This post may contain affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I like this belted dress from H&M. A look that I have been seeing everywhere lately is the midi-length skirt/dress paired with a big, slouchy boot with a heel. For me, it solves the problem of needing to wear (likely uncomfortable) high heels with a midi skirt, as boots (even with a heel) stay on my feet more easily and are hence way more comfortable. I also like the look because it’s conservative but still on trend. I like how the black version of this dress is styled with the boots, but I can imagine the green patterned version looking great with boots as well. This dress is $34.99 and is available in three colors/patterns in sizes 0–18. V-Neck Dress T.J.Maxx has a very similar machine washable dress in sizes 16W–24W for $29.99. This post contains affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!Sales of note for 4.18.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off full-price dresses, jackets & shoes; $30 off pants & skirts; extra 50% off sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles; 60% off swim; up to 40% off everything else
- J.Crew – Mid-Season Sale: Extra 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off spring-to-summer styles
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Spring Mid-Season Sale: Up to 50% off 100s of styles
- Nordstrom: Free 2-day shipping for a limited time (eligible items)
- Talbots – Spring Sale: 40% off + extra 15% off all markdowns; 30% off new T by Talbots
- Zappos – 29,000+ 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 – Up to 70% off baby items; 50% off toddler & kid deals & 40% off everything else
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off spring faves; 25% off new arrivals; up to 30% off spring
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Up to 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off kids’ spring-to-summer styles
- Old Navy – 30% off your purchase; up to 75% off clearance
- Target – Car Seat Trade-In Event (ends 4/27); BOGO 25% off select skincare products; up to 40% off indoor furniture; up to 20% off laptops & printers
See some of our latest articles on CorporetteMoms:
Click here to see our top posts!
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?
Irish Midori says
It’s a liiiiiittle bit housedress vibe to me, but I could dig it as a temporary trend. At that price point, it’s probably a trend piece anyway. With you on the boots. I love the look of heels, but they usually last on my feet for about 12 minutes before I’m in my under-the-desk flats.
Anonymous says
Wedges would also solve the high-heel problem.
Anonparent says
Early thread-jack: I am at a loss for effective, appropriate discipline methods for a strong-willed 8 year old boy. He has intense emotions and an extremely stubborn streak. He’s been a challenging child to parent from the very beginning, and I’ve never found a disciplinary method that works and doesn’t make me feel like a terrible parent. We’ve been to therapy, and I’ve been told he may be borderline OCD. I’ve tried timeouts (refuses to go, destroys things), taking away things (“I don’t care; take them all!”), spanking (no evaluation needed; when he was smaller, he hit back, and I got a black eye), shouting at him (counterproductive, also terrible on all fronts), counting (almost works, but what follows after “3” is still problematic), sending to bed early (refuses to go, screams for hours). It usually starts with something pretty minor (mouthing off, refusing a simple direction, ignoring instructions, being mean to brother), and then spirals into hell and the whole evening is ruined and he’s grounded (to no effect) for the rest of the week.
When he’s not being awful, he’s a really good kid. And the outbursts are getting fewer as he gets older and better able to control himself. But they still happen, and they ruin everyone’s week. I don’t want to raise a sociopath. Any of you have a similar kid? What helped? FWIW, I think a lot of his issues are related to him being a generally anxious kid. I’m not a psych or anything, just parental observation.
EB0220 says
This may go deeper…but my 4 year old is like this (although maybe not to this level). I have found that pushing just doesn’t work on her. I’ve had very good luck with the techniques from How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and we have also found martial arts to be VERY helpful. The key is: punishments, taking stuff away, none of that helps because she just doesn’t care. She has to be internally motivated with is tougher. Martial arts helps her practice self-discipline, and she LOVES it, so we can easily refer back to such-and-such thing she learned/did in class and apply it to real life. It may not apply exactly but this is what we’ve found to work (more than traditional discipline at least). It does feel counter intuitive to back off but it seems to work.
Anonymous says
My middle girl is 2.5 and like this. Screams “no!” To my face, etc. had to be internal motivation. She did a mini karate class at daycare and loved it. You’ve inspired me to see what’s out there for a weekend class once she hits 3.
anon says
I read Positive Parenting, which I found to be largely a waste of time, but there was one piece of advice that worked, and I can’t believe I needed to read it in a book. Do not bark directions from a distance. Like yelling from another room, “Brush your teeth, it’s time to go!” is not helpful. Go up to the child and say, “it’s time to brush teeth now.” And if he doesn’t do it, stick with it. Don’t yell, don’t threaten. Just be persistent and THERE so he can’t ignore you. If he is already having a tantrum, this doesn’t help, but it averts a lot of power struggles.
