There are many ways to pack a suitcase, but I fall squarely in Team Packing Cube.
I use packing cubes similar to these — one for each member of the family. These lightweight cubes have a mesh panel so you can quickly see what’s inside. These also have handles for carrying around your hotel room. I usually don’t bother unpacking, so these cubes make it easy to live out of your suitcase. Now if only they packed for me…
This set of three packing cubes (one small, one medium, and one large) is $27.99 at The Container Store.
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Anonymous says
Question for those of you who have the Tonies box/speaker. I got hit with the instagram ads hard for this yesterday and it’s piqued my interest in it as a possible Christmas gift. However, my 3.5 year old looooove books soooo much, that I’m unsure if he’d like the tonie box without a book with pictures to follow along with. I know there are the creative Tonies where you could record a book you already have. However, I am not trying to create more work:tasks for me. Thanks for any thoughts you have.
Cb says
I think they are super cute but honestly Audible / Libby on an old device seems to work just as well for us? And you get more variety as Audible has Plus subscriptions with some fun picks (except the Jolly Rodgers stories, they gave T nightmares)
We use them for quiet (set a sleep timer for 60 minutes and then you can come down) and 20 minutes at bedtime, but after stories. My son really likes it but he still will prefer the real deal.
Anonymous says
I like our toniebox a lot because I don’t have to worry about the kids handling it and breaking it (it’s soft sided and apparently indestructible) and it’s soft enough that they can fall asleep with it in their bed. They also love the figurines on their own to play with. Our girls like the songs but mostly the stories. I think 3.5 is a good age for it, that’s our oldest’s age and she’s had it since she was 3. Our 17 month old likes taking the figurines on and off and likes the songs, but doesn’t “get it” yet. We don’t do the creative tonies.
Anon says
so we have two for my twins and it’s not as much of a hit as i’d have thought. they like the tonies that have just music or music and stories much more than just the stories one. i even got some of the stories ones with books we already have – like Gruffalo and Elmer
Anonymous says
I think 3.5 might be a little old to start out with the Tonie box. We have one and go through times when it’s used more than other times, but I’d say it’s more of a hit with my younger child than my older child. You might check out the Yoto — we don’t have it, but I’ve seen it recommended as a better music/story player for an older child.
Anonymous says
Thanks! This is a helpful observation since the Tonies website says it’s for ages 3 and up! I like the idea of independent, no screen story time machine, but I think my child still would vastly prefer to have a visual component of an illustrated book to go along with stories.
Anon says
My 4 year old LOVES books and likes his yoto player ok, but at the end of the day, it’s not the same for him as someone reading a book to him. Even when he’s listening to a book we have and can follow along, it’s not as enjoyable for him. Even when I’ve gone to the trouble to record myself reading stories for him to follow along with a book, it’s not as enjoyable for him. It still has some usefulness for me, because he’ll sometimes listen while I am busy and want him doing something quiet, but I have to urge him to use it. Not sure if I’d recommend. Seems to be kid-dependent (if the influencers’ kids actually enjoy it as much as they say!)
Anon2 says
We love our Toniebox, but IMO it’s geared toward music/short stories. It’s probably best for the 1-5 year old age group, and is fabulous for toddlers because they can easily play it on their own. My 17-month-old has his favorites and plays them all day long. It is definitely a durable, quality product.
I haven’t tried it, but agree the Yoto player seems it might be better for older children and books.
SF says
we have the yoto. it’s not a daily toy but it’s helpful 1) when the youngest is napping and I want the older (5 yrs) to have quiet time without watching tv 2) in the car during trips when I want to limit screentime 3) when they’re getting too wild and need a calmer activity and 4) to encourage independent play, they’ll play longer without me with a story in the background. I think it’s a decent investment but nice to have not need to have. I like that I don’t need to spend any time thinking about what podcast or what book to download.
Anonymous says
Also team packing cube. Each of the kids and DH and I have a different color set. Undies in small, t-shirts/tanks in medium, pants/shorts in large. Makes packing and unpacking so easy.
Pro tip – when you really what to maximize space – place packing cubes in vacuum bag and vacuum out the air between the clothes. This enables us to do 2 weeks holidays for 5 people with 2 suitcases.
