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When did Banana Republic get into the baby business? So far, I like what I see!
Here’s my pick for the parent-to-be whose style goes beyond pink and blue.
The Explorer Bundle is for babies (and their parents) who have places to go. This giftable bundle includes a vest, short, linen shirt, reversible bucket hat, and a very reusable gift box (no need to wrap!). The gender-neutral zoo print works for everyone so it’ll be easy to pass on to the next little explorer.
The Explorer Bundle is $250 and available in sizes 3–6M to 18–24M.
Also, check out their parent/baby coordinating outfits (some are even nursing friendly).
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;
Anon says
My son just completed 1st grade. We finally got his standardized test information in the mail — I know, I know, standardized tests for 1st graders, I know — and he decreased in percentile rank in both math and reading throughout the year. Not by a marginal amount, but clear decreases for each testing period — mid-80th %ile in October, mid-70s in February, and mid-60s in March, in both reading and math.
We received an email from the principal the last day of school saying that they find there can be great discrepancies in student scores on this test and their actual achievement and mastery of subjects, and that they use this as a quick benchmark throughout the year to ensure students are growing and mastering concepts. It seems based on my son’s performance that he isn’t progressing as they would expect based on the test, but he’s been receiving nothing but the highest marks they can give on his report card throughout the year, so something seems amiss.
Do I bring up my son’s concerning testing results with the school and the discrepancy with what came home on his report card? Seems like I shouldn’t worry too much as even the concept of a standardized test for 7-year-olds seems pretty ridiculous, but, I mean, this is their stated benchmark and he’s clearly falling behind in a measurable way, even though he’s getting the best grades possible on his report cards.
Anonymous says
I personally would, but I wouldn’t phrase it as a concerning discrepancy. I would say I noticed a decline and would appreciate an opportunity to discuss with next year’s teacher to make sure he’s on track.
Anon says
If he’s getting good grades and teachers aren’t worried, I wouldn’t worry. Percentiles are by definition a comparison to others. It sounds like it’s not that he’s not progressing as expected, but that others are progressing more rapidly and I don’t think it’s a big deal. He’s still above average.
Anon says
Are his actual scores increasing or decreasing? My son also just finished first grade and he was assessed on a program called iReady; his percentiles also went down through the year, but he started at a very high percentile (I’m guessing he was extra prepared for the year). His actual scores went up. I would worry less about how he’s doing in relation to peers and more about how he’s actually doing himself. (And honestly I would not worry a bit about standardized tests – my son openly admits he guesses or runs out of time or feels like being goofy with some of the answers. He’s 6, oh well!)
Anonymous says
This was my first thought – kiddo came in knowing more than was excepted (possibly due to a great preschool and/or daycare situation in comparison to other programs), and by the end of the year the other kids “caught up”.
Allie says
Yes, I would definitely ask. Not in a challenging way but in an I’d like to understand what’s going on and how best we can support classroom learning at home and over the summer kind of way.
DLC says
Can you ask your child how they felt about their tests? My ten year old does really poorly on standardized tests and when I asked her about it she says she found the readings boring and didn’t like the pressure of testing. Not sure what to do about that, but at least I knew that it wasn’t necessarily because she wasn’t understanding the materials and techniques being taught in school.
(She also went from reading above grade level to reading below grade level on her report card which was ofd because she is a voracious reader, and it turns out she didn’t like reading out loud in front of her classmates.)
anon says
Do people actually buy this silliness? $250 for a baby outfit?!
Anon says
And it’s so ugly!!
Anonymous says
Ummm some of us identify as the rich extravagant Auntie . . .
anon says
I have a rich extravagant auntie and I REALLY wish she’d spend her money on contributing to our daughter’s 529 rather than buying endless bags of overpriced baby clothes that we don’t want
Anon says
The thing about rich extravagant aunties is we don’t do practical.
(Not the OP but someone who did but a monogrammed Tiffany feeding spoon recently.)
Anon says
My daughter has two rich extravagant aunties and I can confirm there is nothing practical about their gifts.
Anonymous says
It’s about spoiling your child, not subsidizing your responsibilities as a parent
Former rich auntie, now mom says
But the monogrammed silver spoon doesn’t spoil the child. It sits in a drawer unused (except for maybe when you come visit). If you really want to spoil a baby, get them the comfiest version of something they need, because then it will be used and actually make them happy (which is the point of spoiling a child – not making the giver happy)
Anon says
This site is always so hilariously privileged, as if being able to pay $200k + in tuition is a basic responsibility of being a parent. I honestly am all for extravagant auntie gifts – gifts should be freely given with love. But for 99% of families, we’re talking about limiting a kid’s debt burden or giving them more choices in where to go to school, not making it so the parents will pay less.