IHeartBacon says
This is so interesting. I have to agree that even as an adult, being barked an order from another room instantly makes me want to fight against the order. I had a conversation with my husband a few months ago that we needed to stop doing that to each other. He agreed that he felt the same way and we’ve noticed a difference ever since we’ve made an effort to make requests of each other by walking into the same room instead of barking orders from the next room. It also forces the other person to acknowledge you and your request when you enter the room. As I write it out, it seems silly that two adults had to actually have a conversation about this, but sometimes you just need to take a moment to regroup, you know?
Anonymous says
He needs to go back to the doctor. He needs evaluation and treatment and therapy and maybe medication.
mascot says
+1. You need an actual diagnosis- not a guessing game. There are different types of therapy. Play therapy was total waste of time for my kid even though that’s what was recommended when he was 5-6. So we are now trying behavioral therapy and also working through a formal psychological evaluation to figure out exactly what will work best for him.
And hugs- I’ve got a strong willed 8 year old and he’s so awesome at times and so damn exhausting. And it’s getting better, but it’s still so hard. We have tried to up the positive reinforcement some. He’s becoming self-aware of his behavior (still can’t consistently control it) and recognizing him for doing the right thing or trying to do the right thing seems to help.
Anon for this says
Agree that therapy or some kind of professional help would be good. Even if it is “just anxiety”. I was an anxious kid and was stubborn and defiant and no punishments or attempts to beat me into submission (literally or metaphorically) actually made me change anything about my behavior, they just made me angrier. I felt powerless, unheard, and scared all the time. Powerlessness was a huge trigger for me.
I did turn into a civilized, mature, functioning member of society, I’m happy to report. I did get therapy as an adult, which was extremely helpful. I wish I would have been able to get some at a younger age, but unfortunately my parents did not believe in it.
Anonymous says
It hasn’t worked all that well for us but some people have had great success with Ross Greene’s The Explosive Child. Basic idea is that you work with the child to identify problem situations and then collaborate to find a solution to the situation (e.g., homework is too hard because child struggles with handwriting, so solution is to have child use a digital voice recorder to record child’s answers). I would check it out — if nothing else, I think the focus on trying to proactively identify and solve for problems is helpful (as opposed to focusing on punishment after the behavior occurs). I think your instinct that anxiety is the root cause is probably correct.
Sarabeth says
I second this.
Another method that I have found helpful is from the book Taking Charge of ADHD. Not saying your kid has ADHD, but I think it’s worth reading that section of the book and seeing if it resonates. It’s a positive reinforcement only method, with lots of structure.
Anonymous says
Can you identify his triggers and help him address those? You’re saying he’s generally a good kid, how frequent is this problem? Can you set up his environment to minimize the number of times he has to use his emotional regulation skills to calm himself?
One of my kids has a hard time with emotional regulation, he’s been more sensitive than his siblings since he was a baby (had to be held 24/7 for months). Maybe a little OCD, but when he gets hangry, it’s total meltdown so I have to pay much more attention to his eating/drinking because he only eats/drinks smaller amounts more frequently. That, and letting him do things in his preferred order whenever possible (toilet, then brush teeth, never the opposite) helps minimize the times that we have issues.
Anonymous says
I’m not the OP but I could have been…literally describes my child right now. Thanks to OP for posting and for all of the thoughtful replies.
Anon says
Just need to vent. I’m pregnant with our second and have hyperemesis. I had pretty severe sickness with our first that lasted until over 30 weeks though they never officially diagnosed as HG. I’ve already been hospitalized twice for fluids. And I’m just so tired. I feel like I’m barely surviving every day. To the extent I can control with medication, it makes me a sleepy zombie. I’m not present as a parent, partner or employee (and my employer isn’t understanding). I’m just so frustrated.
anon says
you poor thing. i have a few friends who were in and out of the hospital and sent home with bags of fluids when pregnant. i know you are probably trying to save up all of your leave for when the baby is born, but do you have any WFH options? Is there anything you can outsource to make your life a bit easier so you can rest more? i really hate when employers aren’t understanding. who wants to feel so sick that they need to be hospitalized. hang in there! sending lots of hugs your way.
