poses, her cuing won’t necessarily get you there.

  5. AEK says

    Hating Monday more than usual today. I got a ton of extra time with my toddler this weekend (husband was working) and even though he ran me ragged and I got nothing else productive done, we had so much fun. I really miss him today. That happens a lot on Mondays, but I feel more sadness and separation anxiety than usual. Sigh.

    Also waiting to hear about a job with reason to think the call is coming in the next few days. Not helping the anxiety!

    • Anon says

      I have “Monday blues” on weekends where I actually get to spend time with my husband. Makes the shock of all day Monday without seeing him harder. I imagine it will only get worse when the baby girl arrives. As we say at home, “Mondays are hard.”

  6. Knope says

    Today is my first day back at work after 3 and a half months of maternity leave. I am having a hard time resisting the urge to just stare into space and enjoy the quiet and not having to worry about the well-being of a small human. Also, I feel like I have to fight through a fog in my brain when I try to work. Normal?

    • Spirograph says

      Normal! I felt like my brain was shaking rust off for a couple months after maternity leave.

      Also, after a very frustrating day with my kids yesterday, I am also resisting the urge to just stare into space and enjoy quiet. So that part doesn’t go away. :)

    • AEK says

      Sounds familiar to me, although mine was because I didn’t feel ready. It was months later before I felt truly “with it” at work. The adjustment was emotionally and mentally exhausting, and it took a while to think clearly and work to capacity.
      It sounds like you are enjoying work as a reprieve, and that’s great. Forgive yourself for not being 100% right away; worrying about your performance will only stress you out. Brain fog can’t be rushed:)

    • Katala says

      Yep, normal. Hoping the brain fog clears up soon because I have to take a test next month! :-/

  7. Petty says

    I am a regular going anon for this because it’s pettyAF, but I might be willing to be told I should suck it up and do the thing I don’t want to…

    Husband and I are prepping to fly across the country with our 2.5 year old. It’s two flights, an hour transfer in between, and I’m moderately stressed about keeping the kid happy and amused. This weekend I bought some shiny new toys (from the dollar store) and gathered up stickers and whatever, and downloaded some *new* Daniel Tiger on the iPad. So I was feeling good.

    I also prepped some snacks. Well, a lot of snacks. A smorgasbord! Here’s what I had packed (planning to supplement with cheese and fruit right before we left): dried cranberries, dried apples, banana chips, raisins, fake-healthy cheese-it knock offs, granola bars, lara bars… and those keebler cheddar cracker peanut butter sandwich things. My husband flipped OUT about the keebler things, “those are so gross. why do you even have them? did you read the ingredients?!” etc. etc. (Probably worth noting here that while we try to avoid processed foods generally, we are by no means religious about it. And he put Froot Loops in her lunch for today.) When he wouldn’t listen to my, “you’ll be glad I packed something new and exciting for her” logic and kept harping on how gross they were and how shocked he was at my parental failing by packing them, I said “fine, you’re in charge of snacks!” and… [here’s where it gets real petty]

    I unpacked everything I had prepared. Dumped the dried fruits back in their containers, moved the granola bars to MY purse for ME, and threw away the damned crackers.

    I am planning on leaving it, and answering, “Daddy is in charge of snacks” when the kid begs for food, and maybe quietly gloating when he has to buy her a $5 thing of Pringles on the plane… but should I cave for my own sanity?

    • Anonymous says

      I would have been equally annoyed. But if kiddo is a disaster on the plane because he/she doesn’t have snacks it will be equally painful for you. I would pack them away and, if necessary, gloat a little when you pull them out if necessary and a crisis is averted.

    • AwayEmily says

      Yes. Cave for your own sanity. If it makes you feel better, bring the snacks “for yourself” and then magnanimously share them when disaster inevitably strikes.

    • mascot says

      Maybe he wanted you to buy the Lance Toast Chee pb crackers instead? Kidding. Does he have some deep dark fear of vending machine snacks? Both my husband and I would have probably reacted the same way you did had the other person critiqued the snack plan, but I don’t think that fixes things long term. Now that everyone has calmed down, I’d had a conversation with him about not interferring with ownership of tasks and not criticizing your spouse for something like this. We also find that our kid is pretty perceptive regarding these little snipes and tantrums we sometimes aim at each other and that’s not the kind of behavior we want him copying. So we have to be the bigger person/assume good intentions and hope that he picks up on that instead.