Anon says
I agree most families are not paying $200k for college, but I also think most parents count 529s toward whatever they do contribute. Even if the parents’ contribution is $10k not $200k, it doesn’t mean a 529 doesn’t result in savings for the parents. This is the main reason I don’t contribute to 529s for kids’ birthdays. It’s fundamentally a gift to the parents, not the child.
Anon says
I don’t think that’s how real people do college planning but I agree it’s more satisfying to give a kid something they’ll be excited about. (IE not a silver spoon from Tiffany’s but babies aren’t excited about anything). I just think this site is weird about thinking their relatives are trying to scam them out of $50 to [check notes] pay for the college education that is seen as necessary for success in our society but also increasingly out of reach to all but the very wealthy.
Anonymous says
Wow. If parents can only afford to pay $X toward college, and college costs $X plus some amount the parents don’t have, then the 529 is in no way a gift to the parents. If the parents can’t afford to pay full freight, then the 529 is a gift to the kid, full stop. The 529 means the kid won’t have to take out as much in loans or won’t have to take out loans at all. That’s an enormous gift to the kid.
But then again, I don’t run in circles where parents expect to be able to afford anything more than the cost of in-state tuition.
Anon says
And what baby needs that vest?
Pogo says
It does come in toddler sizes tho, and every toddler could use the extra pockets for their collections of rocks, sticks, keys, contact lens cases, etc
Boston Legal Eagle says
So true!! My toddler could bring home 10x the amount of rocks and sticks with those pockets.
Water Bottles? says
What are your favorite water bottles for toddlers that do not have a straw? My toddler wants to tip his water bottle back to drink from it like a cup and isn’t quite grasping that doing that doesn’t work well with a straw.
Allie says
There are no great water bottles only frustrating trade-off among less-than-perfect options. That said, the Ello water bottle (I got it from target) might fit your bill.
Anonymous says
We have a couple of these and they’ve worked well. Also good value.
anonM says
I’d probably stick with those Munchkin Miracle 360 Cups until they get how to use a straw. For the straws, I like the Yeti kids ones. The whole thing can go in the dishwasher. They are heavy, which has some pros and cons, but it may help with the straw concept because it’s not really comfortable to try to lift up like a cup. Ours have held up really well so I don’t mind that they’re heavy.
Anonymous says
My adult Camelback has a lid without a straw.
Anonymous says
We used the Munchkin click lock straw cup without handles as a water bottle until my kid had a better understanding of straws. Those cups don’t last long, though, so we’ve moved on to a Thermos funtainer water bottle.
Anon says
My son was totally over his straw water bottle so I picked up random one with a spout and he’s loving it so far. Not the greatest quality but inexpensive enough that I don’t care. Search Pogo 18oz Tritan Chug Water Bottle.
AIMS says
I liked the NUK large learner cups (like bottle in shape) because they were easy for baby/toddler to use and the top was easy to clean well and easy to replace if you had a baby that liked to chew them (Amazon sells just the plastic top); and you could get a one with a top for them to semi-address spills/having them in your bag. They come with and without handles.
I know this kind of post always gets a ton of different responses but I have never been able to clean many popular brands well – some don’t really come apart to allow it even and some like Camelback are so opaque you can’t see what needs cleaning. So much grossness gets built up in these cups and their straw/mouth parts!!! Are people just replacing the straws monthly? The only ones that I have had luck with actually getting visibly and verifiably clean are Thermos funtainer (which come apart completely and are transparent so you can see any mildew, and boy is there mildew in these!!!) and the NUK spouts.
Anon says
My kid happily drinks out of one of the zillions of road biking water bottles floating around our house. Also, inexpensive in case of loss.
Anonymous says
Kleen Kanteen kids bottles with the sport cap. Both my rising kindergartener and 2 YO use these. Yes, the 2YO skipped toddler drinking apparatuses—he saw big sis with her KK and insisted he had to have his own.
Anon says
What are your favorite board or card games for 4-5 year olds? Looking for ones that incorporate letters and numbers but also some just for fun
Anon says
Go Fish is about the only one my 4 year old can handle with following the actual rules. We have an ocean-themed set she loves.
octagon says
Sleeping Queens would work for an advanced 4 year old or 5 year old. You don’t have to include the rule that involves math. Don’t Llama is also really fun.
