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Over the past year, wearing makeup has evolved from a daily routine into a special occasion one. When I do reach for foundation, I find myself drawn to products with lighter, translucent coverage.
I recently bought a bottle of this foundation from ILIA and I think it’s what I’ve been looking for. This “Clean at Sephora” tinted serum provides a light coverage, SPF 40, and several good-for-your-skin ingredients like squalane (hydrates and improves elasticity), niacinamide (smooth and even skin tone), and hyaluronic acids (moisturizes and plumps skin). It also comes in 30 shades so you can find your perfect match! It’s your skin, but better.
The foundation is $48 at Sephora.
Sales of note for 3.28.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase; extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50-70% off everything plus extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – 50% off 2+ items; 40% off 1
- J.Crew – 50% off select styles
- Lands’ End – 10% off your order
- Loft – 50% off everything
- Nordstrom: Give $150 in gift cards, earn a $25 promo card (ends 3/31)
- Talbots – 40% off 1 item; 25% off everything else
- Zappos – 37,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – 50% off entire site
- Hanna Andersson – 30% off all swim; up to 30% off HannaJams
- J.Crew Crewcuts – 40% off sitewide; 50% off select swim; 50% off kids’ styles
- Old Navy – 50% off Easter deals
- Target – 20% off Easter styles for all; up to 30% off kitchen & dining; BOGO 50% off shoes & slippers for the family;
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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?
Anonymous says
I was outside with a bunch of moms this weekend in the first time since forever. Am I the only parent not sneaking protein powder into either the kids’ food or family food? I thought that that was the domain of guys who pump serious iron and want to bulk up (so not even most guys I know even if they do some lifting). I felt seriously out of touch but I am also out of touch: pandemic + working in a guy-heavy field (so even if they have kids, their wives deal with the kid stuff). These are school-aged kids, BTW (not like failure to thrive infants that might have special diets).
Anonymous says
That’s nuts. Protein powder is super processed. I just feed my kid chicken, peanut butter, dairy, eggs, etc.
Anon says
We certainly don’t. We focus on whole and unprocessed foods. Protein powder is the opposite of unprocessed.
Anonymous says
The only parents I know who do this have kids who are underweight or are so picky that it is legitimately a concern whether they get enough protein. So like 2 families out of all the people I know.
Anonymous says
OP here. I can see that for some of the moms in this group (very small boys and boy parents seem to be sensitive to being in the <25%ile, which is probably a lot of younger kids now that everyone redshirts boys (so in a third grade class there are some giants which makes the normal-to-small boys probably look very petite)). I think that in the other end of the spectrum maybe some moms want their boys to be ultra-strapping? I know that there are girls in these families but maybe it is the boys driving this? [I have a stepson and have never been tempted to do this when he visits; he is very happy just to eat all the food and then melt a bag of shredded cheese on it if one is handy.] I am not a food purist by any means (and it seems that there are dozens of types — vegan, flavored, etc., etc.). [I do feel bad that because my kids have always had peanut-allergic kids in their class or been at peanut-banned camps, they have never developed even a liking of peanuts or peanut butter; this to me maybe is part of why kids may need more protein, but I honestly was so surprised as to have been still thinking about it during my shower this morning.]
Back to the rock I've been living under.
Anonymous says
Wait, what? You think the moms are trying to fatten up their boys for football? Why do you care?
Are you the same person who is always freaking out on the main page about your middle-schoolers’ math test scores, the demise of the SAT, and your stepson’s other family of covidiots?
Anonymous says
FWIW, I don’t think OP was talking about football here. In my area, “redshirting” is a commonly used phrase for holding kids back a year for any number of reasons, sports-related or not.
Anonymous says
No, I was referring to OP’s guess about parents about wanting boys to be “ultra-strapping,” not the redshirting comment.
anon says
Percentile is by age, not grade, though… So your kid that turned 6 in August will be 30th %ile for 6yos regardless of whether or not his first grade class is full of almost 8yos.
Anon says
I was actually thinking about this just this weekend. I had been feeling very tired & I spoke with my doctor, who said I need to consume more protein. I don’t eat much meat, but do eat fish, dairy, eggs, peanuts and beans. Since including a protein shake into my diet at my doctor’s rec, I do feel much better. I was wondering if my picky 3 YO would benefit from more protein too. He doesn’t like meat or cheese, but does drink milk, nut butters, yogurt and chickpeas.
Anon says
+1 I am postpartum/breastfeeding and recently started using Ritual protein powder. I immediately noticed a big difference in my energy and possibly even my milk quality (baby started gaining weight faster the month I started the protein powder). That being said, I don’t know that pp is “superior” to real foods, but I’d been struggling with the energy or the free hands to prepare meals so was often going without breakfast.
I will give some to my son in his smoothie when he asks, but I don’t give it to my kids as a matter of course.
Mrs. Jones says
Uh no that’s bananas.
Anaonao says
I wouldn’t do this unless medically required. Since we are vegetarians though, I do sneak some flaxseed or chia seeds into pancakes or baked goods to pump up protein and fiber content.
NYCer says
I put protein powder / collagen powder in my smoothies and oatmeal. Occasionally one of my kids will have a sip or bite. If I am making oatmeal for everyone, I will still add the collagen, so they will get it then. I definitely don’t actively try to give protein powder to my kids everyday, but they do have it sometimes. I don’t think that it is crazy, but it seems that I’m in the minority here.
AnoninNY says
No. It shouldn’t be necessary for the vast majority of kids and many of the powders are very processed. My kids are picky eaters but they drink a couple of glasses of milk a day and that takes care of most of their protein needs.
Anon says
I don’t sprinkle powder in, but I am focused on protein because my kid (4) doesn’t stay full on carbs but also is a super picky eater who eats almost nothing but carbs (seriously, the kid has not eaten a vegetable in 18 months, only eats 2 fruits, hates cheese and rarely eats meat). We try to fit protein into two out of three meals a day. Our sources of protein are peanut butter, milk, yogurt, bacon, hot dogs, kodiak cakes pancakes made with milk and egg (or their frozen chocolate chip waffles) or on the rare occasion she deigns to eat them these days, chicken nuggets.
Anon says
This is my child. 3 YO could live off of crackers.
Anon says
My 1.5 year old would happily subsist off pasta and bananas. I think he’s like me – tends towards hypoglycemia and sugar crashes – so protein is hugely important.
Anonymous says
I do like those frozen Kodiak pancakes, but other than that no. My kid loves hot dogs and deli turkey so I’m not worried about him getting enough protein.
