Welcome to Unlimited Parenting. Thanks. You're
welcome. This is another episode of our, everyone,
not just our, everyone's favorite series, Bring
Your Own Topic. This is a show where I torture
my coworkers and make them come with a topic
that I don't know. And sometimes they don't even
know until they get in here. Right. No, I'm prepared
this time. So Melissa has a topic that I don't
know about. I have a topic that she doesn't know
about. And we are going to talk it out. Yeah.
You want to go first again? Sure. Or is it, or
should I go first? No, I'll go first. Okay. You
go for it. Cause I was, I was called out. And
so this is my actual topic. I just want. Wait,
tell the listeners why you were called out. I
was called out for using chat GPT to find my
topics. I am a busy mom. Okay. But no, for real,
I did kind of, I had done that. This is my topic.
She made it with her own brain cells. My own
brain. From like two o 'clock in the morning
a couple weeks ago, I woke up. Two o 'clock in
the morning? Yeah, I probably had to go to the
bathroom or something. And then I thought we
were recording this like a while ago. And so
I've been prepared. And whose fault is that?
It's mine. Is it? I really don't remember. That
was a real question. Anyway, sorry. What's your
topic? Okay. Parenting hacks. Okay. So. Don't
have any. Over. Yeah. I bet you have more than
you think you know. I bet you do them without
knowing that you do them. Because I told someone
this the other day and they were like, oh my
word, that is brilliant. Do you tell other people
that? And I'm like, I guess I don't. But okay.
So what I told someone and it was brilliant is
that I use Press and Seal for my son as a bib.
So I think you've actually talked about this
on here before, too. No, keep talking about it.
OK, then we can talk about hacks. We didn't do
that last time. OK, someone told me, give yourself
a roll of press and seal because you he's going
to get that cast so dirty while he's eating.
It was an arm cast. So it went all the way down
to his fingers. And Reese is not at that point.
He was five. Wasn't. The cleanest eater still
is not the cleanest eater, but we try. And so
someone told me wrap it in present seal. It worked
like a charm. And I'm like, where has present
seal been our lives, our whole entire lives?
It probably wasn't invented. That's where. In
the Ziploc aisle. Yeah. In the paper items aisle.
So anyways, we now buy present seal at Costco.
Because we put it on Reese like while he's eating,
we just press it on his shirt. But we have found
that especially out when we're places, public
places, this is a lot more dignified than putting
a bib on my 15 year old child. It's clear. No
one can see it. And so this is kind of a dignity
hack that we have found for him, too. Can I circle
back to purchasing Press and Seal from Costco?
Yeah. Is that like a 40 pound? It's a big role.
Well, we get foil from there, too. I don't know.
How much foil is from Costco? I don't know. How
much is it? No, not much. I don't know. I'll
look when I get home. That's a hack. It's a big
role. Yeah, I have more. Yeah, no, more. Oh,
okay. So that's one of my hacks. My other hack
is Reese. I love him. And we do winter sports
sometimes. And Reese refuses to keep his gloves
or mittens on. And so a very, very, very long
time ago, I created the first rendition of our,
we call it the sweater shirt or the, it's mittens
sewed onto a t -shirt, a long sleeve t -shirt.
So in my house, they name it. They call it a
smitten shirt or they call it a... Wait, hold
on. Is this like footie pajamas? Absolutely.
But with their handy pajamas? But it's handy
pajamas. Yeah, they're handy. Yeah, they're handy.
Handy. It's a t -shirt. Okay, it's a long sleeve
t -shirt or a sweatshirt that I sewed his gloves
to. That is so smart. Because he... Okay, we
tried the ribbon one. It didn't matter. You know,
like my mom said. Back when you were a kid, we
used to clip and she did. She had like little
clips and they would run it up through your coat.
It was like a belt for your mittens and it had
a clip on each end. You know what? I've seen
those from the 1800s. I always wondered what
they were used for. That's what they were used
for back in my day in the 1800s. That's what
parents used. Well, Reese saw right through that.
The mitten went flying off of the cord and it
didn't work. I had to we had to one up it a little
bit more. And so we just sewed them on and made
ourself a glove shirt. Glove shirt, men's shirt,
whatever you want to call it. What is that phrase?
Necessity is the mother of invention. Absolutely.