Anon says
Great idea but how do you get it all home again without a vacuum?
Anonymous says
We visit family a fair bit so I use theirs or I ask housekeeping when we are staying in a hotel and then tip the housekeeper.
anon says
+1 to different colors. My twins share clothes and having them each pack whatever outfits they’ve picked out for the trip in their own color packing cube means we don’t have screaming fights on vacation about who gets to wear the One True Shirt.
anon says
we like the compression packing cubes for this reason.
anonM says
Princess in Black fans – any other similar reading level (Short text, color illustrations, but longer “chapter” book) your kids like? Mine are 2.5 and 4.5 and these books hold both kids’ attention, plus I think they are pretty well-written. Looking to start giving some Christmas suggestions/avoid 100 plastic, noisy toys (yes, it is about my preferences too hahah)!
Anonymous says
Mia mayhem series!
Cb says
Paula Harrison’s books – the Kitty superhero series and Isadora Moon are both favourites around here. My son wants an Ozzy costume for World Book Day, outsourcing that one to grandma. We also like the Mr Penguin adventures and Unicorn Rescue Society, but they are longer texts.
TheElms says
Mercy Watson, King and Kayla, Frog and Toad have all been hits here for my 3 year old. Planning to try Zoey and Sassafras, Charlie and Mouse, and the Chicken Squad
AwayEmily says
I think i asked this same question two years ago! This was exactly the age my kids were during the first year of the pandemic and so we were home a LOT and longer books that kept the kids’ attention were clutch. Here are some recommendations: Iris & Walter books, Barkus, Mercy Watson (I can’t stand these but the kids loved them), Zelda & Ivy, Sophie Mouse (these are a bit longer and the pictures aren’t in color), and Dodsworth.
Mary Moo Cow says
Seconding Zelda and Ivy! Love those! Also, Unicorn Diaries (skews a bit younger, with color illustrations and shorter text) and Mouse Scouts (skews a bit older, as it is not in color and has bigger chunks of text.) My just-turned 5 year old loves the Olga de Polga series and is getting into Bunnicula (both the I Can Read and chapter books.) When she was 6, my daughter loved the Clementine series and Amelia Bedelia chapter books, but they were a bit above her reading level, so maybe something to tuck away for the future.
Molly says
I second Unicorn Diaries, and also recommend Owl Diaries by the same author. We have also loved Dragon Masters since age 4.5, though they might be a bit too “much” for your younger kiddo.
Anonymous says
The Arnold Lobel books if you don’t have them – Mouse Tales, Mouse Soup, Owl At Home, Grasshopper On The Road. Short “chapters” or stories, nice illustrations. Little Bear books were not a hit with my older kid but younger one has loved them from right about age 3 on.
Anonymous says
Just a general Christmas gift suggestion- for far away relatives I love suggesting an advent calendar. They have all sorts of great ones and it’s so nice to have a little gift from grandma every day, and by design they are small.
Cb says
That’s a fantastic idea. I bought the Lego one and it looks great.
anon says
That’s a good idea!
I’ll admit that I’m kind of stressing about holiday gifts already. DH’s family has a big gift-giving culture and that’s not going to change. Every great-aunt and great-uncle sends my kids gifts and while that’s lovely … it is simply too much stuff and I am out of ideas for consumables, particularly now that my kids are in late elementary/middle school.
Anon says
SAME.
My kids are only mid-elementary and I’ve been surprised how quickly they have grown out of really wanting lots of toys and “stuff”. Makes all the gift giving occasions hard. (Yes, high class problem).
Anon says
Does it have to be physical gifts? A lot of our family members give experience gifts. If it has to be something they can unwrap maybe a token relating to the experience gift (e.g., museum membership and small toy from the museum gift shop or something like that?) We are finally giving in to our kid’s begging to go to Australia next year and her big birthday present that year is just going to be a wrapped up map of Australia or something like that.
anon says
I wish, but no, they want them to unwrap something. It is what it is. It’s probably a cultural thing, but they idea of experience gifts didn’t go over well. (“But that’s not fun!” “It’s Christmas!” “They deserve something to open!”)
