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This is a cute top to wear on its own or under a blazer. I like wearing tops under blazers that have some interest around the neckline that the lapels of the blazer will frame. This seems like an inexpensive and fun option that includes that element. The V-neck that ends in a twist at the deepest point in the V is flattering and keeps this top from being just a regular long-sleeved t-shirt. My favorite print option is the black-and-white gingham, but all of the colors are on sale right now at Old Navy for $18–$22 (marked down from $24.99). Soft-Brushed Twisted V-Neck Top 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!Sales of note for 4.18.24
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And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- If you’re a working parent of an infant with low sleep needs, how do you function at work when you’re in the throes of baby’s sleep regression?
- Should I cut my childcare down to 12 hours a month if I work from home?
- Will my baby have speech delays if we raise her bilingual?
- Has anyone given birth in a teaching hospital?
- My child eats everything, and my friends’ kids do not – how should I handle? In general, what is the best way to handle when your child has some skill/ability and your friend’s child doesn’t have that skill/ability?
- ADHD moms, give me your tips to help with things like behavior in the classroom, attention to detail, etc?
- I think I suffer from mom rage…
- My husband and kids are gone this weekend – how should I enjoy my free time?
- I’m struggling to be compassionate with a SAHM friend who complains she doesn’t have enough hours of childcare.
- If you exclusively formula fed, what tips do you have for in the hospital and coming home?
- Could I take my 4-yo and 8-yo on a 7-8 day trip to Paris, Lyon, and Madrid?
AnonATL says
My first prenatal appointment and pregnancy confirmation is today. A little nervous since I’ve been feeling totally normal, and a small part of my brain keeps saying the worst.
Send happy vibes and baby dust.
GCA says
Sending good thoughts!!
Minnie says
Many happy vibes to you! I hope you get good news. Let us know!
strollerstrike says
Good luck! I took my first positive pregnancy test today a year ago and am writing this now while my almost four months old sleeps in his crib next to me. You have exciting times coming ahead!
TheElms says
All the dust! If it helps, I also felt completely normal when I got my confirmation test and through most of my first trimester (almost no nausea) and I currently have a happy healthy 6 month old.
Boston Legal Eagle says
I also felt fairly normal throughout the first trimester, although I did have some nausea but no throwing up, for both pregnancies. Everyone reacts differently so maybe you’re one of the lucky ones OP. Good luck! The first appointment is the most nerve-racking.
AnonLaywer says
Same – nausea kicked in for me at about 11 weeks. I did IVF and was actually so freaked out by the lack of symptoms that I begged my RE to fit me in for an extra ultrasound. She did but was also like “stop googling things now.”
Anon says
Good thoughts to you! I felt almost completely normal throughout my pregnancy with my healthy almost 2 year old girl. A little uncomfortable stomach-wise in the late afternoons around weeks 9-11 but it was more of an “oof I ate too much” feeling (even if I hadn’t eaten anything) rather than an “I need to barf” feeling. I never threw up or came even remotely close.
AnonATL says
Good baby news: heart rate and size are where they should be!
Now I can breathe again. :)
Anon says
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Anon says
Wonderful news, congrats!
ElisaR says
wonderful! congratulations!
GCA says
I’m on day 5 of 7 solo parenting today and the toddler was up and down last night because teeth. Thank goodness for daycare, but now I’m at my desk, have to sort out lots of things on a project before we travel next week, and my brain is flagging. Best suggestions for kicking things up a notch from survival mode?
Cb says
I’m the same, I’m exhausted and have a pile to clear from my desk before we head to the US. I think Pomodoro for me!
Clementine says
I am HERE for you. Currently on week 4 of 11 of solo parenting.
1. Lower your standards. Really. I think we might have scrambled eggs and toast for dinner tonight.
2. Pick one project that will make you feel ‘together’. For me, it’s always doing ALL the laundry.
3. Say no and ask for help. Be okay with leaving the kiddo at daycare for an extra 20 minutes so you can go grab some milk. Accept that you may just have to be a ‘fine’ employee, not a stellar one, because you’ve got to fit life in somehow.
4. Lists. All the lists.
Anon says
omg, 11 weeks of solo parenting! you’re a rockstar! what does your partner do? i hope your partner will be home for a while after this stint
Anon says
Week 6 of 7 over here. We can do this, mama. Solidarity.
Anon says
You’re doing amazing! I’m on day 3 of 3 and haven’t had any illness or night-time wake-ups and I’m still exhausted. Solo parenting is HARD and I’m so impressed by all of you who do it regularly.
Seafinch says
On month five of solo parenting four kids, including an infant and am presently miscarrying. The only thing that helped was extra help. Hire the babysitters. Just having someone to do dinner dishes was a massive help but no one can help with bad nights and it is awful. Full commiseration. I left the kids at home with the nanny yesterday and participated in a 90 minute conference call *while* I 1) drove across town to deliver a xmas present for a colleague to bring to my husband; 2) went to the cobbler; and 3) went to the grocery store all while cramping from the miscarriage and yet simultaneously suffering from morning sickness. I am so over it.
Pogo says
D*mn girl. Hang in there, this sounds rough.
Em says
Holy H*ll. Just want to say I am sorry you are going through that and you are a ROCKSTAR. Actually all of you are rockstars, but especially you Seafinch.
Cate says
I’m so sorry for your loss. Hang in there.
Anon says
I’m a regular solo-parent. Amen to all of the above (esp lists, lowered standards, and being a ‘fine’ employee). Plus I basically survive on caffeine. Black coffee until noon then I switch to Coke Zero – of all the vices to have, this is mine.
GCA says
Eleven weeks! Five months! You all are heroes. Husband and I each do maybe 2-3 weeklong solo stints a year. The kids were uncannily cooperative and adorable until last night; I had to lie down and play dead for ten minutes after dinner to get them to leave me alone.
Minnie says
Does anyone have a baby doll recommendation? My 24 month old son really enjoys playing with the baby dolls at his playgroup, so I’d like to get him one of his own. I’ve had a browse at Target but so many of them just seem a bit…creepy to me for reasons I can’t articulate. I’d like it to be as cuddly as possible because he’s really into giving hugs. I’m also on the hunt for coordinating accessories (little bottles, hairbrushes…whatever else might be out there). So if anyone has any baby doll/adjacent products they like, lay it on me!
Cb says
I’d buy a rag doll. My son has one from Not on the high street b/c the cheaper ones were too creepy.
Strategymom says
Corelle has soft body dolls and we loved it for our son
Anonymous says
+1 on the Corelle.
Anonymous says
+2 on Corelle. I got my daughter one and her grandparents got her one of the creepy ones you mention. She also has a rag doll and another smaller cloth doll. She vastly prefers her Corelle doll and almost shuns the creepy one. She must think it’s.creepy too. ?
