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I have a pile of artwork on my kitchen counter I haven’t dealt with since it landed there on the last day of school.
Maybe by the end of the summer, I’ll organize it in a frame like this one. This wood frame both displays and stores your kid’s artwork — it opens like a book and has elastic straps for storage. It even includes a white mat for a professional looking display.
This artwork frame is available at Amazon.
Sales of note for 9.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Extra 40% off sale styles
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- Zappos – 26,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 40% off everything
- Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs
Boston Legal Eagle says
Speaking of kid art/project storage, I have a Keepsake Portfolio for each kid that starts with Pre-K and should have enough folders to go to 6th grade. I’ve liked that for keeping the highlights of my older kid’s elementary journals and other projects as I think it’ll be fun to look back on those one day. But we’ve also got bins of random artwork that I would like to take pictures of to keep digitally and then toss, but haven’t done that yet. Anyone else have storage ideas?
Anon says
I also have a file folder tub with hanging files for each grade for my kids. I suspect as they get older 90% of things will be digital and there won’t be anything to put in. But I’m doing a school picture in each year and throw random other prints in there from family photos along with some select art and school writing. They already love looking at their old stuff and they’re only in late elementary so it’s fun for now. But I won’t be sad if they toss it all out down the road!
Anonymous says
I only keep about 5% of the actual artwork and digitize the rest before tossing. For the first year of preschool I made a printed book w/ the art in it but I have since lapsed and have nothing for pre-K to now (just pictures on my icloud).
Anon says
I created a private IG account for all the crafts and artwork they sent from daycare. It was too hard to keep up so it’s been dormant for at least a year.
anonM says
I try to save holiday art in particular, and laminate it. I love pulling out their old artwork when I get out those holiday totes. It also makes me less inclined to try to save every other piece of paper.
Anonymous says
Do you laminate it yourself or take it somewhere. I really like this!
anonM says
I have one from Target or Michael’s or one of those stores, and it was maybe $30? The sheets are kind of pricey, but I’m still on the first box I bought several years ago
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
I don’t have a working printer at home, but an in-home laminator…sounds amazing. BE STILL MY ELDER MILLENIAL HEART.
Anon says
Has anyone decided to stay at home and take a pause on their career because their kid was having behavioral problems? He’s (2.5) currently in full time daycare. I don’t know if staying at home with me full time is the answer, but it’s hard to juggle work and meet his emotional needs also. Basically I’m just really struggling and wondering if dropping one ball (work) will make it easier for me.
We are getting him evaluated soon.
Anonymous says
Following. I’m one of those posters with a likely ADHD kid, and considering that one of us may have to take a step back at work til we get him stabilized. I don’t want to stop working entirely, but it feels overwhelming to manage all the appointments and to physically care for both of our children right now with two big jobs. I’m feeling better about it today, but a couple weeks ago I was crying at work and seriously considered quitting. Mostly because of insurance and healthcare in the US more than my child’s actual behaviors, but still.
anon says
I strongly considered it during elementary school but DH was ultimately not on board. Those were some incredibly stressful times, though. :(
Anonymous says
No real advice, but my kid is about to turn 4 and I’m in the same boat. We’ve been struggling with daycare and I am considering taking a year off to make sure he’s ready for kindergarten next year. We’re going to talk to our ped next week to see about a behavioral evaluation.
Anonymous says
In 2021 my contract with my company ended, and around that same time we agreed to foster infant twins. I ended up taking a longer break from work than planned, due to the twins’ health issues. I took two years off, instead of six months. We were able to swing it financially but it was somewhat stressful. I will say, staying home with kids is really hard and I ultimately decided it is not for me. They go to day care and I’m back to work now: hybrid schedule, switching to full time WFH in the fall. WFH allows me to manage their health issues in a way working in the office full time just wouldn’t work. I think you should definitely try it if your spouse is on board and you can swing it financially. Taking care of kids’ health issues can be a full time job. My biggest regret is I didn’t start brushing up my resume as son as I quit. I have a great job now, but it took two solid years of hunting. I turned down at least four jobs that would have been “fine” but had a long commute and offered no flexibility for me to take off when my kids get sick. If you have a lot of leeway at your current job, you might try taking a leave of absence instead of quitting outright. Or try to pivot to something that’s WFH or part time? I know that’s easier said than done.