Anonymous says
I’m not sure if this is an option for you…but I would seriously consider exploring short-term disability leave if you have it with your employer.
Pogo says
The problem is that with most employers this will take away from the total leave you are able to take, including after the baby is born. I would agree if it’s an option, definitely go for it. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this.
Anonymous says
That’s interesting. I did use my short-term disability during maternity leave, but I feel like hypermesis gravidum would be a different condition than recovering postpartum? I have no idea though and would be interested in the answer. Like HG is a symptom related to pregnancy whereas you’re using the STD because of childbirth. But some companies don’t use STD to cover part of maternity leave, so really depends on the company.
Lyssa says
(I used to have a job processing STD claims.) It would generally be treated as a separate condition, for the purposes of a claim (which means a separate set of forms and separate elimination period); however, it would likely count towards your total STD leave cap for the year, whatever that is. And it would definitely count towards your total FMLA allotment for the year.
STD usually only pays 6-8 weeks pp, so you’re probably unlikely to impact that by taking off for another issue a few months earlier. But if you planned to take the full FMLA allotment of 12 weeks and your employer won’t allow more than that, you would definitely eat into that by taking off early.
All that said, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. If it ultimately comes down to it (and I’m not saying it will and hope it doesn’t!), there are other jobs out there. Take care of yourself, and best of luck to you, OP.
anon says
California counts pregnancy disability leave (up to 4 months protected per pregnancy—routine/healthy women can take 4 weeks before and 6-8 weeks after as pdl; with complications you can take up to the full 4 months) as separate from bonding leave (12 weeks protected after pdl).
In many other states, you’re stuck with only FMLA, which is 12 weeks total in a year for everything. However, depending on how your company treats other disabilities/medical conditions, they may have the obligation under federal law to give pregnant women/new mothers additional time off.
brain fog while weaning? says
Just curious about whether this might be a symptom of weaning or if it’s something else — I’m down to one nursing session a day with my son (nighttime) and I suspect it’s more habit/comfort than sustenance since I think I’m mostly done producing milk. For the last week I have been SO TIRED during the day. Like lay down take a nap tired, which is unusual for me. Getting the same amount of sleep as normal, meaning somewhere between 7-8 hours. Is this consistent with anything you’ve experienced while weaning, or is there something else going on?
Anonymous says
How’s your mood otherwise? I think weaning impacted my mental health. I did a depression test with my physician, and it didn’t score high enough to justify medication. But there were definitely some tendencies.
Anonymous says
I am at the same point in the process of weaning my almost 11 month old and am not experiencing tiredness. I have been So bone tired through pregnancy and breastfeeding but now that I have drastically reduced the breastfeeding, I am feeling much better (though still tired). I will say that I can feel hormone changes happening though, and weaning feels like a big deal in that regard.
HSAL says
Any chance you could be pregnant?
buffybot (OP) says
Haha – the thought has crossed my mind. I don’t think so, though! Would hate to be one of those “I know a friend who” stories where I jumped through a billion medical hoops to deal with infertility on the first one only to fall pregnant accidentally for the second…
HSAL says
Ahahaha yep. Because I do have a friend! She had to do IVF with her first and got unexpectedly pregnant with her second a few months before they were going to start another cycle. Bright side: a much cheaper baby! :)
Govtattymom says
I absolutely had pregnancy symptoms when I weaned. My good friend, who was weaning at the same time, experienced the same symptoms. Neither one of us was actually pregnant. Both of us took multiple pregnancy tests because the symptoms were just so similar! I hope you feel better soon!
Cb says
My kid decided that if there was no chance of the good stuff, there was no point in waking up. He started sleeping through the night as soon as I weaned but I am more tired than before. I should book an appointment at the doctor but it’s reassuring that other people experienced that too.
Pogo says
Weaning was physically and mentally difficult for me and the changes lasted a few months. Hang in there.
Law mama says
Maybe get your thyroid levels checked? There are a lot of hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and nursing, everything may be shifting around now that you’re weaning
Whooping Cough exposure says
So . . . a kid in my kid’s class has whooping cough. I’ve been notified, but with no direction of what to do next. We’ve been vacinated (husband is always unclear re his status, I know when I got my DPT shot last), kiddo is due for 11-12YO booster in 6 months and I understand that immunity wears off. We can’t get in to the ped for a couple of days, so, helpful interweb friends, if you have been there, what do you do — wait and see? Give the booster (b/c why not???)?