Anon says
For card games, my four year old loooooooooooves SlapJack. Current favorite board games are Mouse Trap, Trouble, ConnectFour and Chutes and Ladders. We’ve recently started “playing” Bananagrams Jr., but for her age, we are mainly just matching letters, putting them in order, and sounding them out.
Anonymous says
My daughter got really into Sum Swamp and Dino Math Tracks at that age.
Anon says
+1 for Sleeping Queens. Our five year old loves it.
We also play Uno with him.
Also- i have to give a shout out- There us a game store near us where you can fill out a form online and they will send you a list of personalized recommendations- everything we’ve got from them has been spot on. You don’t have to buy from them, but it’s an easy way to support a small business!
https://www.labyrinthdc.com/
Momofthree says
+1 to sleeping queens and +1 to Labyrinth- such a wonderful local store in DC!
Anonymous says
Zingo or Zingo 1-2-3
Seventh Sister says
Dinosaur Escape was great when my youngest was 4ish.
Fallen says
We taught our just turned 4 year old monopoly and he loves it / is his favorite. Also found it, uno.
Anonymous says
For letters, we have an alphabet bingo game that really helped our kiddo learn her letters. Just Google ‘alphabet bingo’ or search on Amazon. I think they’re pretty much all the same.
Anon says
For those with out of town parents or in laws, when they visit, do they stay at your house or a hotel?
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
When we lived out-of-state, they stayed with us. We got a 2 bedroom apartment, in part for this purpose. But I think it also depends on your relationship, what they are visiting for, etc.
When my FIL visited with DH’s stepmom-in-law + her older adult daughter, they’d typically rent a hotel or airb*b since they were there for a vacation/trip, but alone he’d stay with us since he was mostly there to help us out with various things.
Anonymous says
Hotel, but we don’t really have a lot of space (our extra bedroom was turned into a home office) and my parents have pet allergies.
Anne-on says
We have a rule that overnight guests only stay over 1 night otherwise we start to lose it. We live in an area with lots of hotels in various price points so it usually isn’t an issue and this has been a long-standing rule so we have no push back. It helps that we both have each other’s backs on this so nobody is ‘the bad guy’ with the other’s family.
Anon says
now that we live in a house they stay with us. when we lived in a two bedroom apartment, a hotel
Anon says
Hotel! Better for everyone’s peace of mind
Boston Legal Eagle says
MIL stays at our house as it’s just her, we have a big house and she would be offended if we asked her to stay at a hotel. FIL and stepMIL hotel, as there are two of them and everyone would prefer a hotel in that case. My parents are local.
EDAnon says
For us, it’s similar. Just one person (usually a short visit), they stay with us. If more than one person, a hotel.
Anonymous says
Hotel. It’s me and a baby in a one bedroom so no room for other guests. I’d love to have space for them but just don’t! They insist the living room floor would be fine but it would not be fine for me.
Anonymous says
MIL stays at our house. Separate bedroom and bathroom in the basement which was a must have when we were house shopping as she stays 3 weeks at a time.
She would be super offended if we asked her to stay at a hotel. When we had a one bedroom apartment pre kids she stayed on the sofa bed.
It’s not great but DH immigrated here so we could raise our kids near my family so I make it work. 9 days left on her current visit. Thankfully she downsized so we stay at an Airbnb when we visit her.
Anon says
i’m actually surprised by all of these hotel comments. growing up grandparents always stayed with us (granted we had plenty of space, including a finished basement) and in real life, most of my friends host their parents/in-laws at their home
Anon says
Most of the people saying hotel seem to have smallish apartments? It’s pretty normal for family to stay in a hotel in that situation.
Anon says
I would rather pay for a hotel for out-of-town guests (running ~$90/night for a Hampton Inn) than get a bigger place to accommodate the few times a year people come in (which would be ~$700/month extra).
Mary Moo Cow says
It depends. If it just them, our house. We have a dedicated spare bedroom and we give them the kids’ bathroom (I swap out the theme shower curtain and kid towels for a plain curtain and really nice towels). My mom likes to do the kids’ bedtime and be there when they wake up, but my dad probably would prefer a hotel. One perk of having a hotel is that in the winter, they pick a hotel with the indoor pool and we come over and swim.
When my sister and her family and my parents all come to visit, sister and her family stay with us and my parents get a hotel.
