Parenting Sites 411

When you have small children, you need to be on extra alert when around swimming pools. If you have a pool of your own or your parents have one at their house, learning water safety becomes a number one priority. My ever-vigilant husband alerted me to this website (and it’s startling accompanying videos) yesterday and I knew right off I had to share it with you all. It’s called the Infant Swimming Resource. This is a nationally recognized program that offers a highly specialized and certified instruction for children as young as 6 months old. You might be wondering: What can you teach a 6 month old about water safety? You’d be surprised. Even though non-verbal, infants can be taught techniques to use if they should ever fall into the water. The most impressive being how to maneuver themselves into their back so they float to the surface. There, they can breathe and cry for help until help does arrive. Just watch the video below yourself to see this in action. I was completely floored by it. The instructors not only teach your children, but teach you as well so that you are equipped with how to keep your children safe.

This is a fantastic resource for anyone who has children and a pool. My parents have a pool in their backyard and I always worry when we go to visit. We never let the children play around the pool if we’re not standing outside with them, but you never know what could happen. When I was a baby, my parents realized the importance of teaching me how to swim early in case I fell in the pool. They hired a swim instructor to come to our house and teach me and several other neighbor kids how to swim. I was a mere 18 months old and it wasn’t long before I was swimming like a fish. Those skills served me well, growing up with a swimming pool. So I know small children and babies can be taught how to survive in the water. I only wish we had a swim instructor with ISR in our area that we could take advantage of.

If you’ve been cruising around the mommy blog community this week, chances are you’ve heard about this.  Apparently, there are people who have been going onto flickr and taking pictures belonging to other people of their children and using them in profiles on Orkut.   And that’s not all, as people’s photos of their children have been popping up in marketing, on websites, etc.  All without permission, of course.

This is a huge deal to the parenting blog community.  We talk about our children nearly daily and we like to share the pictures we take of our children.  Unfortunately, the general public obviously cannot be trusted with this level of sharing.  So all across flickr there are mothers privatizing the pictures of their children.   It involves setting the permissions of all of the pictures of your children to be viewable by those you have marked as “Friends” or “Family” on your contact list.  I’m one of the many who have joined this crusade.  It’s a shame to have to “lock down” these adorable photos I’ve taken and enjoyed sharing with my readers, but I need to make sure my children’s likenesses are safe from the outside world. Short of taking down the pictures altogether, this is the best solution I can think of.

If you’d like to read more about this particular issue, check out the blog sites below (mine is included):

Babes in Blogland

Miss Zoot

Hilarities Ensue

Joy, Unexpected

Rockstar Mommy

Rancid Raves

Sweet Juniper

Slackermama

If you’d like to privatize the photos of your children but are unsure how, check out these blogs or leave me a comment here and we’ll get you all set up.  As parents, this is the LAST thing we need to worry about, don’t you agree?

You’ve got to have heard of this one, right?  The Bumbo Seat is a molded yet somehow soft seat that is designed to help babies sit up, even if they’re not sitting up on their own yet.  Many parents find them invaluable during that draining first year for keeping their little ones happy and baby showers haven’t been the same since they were first released several years ago.  However, maybe they aren’t as safe as they would first appear to be.  According to this article over on ParentDish, apparently a baby named Dylan Lamm from Santa Rosa, California suffered quite a nasty fall thanks to his Bumbo seat.  He was sitting in the seat up on the kitchen table when he and the seat toppled from the surface and onto the hard floor below.  His father, Kevin, rushed to pick him up and could tell right away that there was something the matter with his head.  Indeed, his skull had cracked and was filling with blood.  Luckily, surgery saved Dylan’s life but the Lamms have filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer.  Apparently there are pictures on the box of the product that show it being used on raised surfaces such as a tabletop.  They feel they were led to believe that the seat would be safe to use in such a manner as no warnings were included.  Believe it or not, this isn’t the only story of just such an event happening either.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission is opening an investigation on the seat and will hopefully decide if a recall is needed or a revision to the warnings included with the product is called for.