Anonymous says
We only did for 3-6 months when my now kindergartener was 3 and would eat only cucumbers (no, she was not the normal kid who’s hold eventually give up and eat when hungry. She ran herself ragged and made us all miserable. She wouldn’t eat *any* food with protein so I think we sprinkled it in her milk.
As soon as she ate other foods we stopped.
Anon says
In America we have an obsession with protein (see: diets where meat is the primary component of all meals). Also, a lot of parents seem to get wrapped up in sneaking their kids nutrition instead of building good eating habits and concentrating on exposure to foods. I am a big fan of Ellyn Satter’s DoR (for normally developing children, etc etc) and chilling out over childhood diets – expose your kid to a wide variety of foods, give them a multivitamin if concerned, but don’t do all the micromanaging.
Spirograph says
We haven’t done it, but we’ve batted the idea around. One of my kids is just very, very picky. The other two really like cold cereal for breakfast, but it doesn’t have enough staying power. Cereal+protein powder would be easier than serving multiple courses of breakfast.
Over an average week, they’re all eating a reasonably balanced diet, and they’re all growing just fine, so I’m not making any changes yet.
Anonymous says
We make a big batch of Kodiak Cakes pancakes with egg and milk, freeze them, and microwave them for breakfast. Cereal is a snack in our house, not a meal.
Jeffiner says
Ha, cereal is the meal my daughter can choose to eat if she doesn’t want whatever we’re cooking. She usually has cereal at least once every two days, if not once a day. But it gets her to the next meal, no problem. Different strokes.
Anonymous says
Cereal fuels my kid (and my husband, ha!) for approximately one hour, which is followed by a spectacular crash. For us, protein and fat with carbs are where it’s at.
anon says
I asked my pediatrician about this and he said milk provides a lot of protein (mine drinks milk) and try eggs and cheese. (which my daughter loves, loves all cheese). And that kids need more carbs that we adults think, especially with the focus on protein/low carb in adult diets. As an example of this, my daughter ate two eggs, some strawberries, and then requested mac and cheese (which I gave her) – all before 8:30 am.
Spirograph says
Yeah, this sounds like breakfast at my house. This morning my boys ate cereal + multigrain english muffins with butter and jam, then got dressed and came back for hardboiled eggs and blueberries before it was time to leave for school. I’m dreading how much they’ll eat when they’re teenagers!
SC says
My son’s gastroenterologist suggested using protein powder. Kiddo has fallen off the growth chart since Covid started (under 5th percentile in height and weight, down from about 50th/25th), you can see his ribs through his back, and he’s had GI complications (now resolved). We’re bascially a step away from a g-tube. So, in our case, some protein powder in a food Kiddo does eat isn’t nuts. Unfortunately, we can’t “sneak” anything into my kid’s food–he can either taste it or detect some change in texture.
Anonymous says
This is a totally different scenario than what OP is describing and of course is not nuts. I doubt that all the kids at the playground are under the care of a gastroenterologist for diagnosed issues.
SC says
Probably not all, but you never know what a family or a kid is going through. It’s not like my kid has never been to a playground.
Anonymous says
OP made it sound like the playground moms were all talking about sneaking protein powder into their entire family’s food in one of those one-upmomship conversations.
EB0220 says
What? I have never done this nor have I ever heard of people doing it.
Anon says
Does anyone feel like they don’t really have any girlfriends? After a big move that was now several years ago, job changes, a child, and a pandemic, I don’t really have anyone local to even ask out to lunch or dinner. I know I need to put myself out there at some point, but the whole pandemic thing has made it difficult. I don’t want my twenty something city life back, but I’ve been nostalgic for the days going out for drinks post-work.
Anon says
most of my girlfriends aren’t local. we had a big move 5 years ago, i met some people, then got pregnant with twins and spent most of my pregnancy feeling sick/big at home, then barely left the house for the first 6 months of their life bc twins, finally started feeling more confident taking them out of the house myself to places like the playground etc. when they were around 1.5 and then covid hit. i have no interest in post-work drinks, but definitely wish i had more local people to get together with. my kids are now in preschool, but it is hard to meet the other families since parents can’t go in the building (which i’m glad about from a covid perspective) and honestly, as much as i want to meet more people, i also don’t want to hang out with unvaccinated people who are galavanting around town and it is hard to ask new people about their covid precautions (i should add that i live in the south in an area with a very high transmission rate, lack of mask policies, etc.)
Anonymous says
This is me, but my twins are slightly younger. I’d like some mom friends locally and am hoping I’ll find some in the preschool moms, although it’s heavily stereotypical SAHMs (not knocking SAHMs generally – I just joined the ranks – but most of the ones at my preschool fall into this category and it’s just not my cup of tea).
Anon says
So, there are a lot of things I’m not good at, but making friends as an adult? That one I’m good at.
We’re all super busy and stressed, but my main sources of adult friends have been other daycare parents, neighbors/neighborhood friends, and people I randomly run into who run in the same social circles and with whom I just mesh.
I do a lot of super low stakes playdates. Like, ‘Hey, headed to the playground at 9. Join if you’re around.’ I’ll send that to 2-3 friends. It’s really fun when they show up! Caveat is that my community is highly vaxxed and I know that these people are all vaxxed because we’ve actively discussed it.
Other COVID era things that have really helped me build friendships: dropping off a coffee order for a friend having a terrible week. Dropping off a bottle of wine and a face mask for somebody whose kids are quarantined (again). Sending ridiculous TikTok videos of people joking about toddler insanity. Texting them simple ‘hey! hope all is well’.
Fallen625 says
This was me 3 months ago. It was so so hard, hang in there:
I think the one thing that helped was constantly putting myself out there. I Once we moved this summer; I got the phone number of anyone I met and invited them for coffee/lunch/ a play date/etc. And it payed off soo much, that now I am in a place where I have 4-5 social things scheduled weekly.
Anon says
Dumb question but how do you say it? Just “hey would you like to hang out sometime, can I have your number?”
Fallen says
I usually talk to people at all these events) and if we click (eg we chatted for 30’minutes and have more to talk about) when I leave I say “I have to run, but it would be great if my daughter and your could play together / we should meet up sometime – let me get your number” a lot of times it comes up earlier too (eg I was raving about my aftercare to a mom Last week, so I got her number to send her the aftercare info)
Fallen says
Some places that I met people:
1. Work. Even while starting a job remotely, I have met for lunch/coffee with co-workers.
2. Kids activities (e.g., swim). I just randomly start chatting with other parents.
3. They do “newcomer coffees” or “class coffees” in my daughters class.
4. A facebook mom’s group, I randomly started messaging with someone new that moved that was looking for camps and I had just been through it. This is now my best friend.