Anonymous says
This is a great Australia book for kids! Accessible and really gets into the history.
https://www.amazon.com/My-Place-Nadia-Wheatley/dp/0916291421/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2CV8WNER0CXXC&keywords=my+place+by+nadia+wheatley&qid=1663863467&sprefix=my+place+nadi%2Caps%2C59&sr=8-1
Aunt Jamesina says
In my house we operate under his family, his problem!
Mary Moo Cow says
My sister texted me last night to ask if I knew the Bluey advent calendar existed and I replied that it was expected to arrive at my house on December 1. :)
We’ve always done chocolate advent calendars (from my mom and I get real fiesty if I don’t get one, too) but I’m trying toy calendars this year. We’re going to Disney in January, so I’m trying to do a lot of experiences in the weeks leading up to Christmas and fewer gifts under the tree since we’re doing a huge, expensive thing so soon after the holiday.
Anon says
Oh man, a Bluey advent calendar! I’ve never been so sad to be Jewish.
Anon says
This is such a good idea. I’ve purchased the Bonne Maman advent calendar for fun before. But you’re right that kind of thing would make a perfect gift. Because who doesn’t like cute little jars of jam.
anon says
Dumb question: If you have a drop-off birthday party at your house, how do you keep the kids occupied and entertained while people are still showing up? The weather will be nice, so I guess they could play in the front yard? The rest of the evening will happen indoors. Pizza, do a craft, watch a movie together.
Anonymous says
I feel like this is something that happens with all birthday parties, drop off or not, since people arrive at different times. I would put something out for free play. Playing in the yard is fine, maybe put out bubbles/chalk/balls to play with.
Anonymous says
I hosted a princess party for my kids when they each turned 5, and at drop off the kids decorated crowns to wear the rest of the party. I threw all the stickers and pre made crowns on a bedsheet in the living room and they sat on the floor working on them until everyone arrived. Then I picked up the entire bedsheet to clean it all away and we moved on to something else.
Honestly, the rest of each of the party (2 kids 2 years apart, same party) was mayhem, but this part worked. Perhaps something equivalent tailored for your people?
Anonymous says
How old are the kids? If they are old enough to watch a movie (….8? 15? My 9 year old has friends that can’t sit and watch a movie ;). ) then they can figure it out. Play outside or inside wherever the toys/fun is.
If they are younger you should plan where you want them to be and put entertainment there- toys, dress up, whatever.
Emma says
Since some of you were kind enough to follow along on my pregnancy journey, I just wanted to announce that Baby Emma made her way into the world this weekend! My delivery was a little chaotic – I went in for a routine checkup at 37+4 weeks, and was diagnosed with preeclampsia and induced on the spot. But all things considered, it went pretty well and my medical team was amazing. She’s a fabulous baby except for the fact that she thinks 2-6 am is baby play/workout time – she sleeps the rest of the time, and screams bloody murder while wriggling in the early morning. I just purchased a Halo velcro sleepsack which I’m hoping will help. Please share your best newborn advice!
Cb says
Congratulations Emma, and welcome to the world, baby Emma!
anon says
Congratulations!!!
Clementine says
Congratulations!
Boston Legal Eagle says
Congratulations on the baby!! I liked following the “eat play sleep” routine with my kids once I figured that out – I liked knowing what was coming and trying to keep as much of a schedule as I could muster at this age (which isn’t much). I’m a routine oriented person though, so ignore if that’s not you. Try to get outside at least once every day, to break up the home routine. Sleep when the baby sleeps if you can, and ignore everything else. Watch a lot of mindless TV/read an e-book while feeding. And just remember that everything is a phase, changes quickly in these first few months, and will eventually pass.
Emma says
Thanks! Trying to implement eat – play – sleep, although she tends to fall asleep while nursing. We took our first stroller outing- to the coffee shop down the block- and it was so nice to be out.
Anon says
Mine fell asleep nursing for the first ~6 months. I stressed about it for a few of the early weeks and then decided to just let it happen and deal with future problems if we actually had any. And we didn’t! She stopped falling asleep nursing around 6 months and had no issue being put into her crib awake and soothing herself to sleep within a few minutes. So don’t let it bother you.