This is a scary story, to be sure.  I guess the lesson here is don’t trust the product and watch your child like a hawk at all times.  Which most of us do anyhow, I’m sure.  But I’m sure I would think twice before using the Bumbo seat on an elevated surface from here on out, how about you?

A lot of parents will say this news has been a long time coming and I’m afraid I may be one of them.  And, if only these ideas will spread to the rest of the states in our nation that could benefit by stricter child restraint regulations.  I know barely a day goes by that I don’t see a car go by with a child sitting in the front seat without a carseat or jumping around in the backseat entirely unrestrained.  It turns my stomach to see that, because I don’t think I would dare drive a block without my children properly restrained.  It’s just not worth the risk.

California is adopting a new, stricter carseat law that would require children to not only be six years old and sixty pounds to be free of the carseat, but 8 years old and 57 inches tall.  This is provided that Governor Schwartzenegger signs the bill on his desk.

I think this law is a fantastic idea, as statistics show that children ages 6 and 7 are more likely to die from a car accident than anything else.  With a proper carseat, these children would be 59% less likely to be injured.

Even better than your average booster is the new Britax Regent which is a booster style carseat with a 5pt harness that will accommodate a child up to 80lbs and 53inches.  That adds a lot of extra protection to set a parents’ mind at ease.  I think I, for one, will be purchasing one of these carseats when the time comes regardless of what my state’s laws are.

At the BlogHer 07 conference in Chicago, I learned a lot about a website called FiveMoms.com. Perhaps you’ve heard of them too. It’s a collection of five mothers, all from pretty different backgrounds, who have one unfortunate thing in common. They all have children who have gotten in deep with cough medicine. No, not to make meth as the news media would have you believing. Just cough medicine itself. According to the website, over 2 million teenagers in the last year have used cough medicine as a way to get high.

The idea for action is easy and genius: one parent reads the website, learns about the dangers, warning signs, treatments, etc and then in turn educates five other parents with what they now know. And, thanks to the website, sharing the information is as easy as the click of a mouse. The website itself is well laid out and easy to read and understand. And it is a perfect example of how just a few people can change their world. They will even send you a gorgeous and well-appointed manicure set just for helping them spread the word.

Really, what do you have to lose? You (and your friends and family) could have everything to gain.

You may recall last week when I pointed out the CPSC website and where to find recent recall information as it pertains to children and infants.  Just in time, because this week toy giant Fisher Price has issued a massive recall of nearly 1 million toys, all which contain excessive amounts of lead-based paint.  And lead is extremely toxic, particularly for children who often times put their toys in their mouths as they’re playing.  All the toys feature licensed characters (think “Sesame Street” or “Dora the Explorer”) and were manufactured in China.

If you see a toy your child is playing with after the jump, please take the toy away immediately.  Then return the toy to the store you purchased it from and you will receive a voucher to purchase a replacement toy.  If you’d like more information about the recall, call Fisher Price at (800) 916-4498 or visit their website.  You can also visit the CPSC website for more information.

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Are you children playing with a toy that has been recalled?  If they are, and it has, do you know why?  If you wanted to check, where would you look?  I’ve got that information for you here today, along with a short listing of some recent product recalls direct from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.  I think this is important information for parents, especially in this “on the go” world we have, where information about a recalled easy-bake oven might be easy to overlook.  It doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on this information and check the sites from time to time, just to be on the safe side.

• To check for recalled child and infant products, look here: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/child.html
• To check for recalled toys, look here: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html

I think it’s wise to check these lists once a week, maybe every Monday, to see what’s new on the list and make sure it’s not a product that you yourself are using at home.  The website gives you all the information on the recall that you need, including why it has been recalled and what you should do with the product or toy if you happen to have it.