That's you. Yes. So that is that's my second
one. I wanted to have our counterpart or other
co -worker, but she's not with us today, share
because she has a hack that I have used and I
will probably start using it even more. Can I
share it? Yeah, let's share it and then just
pretend like it was your idea too. No, it's not.
It's Sarah's idea. But so Sarah's son requires
a lot more support during bathroom changes. And
so when she and her family travel with her son,
they take a cot and they have changed him. on
this full -size cot in the back of their van
because they are not able to, not a lot of changing
rooms have changing tables for full -size men
or big children like our kids are going to be.
Adult children. Adult children, yes. Adults that
require extra support in the bathroom. And so
Sarah's brilliant. She travels with a cot that
can be really, can really come in in a pinch.
and help them out when they're doing these diaper
changes. So that's my hack that I'm sharing.
It's not my hack. It's Sarah's, but I'm going
to steal it when I need to. A hack on behalf
of another iPoly. Yep. So that's it. Do you have
any hacks? I bet you do that you just don't realize
you're doing them. I think as I'm listening to
you describe your hacks, my hack would be to
have parents who have older children and learn
from them. Exactly. That's my hack. Okay. That's
a fair hack. I think, you know, I keep headphones
everywhere. Yeah. I keep them in the car. I keep
them in the backpack. I keep them in both levels
of our home. Wow. Really? You got to always have
a pair of headphones. Okay. I mean, I think I
just do all the normal stuff. Like, honestly,
I'm not very creative. bet there's something
and you're within the next two weeks. And I just
want you to make sure that you text me and tell
me that I'm right. But you take that back because
I will remember it 2 a .m. and go, oh, my God.
Yes. Yeah. But you can send you can schedule
a text to send later. Yeah, that's right. See,
I'm always learning a hack from you. Schedule,
send a text message. You taught me that one.
I was going to say, you know I've done it to
you because you got a random text at 9 o 'clock
in the morning on a Saturday. Like, what was
she thinking about Taylor Swift at 9 a .m. on
a Saturday? I wasn't. I thought about it at Friday
at 3. Okay, that's fair. I guess that's still
technically Monday. It is. Monday at 3 a .m.
It's okay. I'm really trying to think. Anytime
you think about Taylor Swift, it's fine. You
can text me. If you have an emergency, it can
wait until business hours. If it's about T -Swift,
text me. Text me. Thank you. I really don't.
I feel like you've told me hacks. They're just
different hacks because our children are so different
and so different kids require different hacks.
Does that make sense? That makes sense. Whatever.
It does make sense, but I keep having things
flit into my mind and I'm like... That's a great
hack. And then I'm like, it's not really a hack
at all. I bet you have them. Yeah. Just not right
on tap. Yeah. I suppose this is a barrier to
doing a bring your own topic because I can't
really. I don't know. Maybe it's a good thing
because I can't talk. I thought you were going
to say you can't think on the fly. And that,
ladies and gentlemen, is a lie because she can.
I can, but I can't think of a hack. Okay. I have
more than one kid, so they can play together.
Oh, that's good, too. Yeah. If your child breaks
into your pantry and makes a mess, you could
put a lock on it. It's fine. I'm sorry. I'm useless.
I put you on the spot. Gosh, now I'm nervous.
I'm useless. Actually, mine is surprising. Oh,
my. I'm scared. I'm laughing. because I went
to ChatGPT and searched for prompts, and then
I found... That's how you found me out! Dang
it! I found one, and then I kind of, like, co
-opted it. Okay. That's a hack. That's a hack
for you. When you get called out for looking
on ChatGPT, just make it slightly different,
and I'll never find out. Okay. You just told
me, so I found out. Okay. Okay, it's three questions.
You're asking me questions? I thought you heard
that. No, I didn't. It's three questions. Okay.
The first question is, what is your idea of comfy
clothes? Like the comfiest clothes. And I specifically
wanted to talk about this with you. Of course.
Because we have very different ideas of this.
And I want to know if people are going to listen
to this and go. My God, Melissa's crazy or oh
my gosh, Allison's crazy or are these two people
need to be assessed for something? I'm curious.
Or we are completely normal. I need to record
that and send it to your daughter. We are completely
normal. Okay. We are. Okay. My comfy clothes.
Tell me about it. Is. A pair of like sweatpants
or joggers or, yeah, just sweatpants. Or what?
What are you wearing up top? A t -shirt. Just
a regular, like a graphic tee? Like is there
a specific fabric we're going for here? Oh, no.