I also love the Ikea doll bed. It’s so cheap and cute.
anon says
Same, Corelle. My two-year old son plays with his baby doll and calls it his “son.” He feeds the baby milk from a cup and sings him to sleep.
Minnie says
This is too precious!
ElisaR says
so sweet!
Minnie says
Glad I’m not the only one who finds some of these dolls creepy! I was beginning to think maybe I was the one with the problem…
Anon says
My MIL got my daughter a Corelle doll and it looks pretty creepy to me…but I admit I’m not a doll fan in general.
Anon says
+1 my daughter has a corelle doll and really likes it. My mom is also getting her a bitty baby for chirstmas.
strollerstrike says
How about a waldorf doll? If you google it, there are a bunch on Etsy. They are pretty simple and low on the creep factor, I find.
Minnie says
Very interesting philosophy behind their design! And I agree, definitely less creepy than the “real”-looking ones.
lala says
This is what I was going to suggest. Nova Naturals has a few, but they aren’t cheap.
Anonymous says
We got the Melissa and Doug dolls. They’ve held up well but I wish I’d gone for the dolls the same size as the Target ones (12″ I think?) for the ease of buying accessories and clothes. Harder to find for my kids’ dolls, which I think are 10″.
Anon says
My son has always loved dolls and still plays family at age 4.5.
Haba snug-up doll Luis is cute and cuddly.
American Girl Bitty Baby – you can buy boy clothes for them online and there are a ton of knock-off AG accessories at Target and Walmart
Stella baby boy doll was cute too but not as loved as Haba. I think they’ve now come out with Wee Baby Stellas that have a lot more options so maybe there are some good ones now?
Anonymous says
Baby Stella is cute, soft, and not creepy, and has accessories available.
GCA says
What about the Gund My First Doll? The whole thing is soft so it’s very cuddly, and it’s not creepy (it’s all in the eyes, I think).
anon says
we love this one, take it everywhere and throw her in the wash when she gets dirty. Because there is no plastic it doesn’t hurt when she throws it at your face ( accidentally obvs ;)) I also think the hazel village and cuddlen’kind dolls are sweet.
NYCer says
We like Corelle, as many others above have mentioned. My daughter also loves her Cuddle and Kind doll (they are mostly animals, but we have a mermaid), though there aren’t really accessories that go with it.
Pogo says
Totally outs me to anyone who knows my kid, but his Baby is Chloe by the European company Liliputiens. She is a small soft doll of the non-creepy persuasion similar to the ones mentioned above, and she is by far his favorite thing in the universe. Like the anon above, our Baby (her official name) shares snacks, rides on the train, gets kisses for her boo-boos, and goes everywhere with my 2yo son. Sometimes she gets a diaper change too, though we have lost the actual cloth diaper that comes with the doll so she just gets stripped down and pretend-changed. She is the perfect size for a little one who loves to snuggle.
Anon says
Ours is called Baby too and also does everything my daughter does. I actually realized yesterday how useful Baby is, because if I “applied” sunscreen to baby, then I could apply it to my toddler without her fussing. I wonder what else I can do with this! I think we might start playing medical stuff with baby to help overcome fear of the doctor.
onlyworkingmomintulsa says
My son loved his Bitty Baby at that age!
Screen Time says
Are there any parents that are (or were) still a no screen time household after the age of 2?
I used to say after she turned 2 I’d allow some screen time. She turned 2 in October and I just don’t see the need for it still. She doesn’t ask for it (because she doesn’t know what she’s missing), she’s too young for there to be a social gap with her peers, and I don’t need the parent break.
My husband thinks I’m being overbearing and wants to introduce moderate screen time. It seems to be more so to not be the weird hippie parent with his friends (kids all have been watching TV and tablets well before 2) and to also feed his own nostalgia about how he was raised more than anything else.
So if you waited until after 2 when did you introduce screens and why?
My plan right now is to just see when she asks for it but I’d love to hear from others.
Also, just to be clear, we have the TV on. It’s usually on ESPN or HGTV. We’re not “purists” in that sense.
Anon says
My daughter is not quite 2, so I have no idea if this will last, but for now we only use screens on longhaul flights and have no plans to change that. Like you, we don’t feel like we need for them at home and she hasn’t asked us about watching at home. I’m fairly sure my daughter believes TVs only exist on the seatbacks in airplanes, and I’m cool with that.
Anonymous says
If you have the TV on congrats, you can stop saying you don’t do screen time because that isn’t true at all.
Anonymous says
+1
No screen time does not mean that you only watch adult programming. It means the ipads and tvs are never on around your child.
Screen Time says
Thanks. This is helpful. I don’t take pride in the “no screen time” title.
We don’t do kid content screen time. I clarified that.
Anonymous says
I posted below about us not doing any adult content screen time. I’m curious why you chose to allow adult content screen time but not child content screentime? I’m definitely much more comfortable with my kids seeing age appropriate stuff vs. pharmaceutical adds or sports commentary. I guess sports sort of depends on what sports but I wouldn’t want to have to explain to my two year old why it’s okay to knock someone over on the football field but not on the daycare playground.
OP says
I mostly make the distinction around her playing imaginatively and actively vs sitting and watching her own programming.
She’s not actively engaging with our content or zoning out on it. I understand there is still exposure but I’m ok with that.
Anonymous says
But good kids programming isn’t a zone out thing. My kids would normally dance and sing along with the Mother Goose Club. Similar when they watch Sesame Street in DH’s mother tongue (like the letter of the day song). There is a big variety in kids content just like adult content.
Kids are actively engaged because they hear the things that are being said on television even if they are not staring at the screen. Are you exceeding the screen time recommendations if you include the adult programming? That might be the argument back to your DH, that you’re near the screen time recommendations anyway so no room to add kids content.
Anon says
OP, I’m with you on the distinction between zoning out to TV and not. To me there are degrees of screen time. Skyping relatives is the most interactive (and many people don’t even call it screen time). Hanging out with parents reading books with a football game on in the background isn’t as interactive as Skype but isn’t really what I’d call screen time either. To me, screen time is a child using a tablet or watching a TV and staring at the screen. To be clear, I don’t think Daniel Tiger is evil or anything – it’s certainly more educational than football – but it involves the child staring at the screen for an extended period of time in a way that having football on in the background doesn’t.
And LOL to the idea that your child is going to start tackling kids on the schoolyard because they saw their parents watching football. As those of us in the Midwest/South know, football can be like a religion and MANY children regularly attend/watch games with their families without becoming violent playground aggressors.
Anonymous says
I would rather have my child actively engaged with Sesame Street than constantly exposed to background noise and distraction from HGTV.
Anon says
Anon at 10:25, I don’t necessarily disagree with you and don’t think there’s anything wrong with Sesame Street, but many people use the term ‘screen time’ the way OP does. My viewing habits are similar to OP’s and I’ve been asked many times by other parents why I don’t give my kids screen time, even though I’ve made no secret of the fact that they’ve occasionally seen us watching the TV. I also mentioned it to my ped when she asked about screen time and she said “that’s not screen time.”