GCA says
+1, I had read the ‘eat play sleep’ stuff but my firstborn did not understand the assignment, so I spent one extremely hot summer afternoon walking around the block wearing a wailing 1.5mo who did not realise he was supposed to be napping after tummy time. He just got angrier and angrier. Finally I caved, thinking perhaps he was hungry, and he fell asleep within minutes of latching.
Anon says
Congratulations!! The best advice I heard was “don’t should yourself.” There are very few wrong ways to raise a baby so do what feels best for you. I was very obsessed with getting sleep “right” for the first little bit and then felt like I was getting too rigid about it so stopped and that was 1000% the right decision for me and my baby.
Spirograph says
Congratulations! And I agree with the person above who mentioned banishing “should” from your thinking about how to parent. Sure, read books, listen to advice, and try out different ideas… but if they don’t work for you and your child, let them go.
Anon says
Congrats! We didn’t get into anything resembling an eat-play-sleep routine until I want to say about 3 months. She was pretty much just sleeping or eating all the time and we followed her lead.
anonM says
Congrats!! My fav sleep sack is SwaddleMe Pod – Newborn Size. Great for newborns — zips instead of velcro at 2am was key for me!
EDAnon says
Congratulations!
Anon says
Congrats! The only advice I can give is to do what works for you in the moment. Every baby is so different and no one has it figured out.
Cb says
School picture proofs came home in backpacks yesterday. They are circulating the parents’ whatsapp group and I am in fits of much needed laughter. They’ve made a bunch of 5 year olds look like the children of the corn. The woman taking my son’s passport photo (where you can’t smile) did a better job.
Parents are agitating for retakes but I’m not quite sure what the point is of school photos in 2022. I could take a better snap of my son in his school polo with my 5 year old iphone?
buffybot says
Man, I think the point of school pictures is to be hilarious, so in this case: Mission Accomplished. My son is generally fairly photogenic but the school pictures we’ve gotten back have been really something. My favorite part is competing with other parent-friends to see who got that most deranged smile or awkward pose.
Anonymous says
Nostalgia? I buy the basic package every year because grandparents love having a school picture to display. It’s not the worst to have a picture at a set time every year – I lined out all mine from school the other day and the kids thought it was hilarious to see how the styles changed over my school years.
Anonymous says
I suspect this is why my son’s kindergarten is not sending proofs.
anon says
School pictures are relatively pointless in 2022, but lots of parents still seem to buy them!
Boston Legal Eagle says
Ours does a big class photo (not of the whole class together like from the 90s, but all of their individual pictures put together in one big photo), so I like it for that reason alone – to see my kid’s classmates. Daycare does this too, actually, which is nice. It’ll be nice to see how they grow up in the future!
Cb says
We’re in a small town (although a massive school, 5 P1 classes) and they publish a class photo in the weekly local paper, which sounds super cute.
Anon says
Our daycare actually does the 90s style class photo and I love it!
NLD in NYC says
Ditto, it’s so cute!
Anon says
my kids have picture day today (age 4), but prior to pictures they have motor development, art, recess and lunch…i’m thinking the chance of them being clean in the photos is zero
Anon says
On that’s terrible timing! Our school does it in the morning and the kids go in age from youngest to oldest because I guess they think 4 year olds can do a better job of staying clean than 2 year olds? (Some days I’m not so sure about that…) But it’s all before lunch! Having them after lunch seems like a recipe for disaster.
DLC says
Picture day is a fundraising opportunity for most schools. Often they split proceeds with the photographer/ company.
anon says
Can anyone share experiences of pushing back on homework volume for their kids? My ADHD 4th grader is really struggling with the volume. It probably wouldn’t take him more than the supposed 40 minutes they assign if he had any attention left to give at the end of the day but he doesn’t. It is taking more like an hour, ends the day on a really down note, and also really stresses me out helping to keep him focused while dealing with a younger sibling, etc.
I am thinking of emailing his teacher and saying we will do what we can in 40 min and whatever that is just has to be it for the day. It is every weekday and weekends so far this school year and we do almost no activities so that there is time for lots of needed unstructured and physical play.
anon says
40 minutes still seems like a lot for 4th grade, tbh. I wouldn’t hesitate to tell the teacher that’s the limit, especially with ADHD being a factor. It may help them gauge more realistic expectations for what students can accomplish.