And here is a small listing of some recent recalls in both gear and toy categories:

• Remote Control Airplanes
• Pottery Barn Kids Crib Bumpers
• Easy-Bake Ovens
• Playskool Sippy Cups
• Children’s Earrings Sold at Wal-Mart Stores in Florida
• “Soldier Bear” Toy Sets
• Children’s Clog Shoes
• Mag Stix Magnetic Building Sets

I saw this story on Parent Dish this morning and felt the need to address the issue of speeding past schools and residential areas.  It’s a huge problem in my neighborhood.  And even worse down at my friend’s house.  She lives near the elementary school and more often than not, cars speed past her house and many times these cars are on their way to the elementary school themselves.  We walk our children down to the school together (often pushing our littler ones in strollers) and there is hardly a day that goes by where we don’t have to yell at some car to slow down.  A couple times, the drivers have stopped and actually gotten out to argue with my friends or their husbands when they’ve been asked to slow down.

The speed limit through the houses is 25mph and 15mph past the school.  It’s embarrassingly rare that anyone actually obeys these speed limits.  Even when there are children obviously present and near the street.  I will admit to going over the speed limit in residential areas from time to time.  But I always take my foot off the gas when I see children playing or walking.  Because you never know when a kid is going to dart into the street.  And nowhere I have to go is that important that I need to risk a child’s life to get there, you know?

Maybe the signs mentioned in the story are a good idea.  If they get even just a couple of people to slow down and pay attention, then that’s a good thing, right?  Do you have a problem with speeders in your neighborhood?

With Summer in full swing, there are all kinds of new dangers lurking about. And often it isn’t obvious what those dangers are. Take for example this story about Laura’s little girl Mallory. She was sliding on a playground slide and got a second degree burn!

Gotta keep those kidlets safe so beware. I’m glad Mallory is healing well.

children safety, playground slide, second degree burn

Water safety is a big part of the summer. From learning to not run on wet pavement to knowing when it is not safe to even be in the water, kids who are near water have to learn the basics to keep the fun safe.

Fuller’s biggest thing to learn at the lake and at my best friend’s pool is going to be not to run on the docks. It makes sense to not run, but since his toddler feet can often betray him into flying through the air, it is even more important.

Splash Zone USA is a great site to introduce kids to pool and hot tub safety. The site has a song, an interactive area with games, and .pdf coloring book to print out (where the bulk of the safety tips and rules are located).

The Red Cross has an excellent section on water safety, that covers everything from general water safety to pools to water skiing. A repeat tip for almost every section is Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes anyone participating in any water sport or boating activity.

Lifespan.org offers great water safety tips as well, including the pressing one that you keep your eyes on your children at all times. I know that we empty our kid pool when we are done, and that seems to me like common sense, but it is just as easy for someone to to not do so and then let their kids play outside unsupervised.

I think one of the biggest tips I can give parents is to practice water safety yourself. If your children see you demonstrating how to do it right, then it will be easier for them to follow in your footsteps. And everyone will have more fun because you are all safe.

water safety, children water safety, teaching water safety

Growing up, the big thing about summer was the ability to go swimming. When we lived in Arizona, we had a house with an in-ground pool in the backyard. It was so much fun to spend all day in and out of the pool. We would have friends over and have a blast playing “Marco Polo” and water volleyball.

I have blurry memories of the first pool we went to, where I learned to swim. It was the community pool in Lexington, Virginia. My memories include lots of crying and the red kick boards that the swim instructor had us use. What I don’t remember is what exactly got me over my fright of the pool and what clicked to make me the swimmer that I am today.
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My heart is breaking over the news that a 15 month old little boy died yesterday, after being left in a car by his father. Apparently his father forgot to drop him off at day care and left him in the hot car all day.

I hope this tragedy will serve as a reminder to all parents that leaving children in cars is an awful idea. You should never, ever do it.

Kids in Cars is a website devoted to sending that message to parents. Currently they are collecting data for their database of all in instances where children left in cars or unattended around cars has resulted in tragedy- abductions, trunk entrapment, power window strangulation, and running over the child.

When I was traveling with Fuller last month, I was very tempted to leave him in the car while I ran into McDonald’s to use the bathroom. He was sleeping so soundly and I really, really had to go. But there was no way I could do it. I had to wake him up to take him inside, but I knew that leaving him in the car was not a good idea.

Kids in Cars has safety tips to prevent those situations, like using drive throughs (I love the one at our bank) and having the childcare providers bring the children to the car. But I have vowed that even if I have to wake Fuller up from his nap, I cannot leave him in the car.