See, you don't care. You don't care about the
fabric. You don't care about anything. You just
want. I want it oversized. Okay. I want it soft.
I mean, but like if I gave you wool. That wouldn't
I wouldn't wear that as a comfy clothes. OK,
so it matters. Well, sort of. So some days I'll
get home and I will have like a sweater on that's
big and oversized and I'll just put that on the
sweatpants. I'll keep that on so that I don't
get dirty and have to do more laundry. What if
it was the summer? Would it still kind of be
the same thing because you're in the house? Yeah,
but probably just tank top like I would wear
a tank top and shorts. But they would be like
sweatpants shorts or really like lightweight
material. Does that make sense? It does. And
then I always have either slippers or Birkenstocks.
So you're wearing shoes in your house. Yes, but
they're house shoes. No, that makes sense. So
my idea of comfy clothes, if I knew someone was
coming over, let's say it was you. Okay. Or I'm
just chilling with my family. It would be like
a muumuu. Because you talk about like, I want
to wear shorts and a t -shirt or joggers and
that is just too much clothes. Really? It's too
much things touching my body. Yeah. Oh, that's
fair. So I have, I have a robe and I feel like
I am exposing myself to the world when I wear
it. I mean, you remember to tie it, right? I
do, but there's a lot, like, you move and the
top comes open and then the bottom comes open.
That's true. And I don't want to throw my mom
under the bus here, but my mom wore, my mom was
a robe mom. It was just like a really deep v
-neck. I wear a shirt under it. See, you even
wear a shirt under the robe. Okay, come on. I'm
protecting my boys. I have. I have this, like,
of course I call them dresses, right? I'm not
going to say muumuu. Yeah. I don't know. Spade
to spade. True. I'm just kidding. Like, okay,
are they Hawaiian print? No. Okay, you are going
to die. My stepmom. Blue and stitch. I don't
know why. My stepmom bought it for me from Disney.
Because she knows I'm a huge Hercules fan. I'll
take a picture of it. Hercules. No, not even
that. Like real Hercules. Like Hercules, Meg,
Hades. Oh. Like the cartoon. It's from Disneyland.
World. Whatever. The Magic Kingdom. Exactly.
I am the Magic Kingdom. So it's like big old
Hercules and then Hades at the bottom and then
pain and panic and Meg and everyone's on there.
My kids love it. How long is it? Girl, it's long.
It's... Do you trip? It's got like three -quarter
sleeves. Oh, it's about as long as this blazer.
And then it goes past my knees. It's... Okay,
do you sleep in this? Ma 'am, yes. How? I cannot
sleep in stuff like that because I get rolled
up in it and it's so confining. Yeah, I have
a dress that I feel like that about. It rolls
me up. I feel like I'm wrapped up. I don't know.
So I wear and I wear. Yes. What are they? What
am I calling them? Tank top dresses, spaghetti
strap dresses. I wear those around the house
all the time. That's if someone was like getting
your comfiest clothes. Never would I ever put
on a shirt and sweatpants. I like how are you
not like that's too much touching my body. I
don't know. I'm not trying to clothes shame you.
I'm just asking. And the reason I'm asking is
because you are an individual who does not like
to be hugged. Correct. So do the clothes swaddle
you? Potentially. Because you know I'm also a
person that loves turtlenecks. I love to wear
sweaters or cowlnecks that have these big...
I used to like scarves when they were in the
2000s. I wear a lot of scarves. Yeah, maybe.
Maybe my clothes does the hugging and deep pressure.
Okay. I don't know. Next question. We're just
different. Does the comfy clothes change by location?
So let me give you an example of what I was thinking
about when I wrote this question. You talked
about comfy clothes that you wear at home. Where
we work, we are business casual is probably the
best way to describe it. Your version of comfy
clothes here is still different than my version
of comfy clothes here. So you tell us first,
what's your version of business casual comfy
when you're at work? Okay. I would say jeans.
Yes. You would wear jeans, which is so wild.
But jeans are my, but jeans are comfy to me.
Like I wear jeans on the weekend for fun. That's
illegal. I worked at the Gap for 25 years. That's
true. That's very true. So you got used to wearing
jeans. Yeah, that was, yeah, really comfortable
to me. If I was going to wear comfy clothes at
work, it would be a dress. And I'm starting to
sense a theme here. Yeah. Okay, but I will tell
you. So the other day I came in on the weekend
and I wore a different comfy casual than I would.