Anon says
No experience with this yet, but I think your proposed email is very reasonable. I know that in our elementary school the teachers (for the most part) don’t intend the homework to take more than 10 minutes/grade and want to hear from parents if it’s taking longer.
Anon says
As a data point, our elementary doesn’t assign homework at all (beyond generically encouraging independent reading every day). They don’t consider it to be developmentally appropriate. Kids are tired after school and need time to decompress.
Anon says
I’m not sure how helpful that is to someone whose school does assign it. Many of us don’t have much choice what school we send our kids to.
Anon says
It wasn’t a suggestion to switch schools, but a discussion point for OP with other parents and teachers. Is homework necessary or appropriate for a 4th grader? Some schools have decided it’s not.
Anon says
Sure, but if your school thinks homework is appropriate, you’re not going to get very far by telling the teacher that some schools don’t assign it. I think OP’s approach of setting a reasonable time limit is much better than a blanket refusal to do homework just because some progressive schools have done away with it.
Anon says
Who suggested that she just outright refuse? I certainly didn’t. The comment was meant to be supportive.
Gosh, did someone pee in your cheerios today? What’s with the hostility?
Anon says
How was I “hostile”? You’re the one being rude with the comment about pee in cheerios (eww). I just don’t think your comment adds much to a discussion about the problem of too much homework. Everyone is aware there are some unicorn schools that don’t give homework; most of us just aren’t lucky enough to be in that situation. It’s kind of like saying “My kid sleeps 12 hours a night without waking up!” on a thread asking for advice about sleep problems.
anon says
Perhaps OP could consider it reassuring that 4th grade homework is viewed as unnecessary by many educators so it really is okay if her son doesn’t get it all done? Obviously that will need to be worked out with the teacher, but it’s a data point that her proposal is reasonable. Geeze.
Anonymous says
Same. My 3rd grader was excited to learn they would finally be getting homework this year, then rolled her eyes when she found out it was “just” reading (which she does anyway).
Anonymous says
Caveat that I am I a district that doesn’t allow homework until 3rd grade and from 3rd to 5th it is supposed to be reading only (my 3rd grader has “homework” to read 20 minutes/night, no log or anything).
Could you ask the teacher if the homework can be done over the weekend/spread out so it all gets done but not necessarily after school the next day?
Would you have any/better much tackling homework in the morning before school?
Anon says
Assuming you’re in the US, homework time limits for ADHD are a very reasonable accommodation via a 504. There are pros and cons of going down that route but do know that you and your child have legal rights for this.
anon says
At my kid’s school, I would approach it as the teacher is on my team and wants to adjust homework so it works for my kid and just isn’t yet aware of the problem. We generally have very well qualified, thoughtful teachers willing to make adjustments for individual kids, though.
If you propose a solution, definitely ask the teacher’s thoughts and if they see a better solution. They’ve probably seen similar issues before and have experience making adjustments.
Anon says
+1 I think wanting to limit it to 40 minutes (or less!) is fine, but I would word the email a little more collaboratively to see what the teacher suggests and then if you don’t agree with what they suggested you can push back.
EB0220 says
Same. My approach would be: “Hi teacher, could we have a quick 15 min chat about kid’s homework? He is struggling to finish it in a reasonable amount of time and I am hoping you can help me troubleshoot.” In our school in 4th grade kids start going to different teachers for different subjects. So it’s possible that your child’s homeroom teacher may not be the one assigning most of the HW. So I would just take a collaborative approach. I have found my kids’ teachers to be very willing to help and jointly troubleshoot issues.
Anon says
yes, i would approach the teacher more with a message, like this is how we are struggling, one idea i have is X, but what ideas do you have
Anonymous says
Agreed. Start by letting the teacher know what the problem is and ask for help solving it!
DLC says
I’ve emailed the teacher when my child was in third grade and basically said we are struggling and asked what was the important aspects of homework was so we could focus on that. The teacher was able to clarify that usually homework was for practice and not graded and not meant to be a substitute for teaching. The kids do have bigger projects that they are expected to finish (like reports or dioramas…) but the teacher turned a blind eye to daily homework being undone, and encouraged that we at least have the kids read (or be read to).