Anon says
Call the ped and ask what to do. I expect they’ll give her a booster. But generally whooping cough isn’t a big deal for older kids and young/midlife adults. It’s babies and the elderly that die from it.
Anonymous says
Ugh, so sorry to hear. First, don’t panic. Second, here’s the CDC website for Pertussis in preteens and teens: https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/materials/preteens.html . Third, yeah, wait and see. Hugs.
Anonymous says
I had whooping cough at that age because I was unvaccinated (for medical reasons, not ideological ones). It was terrible, but only because the ped didn’t believe it was possible for me to have whooping cough and refused to test me, insisting for MONTHS I just had a serious of viruses. As soon as we switched to a different ped, I got on antibiotics and I was better in like a week flat. Point is, even in total worst case scenario where your kid does get sick, whooping cough is manageable in a kid that age. Even untreated for months, I was miserable but it wasn’t life-threatening.
Paging first tri big law switch questioner says
For the poster yesterday who asked about switching firms in her first tri, I did it a little differently. I left my firm at the beginning of my third trimester to move to a different state. And then I took that state’s bar and worked with a recruiter to set up interviews and join another biglaw firm when I was about 6 months post-partum? It was really nice being off work for the move, and we could afford to forego that maternity leave money. I found that having been out of the workforce for less than a year was fine since there was a great explanation. So maybe consider the possibility that if you can swing it you could move halfway?
OP from yesterday says
Thanks! I hadn’t considered that, but it we could probably make it work. And if I waited until after my pregnancy, then I would be able to waive in and not have to take the bar, which would be a big plus. Anecdotally, do you think you received more interviews since you were already in the new state when you started looking?
anon says
I think it made it easier that I had already taken the bar (didn’t know if I’d passed yet but everyone gave me the benefit of the doubt) – so sort of? Same would be true if I’d already arranged to waive in! I think number of interviews was mostly driven by job market, but I did find that several big law firms in my new city were excited to get applications from a mid-level woman. I probably didn’t need to use a recruiter but since I had a baby at home and wasn’t familiar with the process it simplified things for me.
Nothappywithnewtaxlaw says
Advance warning, I am just venting. I don’t know where else to vent, so please feel free to ignore.
Did my taxes on Monday, and let me say I am not happy. Last year was the first time we could claim a dependent (my kid), and our taxes went up. We owed close to 4K. With federal, state and local taxes, we paid 45% of our income in taxes this year, last year we paid 35% (with no kid)! Just not happy with Congress screwing over people in the middle; we are not millionaires, not even close.
ElisaR says
ugh…. we haven’t done ours yet but I have a feeling a lot of people are going to be very unhappy with their tax situation this year.
Anonymous says
Can’t help with Congress/our president screwing over America, but we owed 4K the first year we were married (yay marriage penalty!). We adjusted our with-holdings and it was fine the next year. What I’m hearing is most people didn’t adjust their withholdings when the new tax law took effect and thus took home more money every paycheck and now owe money.It doesn’t help the updated IRS calculator took months to activate online.
Anon says
I agree generally that for most people it’s a withholding problem, but it sounds like OP is saying her total tax liability went up. If she’s comparing % of her total salary paid, that’s not a withholding issue.
Ours went down, but only because we didn’t put much in retirement last year and we maxed it out this year, and we had a kid this year.
Nothappywithnewtaxlaw says
Yep. My tax liability went up, despite having a kid. I live in a state with high income and property tax, that’s probably what caused by liability to go up by that much. Just sucks. Can’t do anything about it other than vent!
Anonymous says
haha yep, just posted that below. I mean it’s fine, we have the money to pay it, but so frustrating.
Anon says
Sounds like OP is paying more taxes (based on percentage of income), not just has a withholding issue.
On withholding I read an interesting article about how the republicans deliberately changed default withholding so people would “see more in their paychecks”. Something like 75% of people in prior years got refunds, this year it’s something like 50%. So a lot of people who actually are paying less in taxes under the new tax bill are having to write checks.
Anonymous says
Ugh, same. What’s annoying is that even if you adjusted withholding, without the new SALT deduction if you live in a high tax locality you get extra screwed. I just hope we don’t get a penalty.
This is definitely one of those fiscal policies that seem to help you only if you’re very rich or very poor. For a normal family with a mortgage I don’t see who it helps.
