Make My Life Easier Thursday: Shades Key Ring
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I found this designer from Martha Stewart Living magazine’s latest gift guide. When I saw this key ring they recommended, I thought it was such a unique piece that actually has a day-to-day, functional use. It also jumped out at me because of the situation I’m currently in at work: My office is being renovated so I am in a temporary office on the same floor as the tech guys. Since it’s the tech floor, I either need to be buzzed in or bring my keys with me everywhere I go in the office building. I put the keys on my regular house key ring, but my personal key chain is bulky, ugly, and beat-up. It’s not necessarily something I am proud to lay on the conference table during meetings. If you have a job where you have keys to an office or closet that you need to bring with you, why not upgrade to something pleasant to look at? The key ring is $30 at GeorgJensen.com. Shades Key Ring
Sales of note for 5/14/25
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Beauty Deals up to 25% off (ends 5/17)
- Ann Taylor – Suit Yourself! 30% off suiting (ends 5/16) + 25% off your full price purchase (ends 5/18) + extra 60% off sale (ends 5/14)
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 25% off
- Eloquii – Up to 60% off everything + extra 60% off sale + $1 shipping on all orders
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off long-weekend styles + 50% off select swim and coverups
- J.Crew Factory – Extra 50% off clearance + extra 15% off $100+ + extra 20% off $125+
- M.M.LaFleur – Lots of twill suiting on sale! Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off all markdowns (ends 5/18) + 30% off dresses, skirts, accessories, and shoes
And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
I’m interviewing someone tomorrow for an associate position at my firm. She’s been a stay at home mom for many years. Should I (can I?) ask her anything different than I ask other candidates?
Got a call from preschool teacher yesterday that preschool daughter showed her privates to another kid at school. Teacher said its NBD and it happens all the time. Asked daughter why she would do this, she was sad and embarrassed about it, said that another kid was doing it at school. How do I address this? Is this something I should be worried about? Have no idea how to handle this.
My 3.5 year old is showing great interest in sparkly, “girly” things (she loves putting on lipstick in the mornings with me, loves sequins, pink, etc.). We’re getting her this amazing pink sequined purse for Christmas (I’m sort of jealous), but I’d like to get her some of her own “lipstick” as well so I can stop putting my makeup on her. Are Lip Smackers a good option for this age? I didn’t wear makeup until I was like 14+ so I’m a little lost!
My thought of the day: are we really calling it “solo parenting” every time you’re physically the only parent with your kids? I hate it. Does that mean if one parent is at work that person is not also parenting? I’m a single mom. And I love it. But y’all aren’t solo parenting just because your husband isn’t physically home at a given moment. Your kids still have another parent, you have another parent involved. Does everything need a catchy name? Can’t you just say “mornings are hard because I’m alone with the kids”?
Preschool application help. I have to fill out a preschool application for my 6 month old twins to start school at 15 months (not trying to incite the preschool vs. daycare debate, this is for a program that does not run year round and doesn’t offer full time coverage, so it is a school, though I of course don’t expect them to be doing too much at 15 months). I’m sure you new yorkers are used to this (I went to preschool in nyc as a kid and my mom has ridiculous stories about the application process, but I no longer live there), but what do you write for: (1) what are my child’s strengths? (2) describe your child in 3 adjectives, and (3) how does your child like to spend his/her time? I mean again, my kids are 6 months old, one of them enjoys laying on her back and holding her feet, but i don’t think that is exactly what I am supposed to write. Also, what kind of strengths does a 6 month old have? One of these lovely 6 month olds decided to wake up in the middle of the night last night for 1.5 hours and DH is out of town for work, so my brain is a bit tired for these questions. Help! I’m hoping you ladies have some suggestions
Has anyone been to Italy with kids (my boys are 6 and 3) — in the very early stages of planning something in June. My youngest is on the spectrum so we want an easy, relaxed trip — any specific cities or areas you’d recommend or suggest we avoid are greatly appreciated! Thank you!
My five-year-old is going through a phase where he goes into fits about “copying.” He freaks out if his brother wants the same snack as him, is wearing the same kind of pajamas as him, everything, even if his brother picked his without knowing that it was “copying.” As far as I know, this is only happening at home, not school, but I really don’t know how far it’s going. He is prone to hysterical meltdowns at home, which we have been working on, but I don’t know what the deal is with this obsession! Any advice on how to handle it would be appreciated! Trying to reason with him has been especially unsuccessful.