5. I go to everything I am invited to now.
6. My daughter. She wants to meet people too. I encourage her to give my number to all her friends.
I hope this helps! I also think it only takes one good friend to change your quality of life dramatically.
SC says
I don’t have many local girlfriends. Kiddo started Kindergarten at a new school last year, and we still have not met a single other parent due to Covid. My coworkers are mostly male, and I’m in a pretty different life stage from most of the women who work at my company. Many of our friends and family have moved away, partly because of employment opportunities and partly because the public schools here are absolutely terrible. I had made several mom friends from Kiddo’s previous school, but one moved away, and it’s also hard to keep up with the others, especially during a pandemic.
Also, DH is a SAHD. He does 80% of the childcare, if not more, and he cooks dinner. I’d love to be able to get drinks with a coworker after work, but I’m aware that DH needs a break and someone to be “on” Kiddo during dinner prep.
Anon says
I really appreciate all the comments from people who are good at making friends. I have such a hard time with it, and afterwards, I’m always kicking myself for not saying “hello” or trying to strike up a conversation at the park or soccer practice or what not. I don’t know why it’s such a tough hurdle for me to get over, but this is some good encouragement for me to realize that it’s not such a big deal to be friendly.
Anon says
I turned 40 not too long ago and am now suffering from dry, flaky skin and some acne. I used to be able to address this with Paula’s Choice BHA 2x a week, but it’s just not doing it. Any suggestions for a great moisturizer for dry 40s skin that doesn’t cause break outs?
Anonymous says
I’d start actually with a super gentle toner. I like Bioderma.
Anonymous says
Neutrogena Hydro-Boost during the day and L’Oreal Collagen Moisture Filler Day/Night cream at night. Sometimes a little of the latter on my cheeks during the day in winter. VaniCream may also be a good option.
Anon says
I love all of Stratia’s stuff.
Anonymous says
Any suggestions on outfits for outdoor fall family photos? It will be myself, my 1 year old son, and husband. My husband is the easiest and will wear some sort of button down, pull over quarter zip, abd jeans or dressier pants. I’m stuck on myself and son. I’m into Beaufort bonnet type pretty outfits or Boden for my son but hard to figure out how to get everyone to match. I suppose he could just wear jeans and a sweater too…And I have no clothes post baby!
Anonymous says
I would say everyone in jeans and coordinating sweaters/flannels.
Anon says
another company to check out for your son is Smocked Auctions. If this is your style, i like the idea of their corduroy longalls. I love mini boden but feel like a lot of their stuff is quite busy for family photos at least to me (there is no one right way to do family photos). For you, I would either do jeans + blouse/sweater or a dress. find something you feel good in first, and then if you did something like corduroy for your son, you could just choose whatever color goes with what you are wearing. Are you more of a pants person or a dress person?
OP says
Exactly my thoughts on mini boden! Everything has a pattern. I will definitely check them out! I feel like I’m striking out on my usual go tos for fancy things like little English, Bella bliss, lullaby set, etc. but hadn’t checked smocked auctions. For me, I spend no time on my outfits these days so get very stressed when I need to. I’m more of a jeans and jcrew or old navy sweater and green field jacket kind of person for fall. Although I tend to wear dresses for pictures or events. In an ideal world we’d wear some shades of yellow and navy so that’s my mental picture but I’m not great at this.
Anon says
if you search online ‘navy and mustard family pictures’ you will get lots of ideas
anonn says
our photographer uses a service called Style and Select to come up with vision boards/links for us, but I just checked and you could do a short term membership for $15. Such a game changer for us, you pick colors you like, your “style” and then it builds outfits for you, items range from target/zara to online boutiques, I use it to get an idea and see if I have something similar or go shopping. I think start with yourself, usually a long flowy dress ( vici dolls, baltic born, free people, etc.), and build on that. Kids and men are easier once you’re figured out.
Snowsuit? says
One- or two-piece snowsuit? And what do I do for boots?
LO isn’t walking, yet, but will be by the end of winter (and maybe even by the time it snows). We live in the upper Midwest. Daycare is committed to sending the kiddos outside to play as much as possible.
Chl says
We had the Hanna Anderson snowsuit for both of our kids in chicago and it was great. You’ll probably also need a separate coat but if you’re in the upper Midwest the idea of multiple coats isn’t foreign to you:)
Anonymous says
Lol, I just got my many coats out to make sure nothing needs cleaning, buttons, etc. :)
Anonymous says
I’d do a 1 piece for that age. One piece is a PITA for using the bathroom, but that’s not an issue for kiddos in diapers!
Io says
This! One piece for diaper wearers. Make sure it’s waterproof (I bought Patagonia or Columbia on ebay). Once they’re potty trained (fully! I kept some pull ups around for snow days at age two) switch to a bib and jacket. We’re in NYC and my kid did outdoor school as a toddler and we’d typically just use rain gear (rain bib pants/jacket) over fleece for most days and over non-bib down for the really cold days. Pick dark plain colors if you don’t like mud stains. If you or the school doesn’t have a drying cabinet, you may need two sets of the outermost/waterproof layer.
If your daycare doesn’t provide a list of clothing, (gloves, hat, balaclava, wool socks, boots, gaiter) you can google “There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather” or Linda McGurk. She had a good list on her website at one point. You might also like her book.
If they’re really doing LOTS of time outside you may also like the book Forest School and Outdoor Learning by Sara Knight or Nature Preschools ed. David Sobel. I really had to adjust my thinking about what was safe, how dirty was acceptable and the idea that sometimes your kid is going to be miserable (because some days it’s cold and rainy and that’s good for them too!).
So Anon says
Agree with the others that a one-piece snowsuit for daycare is ideal. You will also need a separate winter coat. For boots, I found that whatever the brand is at Target worked really well for that age. They were plenty warm (we live in northern New England) and not heavy. Bogs and LLBean boots were like cement blocks on my kids’ feet.
Snowsuit? says
Thanks, all! I’ve been eyeing a dark one-piece Columbia, so I think that settles it. :)
Anon says
One thing to add as another Chicago area person – if it’s practical, consider leaving the snowsuit (maybe even boots) at daycare during the week, and investing in a thin puffer or fleece poncho for wearing to and from during the week.