CPA Lady says
Except very poor people already don’t pay federal income taxes. So this really only helps the very rich.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Is there somewhere I can donate unused but from an opened box of too-small diapers? I’ve got a ton of smaller diapers left due to baby outgrowing those sizes and I’d hate to just toss them.
Anonymous says
Try your local women’s shelter.
Anonymous says
In addition to women’s shelter, see if there’s a diaper bank in your area (our local one accepts opened boxes, not sure if all do)
Anonymous says
Diaper bank. If you’re in Boston there definitely should be one. They are in most cities. Alternatively I always just give them to friends with new babies!!
Anonymous says
There’s one in dc too!
Anonymous says
I’ve often donated them to my daycare to use as backups when kids are out. They’re glad to take them.
Anonymous says
Same
Anon says
I just give them to friends/friends of friends.
Pre-schooler Anxiety? says
How do you know when your almost 4-year old is just going through normal emotions, vs. having an anxiety disorder? My son will be 4 in a few months. He’s been at daycare since he was 3 months old. He has gone through some difficult drop-off/separation anxiety phases that seemed normal at the time, but lately it’s been pretty bad. He tells me every morning that he doesn’t want to go to school, and he just wants us (mom and dad) to stay with him at school. He can’t really pinpoint what he doesn’t like about school; he just wants us there. He will have crying and yelling meltdowns in the morning, and break down at drop off.
I’ve read some things about anxiety in young children, and he has some other traits that might point that way: he’s hard on himself when he makes mistakes (but not super hard on himself); he’s pretty timid or scared to try new things; he will delay trying something new out of fear of failure; and he has some OCD-like traits like picking at his fingernails and biting his lip.
But, none of this stuff seems to really keep him from doing things. He has gotten a lot better at his group activities and more comfortable doing his various “classes” (swim class, other sports activity class). When we pick him up from school, most of the time he has a great day and is in a pretty good mood.
My gut reaction is that he has some anxiety, but nothing that amounts to a disorder that needs special treatment or attention. But what do you guys think? Am I supposed to go to a child therapist, or just read some books on how to parent a kid who is predisposed to be anxious? (FWIW, my husband and I both have minor anxiety. I’m on a low-dose SSRI; husband doesn’t medicate. If our kids have anxiety, they come by it honest.)
Anonymous says
This sounds pretty normal. Have you talked to his teachers about his transitions? I have 34 year old twin boys and when one was struggling with drop off we started a routine where he would pick a book at home for his teacher to read as soon as he got there (after coat off etc). Knowing what would happen when he arrived to daycare and having some control over it via picking the book really helped. After a month or so he got over it and was fine with drop off.
We also use a lot of Daniel Tiger to reinforce emotional regulation issues like how to deal with doing something you don’t want to do or when you are feeling sad or angry. Wikipedia has a list of the ‘lesson’ from each episode so I can pick the one I want for the situation. Apparently a cartoon tiger is sometimes taken more seriously than mom sometimes.
Anonymous says
Argh! twins are 4 not 34. Need coffee!
Anon says
Ha I was going to say, wow what a seasoned mom! You should weigh in on everything. hahah
Knope says
Funny typo on the age – I’m trying to imagine 34-year-old twin dudes watching Daniel Tiger together :)
NYCer says
No help, but just saying that the “34” year old twins typo was just the laugh I needed right now!
shortperson says
someone on this board referred to daniel tiger as Our Lord and Savior Daniel Tiger, which we have adopted in our house. my 4 year old loves singing the appropriate song to deal with what is happening when i prompt. “grownups come back” is in the first season. i also recommend llama llama misses mama for this issue.
Anonforthis says
No big helpful tips here, but our daughter was the same at 4 (and we added in a move to a new state/house/school to boot right around that time). But now she’s 4.5 and after about 3-4 months of that significant school anxiety in the morning, she’s now adjusting and doing fine/back to her less-anxious phase. I asked several folks (her teachers, the pediatrician, and the kindergarten pre-screener) about it and they all just had a “wait and see” approach. All that to say, maybe there’s something about being 4 that’s a lot like the separation anxiety at 8-9 months, and 18-24 months, but it’s just expressed differently because they’re older? Hugs.
GCA says
Frivolous travel question: best ways to while away a few hours in and around Murray Hill/ Midtown Manhattan with a preschooler and a just-crawling baby? We’ll be there for a long weekend to visit family (NJ) and for some visa-related errands in Midtown that can be completed only during specific consulate hours.
Anonymous says
when will you be here? (Considering weather)
GCA says
Next week. Probably still chilly, huh?