      • Petty says

        UGH that’s a great point, that she’ll know “Daddy is in charge of snacks” means “eff Daddy, Mommy is MAD.”

        grrrrrrrrr OK, secret snack stash will go in my purse.

    • Spirograph says

      Eh, I’m petty AF about some things too, so this sounds basically like I could have written it.

      With the caveat that I’ve only done one cross-country flight with a 2.5 year old, it actually went REALLY well. Like, long nap, no meltdowns, minor walking up and down the aisles, kid was largely happy to look out the window and talk to me about things that fly for the couple hours he was awake. Keep the granola bars in your purse, and be prepared to share one with the kiddo if necessary, but otherwise I think you’ll be OK standing your ground. And since you have a connection, that will be a chance for your husband to stock up on snacks if necessary.

    • anon says

      I think you have every reason to be annoyed, but realistically, your solution is not going to benefit you in the long run. First, I think if you haven’t already, tell him “I spent a lot of time preparing for this trip, and I felt hurt that you were leveling such petty criticism at my efforts. I need you to take on more of travel prep yourself and also not criticize minor decisions I make about the things I handle.” Further, if you really think he isn’t going to prep his husband-approved snacks (raw vegan kale jerky?), wait until the night before, ask him if he remembered to prep the snacks, and then if not, ask him to do it then or do it yourself? I wouldn’t just secretly bring them; that’s setting a trap for him, and that kind of thing breeds enmity.

      Also, I applaud mascot’s suggestion of Toast Chee, although I prefer Nip Chee for serious snacking.

      • Petty says

        Blah this is a good point too. The Person I Want To Be would have an adult conversation with him. But The Person Who Is Really Annoyed doesn’t want to.

        • anon says

          I think you can wait until you are feeling more the person you want to be.

    • rakma says

      So I think you’ve gotten some good advice about the practical matters of it (I agree with bring the snacks and have an adult conversation)

      But also: harping on the ingredients? For a vacation snack? That’s something I’m giving serious side eye too. If you had a list of ‘things we will never feed our kid’ and these were on it and you were trying to unilaterally change it, maybe I could see this level of complaint. But as a once in a blue moon something fun to pull out on a friggin long plane ride (that will be long and hard even if everything goes right!?!)

      I’d unpack the snacks in front of him. Let him see me put the dried fruit back in the bag. And then, on the plane, pull out those PB cheese crackers and make a big deal about how delicious they are. (and they are. Weird, but delicious)

      • Petty says

        Yeah, the other thing that’s going on here is that he gets really weird and anxious when we visit his family/his family visits us. That’s got to be a factor because he knows the difference between a one-time junky treat and not caring about kiddo’s nutrition.

        • anon says

          ugh, i feel your pain. We’re about to embark on our hellish semi annual trip to see my husband’s Dad in a Godforsaken Place that is miserable and also incredibly expensive to get to. He’s all grumpy about it and I’m just feeling like dude, think how I feel – I’m not even related to this person! You should be telling me how great I am for doing this rather than taking out your grievances on me.

          • Petty says

            Well, it’s a relief to know I’m not the only one who faces this dynamic. :-/

      • Jax says

        Are you annoying and obnoxious about clean eating, and point out how bad H’s food choices are? If not, then harping on the ingredients in an emergency pack of crackers was a d!ck move on his part.

        • Petty says

          I am absolutely not obnoxious about clean eating. Life is short, and I want to balance ~fun~ while keeping my health in mind as I move through it. Also I love Doritos too much to give anyone a hard time for their choices.

          • Jax says

            Then, yeah. He was taking travel stress out on you and that’s not okay!

    • Petty says

      And then, of course, there’s the part where I will feel really inane saying, “hey, you hurt my feelings about the keebler crackers last night…” :-/

      • Anonymous says

        I hear you, but now that I’ve gone through an entire, $100k+ divorce, I’m real up front with my new partner about: “hey I know this sounds stupid but you really hurt my feelings and I need to feel like we are a team, so here’s why I’m p!ssed at you.”

      • Anonymous says

        I just texted my husband that I was sorry for interrupting him while he was saying something about the closet, so…yeah, it feels silly, but I also felt better after doing it.