It cuts WAY down on how many things you’re schlepping into the center, and also cuts down on the getting suited up rigmarole at the end of the day. We got one of those two-layer fleece ponchos from a local mom and it was warm enough for the short run from the car to the center even on the coldest winter days in our Chicago suburb. Just throw it over their head, add hat and mittens, and carry them through the parking lot. So much less production!
Anon says
When my kid was one we used baby bogs. They’re kind of soft and easy to get feet into. Never had wet feet with them.
Anon says
sort of following up on the above thread about protein powder/picky eaters – my dad was just here visiting for the weekend and so many comments about what my kids ate. i subscribe to the philosophy that i choose what to serve and they choose what to eat. anyone have a good script to shut down the comments?
Anonymous says
“Omg dad stop it! You’re driving me crazy with comments about what they eat.”
OP says
um, yes, I tried that and it was not well received. I know grandparents mean well, but sometimes their visits are SO exhausting with all of the judgmental comments
Anonymous says
Here, Dad, can I pour you another glass of wine? Oooh, is the game on?
Anonymous says
I suggest a monotone “ok” in response to all the judgmental comments.
Example: “I cannot believe kid ate a dinner of plain pasta and now you are* giving them ice cream.”
Response: “ok”
*or “are not” because sometimes there’s no winning with judgmental grandparents.
anonM says
How often is he around? I have a few different approaches. For family around all the time, I’ve discussed my views/research — things like “I’m trying to not helicopter how many ‘bites’ they eat, based on some research I’ve read, but it’s so hard.” And I’ve discussed it a lot with my mom and MIL who watch the kids a lot. If they slip up and still say it on occasion, I try to let it go. But I’ve had repeat convos with some family members on my harder line of no diet talk, including the “ugh I’m so fat!” or “I can’t eat THAT” comments. Trying to make that clear now while kids are young because I really don’t want them to hear that as they enter their teenage years. People I’m not around much I let more slide. But, I did actually call out a family member recently because it was multiple and explicitly judgmental comments (i.e., my son politely offered everyone a cookie and said ADULT male said “do I look like someone who would eat that?” UGHHH. So I did actually retort “what does that mean? what does someone who eats cookies look like? We’re not body-shaming in front of our kids, right?” Like, come onnnnnn. I also have way less tolerance for men saying this sh*t, tbh, for many reasons.)
anonM says
Oh, and for all types of what I consider bodily consent issues, I try to clearly and loudly tell “the kids” our family rules, in earshot of adults that I don’t want to/can’t have a convo with. Like “Kid 1, time to say goodbye, You can choose to hug, high-five, or blow a kiss.” With food, you can say “Kid 1, Here’s your plate. You can choose how much to eat of this and listen to your body.” My son now repeats a lot of these “rules” so it’s a bit easier now that he’s a little older.
Anon says
“The kids eat a well balanced diet and we aren’t going to engage in Food Wars or power struggles over two pieces of steak.”
“Dad, grandma and grandpa did not police your parenting in front of us, and as an adult, I appreciate that a lot. Please give me the same respect your parents gave you.”
anon says
Nope, I don’t. That generation is super weird about kids’ food intake, I’ve noticed. I think it has something to do with being raised by parents who lived in the post-Depression era. Many seem to have a scarcity mindset around food and aren’t happy unless kids are wolfing down massive quantities.
anon. says
I realize this doesn’t help after the fact of the visit, but I have an extreme picky eater (like he has been to occupational therapy for it, eats very few foods, almost no meat, etc.). Before grandparents come visit, we send them an email telling them that we are managing his eating issues the best we can, we need them to be on board, and they should not comment on a single thing he eats or doesn’t eat. This has helped SO much. They feel on board with the plan and are supportive. Of course, YMMV depending on how they receive it, but ours have responded really well.
anon4this says
With the Pfizer data coming out, my husband wants to ask the pediatrician if he will give our kid the vaccine off label. Is this a terrible idea?
https://www.statnews.com/2021/09/20/pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-children/
Anonymous says
I can’t imagine that any pediatrician would agree to this.
Spirograph says
This.
Realist says
Yeah, there were some pretty harsh warnings to doctors not to use the drug off label to preempt this move.
If my kid could pass for 12 then I would absolutely be considering getting them the vaccine through deception. The safety data on the vaccine is clearly better than exposure to the virus, and it is becoming increasingly clear that “neither” is not a remaining option. They need to approve the shots for kids ASAP if the safety data is as good as Pfizer says it is.
Anonymous says
Why not just wait a month? Really, it is a month. I personally would not want to put the pediatrician in that position unless my kid had some serious risk factor.
Anonymous says
Also, my son just got over COVID. (I have no idea where he got it – most likely outside). And he passed it on to me and my husband, both vaccinated. It was logistically trying and somewhat scary, but in hindsight, none of us were particularly sick. I would have probably gone to work pre-pandemic with the level of sick I was – it felt like a bad cold. I realize some kids do get seriously ill, but it is statistically rare and IMO not a good reason to try to circumvent a review process that is there for a reason. I think many of us have become a little out of touch with the actual risks we’re facing. In terms of it being freeing, I guess I feel less concerned about his potentially getting sick now that he has antibodies, but in practice, I’m not sure what to do differently. It’s psychologically a relief but hasn’t been life changing. We need the whole community–especially his peers–to be more protected before we can behave that differently.
Anon says
Yes, wait until it is ready for your kid’s age group. I know it sucks to be hunkered down (our only child is 11 months and I hate that she hasn’t met most of our family, any other babies, etc.) but I’d rather err on the side of medicine and science than think I know better and try to rush things.
Also I would find a new pediatrician if I found out mine was doing that.
Anonymous says
No but your pediatrician is likely going to say no, wait a month. But if your husband wants to ask he can go right ahead.
Anon says
yes, it is a terrible idea. you should not ask and if you do, your doc should say no.
AnonMD says
I’m a pediatrician and honestly, please don’t. I don’t ever want parents to hesitate to ask me a question, but 1) there is no way your pediatrician can or would prescribe it off label and 2) your pediatrician’s office is likely a madhouse right now. Viral season has started early, tons of kids are getting covid, back to school always brings mental health and behavioral issues and that’s just been so much worse this year. Every healthcare provider across the country is exhausted. Please don’t make your pediatrician’s office staff spend the time and emotional energy to having to say no to a question you already know the answer to.
Anonymous says
They’re not allowed to give it off label for under 16s as it only has the full approval vs emergency approval for 16 and up.