SC says
When we had a 2 BR apartment, my out-of-town parents stayed in a hotel when they visited us. Now we have a 4-BR/ 3 bathroom house, and my parents stay with us when they visit.
Anonymous says
We live in an NYC apartment. My mom is fine with sleeping on our pull-out couch or in my son’s room, but if it is both my parents, definitely hotel. Frankly, we don’t like guests that much in general.
Pogo says
In-laws stay at our house and would be SUPER offended if we suggested hotel.
Anonanonanon says
My mom always stays with us. When we had a smaller home, the one time my whole family came, my mom stayed with us and my dad in a hotel (lol, they’re married). We have a house with a guest room now and my family is coming and staying with us. We’ll see how it goes.
Anon says
We hosted my parents (for several weeks at a time – that was in the pandemic though) before they moved here, and we host my mother in law when she visits (always for less than a week). When FIL visits they normally get a hotel. FIL is extremely difficult and he and I mutually dislike each other, and he doesn’t have much interest in our kid, so hotel is just better for everyone.
Mrs. Jones says
House. We have 2 guest rooms so there’s space.
Anon says
Parents and inlaws always stay with us. For other extended family (e.g., my sisters, his cousins), if they are my family they stay with us and if they are DH’s family they are always invited to stay with us but sometimes opt for a hotel. We stayed in a hotel when we went to visit them, which I thought was the oddest thing (family always stays with family in my experience), but was secretly very nice to have our own space to retreat to at the end of the day since it was a long (full week) visit with a then 11 month old.
Anon says
My parents stay in my son’s room, on a twin + trundle pull out (and he sleeps in his brother’s room). They definitely come to help, and would be super offended by a suggestion of a hotel. My in-laws are local, but if they weren’t, there’s no way they would stay in the same setup.
EDAnon says
That’s a good point. Our parents are not usually coming to help. If they come to help, they do stay with us.
Anne-on says
Anyone else kind of happy to be back at work today? We last minute hosted a July 4th BBQ which means Sunday was packed full of prepping/cleaning (why does picnic food take so long to prep?!?) and Monday was exhausting between setting out/clearing food and breaking up children who had too much sun, fighting over water guns/water balloons/sparklers/etc. I collapsed with a drink on the couch at 8 and was honestly relieved to send my kid off to camp today.
Boston Legal Eagle says
TGIMondays is a thing for parents, especially of small children! Weekends, especially long weekends, have been exhausting for me with two small kids for the last few years. Combined with the heat, and I am happy to be inside today with A/C and a quiet house.
Amy says
Absolutely! Camp goes til 6 pm, and I am already planning to pick up the kids at 5:55 this evening. Three days of togetherness, questions, demands for treats, sticky food, sweaty faces, etc. has me well in need of some peace and quiet. :)
octagon says
Having a really hard time today after the shootings yesterday in IL and PA. I’d deluded myself into thinking that my affluent, blue neighborhood is safe but the reality is that if it happened in Highland Park, it can happen here. I’d like to take my kid to a public event next week and now there’s a part of me that is trying to calculate the risk. I’m so, so angry at the government that let it come to this and people who shrug and say “that’s just how it is, thoughts and prayers.” It doesn’t have to be this way.
Anon says
I’m right here with you.
I also have trying to scream this where I can – I live in a red state, blue city. And it just doesn’t matter how “blue”, liberal, affluent, or whatever your corner of the world is in the U.S. – this is happening everywhere and nowhere is safe until there is some real federal action. The IL shooter went across state borders to procure the weapon if I’m not mistaken.
Too many “coastal elites” (not saying OP is doing this at all) look down their noses at states/cities/towns that don’t look like theirs politically and forget this is a very human issue (I lived in NYC and DC for 15 years total, so have seen and heard this firsthand), and I feel like that is a small but very real part of the problem. The larger problem being the filibuster and entrenched Rs getting $$$ from the NRA.
Anonymous says
IL shooters almost always go across state borders to get weapons. Then Rs say, “BUT LOOK AT ALL THE CRIME IN CHICAGO” when anyone tries to advocate for stricter gun laws.
Anonymous says
Actually, I just checked the news, and it appears that this gun was purchased legally in IL.
anon says
I agree about Highland Park. I live in Philadelphia though and I can honestly say this is not a surprise. It’s violent and dangerous even in the “good” areas. It is a direct result of policies enacted by the District Attorney. I am a prosecutor so I see this firsthand. Prosecuting low level crimes matter. One way you can help prevent this is by voting against “reform” prosecutors, doing real research into criminology, and rejecting the narrative that moderate prosecutors just want to throw everyone in jail.