    • Petty says

      Wow, so, I got an unsolicited apology text: “Sorry for giving you a hard time about [kid’s] snacks” so I responded “Thanks for saying that.*” and then explained how it was frustrating to be critiqued when I was trying to do a good, nice, helpful thing to make a stressful event easier.

      So I guess this ends up being a win for adult interactions instead of petty fights.

      *Thanking someone for apologizing instead of saying “it’s OK” has been the most amazing thing in my life…

      • Momata says

        Yay! Sounds like you guys are both self-aware, caring people who put each other first. Well done Team Petty.

      • SC says

        I’m glad it worked out. But I have to say, I literally laughed out loud picturing myself unpacking all the snacks, throwing away the crackers, and storming off because that is exactly what I would do in that situation.

    • Sabba says

      Maybe I’m a jerk, but I wouldn’t cave. I would remind him one more time that he is in charge of snacks. Also, DH and I usually split up on planes so that one of us has peace and quiet. Consider doing this and making sure that DH has first leg. Most flights have snacks in flight for purchase.

  8. AwayEmily says

    Also, just to add a note of sympathy — that sounds super annoying. And to my mind, one of the whole points of feeding your child healthy 98% of the time is so that the other 2% of the time you can totally blow their mind with keebler peanut butter crackers.

    • mss says

      Yes, and the airplane is the best time to blow their mind! Lollipops for the win!

  9. anonanonanon says

    I second the suggestion to secretly pack some anyway and gloat when they’re needed. Still get the satisfaction of being right without having to be miserable the whole flight.
    And don’t worry, we all have our moments :-)

  10. AIMS says

    How do you wean your kid off a bottle at bedtime? Our pediatrician said that baby AIMS shouldn’t go to sleep with a bottle anymore but that’s basically our routine – stories, bottle, pacifier. It works like a charm but now we have to give up 2 out of 3 (pacifier is bad too apparently).
    She’ll fall asleep without a bottle if you lie down with her in our bed but I don’t want to trade one bad habit for another. We’ve tried giving her milk in a sippy cup and then brushing teeth but she refuses. Just going cold turkey has resulted in major tears and we’ve relented both times. Explanations haven’t worked yet. Ideas? She’s 1.5.

    • anon says

      This is not from personal experience but have you tried gradually transitioning to a bottle of water by diluting the milk? I think tooth decay is the major concern at this age. Eventually potty training will demand less liquid at bedtime but you are years away from that.

    • Marilla says

      We still use a pacifier for bedtime – our daughter is around the same age. Slowly trying to reduce her attachment to it but I’m not pushing it very aggressively. This is probably super biased advice, but I wouldn’t try to break two habits at once. If the bottle is the real issue (milk pooling around her teeth at night) then I would focus on that and leave the pacifier alone for now. Can you switch in something different? Stories, song or walk around the room saying good night to everything, pacifier, bed?

      • SC says

        Our pediatrician has advised us to focus on one habit at a time, so I think it’s great, unbiased advice.

    • Anonymous says

      1.) Single mom, didn’t wean my kid off bottles til she was 2.5
      2.) Moved to a new place and “forgot” to pack the bottles for the first few nights, when we just did slumber parties at the new place, then magically never unpacked them.

    • AB says

      When my son turned two, it was really tough to wean him off his first thing in the morning “ba ba” even though he was eating regular food the rest of the day. What we ended up doing was giving him some kind of a cookie first thing in the morning instead–enough to distract him from the ba ba, which a sippy cup wouldn’t do–then move along with the day. After a few days of cookies, we stopped that, and then the connection to the ba ba wasn’t quite as hysterical. Probably not Mom of the Year methodology, but it got us there. Basically, I wouldn’t worry about “trading one bad habit for another” if you’re disciplined about keeping the new “habit” temporary.

    • RR says

      I just stopped the bedtime bottle right after their first birthday. But, I let them have pacifiers at night much longer. And there’s no way I’d try to do both at the same time! Maybe a bottle of water instead of milk?

      • AIMS says

        Thanks all! I think I am going to try diluted milk to water. And I am not dealing with pacifier until this is done with. I think the attachment is to the bottle itself so fingers crossed!