But totally empathy. It’s frustrating that a kid whose 12th birthday is Dec. 31, 2021 can get it now but a kid whose birthday is January 1. 2021 can’t get it until January.
Anon says
My kid forgot their learning iPad, which they need for learning at school. Should I drop it off? I am a big believer in natural consequences, but it seems like it would be pretty bad to not have it all day.
Anonymous says
Unless the child is in high school, I would drop it off if you can. It’s going to cause problems for the teacher more than your child.
Anonymous says
How old is your kid? Are they generally responsible? One of my kids is on the ball and if she forgot her iPad, I’d do her a solid and drop it off. Another one of my kids has been working on being responsible for her stuff for a few years, would forget her head if it were not attached, and she needs to learn natural consequences.
Meg says
This. Frequency matters. Once or twice a year, I run things up to school. But I make sure my kids understand that is a privilege they have earned because they are generally responsible.
RR says
We did last week for my 8th grader. Frankly, his teacher reached out with the request, which made clear to me that it was more problematic for his teachers than him. I’m all about natural consequences, but I don’t want to make the teachers’ lives harder.
DLC says
Our school has extras for when kids forget- might be worth checking to see if your school does too.
anonM says
Follow-up regarding uniform/clothing stains! (Preschool has white tops for uniforms). I’ve been using a lot of the tips I got on here, but have some follow-up questions. First, when everyone says to “pre-treat” the stain, I usually spray with shout or a mix of dish detergent and water, and then put it in the hamper and wash on the weekend. It’s not working very well. Should I be hand washing the shirt on a daily basis to “pre-treat” it? Second, I’m trying to hang dry the shirts so stains don’t set in, but now they’re very wrinkly. Any suggestions? Will steaming or ironing be any better/worse than just drying them in the dryer, as far as “setting” the stains?
Spirograph says
Bleach? People used to dress their kids in all white because they could just bleach everything. Also, if you have any space to hang them to dry outdoors, sunshine is great at fading stains
Steaming or ironing preschooler’s everyday clothes would be a hard no for me.
Anonymous says
Hand washing isn’t going to help any more than pretreating. I would pretreat with undiluted Seventh Generation Ultra Power Plus or Dawn depending on the stain (Dawn for greasy stains, Seventh Gen for most others), then treat again prior to washing.
What kind of stains are these, exactly? For art supplies and ink, traditional stain removers don’t work. I blot with rubbing alcohol and a white cloth to get out as much of the ink as possible, then rinse the alcohol out so it doesn’t cause a fire hazard.
Ultimately, it’s a losing battle for preschool. I would put in a reasonable amount of effort and then just send kiddo with stained and wrinkled clothes. That’s what the school gets if it requires white shirts in preschool. Our preschool had uniforms, but we were lucky that you could choose among navy, white, and red tops and girls could choose a jumper made of horrible stain-resistant synthetic fabric that covered most of the shirt.
anonM says
Ok, so by pretreat you mean just spray it? That’s the part I was wondering if I did it wrong.
Thanks for the reassurance. I knew I’d have to bleach, but it’s been 2 weeks and they’re all basically stained. I didn’t think it’d be THIS bad. I may have to do sweater vests all winter if he’ll wear them lol.
Anonymous says
By “pretreat” I mean spray it and really rub it in. Then spray and rub in again before washing.
Anon says
– What is the stain? If it’s just food, rubbing in some blue Dawn should be fine that afternoon. Washable art supplies usually do better with Shout or Oxi-clean spray in my experience.
– I try to wash more frequently than just once a week (so stains don’t sit) but sometimes it happens that way. I will normally wash and inspect immediately after finishing, then will either treat again and wash or throw in the dryer if stains are out.
– If a shirt is clean you should be able to dry it or iron no problem. We will often spray wrinkly clothing with Downy wrinkle release and toss in the dryer for 5-10 min and that gets out most wrinkles.
– A quick plug, in case this works for you: I use Clorox bleach pens on my son’s white polos from Lands End. We cannot use regular liquid bleach because there is royal blue embroidery on the upper left side of the shirt (of course). I have noticed that the embroidery fades a bit but I use the pen, let sit overnight, then rinse well in my kitchen sink before throwing in the wash. This works on nearly every stain. Note that the Clorox pens have been discontinued, but I found a bunch at my local Ace hardware.
Anon says
I pre-treat with oxiclean spray or dawn and then leave in the hamper, wash and check for the stain before putting it in the dryer. If it is still visible, I will pre-treat again and re-wash with another load or a smaller load. Fels Naphta works great on getting out stains I miss that make it into the dryer. I don’t think of the dryer as a death-knell, just an additional obstacle if I miss a stain (I dry on low heat, not sure if that is the difference).
Anon says
I usually rub some oxy clean or fels naptha into the stain and let it soak (in water) overnight or so until I do another load of laundry. If it’s bad I’ll scrub it with a toothbrush. I think the soaking is important, though. Every stain comes out for me. Just make sure not to use hot water.
anonM says
Thanks all!
Bette says
Also, I give you permission to note care about this.
Your toddler’s shirt is clearly clean. Having a few lingering stains on a shirt for this purpose is not something i’d lose sleep over. Put some bleach in your wash and call it good.
RR says
Fels Naptha. Wet the shirt, rub the bar on the stain, wash.
Anonymous says
Quick recommendation for Puracy’s laundry stain remover. It’s supposed to be all-natural but seems to work better on typical preschool laundry stains than the regular Shout formula.
Anonymous says
+1 for Puracy. Shout is not very effective.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
Well, DS #1 started in the Pre-K class at his school today. He’s been in school since he was 4 months old, and has been at this particular place for almost 2 years (minus early pandemic time at home)…but this feels different! Unless we get a slot in a public pre-K, he’ll be in this class until K.
(And yes, after years of side-eyeing the first day of school signs, I definitely caved and made one for this occasion and now totally see the point).
AwayEmily says
awwww adorable, and congrats to him! I don’t do the signs but legit love seeing them in my instagram feed when friends do them.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
Thank you! It’s weirdly exciting, maybe because I’m being a total narcissist and remembering my first day of Pre-K and my time there generally which was so positive and exciting.
Nothing as humbling as being a parent when you realize the stuff you thought you would never do…yep. I agree that I do love seeing them now, too! I hope it’s a good memory for him as he gets older.
anon says
Has anyone done any online parenting classes? I follow a few accounts on IG that have classes. I am specifically looking for help with my 4.5 yo. Everything is a battle and we’re all so exhausted that we’ve created some bad habits. Any recs?