I have like a weekend comfy casual. And a work
comfy casual because even then, Angela thought
that that was a different version of my comfy
casual. We know each other too well. If Angela's
like, hold on. Yeah. What do you mean? Well,
okay. Well, let me tell you. I wore jeans with
holes in them and I wore like a, I was kind of
my. You wear jeans with holes in them? They had
a couple holes on the pockets. Holes you made
or holes that you bought them that way? That
is so surprising to me. I don't know. Their old
jeans are my favorite. They're so comfy. So maybe
I made them and bought them that way. I don't
know. I had them forever. You would hate them
because they don't fit me very good, but they're
really comfy. I was going to say, they're probably
baggy if they're old. They are. But I also like
to be that on the weekend. Very... Like slouchy,
I guess is the way I look. Oh, okay. Yeah. So
anyways. And now this lady. You wear a dress.
But you, I wear, okay. And I, yeah, we got to
describe what kind of dress I'm wearing. Like
you're not wearing tights and you're not. And
that is comfy. Now, my preference would be in
the summer when you don't have to wear tights.
Yeah, I would agree. Because I'm not concerned
about the way. my body makes other people feel
no as you shouldn't be i'm solely concerned about
my comfort as we all should yes but you know
people of my size are often like well no stop
no for real they're like i gotta wear um what
are they i i don't do this the shorts underneath
oh sphinx yeah so their thighs don't rub together
whatever they're worried about I am like, I do
not fit. See, now if I wear a dress, I must wear
those. See, that would murder my soul. I wouldn't
want the friction to be happening. Like my thighs
rubbing together would murder my soul. I'd be
like, it's combustion. See, and I would do that.
I don't know what the real name is, but you said
it once and I thought you were faking it, but
it was the real name of the product. Where you
rub it on your thighs. It's like a lotion. Oh.
Chop rub. Chop rub. Chub Rub. Is that fake or
is that a real name? No, no, no. For runners.
There's like an actual deal. Yes, because that's
what I'm doing. Running. Maybe to the next McDonald's.
We used to. Never mind. When my family, when
we go to. When we've gone to Disney before, we've
like played the game like Slugbug. Yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah. But Chub Rub. Because. When you're
at Disney, everyone walks like that by the end
of the day. Oh, my God. I remember. It's like
I've seen some bad cases. I weighed significantly
less than I weigh right now in 2012. And that's
when I spent a lot of time walking around the
streets of Vegas on a vacation. Not like it sounds
like I just was. in indigen or something yeah
i was on a vacation in vegas and i was walking
around it was actually my dad's 40th birthday
well i think yeah in 2012. yeah and um by the
end of that trip it's brutal i could not put
my legs it hurts so much And that's when I was
like, I don't know, a size eight. Right. The
times have changed. I know. These girls are hardened
up. Oh, really? So you think you have put in
the work over the years? Like you've created
the calluses that. Yeah. I mean, I wouldn't say
they're calluses, but I know what you're going.
Yeah. Skin is just reptilian, I think. Where
have we gone? But I want to circle back. Yes,
please do. Please. I want to circle back. I would
not be able to wear Spanx under a dress just
because it feels too constricting. Okay. But,
you know, even when we talk about comfy clothes,
no, I'm so serious about this. I feel like this
is becoming my Roman Empire. Because even when
we talk about comfy clothes, even about shoes.
Oh, yeah. Everyone's versions of shoes being
comfy are so... Even in this office. This office
is a microcosm. Angela's over in kitten heels.
I'm in flats. 25 -8. Yes, correct. And you kind
of like boots. I like boots. But you also like
just tennis shoes, sneakers, trainers. What do
we call them? Yeezys? No. I am a Taylor Swift
fan. Anyhow, Birkenstocks. Birkenstocks. Okay.