  11. anonanonanon says

    Hey all- maternity Monday question. I bought the gap ankle pants recommended on here today (btw 40% off with code SUNSHINE) but would love recs on the following two items:
    Best maternity white button-up shirt
    Best maternity white T-shirt (that’s not too see-through)

    Thanks ladies

    • Katala says

      I liked my gap body maternity tees the best. Not super see-through, but I always wore something underneath so not sure how they are on their own.

    • CHJ says

      I like the TopShop maternity boyfriend T that comes in a 2-pack. I got the black/white 2-pack and wear them almost every day (7.5 mo. currently). They are thick and opaque, and I like that they are not ruched on the side – I feel like ruched t-shirts are itchy and make me look bigger than necessary.

    • H says

      I had a white t-shirt from Gap – maybe it was the Pure Body Crew Tee that is available now? It didn’t seem see-through to me.

    • Anon says

      I don’t have the white, but second the Gap body maternity tees. I have a few from Old Navy as well and they aren’t really big enough for my 32 week bump (which is a first bump, so not even that big!).

  12. anonanonanon says

    If I remember correctly I transitioned to water in the bottle at bedtime and he used it a bit for comfort but gradually stopped caring about it

  13. Three and A Half - Not Loving It says

    My 3.5 year old boy is really tough to be around lately – not sure what to do about it and can’t take much more. He hits and kicks me nonstop and does not listen to anything I tell him to do.

    I know you’re supposed to stay calm and ignore him, which has not worked. I give him time outs where I hug him closely so he can’t hurt me, since he will either keep trying or bang his head on the wall in his bedroom until the neighbors complain. I am pretty calm most of the time except when he really hurts me and then I do yell and/or get angry.

    I am a single mom so no one else can take over when I’ve had enough. He used to be so sweet and loving. Anyone else gone through this? Any tips or tricks? Ready to run away from home…

    Thanks for any guidance!

    • anon says

      If it makes you feel any better, I have a friend who is the ultimate super mom. She’s a wonderful, sweet, patient woman and is also kind of the human version of Mrs. Frizzle. She has four kids, ages 8, 5, 3, and 1.

      She’s about to lose her mind with her 3.5 year old daughter. It’s so bad she can hardly handle it. So it’s awful and hard, but you aren’t alone, and it really is terrible sometimes. You aren’t delusional. It will get better with time.

      Is there some other room you can put him in where the neighbors won’t complain? Because that’s what I would do.

    • NewMomAnon says

      Hugs. When it gets to be too much for me, I often take a “mommy time out.” Fifteen minutes locked in my room with a secret stash of chocolate, all alone, just listening to myself breathe. Kiddo often freaks out on the other side of the door and that’s sad, but she is so much calmer after she screams herself hoarse for a few minutes.

      The things that have helped me burn off kiddo’s aggression are: outdoor time (I make her run laps in the hallway if we can’t go outside), physically removing myself from her reach when she’s in beast mode, suggesting a replacement (“Kiddo, you really need to pound something! How about you throw this teddy bear at the interior wall as hard as you can 10 times?”), and whispering really quietly so she can’t hear me unless she holds perfectly still.

      Also, switching daycare really helped. Her old one wasn’t very structured and had a lot of inexperienced teachers. She is so much calmer now that she has more consistency.

    • Spirograph says

      ugh, hugs. My son did this at 3.5, too, and it’s tough. I can reassure you, though, that it is a PHASE. He still has his moments, but he’s creeping up on 4.5 and it’s so much better.

      One suggestion I learned here was to give yourself a time-out, rather than the kid. As long as you’re reasonably certain that he can’t hurt himself or cause too much destruction, of course, but just close yourself in your your room (or the bathroom) for 5-10 minutes.

      There is an energy component to this, I think. How much running-around time does he get at daycare? Can you engage him in some roughhousing physical play, or do you have someone in your life who could (this might be time to find a male babysitter, as discussed last week!) ? Google has lots of suggestions for games like this — one that’s a big hit with my kids is where we try to steal each others socks. No hitting, kicking, biting, etc allowed, but you can wiggle and squirm away all you want. My son also likes to do pillow tackles, which is a genius thing my husband started. Prop up some stiff pillows (like couch cushions or throw pillows) and let kiddo get a running start and flop onto them to knock them down. You can just sit there and reset the pillows. :)

      • mascot says

        For more ideas and philosophies on roughhousing. the book “The Art of Roughhousing” has a bunch of ideas on how to safely facilitate physical play. There are a lot of positive benefits to full body play with kids and we found that it helped teach emotional regulation.
        Mommy time outs are good. Also, play-acting with stuffed animals where kid gets to be in charge/be the parent sometimes helped my child work through big emotions.