Also, let’s not be needlessly judgy here – she didn’t say her kids were “constantly exposed” to ESPN or HGTV, just that they have it on sometimes.
Pogo says
Per the football point, this is an actual concern of mine because it upsets my son to see people get tackled. “Oh no, him felled over!!” We explain it’s a game and they’re OK, there are doctors there if they get hurt, etc. I don’t love it, but husband only watches his team 1x/week so I allow it.
Anonymous says
I just think you’re fighting over something that isn’t real. Screen time is screen time. Your kid gets it. If your husband wants to throw in some seasame street, ok.
rosie says
I would just let your husband watch some PBS kids show with her. The episodes for the ones we watch (Daniel Tiger, Molly fo Denali) are < 15 min each. We've used DT to work on different feelings and skills, although watch out because "try new foods because they might taste good" will come back to bite you. Molly of Denali has been awesome (we find it more enjoyable to watch than DT) and led to lots of pretend play hunting for owls, picking berries, etc. We've allowed this kind of screen time since about 18 months, use tablet in the car (mostly PBS kids games app), and watch some Elmo on youtube or will find a kid-friendly "how it's made" type thing if she wants to learn about a particular thing while cutting nails. And FaceTime to talk to family. I guess I just don't really see why not incorporate these sorts of things if you already have screens on around kid.
Anonymous says
I’m confused how you are no screen time if you have ESPN or HGTV on around your kid. That’s screen time 100%. No screen time means no screens, not just no kid shows.
We didn’t do no screen time until 2 but we were no screen time before 1 (never really came up) and quite low until age 2. We increased slightly after age 2 because we wanted to introduce more of DH’s mother tongue and my second language skills weren’t cutting it anymore. In English we mostly Mother Goose Club on YouTube (classic songs for kids) and Daniel Tiger – great behavior lessons. Somehow a cartoon tiger saying ‘try a new food, it might taste good’ carries more weight than mom or dad but as long as they eat I’ll take second place. We never have anything other than kids programming on the TV or screens when the kids are around. Anything non-kid is only after they are in bed.
Anonymous says
I don’t know why you would make affirmative efforts to introduce screen time if the kid wasn’t interested, unless there was a specific need like an upcoming trans-Atlantic flight. Your husband should not be making parenting decisions just to look “cool” to his friends. And how do his friends even know she doesn’t do screen time? It doesn’t sound as if you are the kind of smug anti-screen parents who go around bragging that your kids have zero screen time and insisting that other people turn off TVs in their own homes.
Anonymous says
She definitely doesn’t need to be worried about being the ‘weird hippie parent’ if she’s letting her kid watch adult shows like ESPN and HGTV.
Anon says
I mean, I understand the pushback to OP saying she’s screentime free, because she’s not. But I think people are being a little pearl-clutchy about ESPN and HGTV – that is not what I would call ‘adult shows.’ It might not hold a child’s interest, but the content is not inappropriate and those things are typically on as background noise while you do something else, which is a little different than staring transfixed at a TV. From your comment you’d think she’s showing them The Wire or The Sopranos or something like that….
Anonymous says
ESPN isn’t The Wire and no one suggested it is but the commentary can be not kid appropriate sometimes. I wouldn’t be blase about it.
Anon says
I can’t think of anything on ESPN that would be inappropriate for toddlers. It’s cable TV, they legally can’t be dropping F bombs (and it’s not like my kid has never heard bad language at home anyway, so whatever).
Anon says
*basic cable I meant – I realize bad language is allowed on premium cable like HBO.
Anon says
My kid is 22 months and no real interest in it either. We have tv on when we are watching something and she’ll sometimes look (at certain commercials lol) but usually just ignores it and plays. I have played videos on my phone in the car but she got car sick and didn’t seem that into it either.
I am just going to go with it. My husband hates technology and I only use my iPad for reading, no plans to get her one. Hopefully she is not the kid with weird parents but at this point I think the benefits of reading and using her imagination outweigh that given she is so young. There will be plenty of time to learn about screens when she’s older.
Anon says
Edited to say obviously my 22 month old isn’t “reading” (I meant flipping thru books or being read to).
Emily S. says
When you introduce screens and why is a personal decision but I can share our when and why: we had a no screens rule for our daughter until age 3. But with our younger daughter, we made it until 2 years and about a day. Having 2 kids just changed the dynamic, and that’s why we introduced TV. Big Sister (4.5) watches mostly PBS shows and only on the weekends. Most of the time we try to keep it to Little Sister’s naptime. Lately, especially if I’m on my own that night, I’ve let Little Sister (2.5) watch an episode of Daniel Tiger while I’m throwing dinner together. We haven’t done screens on a trip, but we’ve only taken one flight with Big Sister and 2 long car rides (5 hours or more). For both of them, the only time they use an iPad is when we FaceTime with family. Our thinking was that we both had minimal screens in childhood and have fond memories of crafting, reading, playing outside, etc., and wanted those to be the default entertainments in our house. But we also ran up against the reality of being with 2 kids under 5 all day on the weekends.
OP says
OP here. Just to clarify, my question was obviously using the wrong terminology.
It was to ask when you introduce kid based content and why.
I am not smug about being screen free.
We are, however, oddities in some of our circles because she doesn’t watch Seasame Street or have a Kindle.
Cb says
My son is nearly two and a half and we’ve started introducing more structured screentime in the last few months, mostly as training for our transatlantic flights. Maybe 30-60 minutes a week in total of Daniel Tiger or Here Comes the Digger, often after his nap on the weekend when he’s a bit sleepy and crabby. Stupidly, I get this nervous guilty feeling, like I’m rotting his brain.
Anon says
I’m not judging at all and obviously you’re giving him a very reasonable amount of screen time for his age, but fwiw, I don’t think you need to “train” kids to use screentime. The first time my kid saw TV (on a transatlantic flight) she was absolutely transfixed by it. They’re innately predisposed to love it, they don’t really need to practice :)
AnotherAnon says
We are not screen free: My son has been exposed to more Simpsons episodes than most adult Millenials – it was something mindless to have on during middle of the night feedings and just kind of continued as he got older. Anyway, to answer your actual question – We intentionally introduced Daniel Tiger around age 2.5 to help with potty training and expressing feelings (esp anger). It really helped! My son needs some chill time after I pick him up from day care, so I usually let him watch one or two 15 minute episodes while I prep dinner or do chores. That is the only kids’ programming I’ve intentionally exposed him to, but recently DH did break down and get Disney+ and we’ve been watching all the classic movies with DS.
Anon says
We introduced DD to Elmo (the doll) and on one particularly desperate night of solo parenting during teething and a bad cold, I put Sesame Street on and she loves it. We limit it to about 20-30 minutes (whenever a segment naturally ends) and turn it off if we find her going catatonic. Though she usually is engaged, laughing and dancing along. She’s learning colors and counting.