Yeah. Again, I would go shoeless. What? I would
walk. Nice. See, this is where some people are
going to come for me. People are going to come
for me. I know what you're going to say. I would
walk around Walmart shoeless. Oh. I would. I
would. Britney. I know. What? I know. I am so
sorry. Well, you did it in D .C., so. Do you
see? That is the perfect point. Okay, so let
me set the stage here. All day, we had been in
the Dirksen building and all over the Congressional
House Senate in D .C., walking through the tunnels
under the buildings. Up and down stairs. My feet
were done. and so what did i do i took off my
shoes on the streets of washington dc she's still
here and i am still here you know i did not get
a fungal infection i did not get anything i'm
so glad i did not get anything i don't know how
i didn't get anything and so that makes me wonder
if i would be a good candidate for those like
shoes that don't look like shoes almost like
water shoes yeah they're not quite that they
but they that wouldn't bug your toes yeah really
gloves yeah i wouldn't be able to get the ones
that separate over your toes i i could no that
could never be me but i mean flip -flops you
like flip -flops i could i could get down with
a pair of flip -flops um i have fake fake birkenstocks
yeah those ones are good yeah crocs You do love
your Crocs. Oh, I love a pair of Crocs. I like
some Crocs. Okay. Yeah. But do you see what I
mean? Like everyone's version of comfy clothes
is so different. So like when I'm talking about
like, what would I buy someone for self -care?
Oh. Or something like that. I could roll the
dice and it could be so different for everybody.
Like I feel like my skin cries when I put on
makeup. But other people would be like, I feel
comfortable in makeup. I want to wear makeup.
It makes me feel comfortable. I guess people
are different and that never ceases to amaze
me. Okay. This is it. This is the big. Oh, this
is the big one. Okay. This is serious. Okay.
Put yourself in a serious state of mind. Close
your eyes unless you're driving. Okay. Ask yourself.
You're Tom Hanks on Castaway. With Wilson. It's
just you. You can only wear one outfit for the
rest of your life. What is it? One outfit? It's
not like you have to go to work in this outfit.
You're on a desert island. You got one outfit.
What are you wearing? I don't want to get sunburned.
I peck sunscreen. You are... I'm prepared. That's
what made it. You're cast away, but the sunscreen,
you're going to run out, too, by the way. Well,
I already have that reptilian skin, so. I would
have something on. I would make myself a loincloth,
probably, and a coconut bra. I would just feel
more comfortable. No, you bring clothes with
you. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You're not
out here. Anna went to her Devil Wears Prada.
You could. I would love to see it. I've seen
your Halloween costumes. I know you could cook
something up. I could. I could. I could make
it work. I guess I would just. Well, it's going
to be hot. So I just probably a tank top and
shorts. I would need to be covered, though. Yeah,
I think. OK. OK, fine. We're not on a desert
island anymore because then I'm like, no, I would
wear shoes. This is getting way too crazy. What
if it's a desert island and there's bugs? I would
want full coverage. I'm wearing a net. Bring
the net. Mary, bring the net. Just one outfit.
One outfit to wear for the rest of your life.
Well, I have an oversized hoodie. That's my husband's.
Oh, that would feel so comfortable. I love it.
So I would wear that. And then. Honestly, I probably
would. A pair of jeans, probably. Yes. Like a
soft pair of jeans because I would want the.
I like to have pockets. Yes. Okay. And then a
pair of Birkenstocks. I, first off, that does
not shock me. Second off, notoriously not cold.
Yeah. Ever. Yeah. So I think if I had one outfit
to wear for the rest of my life, it would be
a spaghetti strap muumuu type dress. And I'm
thinking of the one in my closet right now that
has two pockets in the front. Right. Because
you got to have your phone. Because I can't be
too hot. I can't. Is there a color that you would
choose? I guess green because that's the one
that's in my... By the way, I am describing a
$6 .99 Sheen dress. That's what I'm describing.
That is what I would wear. The forever chemicals
in me would be together forever. I am worried
that it would last forever. I think that's fast
fashion, and I don't know if it's going to see
it through to the end. But it's a zombie apocalypse,
and I have one thread on my body. The zombies
are coming for you. You're right. Does J .Crew
make moo -moos? Ooh, I don't know. Banana Republic?
I don't know. Nordstrom has to have something.
Yes. Sears still exists, don't they, somewhere?
No? Kohl's even is going out of business. Not
the Kohl's. Mary, don't take my Kohl's. The Kohl's
at the mall is. What do I do with all the Kohl's
cash? Thank you so much, everyone out there for
listening in and know that if you are in Idaho
or. planning on moving to Idaho, and have questions
on systems or services for children with disabilities,
please consider reaching out to us on our website
at iPulIdaho, that's I -P -U -L -Idaho .org,
or by calling us at 208 -342 -5884. Be sure to
tune in next time. Until then, this has been
Unlimited Parenting. Thanks for listening!