Anonymous says
At what age did your kids take to watching TV? My older kiddo started to watch/be interested in shorter shows (Daniel Tiger, Curious George, 15 minutes of a movie like Frozen or similar) around 2/2.5.
My 2.5 y/o has NO INTEREST and NO ATTENTION SPAN at all. Like will maybe watch a 4 minute dance scene of Happy Feet and then walk away.
My 9 month old baby has more interest in screens than my toddler (not actually interested, bu she likes the bright colors).
Guys, I’m dying. My toddler is giving up her nap* and is just a MONSTER after 3pm and I need her to chill for some time. I can get her to “read” books a bit, maybe do a puzzle, but she just gives up. When my older one went through this phase, we let her zone out for an hour a day after daycare or in the afternoon on days she was home.
Trying to decide if my expectations are off here, or maybe even other ideas to give her down/quiet time. I’m otherwise thrilled that she doesn’t like screens but these napless days are KILLING me!
* Yes, I know 2.5 is young to drop, and we’re working on making it happen, but many days it just does not happen. My oldest dropped at 2.5 too :/.
Anonymous says
My kids only got into Daniel Tiger around age 3.5 and it really is aimed more at 3/4 year olds. At 1.5-2.5 the only thing that they would watch was Mother Goose Club on YouTube. It’s basically music videos for kids to songs like Old MacDonald had a Farm or Wheels on the Bus. Each song is short but they would watch (and singalong to) about 20 mins of songs.
Anonymous says
+1 for my 1.5 yo. He only watched Daniel Tiger one time when he was really sick, so I think he was basically just cuddling with me and staring into space while DT was playing on the TV. If his cousins are watching a Disney movie he just ignores it.
He really loves short music videos of real kids (not cartoons) singing and dancing. There is one on Youtube called “baby songs”, my mom actually suggested it because I loved it as a kid! It’s from the 80s and its so weird/creepy to me as an adult but my kid loves it. I made a playlist and he’ll watch for about 20min (use it in the car)
K says
Mother Goose Club is also on Netflix and Amazon Prime! Agree that it was all my 2 year old cared about.
Anonymous says
I’d love to hear advice as well. My two year old is the same with tv. We limit it to 30 mins a day anyways, but she’ll watch 5 mins before wanting me to put on something else. And she basically doesn’t like anything I put on. And sometimes I just need those 30 mins as I’m preggo with number 2!
Anonymous says
Try Little Baby Bum on Netflix. It’s just nursery rhymes sung with animation. My 1.5 year old loves it, and my 3 year old watches with him too sometimes.
DrPepperEsq says
+10000 to little baby bum on YouTube. We just had a baby bum themed 2nd birthday party. Also in the same category- super simple songs for kids, also on YouTube.
Anonymous says
Yep, my kids are obsessed with Little Baby Bum (it’s our nebulizer bribe), but could care less about Daniel Tiger or Llama Llama.
Anonymous says
Ha, videos on my phone are my sit-still-so-I-can-braid-your-hair bribe for my daughter. Simple Songs, Little Baby Bum, movie song/dance clips, music videos, and her new favorite: Britain’s Got Talent contestant performances
Anonymous says
My 2.5 year old is just now starting to have an attention span for TV shows. He will watch Paw Patrol, Daniel Tiger, and Mister Rogers, and that is it. If sister wants to watch Fancy Nancy or Team Umizoomi or whatever, he’s over it and will be up playing with toys again 2 minutes in. He likes to watch the scenes from Disney movies with songs, but wanders away when there’s dialogue.
Mister Rogers Neighborhood has many free episodes on Amazon, and I have the best luck with that as “downtime TV.” He’s really soothing and the fact that he talks to the camera the whole time keeps the kiddos engaged better.
IHeartBacon says
What about home videos? Your LO may be interested in watching videos of herself and immediate family member on your phone or computer. Im sure there is a way to string a a bunch of 1 min videos together to create a montage. My iPhone does it on its own, so I’m sure there’s a way create one myself. My 2 year old could spend 30 minutes watching a 30 second video of himself over and over again.
Boston Legal Eagle says
Same for my toddler! He also likes Little Baby Bum and other random singing shows, along with clips of construction trucks on youtube.
Anonymous says
My son was interested first in videos of diggers/construction equipment on YouTube – “real life” kind of stuff, like looking out the window at a construction site. There was a fire engine compilation he loved.