My kid’s current fifth grade teacher told us on Back To School night that the homework is what is expected of the kids because of the curriculum, but she herself would be happy if the students did one homework assignment a week. Anything else is bonus. She said her own kids have ADHD and she understand the homework struggle. She also said that kids can adapt homework methods to what works best for them- for example if the student doesn’t process ideas on paper well, they can dictate reading responses to the parent and have the parent email that in. I almost wept with joy and relief that she was so open minded about adapting to kids’ abilities.
anon says
OP here. Thank you for all of the thoughtful input. I checked in with some friends who have kids in other 4th grade classrooms in the same school and it seems our teacher is giving significantly more homework than others. I sent her an email asking for help on how to manage the workload, what should be prioritized, and other possible strategies to help him (and me!) manage.
I really appreciate all the comments!
Anonymous says
I think that’s a totally reasonable email. It may also be that she doesn’t expect all of it to be completed. I have a 4th grader, too, and at our “back to school night,” the teachers were all very clear that there was a not-to-exceed amount of time that trumped getting the work done.
My 4th grader also has ADHD. He’s doing fine so far (we haven’t started homework yet), but at the recommendation of the ADHD specialists we work with, I’m setting up a conversation with his teacher to get ahead everything. I hope your kid’s teacher works well with you and your son!
Sad Bananas says
About 2 weeks ago, I told my 4yo that some browning bananas were sad. Now we have a conversation about the emotional lives of fruit every morning. I had to share because it’s both cute and driving me bonkers.
Mary Moo Cow says
I think “it’s both cute and driving me bonkers” is parenting young children in a nutshell.
I’m imagining how moldy strawberries feel: man, life is short and the decline is swift and brutal.
Anon says
Hahaha. I jokingly call my kiddo a sad banana when she’s upset about something.
Isabella says
I love this!!! I was that kid, so I can totally relate.
Car Seat in NYC says
Does anyone have any tips for a good way to get a car seat for a rental car in NYC? Maybe a car rental company that has been good for this? Or experience using Baby Quip in NYC? Or some other option?
We’re picking up the car at JFK airport and driving to Westchester. We had one experience renting a car seat from a rental car company (Avis) in another city, and it was ok, but not great. Would love to find a way to get a car seat that we feel good about (no accidents, etc.) that’s installed correctly (the one we got at Avis did not include a manual, so we tried our best with youtube videos, but it was pretty stressful). We’re going to be staying in NYC for a few days before we pickup the rental car, so there’s potential to get the car seat somewhere else in the city and then bring it with us when we pick up the rental, but to extent possible we can avoid lugging the seat around the city, the better. We have one two year old kid. We don’t want to bring her car seat on the plane for various reasons (she uses the FAA Cares Harness on the plane). Thanks in advance!
Anonymous says
Honestly I would bring a cheap one like a Cosco Scenera with you, assuming you are staying in one place the whole time you are in NYC. You don’t need to schlep it around the City every day, and you will probably need it to get to/from the airport. (I very rarely take cabs/car service/uber but they are 100% worth it for getting to any of the NYC airports with a child; the transit options take forever and involve multiple transfers). So you can use it in the cab to/from the airport, leave it in your hotel when you are in the city, put it in your rental, and then abandon it when you are done. They cost $50; I can’t imagine renting could be cheaper. You might be able to buy one in the City but big box stores are not our strength here. If you post what neighborhood you are staying in people might have more specific suggestions.
Anon says
+1 to all this, except I wouldn’t abandon it when you’re done. It’s really not that hard to check it home (it’s free) and seems so wasteful to just toss a perfectly good carseat. And depending on the size of your kid, you might need the Cosco Finale not the Scenera, but it doesn’t weigh much more.
I have had very bad experiences with rental car carseats and would not rely on one.
EDAnon says
+1
NYCer says
This would be my recommendation as well.
OP- Are you just going to an event in Westchester, or actually spending part of your trip there? There are a few car services that we use for airport transfers that provide car seats, so if you are just going to an event in Westchester (i.e., don’t need your own car while you’re there), I might consider that instead. In case you’re interested, we usually use Legends Limousine, but KidCar also has car seats.