I don’t love adult programming as ambient noise/screen time. I find she becomes catatonic way sooner if that’s on. At least with the kid stuff she’s learning (counts to 5 now) and engaged. She does not have a tablet and, though never say never, never will introduce screen time at home or out at restaurants for meals. We try very hard to make it not be a parenting tool outside of special circumstances (see: sick, single parenting in the evening after a long day of work, etc.).
And, some anecdata: my sister is STRICT no screen time with her 2 year old. Even if they come over to other people’s houses, she asks for all screens to be out of his sight. It’s 100% over the top. However, if you watch my nephew interact with the TV before it gets turned off, he is utterly unresponsive. It’s not scientific, but I’m definitely convinced that measured, limited screen time introduction isn’t a bad thing (sort of like introducing sweets to kids without using negative, limiting terms (that’s bad for you!) and might actually help develop a healthier relationship in the long run.
AwayEmily says
I see screen time as another weapon in the Parenting Arsenal. If you don’t need it, great! If you do, then go for it! And honestly with just one kid and two parents at home, it’s probably true that you don’t need it that often. We have two kids (19months and 3.5 years). Examples of times in which we strategically deploy screen time (which at this point is Daniel Tiger and Elmo) include:
– Cross-country flights
– Ten minutes in the morning while I do my daughter’s hair and get both of them dressed
– When one of us is parenting on our own and we are putting the little one to bed, the big kid gets to watch some
– When a grandparent is babysitting (which happens rarely) we tell them they can use it if necessary
So, the theme here is “give them screen time when it makes our lives easier.” My husband has been home a lot this fall so we haven’t had much need for it. In the spring he’s gone for most of every week so I expect both kids will be spending a lot more time with the Tiger family.
Cb says
Yep, definitely. It’s strategically used in our household rather than a fixture of the day.
Anon says
+1 This is my philosophy too. It’s a tool in my arsenal and I use it when I need it. Which, with one parent and two kids, is fairly often. I don’t feel bad even a little bit because letting them be transfixed with “Saying I’m sorry is the first step, then how can i help” keeps them safe while I make dinner or get the bath ready or clean up the house.
I try to keep the shows they watch fairly educational, and I watch a show with them a few times before I just blindly turn it on so I’m familiar with the characters and general story line. My favorites over the years:
– Daniel Tiger, Pocoyo, and Doc McStuffins for general manners and situations
– Bubble Guppies, Little Einsteins for music
– Team Umizoomi, Blaze and the Monster Machines, and Curious George for math/science
– Wallykazam, Super Why for reading
– Wild Kratts for animals (I’ve learned a lot from the Kratt brothers!!)
And I let them watch Miraculous Ladybug and Paw Patrol as occasional “rewards” that aren’t really educational.
Pogo says
This has been my take on it. If you don’t need it, don’t use it. If you do, I try to go w/ something helpful like DT which I can then reference by singing those super catchy songs ad nauseum. Currently: “Wake up, clothes on! Eat breakfast, brush teeth, put on shoes and offf toooo schooool!!!”
Boston Legal Eagle says
I’ve read that screen time can be nice when the parents are also engaged in the show/movie along with the kid. So maybe there is a movie that your husband would like to show to your kid that you can then talk about later? Think of it as just another activity that you can do together (that maybe involves a little less running around/managing kid). But just full disclosure that we often turn on the TV to get a little break from our 3.5 year old so we’re not always doing the above, but we do try to talk about the shows when possible. 2 is a little young, but you’re right that when she gets to preschool, she’ll learn all about Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and all that without even watching it.
Anonymous says
Be careful with the background screen time.
“The images and tone of what’s on the screen are problematic, too. Infants sense emotions and experiences in a very real way, whether from their mothers or from actors on the screen. If you need to keep the TV on, mute the commercials, avoid mature content, and make an effort to talk and play with baby as much as possible.” https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/babies-and-toddlers-the-definitive-answers-to-screen-time-questions
“Young children may not be paying close attention to a televised program that they cannot understand, but their parents are watching. It might be background media to the child, but it is foreground media to the parent. It distracts the parent and decreases parent-child interaction. […] Even if the program is not intended for the child to watch, research has found that children play and interact less with adults when a television is on, perhaps because the adult’s attention is focused on the television program. ”
Media Use by Children Younger Than 2 Years – https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/5/1040.full
lala says
We were more of screen free purists and we introduced movies/TV around age 3 but only for special occasions i.e. we are sick and need everyone to rest, long haul flights, “movie night” during the long cold winter.
I think if you husband is nostalgic I would let him start doing a “movie night” every once in a while. Then he can not feel like the weird parent out but it also keeps screens from seeping into your daily life. FWIW my eldest does not do well with screens and we noticed a huge behavioral change, so keep an eye out for that.
Anon says
+1 Agree with the movie night idea to keep it special and not have it become part of your daily lives, if you don’t want that.
Anonymous says
My kids are 1.5, 3 and 6. We are very low screen. My older kids will watch a movie or a show one or twice a week. We do not have an iPad. My kids are allowed to play on ourold iPhones on airplanes only.
My oldest uses my phone to do a reading program for school.
That’s it.
Anonymous says
This is a highly entertaining thread. I’m constantly amazed by how controversial screen time is. Not necessarily by the pros and cons but by how strongly people feel about their position.
Boston Legal Eagle says
It makes me laugh a little to know that we’re talking about this while (at least in my case) sitting in front of a screen for 8+ hours a day. Obviously things are different in young brains and I wouldn’t recommend that for little ones. I hope this doesn’t offend anyone.
Anon says
I’ve been watching these screen-time debates rage online (on this site and others) for 14 years, since I was pregnant with my son. We did some limited screen time before 2 and less-limited screen time after 2 (but still not a free-for-all). I couldn’t tell you who in my kid’s class got more screen time or less screen time or only watched Sesame Street occasionally vs. watching ESPN in the background all the time, etc. They’re all pretty high-performing from what I can see and going through the same teenage angst and agita that my husband and I did 30 years ago. (P.S., same thing with which kids got phones at 9 vs. which kids got phones at 13. Either way, it’s the kids whose parents aren’t paying attention or checking the phone that are having problems.) I’m glad to be at the point of parenting when my peer parents have much more concrete things to worry about, like kids bringing pot to school or what goes on at 14-year-old birthday parties, or getting kids ready for college. I strongly recommend today’s parents of young children reserve some energy, inquisitiveness and outrage for the years to come. You are going to need it.
RR says
Anon @ 1:35pm, so right. Although, I kind of miss worrying about screen time instead of worrying about peer pressure, middle school social dynamics, phone/internet access, etc.
