Anonymous wrote:Funny 14:19. I've found the cheap brands run really big ( sears and children's place boys) and the expensive brands ( tea collection ) run small/ true to size. The exception is HA, which is just really wide.

Children's place girls' clothes are small, even if you look at their height/weight guidelines.

Carter's, on the other hand, seems to be huge. My DD is taller than average and she still fits into Carter's stuff from last year.

I think you should offer some different options. Of course it's a ding to her pride, but her kid's health and safety is more important than pride, so I would hope she would accept.

You could buy her a smarttrip metro card, and give her some gift cards to Giant, Target, Old Navy.

Any suggestions?

OP here - update. Need more advice!

I dropped some things off at this single mom's house today. I wanted to meet her and get a feel for what would be the most beneficial. She ended up not being there as she had been called into work. A young man answered the door and quickly about 6 young children (under about age 5) appeared to see who was at the door. They were the saddest group of children and my heart aches for them. They all stood quietly, no smiles, no words, and eyes that look like they have known great sorrow. They looked somewhat disheveled but not uncared for if that makes sense. The main two rooms I could see from the door way - living room and dining rooms spaces were empty - not a single piece of furniture, no toys. Nothing. One child was just sitting on the empty floor.

What I pieced together is that there are a 2-3 families (single parents?) all living together to make rent, sharing childcare and barely scraping by. She had told me she didn't have the money for public transportation to meet me anywhere other than her home.

I would be glad to help out - maybe drop off milk, eggs, fruit every week and I am sure that others I know have unused items (i.e. chairs and table, toys, kids activity stuff, games) that they might give but I am not sure how to do that without seeing like I am treating them like a charity case. My guess is she would accept anything I offered but I feel that like that is a ding to someone's sense of pride and dignity.

Suggestions?

Anonymous wrote:Funny 14:19. I've found the cheap brands run really big ( sears and children's place boys) and the expensive brands ( tea collection ) run small/ true to size. The exception is HA, which is just really wide.

Yeah, HA is wide, weird. I know for their catalog all the kids/models have to have the clothes pinned b/c it does not fit otherwise. But my 'perfect for his age size kid' can still wear all his HA baby pants as shorts at 5 yrs old. LOL! Tea, Gap, miniboden, Gymboree are all true to size.

OP, in that case it's better to give cash. Do not buy clothes.