Anon says
I feel like all 2.5 year olds are emotional messes (yes even the ones who have SAHMs) so it seems like it’s a little early to step back for that reason. If your child were 6 I’d have a very different reaction.
Anon says
curious what kind of behavior you are seeing and if its atypical for 2.5 year old
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
+1 – Not to minimize your experience, but my 2.5 year old is a handful as well.
Anonymous says
Can issues other than autism be diagnosed that early?
Anonymous says
For a kid that young in full time day care, I wouldn’t step back. Imagine how difficult it would be to be with him 24/7 and with no second set of adult hands for 8-10 hours a day while your spouse was at work. It’s different when they are in school and leave the house for a few hours every day, and when the issues start to impinge on your workday through panicked text messages about homework, e-mails from teachers about missing assignments, constantly checking the on-line learning management system to verify that assignments were turned in, etc. That’s when working really becomes unsustainable. When they are little and it’s day care’s problem for 8 hours a day work is an escape.
Anon says
+1 I can’t imagine being home all day with a challenging 2 year old, even a neurotypical one. That sounds exhausting.
I will say that I think it can get challenging well before public school. My (spirited but apparently neurotypical) 5 year old had about 6 months of weekly OT followed by 6 months and counting of twice weekly speech therapy beginning when she was 4. I’ve missed a lot of work for these appointments, and although it’s legally protected FMLA in theory I feel like it’s one of several factors holding me back at work and it’s very much put me on the “mommy track.” So I do think constant unavailability has an impact, although I’m not sure it’s worth leaving your career over and it’s not something you should be dealing with at 2 except in a child who’s already has a diagnosis like ASD.
Anon says
Yes i don’t think staying home full time with a 2.5 year old will solve your problems. I will say that my sister had some significant mental health issues starting mid elementary school and the only way my parents were able to make it work was that my mom had a more flexible job or worked part time. My dad was a doctor in solo practice and so if he didn’t work, the practice made no money. I know it was very very stressful for my mom at times juggling my sister’s issues and work, but i also think work provided a bit of an escape and while there are some VERY hard days, weeks and months, ultimately i think my mom working was better for her own mental health and she was able to lean back in partially by choice and partially by necessity (she got laid off from her super flexible job the week before i stated college) when i left the house and my sister could drive. Hang in there
Vein issues says
Did anyone have serious vein issues following pregnancy? I’ve had varicose/spider veins my entire adult life (and had some removed in my early 20s bc of discomfort), but WOW i was not expecting the changes post-(2) pregnancies. I need to schedule an appointment to start discussing options but frankly I’m a little terrified. I’m fairly sure I’m going to be diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency given my symptoms (including ankle discoloration).
Zara says
I love the idea of this storage picture frame! It’s always a struggle to figure out what to do with my kids’ artwork. This frame seems like a great solution to keep their drawings organized and displayed. I’ll check it out on Amazon. Thanks for the recommendation!
EDAnon says
I have a recommendation and a question. For the recommendation, I was feeling completely worn out and not myself. I am usually someone who pops up in the morning and enjoys physical activity. Instead, I felt tired and sad a lot. I guessed that I was low on iron (which has happened in the past). As soon as I started taking iron, I felt better. It always takes me too long to remember to try that so I wanted to recommend it to other moms.
For my question, I got a promotion (yay!) and I need a new headshot (boo!). Any tips for a good headshot? I don’t know how to do makeup (beyond tinted moisturizer and a little eyeliner) and I wear glasses. I welcome any advice!