Anon says
I’m on the moderate screentime limiting parent plan, like we limit but are not strict in a lot of senses. My own personal take: 1) our kids (now 3 & 5) do not use the ipad or phones except in extenuating circumstances (planes, etc.). No real science reason other than I can feel myself becoming more addicted to my phone, which I hate, and I’m an adult that should have better impulse control than my kids do. Also, I reasoned that if they didn’t even realize those were really entertainment options at home, it would be one less thing to have to constantly be saying no to, which would undoubtedly be the case more than we would say yes. But if a day comes when they need to use those things, I’m not going to choose it to be my hill to die on, within reason. 2) We do watch cartoons/TV/movies in a somewhat limited amount. I will say, being on the other side of that, I do think there can be some benefits to it. Like, my son was obsessed with Thomas the Train so we would watch that when he was pretty little. But what he would also do is then later be playing with his trains (no TV on), and have them act out all of these crazy scenarios for dozens of minutes on end that without the shows there is no way in his limited world he would have otherwise have come up with. (We read the books too, but there was a limit to how many Thomas books & scenarios we had vs. endless TV shows). I’ve seen this scenario play out in other ways through creative play that I know is inspired by a show or movie story line. Also, along those lines, when your kids are a little older it can give them some commonality with other kids. My daughter is obsessed with Elsa/Frozen, & honestly some of her best friends at school I suspect are her friends b/c they are equally obsessed with Elsa. And that manifests in plenty of non-screen things like, “playing” Frozen where they act out scenes, come up with new story lines for the characters, poring over Frozen inspired books together (even though they can’t read) etc.
This is not to say ANY of this is necessary, so if you can go longer & see that as best, you do you for sure! Clearly little kids were coming up with creative play on their own well before TVs, and clearly kids bond over things beyond movies & will make friends regardless. For me it was just eye opening, after becoming a parent in the age of SCREENS = BAD to realize after the fact that (to my observation at least) there did seem to be some actual good from it at times.
Anonymous says
We kept screens to air travel and home haircuts until kiddo stopped napping around 3. At that point we would read for “rest time,” but also needed kiddo to keep resting his body without active parent involvement for a short time, which playing wouldn’t do, so we added a 30 min show. That’s still all he gets most of the time at 4.5 – no screens during the week, 30 min per day weekend. We just started watching the occasional movie together but he doesn’t love them.i also find it hard to make time for a movie and also get him enough physical activity in the day – kiddo with very high sleep needs/eAtly bedtime AND very high activity needs.
SC says
We limited screen time when my kid was younger, which wasn’t hard at first because he wasn’t very interested until about 2.5. For a couple of years, we imposed pretty strict limits on TV. And at that age, we needed them because Kiddo would watch as long as possible, and it really affected his behavior.
Now, Kiddo is 4.5, and we’re pretty liberal with screen time. We let him watch TV after school until dinner, so up to an hour and a half, if he wants to. We have family movie nights on Friday night. We let him play ABC Mouse on the iPad on weekend mornings while we sleep a little more or get up slowly or do some work.
Honestly, we usually only say “no” to TV/screens or say he has to turn it off only because it’s time to do something else (get ready for school, eat dinner, get ready for bed, go somewhere fun on the weekend). I’ve noticed that Kiddo relaxed much more about screens when we stopped putting hard limits on it. He’d fight us about a 2-show limit, but now he’ll watch 1 show and wander off to play by himself. Now that he knows he can watch TV before dinner, half the time he doesn’t even ask for it. I’m sure a lot of that is growing up/getting older too.
anon says
What are your favorite toys/games/distractions to bring along with you when flying with a toddler? Our last flight was about six months ago, so I need fresh ideas. I’m thinking playdoh, stickers, cars, and window clings and all the fun snacks. Basically, I’m Santa Claus in the sky.
Cb says
We’re doing a transatlantic flight next week and I have all the Richard Scarry books as they take ages to read, all the tablet time he wants, cars, post-its, those big dot stickers, etc. I’m also bringing a big blanket and borrowing one of those inflatable footrests which I’m hoping might help him feel a bit more cozy for sleeping. We have a CARES harness which is so, so crucial.
Anon says
YMMV but we’ve flown a lot with babies and toddlers and I’ve never really packed any stuff except snacks. It’s just more stuff to schlep and inevitably a bunch of it gets lost. It’s tempting to think that if you bring 20 toys you’ll have time to yourself to read a book or take a nap, but that hasn’t been my experience with kids under 3 – they will throw the toys and cry until you fetch them, ask for assistance opening things etc. So entertaining a <3 year old on a plane is going to be a very hands on endeavor no matter how toys you have. We usually just use a mix of random objects on the plane (very good for 6-18 months, less so beyond that), talking and "reading" the in-flight magazine, and getting up and walking around.
Anonymous says
Books with flaps to lift. Ipad with videos of themselves and family – they are happy to watch these with the sound off if they don’t tolerate headphones.
SC says
I will only pack what fits in our backpack/diaper bag, along with everything else that goes in there. I’ve gotten the most mileage out of books, especially interactive ones. Other than that, a few small toys like cars, something tactile like pipe cleaners and play doh. Mostly, my kid has been really interested in the plane and what’s outside the window and the snacks and needed interaction/engagement from a parent 100% of the time, unless he fell asleep.
We’ve shown him pictures on the phone but otherwise haven’t done screens on the plane because he won’t tolerate headphones, and then we’ll have a big fight over wanting to watch the thing or play the game without headphones, and it just doesn’t seem worth it. I’m jealous of parents whose kids will zone out to screens on planes though.
TheElms says
Related – Will post it notes entertain an almost 7 month old on a plane or is that just a bit young still? She can pick up plastic stacking cups quite well.
NYCer says
Bring the plastic stacking cups if she likes them! We flew (5+ hours) with our daughter when she was the same age, and those cups were her primary source of entertainment. They are small and easy to put in the diaper bag.
My daughter prefers to eat paper goods rather than play with them… ;)
Anon says
Possibly? But that’s really the perfect age to be entertained by things you can get for free on the airplane, like plastic cups, the safety briefing card and rattles made from unopened bags of pretzels.
Anonymous says
Water wow or color wonder also distract my toddler for a bit. Puppets or stuffed animals (my daughter likes to talk to hers, and it also helps with cooperation sometimes– like “oh, Froggy needs a diaper change, does Toddler need one too?”)
On one trip, I asked for an empty cup from the flight attendant for toddler to play with. FA suggested 2 cups and an ice cube– stack the cups! transfer the ice cube from cup to cup! crush the cups (ice cube removed, obvi)! Kiddo spent way more time on that than any of the stuff I brought for her.
lala says
I would not bring cars or play dough. Anything that can become a projectile is out for me, and play dough is a lot messier than you think (as is putty). We travel frequently with our kids, so I say the above from experience, ha.
We bring: painters tape instead of stickers. It comes off easy and can be so many things. A ball, a road for the ball, stickers, etc. Cardboard threading toy (our set is of vehicles). Small animals for imaginative play. Colors and paper for drawing. And an ipad for the long flights.