Kids in Cars offers resources to purchase that give you an edge in preventing these tragedies: rear gaurds for backing up and education resources for schools and parents that include posters and brochures.

There is currently legislation in the works, the Cameron Gulbransen KIDS AND CARS Safety Act of 2007, that would require car manufacturers to include safety measures to prevent power window strangulation, monitors to check detect children behind cars, and extra breaking measures for when the car is moved out of park.

Kids and Cars is another website, with a similar goal as Kids in Cars. The personal stories on the site are heartbreaking, because they could have been prevented by the parent. The people behind Kids and Cars are supporters of this legislation and give a link to where you can sign a petition to send to your Senators and State Representatives. I signed the petition, won’t you?

P.S. This entry has been dugg. Please help spread the word about this petition and digg it too!

children in cars, Cameron Gulbransen KIDS AND CARS Safety Act of 2007, child tragedies

Our week is a bit busy here in Chattanooga. Our neighborhood is getting ready to build a long awaited playground and it is just steps from my back door. We are very excited. I actually have put off putting any slides or climbing things in our backyard because of this project.

Playground safety is very important. Even though our playground will be brand new and following all kinds of safety regulations, it is still important to be aware of how to keep our kids safe.

Supervision
Last week our local news was buzzing over the near abduction of a little boy from the local playground. Supervision of your kids is a must at the playground. It seems like a no-brainer, but it is at the top of my personal list for safety. It isn’t just because of the possibility of missing kids, but adults can often see the dangers that kids can’t.

The National Program for Playground Safety has an excellent section on supervision:

NPPS recommends that supervisors follow the ABC’s™ of Supervision. Supervisors need to Anticipate preventable problems and hazardous situations. Behavior means being alert and attentive. Despite the type or Context of the play area, whenever children are on the playground, adults should be present.

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I decided that last week I accidentally moved into the Crumley House of Spew and Poo. I wish I could figure out how to move out, but I think my only hope of improvement is to change the tenants of our location. I mean really, how many diapers can one person deal with before going a bit nutty? I almost cried on Friday when Fuller threw up first thing that morning. He really seemed like he was getting better on Thursday evening.

Today the boy is asking and signing “eat” rather intensely, so I am hoping he really is feeling better.

When the news broke last week about the Peanut Butter recall, many helpful relatives sent us news links to the articles, wondering if that was the cause of our recent misfortune. Well, in our house choosy moms choose JIF, which was not on the recall list. I figured that we were just dealing with the stomach bug that many of the families in our church have been dealing with.

If you check that link up there, you will notice that I linked straight to the FDA website with the official recall notice. I did not link to a news story or other blog entry. That is because when it comes to recalls, food or otherwise, I really prefer to get it from the horse’s mouth and I consider the government agencies the final word on those issues.

There are several areas of a parents life that recalls can affect- food, household supplies, furniture, and of course toys.
I am not planning a total review of these sites, but I do want pass a long these websites as potential bookmarks for you. Just as every parent should have band aids and Popsicles, you should probably be familiar where to find these websites.

Recalls.gov is an excellent starting point and maybe the only site you want to actually bookmark. It offers the following topics of recalls at the top of the site: Consumer Products, Motor Vehicles, Boats, Food, Medicine, Cosmetics, and Environmental Products. When you click on a topic, you then get to a list of relevant links to the actual agencies that deal with those subjects.

I went through each section and only two did not offer links to sign up for alert emails. Personally I would prefer if the agencies all used RSS feeds for their articles, and some of them do, but it is important to note that I did not find email signups under Motor Vehicles and Boats.

Here are some quick links for you:

Infant/ Child product recalls- this does not include toys
Toy recalls
Food recalls- not including meat, eggs, and poultry
Meat, eggs, and poultry

I often wonder how my parents made it to adulthood without cabinet latches, outlet covers, and car seats (gasp!), but I am really glad that society has progressed to the point where a finding a car seat with a five point harness is very easy. Hope these links help you and your family like they help mine.