Anokha says
I took a 4 week online workshop with Dr. Julie King (“How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen”), and I found it to be super helpful.
Anon says
Following. I bought a course from Our Mama Village but haven’t done it yet (I did a short free class from her that made me think the paid one would be helpful). I am a big fan of Mary Van Geffen for my “spicy” kids but haven’t purchased courses from her (yet)
anon says
I did the Feeding Littles Infant and Toddler course, if that counts? I found that incredibly helpful and addressed a lot of my own deep seeded issues with food which I clearly don’t want to pass on to kiddo. Highly recommend.
Anonymous says
Apologies if this has been asked recently. In today’s world, when is reasonable disclose a pregnancy to work? With WFH until further notice, essentially no one has any idea… but I obviously need to give my team enough time to plan for leave. At the same time, I have a higher risk pregnancy so don’t want to jump the gun.
Anonymous says
20 weeks
anon says
+1, I gave birth a year ago during the height of COVID and disclosed my pregnancy at around 20 weeks. It was fine. Also high risk and AMA.
Anonymous says
+1
busybee says
I also have a higher risk pregnancy and a history of losses so I disclosed at 22 weeks. We are in person though. WFH I might have waited another couple of weeks but I was starting to look a little thicker
Anonymous says
How does your family talk about genitals/private parts? What are your rules about bodies/nakedness in the house? DH and I have 3 girls. For context, he is an only child and I grew up with brothers and sisters. Yesterday, my 8 year old got out of the shower and came downstairs naked to ask me some dumb question. I told her to go put some clothes on, what is she doing running around the house naked/ the neighbors are out walking their dogs and all the lights are on. A couple minutes later, the same kid needed her earring looked at and was rolling around naked on my bed with her legs splayed out. I told her she was being rude and please get dressed.
So later that night, DH tells me he thought I was body-shaming our daughter and he wants to make sure we don’t make the girls feel ashamed of their bodies or like their genitals are “dirty.” My view is that (1) On wandering around naked: I don’t think it’s appropriate for anyone in our house to roam around the first floor naked with the lights on at night when all the windows are open- we live on a main road and have all kinds of people passing by in the evening that can see right into our window. IMO it had nothing to do with being ashamed (or not) of your body. It’s general neighborly practice. (2) I don’t think my kids are “dirty” but I do think my kids bare a$$ on my bed is both not the most hygienic and the girl should know it’s not polite to spread your legs in front of other people.
Another example DH brought up that I’ve said before to the kids that when they touch themselves (it isn’t quite masturbating but it’s exploratory) that they have to wash their hands — and from my standpoint, you ought to be washing your hands before (keep germs out) and after (sanitation). In no way do I mean to imply that the act of touching yourself is “dirty”– just that you need to wash your hands like you would if you were picking your nose or wiping your bottom.
I feel like I’m not articulating my view with DH, and I think we are both generally in agreement about how we want to raise the girls w/r/t their own bodies. I can’t tell if he’s being hypersensitive to an issue that isn’t there, or if I need to adjust the way I talk about “private parts” to our girls before I give them some kind of complex about their bodies. Our girls are all young (3rd grade and below).
Thoughts? Advice?
Anon says
I have three boys (six and under) and I have a general rule of “no bare bums”. I emphasize the hygiene element (bums have germs). We are pretty open with our bodies – I change in front of them, I obviously help them dress and shower – and am sure that will change organically as they age.
For the privacy side of things, we read “Good pictures Bad pictures Jr.” and talk about what’s appropriate with regards to seeing or touching…I’m also more cognizant of not taking photos of them naked (like in the tub)
anon says
I’ve practiced calling their parts by their names (p*** and v***), it’s weird for me, catholic educated, but I want it to be as non-emotional as possible.
I also want my kids to be safe and confident in their bodies but balance it with proper etiquette in social settings – ie, like you, I don’t like them running around naked, and I teach my daughter (2nd grade) to ensure no one sees her underwear / she knowns no one should touch that part of her body without her permission. (son is still in diaper)
frankly, it’s hard, and I’m not sure I’m getting it 100% right, but I give myself brownie points for trying, and same to you!
Anonymous says
Body-shaming is telling a kid that she’s too fat to wear a swimsuit, not telling her to put on some clothes.
Anonymous says
+1. Body shaming has NOTHING to do with age-appropriate conversations about when and where we need to be fully clothed.
Anonymous says
OP here- this was my reaction. DH is worried that our girls will grow up thinking their private parts are something to be ashamed of. I think he’s bringing some baggage to the table, but I am also totally open to the idea that I’m using the wrong terms or somehow setting my kids up to be embarrassed about their v*gina.
Anonymous says
Not being embarrassed of your body parts is not at all the same thing as walking around with no clothes. Other people have a right to be comfortable around you.
Boston Legal Eagle says
We generally have a “genitals/butt covered when not in the bathroom or in your room” policy. I.e. we don’t let the kids run around naked in the living room (we also have a window right there) but I definitely did not grow up in a house where we all sat around naked in our homes (that may be different in different families) so I’m maybe more prude than others. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with their bodies or my body, it’s just that certain parts are meant to be covered when out in the general living area. I don’t think that’s body shaming. Touching self – try to reserve that for own bedroom.
Anon says
We’re similar to this. We use the proper terms for everything, and are fairly open about bodies. But “swimsuit areas” (avoiding mod) must be covered when you’re not in a bathroom or your own bedroom.
We talk about covering those areas because that’s where items come out of your body, and since you don’t want to touch stuff that has come out of someone’s body, we cover it up. We’ve discussed how girls/women have to cover their n***s because milk comes out to feed a baby, but people are weird so we cover them up even when you’re too young or too old to have a baby. But you absolutely cover bottoms because you don’t want to curl up with a couch pillow that someone’s bare butt was just touching, since you don’t know if they’re good at wiping. It’s being polite.
I don’t consider this body shaming, I consider it dressing for the occasion. Similar to why we don’t wear a swimsuit to soccer practice, you have to be appropriate for the activity you’re doing. Sitting on a couch means you need to cover your bottom areas.
Anon says
this is something i’m trying to figure out too. we have 3 year old twins who are potty trained, but one drinks A TON of water, and has been having a lot of accidents lately, so we’ve kind of gone back to often not wearing undies when at home to prompt her to go to the bathroom. we definitely refer to body parts by their proper names. we still use a travel potty when at the park, so people might get a glimpse of my kid, or if needed we change out of wet clothes after playing in a sprinkler at someone’s house. i was thinking like a year from now when they are a bit older we will focus more on the privacy aspect.