Ugh, LO was up at 4 a.m. today for no apparent reason. Just wanted to be awake and making mischief. I had my mom get him the Hatch for xmas and I’m seriously debating just having her bring it over so we can start using it. I have a presentation at noon and I’m dyingggg
Any suggestions for finding temporary or permanent infant childcare in Westchester, NY? Moving next month and planned childcare fell through. So far nothing with availability before June. Ideally looking for a nannyshare or daycare in the south eastern part of the county, but willing to be flexible. Looks like urbansitter doesn’t have a lot of listings there – is care.com more utilized? Local Facebook groups? We won’t have a spare bedroom in the new place for an au pair.
I just need to unload something and don’t really know where else to do it–I tried to talk to my husband about it last night, but that just made me feel worse.
I’m not happy at my job and I’ve been looking for a new one off and on for two years. I have some pending applications now. I love my children and they are generally amazing but parenting day to day is not very rewarding or happy right now because of the constant grind and their attitudes and difficult behavior with me and because I solo parent for a good chunk of the weekdays, including ferrying everyone to their activities (which make them happy).
Basically, I tanked my career to raise my kids the way we thought we should raise them. Now my husband has the career I always thought I’d have, ironically, in a field I’ve always wanted to be in but he chose because he didn’t know what else to do. We’re in the same field with the same education and educational honors. I’m proud of him and happy for him and his successes benefit our team. But I’m left feeling crappy about myself as a contributor, as a wannabe career woman, and as a mother. He just got a promotion, and I can’t get an interview. Every woman I personally know who has a career like I always thought I’d have is divorced or childless by choice. My children are at ages where they are just naturally not going to be that grateful or expressive towards me.
When I told my husband these things last night, things I’ve been holding in for so long, I should have know that he’d react with his typical “fix it” mentality (I love him dearly, and know that he seriously lacks in the empathy department, so I shouldn’t have been surprised). Some of the things he suggested for me to “fix it” were right, but it just felt like he was kicking me while I was down. I felt worse, not better. It essentially felt like I told him “I feel bad about myself and these feelings I’m having” and instead of hearing “you’re great! Let me help you feel better about yourself first!”, it was “well, while you’re feeling bad about yourself, here are all the other things you’re also not doing right and here are the things you should be better at if you want to fix this.”
I just wanted to be seen, to be heard, to have someone tell me that I’m a good mom, that I do my best for my family in my own way, that this too shall pass . . . I guess I just gave myself the pep talk I needed. But I’m tired of giving it to myself.
Thanks. I just needed to write that out. Maybe it will help.
That’s very cute! I accused my toddler of stealing my keys this am. He said ‘keys, mama, gone…’ but it was libel and slander as my keys were in my bag, not squirreled away somewhere. He’s got his own set of metal keys but prefers mine.
I’m hoping for some advice about bottle feeding a baby who does not want to bottle feed.
My daughter is a little over two months old. Beginning at three weeks old, we started giving her some bottles with pumped breast milk in addition to breastfeeding her (because breastfeeding was painful for me and I needed a break). She did fine with both most of the time. Sometimes she would get fussy at either the breast or the bottle, but this was a problem that came and went and was temporary. Once breastfeeding was no longer painful for me, I switched to breastfeeding all the time, which lasted two weeks straight.
This past week, my husband tried bottle feeding her and she struggled so much. I figured it would be a one-time fussy moment and the next time would be better, but it wasn’t the case. When she drinks from the bottle, the milk overflows from her mouth and she gasps and shakes her head and cries. Since then, I have tried bottle feeding her 10 times or so, and the most she will get down is one ounce. A couple times she has managed to stay calmer (one time was at 1 am when she was sleepy and didn’t fight it), but the rest of the times it’s the same struggle.
I called a lactation consultant who recommended “paced bottle feeding” (moving the bottle up and down so that the milk isn’t always in the nipple and she has a chance to swallow). She said to keep trying three times a day and that it would be a struggle, but I need to show the baby this is a consistent thing and to teach her again. She said the type of nipple and bottle I was using should be fine and I didn’t need to try others. My pediatrician recommended trying different nipples and having my spouse do the feeding, not me – because babies can sense you are there and want to nurse instead (though my lactation consultant said this wasn’t an issue and that I should feed her). The main type of bottles we have are Munchkin Latch with the Stage 1 slow flow nipple. We’ve also tried Philips Avent Natural with their slowest flow nipple.
But to sum up – I’m worried about taking her to daycare in two weeks if she’s not taking a bottle well. Any tips? Has anyone else gone through this?