SC says
If you bring crayons, buy the kind that are triangular so they don’t fall off the tray and roll all over the plane.
Anon says
+1 I don’t even like doing pay dough in our own house with endless space and cleaning resources, ha ha.
Anon says
Saaaame.
Anonymous says
+1. This is what day care is for, right? To do messy projects so we don’t have to do them at home?
AwayEmily says
I have brought post-it notes and painters tape on like eight different plane rides at this point and every time my kids (at all ages between 8 months and 3 years) have been like “WTF are we supposed to do with this?” Same with ice cubes in a cup (actually, those the kids just wanted to swallow whole and choke on). The safety briefing card was a hit for maybe 45 seconds until it got ripped in half (I didn’t even know those COULD get ripped).
Honestly, none of these tricks worked for more than like a minute and the only thing that kept our kids marginally quiet was constant, unrelenting attention from a parent along with a Cheerio every five seconds. And this is why we only traveled when necessary.
(I will note I think our kids are exceptionally bad at being on planes. Plenty of other kids are entranced by ice cubes and tape, I’m sure!).
Anon says
Snacks are the most important thing to bring for sure! I like to bring one of those snack cups that forces them to pull out the food piece by piece, so it really drags out the eating process and it turns it into a form of entertainment as well. But the catch is you can’t use Cheerios with those, they’ll fall out if your kid turns the cup upside down and starts shaking it (ask me how I know…) It has to be something Goldfish size.
Pigpen's Mama says
Saaaaaaame. I had all these grand ideas when my LO was super little and they all kept her entertained for 60 seconds max. And were usually messy. The one thing that did keep her mildly entertained was an empty single serving soda bottle and pompoms, but only at the gate.
Since she was three she basically gets free rein on her Kindle, maybe some coloring or stickers or something, but keeping that contained is a royal pain.
Io says
Next week we’re doing a six hour flight and two hour drive. (Plus 2 hours of car ride and waiting at the airport). We have a 4 year old.
Current plans are: felt shapes book, WikkiSticks, face stickers book, new coloring book, tablet with headphones. I think snacks and lunch will be a big on plane activity and I’m hoping to save the tablet with movies and games until the end of the plane ride/ on the car ride (the car ride is worse because she hates the car seat and there’s no tray table.)
ALC says
My second week back at work has been a disaster — the baby has gotten both a cold and a stomach virus, plus a weird rash yesterday, and was waking up every 2 hours two nights in a row. Plus my group at work happens to be very busy and needs me to work late/hard every day! White knuckling through and trying really hard not to quit.
Anon says
Hugs! You’re in Big Law right? I’m in awe of you and other moms with jobs like that. A series of kiddo illnesses this fall almost made me quit my job and I work 9-5. Everyone tells me it gets better after the first winter, here’s hoping.
Anon says
The books The 5th Trimester and the Ambition Decisions really helped me double down on my committment to working (but not to being a perfect robot worker bee) when I was in the crazy freshly back at work stage. Cut yourself some slack, and know it’ll get better.
GCA says
The first couple of months of daycare are the worst, tbh – I was newly back at work after kid 2 last November and it was like a fresh cold every week. Hang in there!
Anon says
+1 It was my experience as well that the first two months of fall/winter are the worst. My toddler started daycare over the summer and was continuously sick with a cold, croup or ear infection from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31. I was so freaked out – how are we going to survive the winter if it’s like this in SEPTEMBER!?! – but so far (KNOCK ON WOOD) November and December have been completely illness-free. I think they really do start building immunity after as little as two months.
TheElms says
It is so so hard. All the internet hugs. I’m just over a month in back to work and I’ve been pretty sick for 3 1/2 of those weeks and baby has been sick (but less so than me other than one particularly miserable weekend). She’s teething now so sleep is rapidly getting worse, oh well. I take it a day at a time. I’m not doing my job especially well right now, but I try and make sure that one thing I do every day I’m proud of and that the rest of the urgent work is done.
Pogo says
I think week 4 or 5 back I had terrible mastitis that spread to a cyst/abscess and required a day-long workup in the ER. I was barely functional at work, somehow. I started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel around month 3 back on the job (also when kiddo started sleeping more, nursing less, big surprise).
anon says
If you sought treatment for depression during pregnancy, how did you know when it was bad enough to need it?
I’m 12 weeks today. I’m starting a new job in a month. I feel an enormous amount of anxiety about how to tell the new job – I didn’t know I was pg when I accepted the offer, and then once I did know, I didn’t tell them bc I have prior MCs and the pregnancy looked touch and go at times. Now everything looks good, but I’m still waiting on NIPS results – I plan to announce after that assuming the NIPS results are clear and we are confident that we will continue the pregnancy. I’m also experiencing additional stress bc my partner and I aren’t married (there’s a story there, but the short version is that we plan to marry but currently disagree about whether to do that before or after the birth), and although I thought it wouldn’t bother me I find I’m struggling with being an “unwed mother” even though I’m 39 and this was planned and we’re buying a house together and all that.
I’m having crying fits and nightmares about telling the new job and finding myself just down and less motivated to take care of myself (like, putting on face serum sometimes seems like too much to handle). I don’t know if this is just situational and will resolve once I’ve told new job, or if it’s worth trying to see a therapist. So far I’m doing a good job of taking care of the baby (prenatal vitamins, healthy eating, exercise, etc.) but everything else feels so hard and…I wish I were happier right now.
rosie says
Gently, I think given what you wrote, talking to someone would be a good idea. You do not need to go in and say you need help because you are depressed, although you certainly can. Pregnancy after loss is particularly stressful, and I think there’s definite benefit to having a professional to talk through your feelings. I suggest finding someone who specializes in pregnancy & postpartum and she can be a resource for you now and as the pregnancy goes on (I found my person on psychologytoday dot com, can search by area, insurance, and specialty).
Congrats on the pregnancy, and sorry for your prior losses.
2 Cents says
Seconding the advice to at least see a therapist or similar and say what you wrote here. Hugs to you.
Anon says
I found my specialist by asking at my OB-GYN’s office at one of my prenatal visits.
So Anon says
Hugs. In my experience, if you are asking the question whether treatment would be helpful, then it is time to ask for help. There is no harm in talking to your OB/midwife about what you are feeling. Ask if they have a recommendation for a therapist who specializes in prenatal and postpartum stuff. The sentiment of “everything feels hard” is a sign to me that it is time. After you have been being treated for a bit of time, you will be so glad that you asked for help. It can and will get better.
Nan says
+1 to all of this.
Irish Midori says
This. There are medications you can take while pregnant, or your doc can refer you to a therapist. At least have your doc on notice. I also suffer from pregnancy-related anxiety, and it’s pretty well controlled by some OTC meds right now, but doc has it on the watch list for after delivery b/c it can turn into PPD. I’d rather get on an SSRI sooner than later if that’s the case.