DLC says
I recently borrowed Sex is a Funny Word from the library to share with my nine year old. I thought it had a really good approach to the idea of privacy, notably that covering up your body is about choosing whom to share it with, rather than anything shameful. It’s about agency and owing your body.
I liked also that they discourage the use of the term “private” parts because that implies secrecy/shame. Rather they say “middle”’parts because it’a more objective.
Anonymous says
I actually think “private” implies more agency and ownership than “middle.”
Anonymous says
I think your reaction is totally fine. We refer to parts as their scientific name and we have a rule that you “don’t show people your parts covered by underwear”. Of course 4.5yo and 2yo still run around naked for a second after a bath. I still change in front of my kids but DH will not change in front of 4.5yo DD. We require washing hands after “body exploration” because yeh, genitals have germs! I don’t think anything you said is out of line and it sounds like your DH is all for a naked household which I couldn’t handle. Maybe I’m a prude, oh well.
Anonymous says
OP here. I asked that night — he doesn’t change in front of the girls and I asked him straight up if he was suggesting we all walk around naked all the time. His reaction was no, that’s not what he wants, but he doesn’t want them to think there is anything wrong with people that do that.
I do my best to be dressed but my children have limited boundaries and will often barge in on me or need me in an emergency before I’m dressed.
Anonymous says
Your husband is leaving out a critical factor–consent. You can’t just take off your clothes in front of other people without their consent.
Anonymous says
+1000! It just sounds like family boundaries need to be decided by you and DH and then discussed/enforced with your girls. Also, lock your door when you’re getting dressed if you don’t want to be barged in on! It’s been hard to learn to not be “available” for my kids every second of the day, but unless someone is physically injured what they need can usually wait a few mins. Like it’s ok for me to not want kids in the bathroom while I do number 2. That isn’t strict. It’s hygiene and privacy. And I think how you reacted to the situation is the same.
Anonymous says
Eeek. So he wants them to think it’s okay to flash people? Isn’t that a crime? How would he feel about it if a boy or man went around with no clothes in front of his daughters?
anonn says
what? I remember as a kid staying at a friends house and her dad walked by nude. not ok. I didn’t tell my parents, I think I just thought her family was different than mine. but as a parent now, I’d for sure want to know. I’m telling my daughter that we aren’t nude/exploring in front of other people, and other people shouldn’t be nude/exploring in front of us.
Realist says
We have the Super Duper Safety School book, which is where our first conversations on private areas started. That book introduces the “tricky strangers” concept. Outside of that we try to focus on consent with healthy boundaries. We can’t leave the bathroom door wide open while we potty because it makes me and DH uncomfortable and we don’t consent to that (obviously way past the potty training age here). We can’t use our bodies or behavior in a way that intentionally makes others uncomfortable is a rule at our house. So it seems reasonable to have a rule of “No running around downstairs naked because it invites the kind of attention or gazes into our house that I do not want in our house. If you don’t want to put on clothes you need to go upstairs to your room.” I will post some links I found recently on this topic for older girls.
I think this is a really tricky topic for girls. We aren’t responsible for the male gaze or rape culture, but it still exists and creates dangers in the world where we and our daughters have to live.
Realist says
NYTimes: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/parenting/kids-body-boundaries.html
Scary mommy:
https://www.scarymommy.com/girls-clothing-choices-schools/
https://www.scarymommy.com/2021-why-schools-still-telling-students-how-to-dress/
I think it helps to think of how you want your later conversations on bodies and clothes and behavior to go, and work your way back from there, particularly when it comes to body shaming issues.
anon says
I think it’s reasonable to say “don’t run around the house nekkid”. I tell my kids that they have to wear underwear around the house (unless they’re dashing from the shower), and shirt + shorts to sit at the table. That’s just polite. I also think it’s ok to say that you can touch yourself in your private parts but only in private. And washing hands is a good idea, that’s just basic sanitation. You’d tell them the same thing if they picked their nose, right?
Boston Legal Eagle says
My poor RSV recovering son also had a bad reaction to the flu shot. I am all for vaccines but I just know he’s also going to have a hard time with the Covid one, whenever that comes for his age group (almost 3). I’m glad the safety data is good for the 5-11, hopefully we can get our older one the vaccine by Halloween as they’re saying! Still not going anywhere close to normal until the little one is covered.
Cb says
Aww, poor kiddo. I had my flu shot on Friday and have never had a reaction before, but I spiked a fever and felt a bit rubbish. Still worth it to avoid flu, but no fun.
Anonymous says
Awww, poor guy. As someone who had a terrible reaction to the COVID vaccine (felt as sick as I’ve ever been in my life for 3 days, and I’ve had multiple rounds of the flu, pneumonia, etc.), I can tell you that psychologically it’s much easier than actually being sick. That won’t help your son feel any better, but it can help YOU feel better about his suffering. When he had RSV, he was hospitalized and you were naturally worried. With a vaccine, you know he’s going to be OK. You’ll still feel sorry for him, but you won’t be worried in the same way.
Anon says
I’ve wondered about how these reactions are related! Both my kids have reacted to their flu shots the past two years (nothing major, just raised red welts that spread a couple inches around the injection site) .
Anonymous says
My kiddo had a 3-day fever after the flu shot (and I had chills/aches for a couple of hours, too). Ped’s office said it was a completely normal reaction and wrote a note saying that for daycare.
AwayEmily says
We got flu shots on Sunday morning and the 3yo had fever/vomiting in the evening but I actually think it’s unrelated in his case…he’s never had a bad reaction to flu shots before and according to Google, vomiting isn’t a usual symptom. So, home from daycare for a few days pending a COVID test. Sigh. Sorry that your kiddo had a tough time and hope he at least got some extra TV time out of it (mine got a LOT of episodes of magic school bus, which I cannot stand).
NYCer says
Anecdotally, I have heard that kids who are sick / recovering from an illness when getting the flu shot can sometimes have stronger reactions to the shot. Regardless, it is not fun with a little guy!
Realist says
Poor little guy! I think the mRNA vaccines are so different from the flu vaccines, so here is to hoping that he has an easier time with it and that it is his turn very soon to get a vaccine for Covid. (These kids vaccines can’t come soon enough, in my opinion.)