        • Three and A Half - Not Loving It says

          Thank you everyone for suggestions and commiseration!

        • NewMomAnon says

          Oh yeah! One way to snap kiddo out of physical aggression is to flip her upside down or carry her around the house like a sack of potatoes. If the aggression is coming from a place of “too much energy,” versus “too many feelings,” some structured physical play is helpful. And thanks for the book rec mascot! I will have to look into that.

    • Anonymous says

      My DH and I went to parenting coaching for a while when we were really struggling with wild tantrums and other bad behavior from our 3 yo. The therapist / coach advised that you can’t really reason with a child until around age 4.5, because they just don’t understanding reasoning / consequences / cause and effect until that age. And truly, I have seen SO MUCH improvement from my child as soon as he turned 4.5. Until then, I think it helps just to realize what you are up against (a person with strong feelings but little logic to them!). Offer sympathy for those feelings (“would you like a hug to help you with your feelings?”) and positive love and attention when you can. It sounds like that’s what you are doing already. Also making sure your kid isn’t too tired, hungry, overwhelmed etc. can obviously help.

    • Jax says

      My husband worked as a therapist in a mental health RTF (residential treatment facility) with children from 6-17. When kids were out of control, hurting others or themselves, they were restrained. They held the kids on the floor–face down–with one adult holding their hands behind their back and one holding their legs. The kids weren’t released until they were calm, and then they had to talk about it. What triggered it…what were they feeling..how could they express that better next time. It wasn’t pretty, and parents sent their kids there because they were out of options.

      At 3-1/2, you can restrain him just by standing behind him, or holding his arms from behind and then sitting in a chair (so he can’t kick at your legs). You can calmly and firmly tell him, “NO. You don’t hit and kick me. You don’t hit your head on the wall. WHEN YOU ARE CALM, I’LL LET YOU GO.” Then you’ll sit there for the next 10-15 minutes together until he stops the tantrum. The tantrum is over when he’s not fighting against you, and can say, “Yes!” when you ask if he’s done.

      At the end, he’ll probably be limp and crying. He’s going to be mad at you and still upset about whatever set off the tantrum. Have him *make eye contact with you* while you quietly explain that his behavior is not okay, and that he needs to apologize. You can give him the language, “Say, ‘I’m sorry I hit you, Mommy.'” but he has to say it. (This may take another 10 minutes of tears and fighting.) It’s important to get this apology, and it’s important to have him look you in the eyes while he says it. As tired or shaken as you are, try to get past this step.

      Then you can say, “I forgive you, and I love you. It’s NEVER okay to hit Mommy, even when you are really angry. It’s NEVER okay to hurt yourself. Talk to me! Use your words, and tell me when you’re angry. I will always listen to you!” You can give him the words to describe what he was mad about (ex., “I wanted to play outside and you said no. That makes me mad!”) Then you can finish up with hugs, and move on to the next activity of the evening as brightly and cheerfully as you can.

      If you’re consistent, his tantrums of lashing out, hurting others or himself, will stop. You’ll be able to go back to time outs, or sending him to his room to calm down. Right now, he needs some help learning how to control himself. Otherwise, he could continue to tantrum and hurt others as he grows. It’s going to get harder and harder to contain him. You want to try to get through this period now.

      I’ve been there with my girls–one of them head butted me and gave me a bloody nose around that age. It’s exhausting work but it pays off when you have preschoolers who can get upset, but then talk and reason (a bit) rather than tantrum.

      • Jax says

        Always, go with your gut! If restraining him feels wrong to you, try another route. I think we each have to find the right combination of words/discipline/alone time to handle our kids. Each one is different.

  14. Midwest Mama says

    Apropos of the dentist question above….my 5 yo has to get a cavity filled. Any tips so she doesn’t freak out when they attempt the Novocaine shot? The dentist said they prefer I wait in the waiting room so I don’t “make a face” and scare her, but I would rather be there for her. Thoughts/advice greatly appreciated.