Not quite twins says
My 3.5 year old didn’t really start watching tv until 3. His 2.5 year old sister will only watch for five minutes except for Little Baby Bum as above and what I call the Disney-montage on You tube. Basically I search for Let it go on you tube, watch the song – and then you tube just rotates through a bunch of Disney songs from movies. The constant rotation of songs is enough to keep the 2 year old engaged. The only sad part is they both have decided they hate songs from the Little Mermaid (which I love).
As for dropping nap, have you tried quiet time instead of nap time? Both my kids will usually nap at daycare but not on weekends at home. However, they know that after lunch is quiet time in their rooms. Each gets a book read to them and then I tell them “be quiet and rest your bodies.” They either end up falling asleep or playing in their rooms for nap time. Their rooms are baby proof and unless I can hear them get loud I let it go. This usually gives me 1.5-2 hours of toddler-free time for me to get stuff done and recharge for the afternoon.
Anonymous says
Yes, we attempt quiet time. She’s ok for a short period but generally is over it in 15 min. She naps at daycare 50% of the time.
Also, our house is by and large entirely child proofed, and we don’t lock kids into their rooms. This kiddo has been found in the bathroom painting her own nails during “quiet time” (hey, she found a chair, climbed into the counter, got the kids nail polish we keep behind the mirror and did an entire hand before I found her- and no spills!).
I have 2 other kids and a big house, so it’s hard to know when she leaves quiet time unless I guard the door in the hallway. And half the time she gets up to pee, which is fine.
I’m glad to hear she’s not alone in her short attention span. She turns 3 in June and I feel like if we can make it to then she’ll be over naptime completely and able to cope better.
CCLA says
My 2.5 yo will watch about 15-30 minutes of tv, like 1 or 2 of those short episodes. But as for dropping naps, I’m another vote for quiet time. She knows if she’s not tired she can play in her room from 1-3:30. She usually “reads” her books, arranges her toys, changes her pants, sings…just hangs out, and then often falls asleep around 2/2:30 and takes a short nap, but sometimes just plays the entire time. We have a child lock on her door and a nest cam set up, and her room is childproofed. We also have a hatch light and she knows what the colors mean, which has been so so helpful. The minute it changes, she knows quiet time is over and she’s at the door calling for us if we’re not already there, but before the light changes, she entertains herself.
Looking to quit being so superficial/find some gratitude says
My career hasn’t been progressing even close to how I’d like and it’s gotten me down lately. However- I don’t want to care so much. I’m looking to remember the things that really do (or should) matter to me, ultimately – my kids/family, contributing to my community, and being grateful for all I have. Instead, I’ve been absurdly (and somewhat newly) focused on things like status and prestige at work…at least in the past, any dissatisfaction depended on what kind of work I was doing and if I was enjoying it, which is better than these new pretty shallow concerns.
Not to get all heavy, but I think maybe I need to find religion or something?! But I can start with something lower key. Do you guys have any tips, or books, on finding inner peace and just kind of reorienting myself to remember what matters?
Thanks a ton in advance.
AnotherAnon says
I’m already mildly religious, so what helps me is meditation, yoga, and gratitude journaling. I was thinking about this topic today: I used to get pretty eye rolly at my very religious friends who listen to worship music and stuff, but maybe that’s part of why they’re so peaceful?
rakma says
The Gifts of Imperfection by Berne Brown.
Also, schedule time for the things that are important to you but aren’t in your schedule now. More quality time with your kids? (Not the afterschool homework/dinner/bedtime scramble, but things that are enjoyable for everyone) Is there a community organization you’re working with, or can you identify one and block off some time for it? If it’s important in your life, make your calendar reflect that. It’s too easy to let work drive your schedule.
Strategymom says
God is a win! But also Eckhart tolle “ the power of now” (Oprah has some good super soul podcasts with him that are easy to digest)
OP says
Whoops, my thank you went to the wrong place. I’m already feeling motivated – thank you so much, all!!
CR says
I’m a proponent of finding a faith community that works for you. If you don’t lean Christian, there are a lot of other options to explore — Buddhism or finding a Shambala Centeror the Quakers. Also, Unitarian Universalism embraces all faiths — I took a class on world religions there (“textbook” was Hudson Smith’s The World’s Religions). Another idea is volunteering. There are Junior Leagues all over, which would entail structure and commitment to your volunteering. Good luck!
OP says
Thank you for these great suggestions, ladies — I will try them all.