Elle says
Not yet a mom question here. How long would you wait to start TTC after starting a new job? I started my job in March and we’re debating whether we should start trying in January (baby 18+ months after starting the job) or waiting a while longer. I would like to start sooner than later but I worry that I will be exhausted during pregnancy and I won’t have built up enough goodwill by then.
Anon says
I would try 3 months in – whatever the minimum is to qualify for FMLA :) Don’t put your life on hold for some job.
Anonymous says
Same!
anon says
Ditto, this is when I started but didn’t end up getting pregnant until about six months after I started. Worked out fine, I gave birth about 15 months after starting.
Anon for this says
Same. But I conceived in between accepting a job and starting one so . . . (secondary infertility, was NOT going to stop TTC for a job).
anon says
Depending on your age, I would start ASAP. Conception can take a lot longer than you’d think. In my group of friends, I think it has ranged from 2 months to around a year (with medical interventions). If you’re 23, you can probably wait a bit longer, but if you’re already in your 30s and especially if you want to have more than one child I would just go for it. Plus, it’s really hard to predict how you’ll feel. I felt pretty tired during the first few months but still had no trouble performing my job (big law). After that, I had no symptoms (although that may have been helped by the fact that I worked 100% remote during the last 4 months thanks to COVID).
Anon says
There is no perfect time to have a baby. And even if there is, the chances of it happening at exactly at that time are slim. I wanted to be pregnant and done with maternity leave by the time I became a partner. We got pregnant within 2 months of trying and lost that pregnancy in the second semester. Then, I got pregnant again and was 7 months pregnant when I became a partner and took my 8 weeks maternity leave during my first 2-4 months as a partner. Not ideal. I’m a firm believer in the saying about making plans and the universe laughing. You never know how you will handle pregnancy as well. You may be one of those people who have a super easy pregnancy with no morning sickness or exhaustion.
Anonymous says
What were your kids first/best Halloween costumes?
Anonymous says
Rosie the Riveter for my daughter!
Anonymous says
Best wasn’t first. Purple crayon. We used a purple dress from primary and some iron on felt and combined it with a purple party hat. I lovd that costume so much!
Realist says
I live for the baby pumpkins. All the baby pumpkin costumes.
Anonymous says
If I had an infant right now I would totally do family costumes featuring the infant as Grogu. Dad as the Mandalorian, me as Bo-Katan or the Armorer or Fennec Shand (would formerly have chosen Cara Dune, but ugh that character got ruined).
So Anon says
My son was 8 months old for his first Halloween and he was so adorable. I think I had three (?) different costumes for him that year: monkey, giraffe and a pumpkin. He was crawling so the monkey and giraffe were super cute and looked like little animals toddling around the living room.
For my daughter’s first Halloween she was 6-8 weeks and had surprisingly outgrown the newborn costumes that I bought for her. I did not realize this until I went to meet her brother at his daycare and do trick-or-treating with both of them. My daughter didn’t fit into any of her costumes and my son (then 2.5) refused to wear his costume. So I walked around town with two kids, not in costumes, carrying my son’s costume in the evening with a BFing newborn and cranky toddler. It was not a high point.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
DS #1’s first Halloween: he was Han Solo and the dog was Chewbacca.
This year/DS #2’s first Halloween: DS #2 will be a football, the dog a referee, and DH a football player.
Anonymous says
Kid was a cupcake and I was the baker.
anon says
DS loves the BBQ. He was obsessed. So, made him a BBQ costume last year and he loved it. DH and I were ketchup and mustard.
Anon says
Honestly the best costumes are the ones where I buy a pre-made costume with all the accessories included, and it all fits correctly.
The best one was when they all dressed as the ninja turtles (with a neighbor kid completing the set) and had awesome ninja poses at every house. Every house cracked up and they got so much candy we couldn’t carry it all. They wore those costumes for months afterward!
GCA says
Kid 1 was 5 months for his first Halloween. Laziest costume: I put him in a shark hooded towel, wore a blue dress, pinned a horseshoe crab stuffie to myself, and went as Cape Cod.
Best costume: the year he was 3, he wanted to be a space shuttle. No, not an astronaut, a space shuttle. We collected old diaper boxes and made him a space shuttle costume. I don’t know what it is with three year olds, but kid 2 now wants to be a jet for Halloween — no, not a pilot, mom, a jet. (Too much Super Wings consumption going on here.) I will have to scrounge around for diaper boxes as no one wears diapers any longer!
anon says
Really like this playground text idea. I’m proximate to the elementary school (and playground) and my immediate neighborhood has 4-5 families with similarly aged kids. Would love to get to know them more than the mechanical friendly “hello, nice weather!” convo we have when we walk the dog. This could be a great angle! Thanks for sharing.
Anon says
What’s a reasonable reaction to a weird abrasion on my four month old baby’s genital area? (don’t want to send this through moderation so it’s in the area normally covered by a diaper, not hidden, you see it very easily when lifting her legs to change her). My husband and I noticed it after daycare pick up last week, but there wasn’t a mention of it in her daily report. Nothing else looks red/sore. It’s very possible I scratched her with my wedding ring while changing her and didn’t notice that morning, so daycare might assume we knew about it already. It’s clearing up just fine, but should I say anything when she goes back?
AnonATL says
For any injury gotten at home, I usually mention it at dropoff. “Son tripped this weekend and got that bruise on his head. He seems fine (or notify if on medication)”. I do the same after vaccinations. I think it’s best for them to know and monitor any changes
anon says
I would mention it to see what they say. In a casual way, like “not sure when/where it came from, just wanted to see if you noticed”
Anonymous says
Not sure what kind of abrasion you found but it’s worth checking with the teacher and maybe your ped. One of my kids developed a Hemangioma at about a month old and DH and I honestly thought we’d missed it for the first 4 weeks of her life.
Anon says
I am very excited to be pregnant, and trying to figure out how to announce at work. The wrinkle is that I’d also like to be having conversations in the next few months about going for partner next year. As of a few months ago, that was the general timing I was getting from my boss but they wanted to wait a little longer to talk to big boss. Do I have these as totally separate conversations or bring them together? Meaning, in a few weeks say I’m pregnant but not talk about partnership stuff at all and then a few weeks later bring up the partnership conversation?
Anon says
This is so tough. I would post in the morning again tomorrow. At my law firm it would be fine to announce and keep the conversations separate. But the powers that be have confirmed that maternity leave does not affect consideration for elevation, my nominating partner would not be at all bothered (we’re TTC no. 2, and have been for a good two years, but I have asked to be put up for partner next year), and I have seen people elevated to partner while out on maternity leave. Very much a know your office situation.