Anonymous says
It’s time immediately to go to therapy and to go to the courthouse and get married and if your partner won’t, to leave him.
Anonymous says
Yes, I think you need it. Is it helpful to frame it as, what is the drawback? Treatment is not going to hurt and will probably help. If you do magically feel better when the baby is born, great! You won’t have lost anything by getting treatment now. And honestly, your stress levels are going to increase when the baby is born because having a newborn and becoming a parent are stressful events for everyone. And you will also be adding marriage and moving to that, both of which are huge stressful events. You’ll be a ahead of the game if you already have people in place to help you with all of these transitions. While positive, they are all stressful, and it sounds like you are depleted.
Anonymous says
No experience with depression during pregnancy, but have experience with postpartum anxiety and depression. And my number one piece of advice for a (close) pregnant friend would be: Prior to childbirth, try to establish a good relationship with a therapist and medical provider who can prescribe drugs for depression/anxiety. So those resources will be at your fingertips if and when you need them.
Which is a long way of saying, whether or not your depression is “bad enough” to need treatment (which I would argue, doesn’t have to be very bad and you meet that threshold), I’d recommend seeking treatment now.
Thinking of you, you have a lot going on and it sounds like you are doing a good job.
Anon says
It does sound to me like you need to talk to someone! I’ll also add that you could always push back telling your job a bit – there’s no reason to disclose at 12 weeks vs 16 etc if you aren’t showing.
Anon says
See a therapist. I say this as someone who really does not avail herself of therapy, but saw a specialist after five months of misery during pregnancy.
Let me lay it out for you: the kind of stress you are experiencing is bad for you, your baby (it affects his/her neurological development), and your (almost) marriage. It can also indicate a higher risk for postpartum depression, and you will be better off if you have already established a relationship with a therapist and have a toolbox available to you. Your fiance can attend sessions to learn how to support you and what to look for postpartum.
lsw says
On the rec of my practice, I started talk therapy when I was pregnant due to being predisposed to post partum anxiety. And I’m glad I did, because it turns out I never did get PPD, but I got prenatal depression which I didn’t even know was a thing. I did not end up needing medication and talk therapy basically saved my life. It was helpful to learn that what I was experiencing was not normal and that it could be helped. Hugs.
Also, happy to talk if you want information about my experience with prenatal depression – AMA.
Anonymous says
Anyone have stories about leaning out for a bit and then successfully diving back in? I have been partner-track for a while and am just burned out. My mentor at the firm (a partner) suggested I could work as a staff attorney for a few years and then decide if I want to work toward partnership again or stay as staff attorney. I’m not sure if I want to and am looking for stories or suggestions. I don’t think I’m cut out to be a staff attorney, but right now I am just not interested in developing a book of business. I have a lot of flexibility because my mentor signaled the firm wants to keep me in any role I’ll stay in because of my substantive knowledge/ experience.
Anonymous says
If you aren’t interested in developing business what makes you think you aren’t cut out for being a staff attorney? I think you mentor is nicely telling you that continuing as you have been is not an option.
Anonymous says
Better to take the staff attorney job and pursue partnership when you are ready to do business development vs go for partnership, not get it and maybe the environment has changed and there isn’t a staff attorney position at that time.
Anon says
+1
Sf says
I had a miscarriage and d&c in September. It was a missed miscarriage so I found out at my 8week ultrasound. Just had another positive pregnancy test and about five weeks pregnant. I have no symptoms except anxiety. How do I get through the next few weeks?
rosie says
Sorry for your loss. I think there’s limited stuff you can actually do, but allow yourself to feel whatever you are feeling, including anxiety, worry, excitement (today you are pregnant!). I did find it helpful in my pregnancy after my missed m/c to have an ultrasound at the point at which development stopped (mine was a loss around 8w discovered at 11w u/s and I had previously seen the heartbeat in that pregnancy). Obviously it’s no guarantee, but nothing is in pregnancy, and I did find it reassuring. I also suggest finding an OB or midwife practice that is compassionate — I needed my OB to agree to do an u/s ASAP the first time he used the doppler in case he couldn’t find with the doppler, and he was totally understanding. And congrats :)
Recommendation - toddler jewelry box says
Want to get our 4-year old a jewelry box for a Christmas present (to hold her hand-me-down costume jewelry and crappy plastic rings etc. she gets constantly as party favors, etc.). Any recommendations? Would prefer non-plastic, something that will grow with her, but also not too dear.
onlyworkingmomintulsa says
Pottery Barn Kids makes a few different sizes that you might want to check out.
CPA Lady says
This doesn’t have the same cute/nostalgia factor (hellloooo 1980s spinning ballerina with a wind up thingy that plays the theme from love story when you open the lid), but we’re getting our kiddo a double sided hanging jewelry organizer for her closet. It’s the kind with a hanger on top and a bunch of clear pockets so she can see all her stuff at once. I’m hoping it will help it not be a tangled mess.
The whole reason I’m getting this for her is that I have one of these for my own stuff and she looooooves it.
HSAL says
Ahahahaha SAME.
Anonymous says
We got DD a silver one (not sure if it’s actually silver plate or not but it’s shiny!) that has a rotating ballerina that twirls. It’s velvet lined and looks beautiful but also wasn’t crazy expensive – maybe 30? It’s by Reed & Barton.
Anon says
Recommendations for books or scripts to talk to toddlers about the fact that not everyone celebrates Christmas? Or Easter etc.?
FWIW we are not religious but we do celebrate Christmas, as does all extended family. We don’t have any nearby family friends etc. who do not celebrate Christmas because we recently moved and are hermits and don’t have any family friends, period!
Anon says
Do they go to daycare? In my experience, unless your daycare is religiously affiliated they will talk about different holidays and how every family has their own traditions, etc. so your kids will learn there that not everyone celebrates Christmas. My oldest is not yet 2, so her daycare hasn’t done much with the holidays yet, Christmas or otherwise, but I’ve seen the decorations that the kids in older classrooms made and there is Hanukkah and Kwanzaa stuff. Otherwise I don’t think it’s something you really need to raise it proactively, just be prepared to discuss if they ask why so and so doesn’t have a Christmas tree. I’m Jewish, fwiw.
Beth @ Parent Lightly says
+1 We start the conversation with Diwali and continue it through December. They have lots of friends/acquaintances who celebrate different holidays, which makes it pretty easy to talk about.
Anonymous says
You don’t need a book or a script. Christmas is fun for some people but not all families celebrate it.
Anonymous says
Hmmm… We do celebrate Christmas in a non-religious way, and I do try to explain it to my kids in a very basic way, along the lines of — Christians celebrate Christmas as the day of birth of Jesus Christ, who they believe is the son of God. We don’t believe that because we aren’t Christians but even so we do enjoy having a Christmas tree. I think you could add information that other people who aren’t Christians may or may not have other holidays that they celebrate at this time of year, and read books about those holidays or religions.