    • Anonymous says

      I would not let my child get a shot without me. I would explain to the dentist that I have been there for all of her shots and blood test since she was a baby and I will find another dentist. Sorry, I am pro-vaccine and pro-shot and I feel like the whack jobs are causing the rest of us trouble.

    • mascot says

      How does she normally do with shots? For doctor’s office shots, we are honest with our kid that there will be a shot, that it will hurt just a bit and then it will end. Insert appropriate reward as necessary. Thye should be able to numb the area pretty well although I’d tell her that it may tingle/sting.
      I had to convince a doctor to let me stand and hold my kid’s feet while he got stitches above his eye (no I won’t pass out, no I won’t make a face, yes I can keep him calm). Everyone kept their composure and it went quickly. I think you can respectfully stand your ground while also following their directions.

  15. CPA Lady says

    Just wanted to share a small parenting victory.

    My kid is almost 3 and still has a pacifier for bedtime only and has been drinking a bottle of milk every morning. I haven’t taken away her bottle because it was the only way I could get her to drink enough liquid in one sitting to be able to give her her medicine, which needs to be mixed in with liquid. The longer something goes on, the more you kind of freak out about it, you know? Well, I got some awesome reusable silicone pouches (link to follow) and have been giving her a yogurt and berry smoothie in the morning with her medicine mixed in. So, after almost 3 years of daily bottles, they magically “disappeared” and it was a complete non-issue. She has not even asked for one since we started doing the smoothies.

    THANK GOD.

    Now, for the paci…

  16. switching to part-time says

    I am in law and am planning to reduce to part-time, likely 75-80% hours requirement. Based upon prior conversation with my boss, it appears that I will have a fair amount of flexibility on how to structure my schedule. If you are currently part time or could structure your schedule, what would be your recommendation?

    • NewMomAnon says

      How many people provide work to you? I thought I would take Fridays off, but it turns out that I work with too many different attorneys, each of them on a sporadic basis, and could never get that message out to everyone. It was really stressful to try to decline projects with Friday meetings or arrange for last-minute childcare to come into the office for a Friday meeting. So I just started coming in later, taking a consistent lunch break, and leaving earlier a couple days a week.

      I’ve heard others say that it makes more sense for them to come in late 2 days a week, so they get one or two mornings off. Others like taking a full day off each week. The only thing I’ve heard consistently doesn’t work is leaving “early.” It’s too easy to get caught up in a task or a meeting that will take “10 more minutes” and suddenly you’re no longer leaving early.

      • bluefield says

        I have the complete opposite advice and I think that it has to do with what kind of practice you have. I have my own caseload – I have someone I have to run things by, but otherwise I 95% set my own schedule for meetings, court dates, depositions, etc. I take off two full days a week, 90% of the time it’s the same days. It’s easier for me to know in advance what days I won’t be working so I can avoid scheduling things on those days. And people know when I’ll be in and out of the office. But if you have to report to multiple people and have little control over what happens when, then NewMomAnon’s advice makes a lot more sense than mine does.

    • Cornellian says

      Assuming you’re not an owner in the business, +1 everything newmom says.

      I found it useful to have one (just one) hard window of the day I wouldn’t be available for. Since you’re on the moms board, I assume you have kids. For me, it was the ~60 minutes it takes to put my kid to bed. When someone asks you to do something, make a habit of saying “Great, I can turn to that starting at 7 tonight” or whatever your go to line will be.

  17. Anon says

    It’s a good thing we can post anonymously on here. I’m just popping in to complain about thoroughly embarrassing myself–I am almost nine months pregnant and just completely lost it at my local grocery store for the stupidest reason–I left my phone there and they said they had it, but no one would help me and I started sobbing. I couldn’t stop for about an hour. I need to find another grocery store to shop at for the next few months. Or maybe just wear a disguise at my old one. Sigh. (In my defense, I had just gotten out of the hospital for a complication and hadn’t eaten in a long time, but I’m still mortified.)

    • CPA Lady says

      I started crying in a Chinese restaurant picking up my takeout when I was 9oo months pregnant, having horrible braxton hicks and this mom and her 7 or 8 year old kid were sitting in the only chairs in the hallway where you wait to pick up your food. I was so enraged that they didn’t offer me a seat that I started crying. Tell your freaking kid to stand up. Stop being an oblivious jerk. I went home and cried and cried. :) Ahh, happy memories.

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