NYCer says
Also… I know this is an unpopular take on this board, but we always just check our car seat with checked luggage, never bring it on the plane. So there is minimal lugging it through the airport.
Anon says
We brought it on for a baby/young toddler, but by age 2 we usually just checked it too. The risk of loss is very low on a direct flight. If you have a layover I’d be more inclined to lug in on board.
Anonymous says
Thanks for the suggestions, all! We are staying in two places in NYC – upper west side for a few nights, then Long Island City for a few nights, and then picking up the car and going to Westchester for two nights before bringing the car back to JFK and flying home. I was planning on using public transport to get from JFK when we land to the UWS, and throughout the trip until we get the car, but it sounds like maybe that’s not recommended. I’m clearly not a New Yorker!
It sounds like buying one of the Cosco options here and checking it may be the way to go. I’m a bit nervous about installing the seat in cab/impatience on the part of the driver, but based on the suggestions below it sounds like this is pretty standard.
Anon says
It’s pretty standard, the cabbie will deal. Especially if it’s a yellow cab and not Uber/Lyft because the meter will be running :)
You can definitely get around NYC well on public transit once you’re in the city. To/from JFK isn’t impossible either. You take AirTrain to the subway. I think it would take about an hour or so. It’s not something I would choose to do with a 2 year old personally, especially if your kid has missed a nap or had to wake up early that day. But it’s definitely a possibility if you really want to avoid cars.
Anonymous says
I would definitely use public transit to get around the city, but it’s just not great to the airports because they are so far outside of Manhattan. JFK involves taking the A/C train a long way from Manhattan (both do stop on the UWS), and then transferring to a monorail. It’s not terrible but slow and you have to get your luggage & kid on and off the subway and train, walk a ways in between, and many stations don’t have elevators or escalators, or if they do they can be a little hard to find/unreliable/gross. It’s just kind of a lot when you are traveling with cranky little people who don’t carry their own crap and don’t like to sit for a long time. For three people the cost also adds up.
Anon says
Welp. It happened. My (young) toddler bit someone at daycare. This isn’t a horrible surprise since she was bit twice recently. Any recommendations for books or TV shows on “no biting”?
Anon says
there is a book, teeth are not for biting. but don’t feel too badly. your kid is young and these things happen. and at least you seem to care. last night i was at a mom’s dinner for my 4 year old daughter’s preschool class and this one mom was complaining that the teacher reached out to her to tell her that her daughter was hitting kids at school (and my kid has come home and said this kid hit her, or knocked her bow out of her hair etc.) and that this is just how her daughter is, if someone gets in her way and that she told the teacher she’ll talk to her about it, but that the teacher should just deal with it…i mean yes, obviously the teacher should deal with it and manage her classroom, but as a parent, if it was happening frequently, i’d want to know my kid was doing that to try to find a way to work with my kid and the teacher
EDAnon says
We enjoyed and had good success with Teeth are Not for Biting. But also, it happens and I would address it but keep in mind that it is totally normal.
Spirograph says
+1 My kids are well past the biting stage (or so I think), and they will still say “Teeth are not for biting. Ouch! Biting hurts!”
Anonymous says
Teeth Are Not For Biting is a fine book, and it deals with what to do when you are bitten as well, so sounds like it will be good for her. But also, don’t feel bad. My older child was a biter and my younger child so far has just been the victim of biting…nothing’s been too serious, and when I find out about it, I am mostly just grateful she’s not the one biting. That is to say, it’s normal, it’s ok, everyone understands.
An.On. says
Oh my god, this just started for us last week! Never thought we were gonna have that kid. We are reading Teeth are not for Biting, which seems to be the go-to recommendation, but also our daycare provider told us to send the kid in with something chewable on one of those clip on lanyards, so the daycare can re-direct if they see the warning signs come on. We had a random selection of chew toys for teething purposes, but I also bought these silicone textured spoon which are a big hit so far: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SK1XKVD?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Anon says
Had more luck with Little Dinos Don’t Bite than Teeth Are Not For Biting.