NYCer says
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I do not think that this is something that needs to be raised proactively with a toddler. If you feel strongly about it, I agree with another poster that you don’t really need a book. Just be direct and simple: Christmas is fun for some families, but not all families celebrate it.
CPA Lady says
A common refrain at our house that is applicable to a multitude of situations is “different people do/believe different things, and that’s okay.” Sometimes followed up with a “but this is how we do it at our house” if we’re trying to emphasize a rule where we’re more strict than so-and-so’s parents.
I took my 7 year old conservative christian niece to an Asian art museum that had a lot of ancient statues of Ganesh, Buddha, etc. and when she asked who they were, what I said was “you know how you go to church and worship Jesus? Other people believe different things, and these are part of their religion.” She accepted it at face value and didn’t ask follow up questions. Which I was glad about because it was not really my conversation to have and I was bracing myself for her asking if they were idols or something. My kid hasn’t asked about it yet but I plan on saying something similar to her whenever it does. We’re Episcopalian though, so we’re pretty chill.
Anon says
We just naturally talk about different families doing different things and this is an extension of that. Agreed no book needed, but because I don’t know everything about every religious celebration, I have a set of Curious George tabbed board books. My friends who celebrate said the ones for Ramadan and Hanukkah were well done and respectful. The Christmas one is non-Jesus so fairly benign. There are also tabbed board books in the series for St Patrick, Parade Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc.
Anon says
Can confirm the Hanukkah Curious George is very good! It’s informative without being preachy and is my favorite of the dozen or so Hanukkah kids books we have.
Anonymous says
I need some easy dinner ideas for tonight. DH won’t be home until way past bedtime, so it’s just me and the kids. We’ve already done pasta this week (yesterday was spaghetti and meatballs, we did noodles and cheese Monday) and will be getting pizza tomorrow. It’s been a hard week ;)
We have frozen taco meat, but one of my kids doesn’t like tacos. That kid also doesn’t like quesadillas. We also have frozen chili, but another doesn’t like that. I don’t really want to do tacos and chili and I don’t really feel like making either kid eat something they don’t like. My 18 month old likes taco and chili and quesadillas but has a mild stomach bug (gross diapers) so all of that feels like I’m tempting fate.
I was thinking breakfast for dinner, but they had pancakes for breakfast.
UGH.
Maybe just scrambled eggs for all?
Irish Midori says
Sounds like cheese and crackers night in my house. Usually accompanied by some frozen peas from the microwave, a cut up apple, and maybe a box of raisins. It’s kind of a snack dinner.
Anon says
We did a “snack” plate last night. Raisins, cheese, veggie straws, and crackers to dip in peanut butter (she ate a bazillion fresh blueberries for afternoon snack, so I felt that was good enough). I’m 20+ weeks pregnant and going on my 6th week of solo parenting. Sometimes you just gotta throw the snack cabinet onto a plate and call it a meal.
So Anon says
I do this all the time. Crackers, cheese, cut up any leftover meat into little squares, add hummus, any veggies or fruit, and I call that dinner. If I have clean toothpicks (i.e. that my kids haven’t used in a project and then added back to the box), we use those for a bit of flare.
HSAL says
Scrambled eggs! Everyone likes them, and easy on an upset stomach. As an aside, I always laugh when people’s “easy” dinner suggestions are my standard go-tos. I do like Irish Midori’s suggestion though.
Anon says
Same, HSAL, same. My family has scrambled eggs for dinner every couple of weeks.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Same. I consider it a win when our kids actually eat the eggs!
Anonymous says
Scrambled eggs FTW!
Anon for this story because it will totally out me IRL: I usually cook dinner while my husband does kid pickup. On days when I just cannot muster the energy to cook, we trade roles, and nine times out of ten he chooses to make eggs. It’s gotten to the point where if my daughter sees me at pickup, she will groan and say, “Oh, no, we’re having EGGS for dinner!”
Anon says
My super easy solo meals are
– avocado toast (my 4 year old helps spread the avocado) where they add sliced tomatoes and/or parmesan cheese
– homemade lunchables: deli meat cut into squares, american cheese cut into fourths, and some crackers
– tasting plates: grapes, banana slices, cheeses, black olives, cherry tomatoes, mini turkey pepperoni all arranged on a giant cutting board that we eat from together. I buy them grape juice boxes and I drink a glass of wine.
– ants on a log: peanut butter smeared in a piece of celery as the log, and raisin “ants” marching in a line on top
– grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup: it’s salty but i know they’ll eat an entire sandwich and fill up their tummies if they haven’t loved the rest of the meals that week
GCA says
From my easy dinner rotation this week: Rice (Trader Joe’s frozen rice – just nuke for 90 seconds – OR, this won’t help today but I recently discovered you can also simply freeze freshly cooked rice in a pyrex container), scrambled eggs/ fish sticks/ precooked gyoza, and steam-in-bag veggies.
lsw says
This is me thread-jacking/projecting, but please tell me at some point my son will eat some (all?) of these foods…
He’s so picky and I’m in the same boat as OP tonight (husband working late, already had pasta this week, son is sick). I just end up running out of easy dinners. My SD is picky too. GROAN.
Anonymous says
There’s hope! My son learned to like pizza sort of at age 4, and for real at 7, and now he eats hamburgers too. Still doesn’t like french fries, which is just freakish.
FWIW, I don’t feel much need to give our picky kid variety. We make varied dinners and he can have bread and peanut butter (because he doesn’t like jelly, naturally) if he won’t eat them.
Anon says
My 21 month old has gone through phases where she ate almost nothing, and then went back to eating more normally, or at least normally for a toddler (so, lots of carbs and white/beige foods). Our philosophy has always been to offer what we’re eating and if she doesn’t want that, then to offer standbys that are relatively healthy and don’t require much preparation. Yogurt, bread/tortilla with cream cheese, fruit, and frozen pre-cooked turkey meatballs are our go-tos.
lsw says
Thank you! We always put everything we’re eating on his plate, but he just will not try it. Maybe one time out of a hundred he will try it without prodding, and maybe 5 times out of a hundred he will eat to eat other things (I try not to do food bribing, but occasionally if he wants seconds of something like applesauce I’ll ask him to taste another food on his plate). It’s just so frustrating! He was not picky at all as a baby/young toddler, but for basically the past year+ he would survive on pizza, pasta, and peanut butter sandwiches alone if he had his preference. I worry because he just won’t try anything else! How will he learn to like other foods if he literally never tries them?
Anonymous says
I have a kid that is pretty picky and generally, not a big dinner eater. We eat too many chicken nuggets.
Beth @ Parent Lightly says
Scrambled eggs are totally legit. On days like this we eat scrambled eggs with cheese on top and a side of bell peppers and ranch or something. It seems vaguely OK.
Anonymous says
I went with French toast and scrambled eggs. My almost 7 y/o needs more than cheese and crackers but that is going to be my dinner ;).