Anonymous says
Oh hey I thought I was the only prosecutor on this board and just want to say hi!
Anon says
Agreed! I live in NYC and really see this. The city has gotten less safe due to non prosecution for minor crimes and bail reform.
Toddler passport says
Silly question but how do you get your 2yo to take a passport photo? Dreaming of a belated milestone birthday trip to the Caribbean later this year but I can’t wrap my head around getting my current 2yo to sit still for a passport photo.
startup lawyer says
I just took photos at home on my phone and later printed at a CVS. less pressure
DLC says
We took our own too. There’s a website that will let you upload your photo and the site will help format the picture, but I dan’t seem to recall the name of it right now.
I have to say, I took my kid to a shipping/passport photo place, and the photo got rejected because kiddo’s face was slightly tilted to the side- so I guess it really depends on who is looking at your application.
Pogo says
I do find when a kid is out of their element they calm down. I would try taking them to a pharmacy that does them and they will only charge you if it meets the criteria (so they should keep retaking until you pass – I just had mine done and they ran it through an algorithm). And being in a pharmacy with a stranger flashing a camera might make them stand there like “huh?” Long enough for the employee to get the shot.
Also, you can go through existing photos and see if you have any that meet the criteria. Biggest issue is the plain white background, but I had some w a very light grey background from a JCPenney photoshoot when my son was 2.5 that we used for his passport photo. The government had no issues w it!
Anonanonanon says
We did it at the post office where we were also submitting our expedited applications. She did unexpectedly great, I think being in a totally new place threw her off enough that she sat still. I never would have been able to get the shot at home.
Anonymous says
My husband was beside her, out of frame, holding her hand while crouching on the floor.
Anon says
My daughter was 3 months old when we got her passport, not 2 years. But I just used a professional pic from our 3 month family photo shoot. They’re very lax about photos for babies and toddlers.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
Just took both my kids for this at CVS. The 18-month-old stood on a box in front of a white screen, DS #2 and I held his hands for help/balance.
Clementine says
Downloaded a passport photo app. Took in front of a white wall. Took 20 shots and could retake as needed.
Anon says
Not what you asked but no passport needed for PR or USVIs. The latter is gorgeous; I was just there.
Anonymous says
Does anyone have a new Sienna (since they became all-hybrid), AWD Sienna, or Carnival? Or Odyssey? If so, what do you love / not like about yours, especially after driving for a while.
FWIW, I see seat adjustment groves in the floor of the Sienna and Odyssey and have horror flash-forwards of vomit I can’t get out (or worse). Have not gone to see a Carnival based on annecdata that local dealers do not have any in stock and will soon be that woman peeking into cars at Target to see what they are like IRL.
Anon says
I have a new Sienna and an old Odyssey. I love the features of the Sienna (all the cameras!), although it’s ridiculous fancy (why do my kids need foot rests?) and only seats 7. (I still *love* it.). We take the Odyssey camping and for carpools. I also love the Odyssey, but it’s not as fancy. It’s *great* at carting kids around. And it’s SO comfy.
I don’t have vomiting kids, so I can’t specifically comment on that, but my daughter once spilled an entire soda in the back of the Odyssey, and somehow it all drained to the ground? I still have no idea how.
Anon says
Any Ohioans here? Thoughts on Columbus vs Cincinnati for a weekend trip with a preschooler? They’re approximately the same distance from us. This is a very belated birthday trip for my kid who turned 4 back in January. Zoos, splash pads/small water parks and ASTC-affiliated science museums would be good, but it seems like both cities have a lot to offer in those areas.
RR says
I’ve lived in both cities with kids, and honestly they are fairly even. Both have great zoos. Columbus’s is a bit in controversy right now, but it’s still one of the best zoos in the country. And it has an attached water park, so you could knock out the water park aspect pretty easily. Cincinnati’s zoo has the added benefit of being an amazing botanical garden. Columbus’s has much easier parking. Columbus has COSI, a science museum, which is amazing. Cincinnati has Newport Aquarium. Also amazing. I’d decide if you think he’d prefer the aquarium or COSI, and go from there. If it were me, I’d do Columbus because COSI is one of the best attractions I’ve ever done with kids, and I think it works better for a 4 year old than the Aquarium, which my kids preferred when they were younger. Caveat that I currently live in Columbus, but both cities have their strengths.