The Toy Recall That was Almost Too Late for My Daughter
Today, another toy recall was announced. Beads from a popular craft kit put several kids into the hospital when they ingested a drug in the coating. I was one of the mothers who had bought this toy for my daughter. Unlike the other mothers, whose kids got sick from it, I hadn’t yet given it to my daughter. However, it was such a close call that I’m still shaken.
I consider myself a good mother. I’m very careful about the food and personal products I buy for my family. Most of the time, if I can afford it, I buy organic food, much of it locally grown. We don’t buy a lot of toys, and we try to buy from companies we trust. I look for safe toys online and read everything I can find about toy safety in magazines and newspapers. I’m an info junkie anyhow, so it’s easy for me.
So why did I miss the first couple of toy recalls? And why didn’t I look a little more closely at the Aquadots I bought for my daughter? Why didn’t I investigate to find out what material they were made from? My carelessness could have cost my daughter her health or even her life.This has really been a wake-up call for me.
The ironic part of this whole incident is that before the dots were recalled, I’d already started to blog about the toy recalls and had even started a blog where I listed safe toy companies and toy recall lists. All this while the tainted toy sat upstairs in my craft cupboard where my daughter could have grabbed it at anytime. This just shows how even a very well-informed and well-intentioned parent can make mistakes when it comes to toy safety. When we’re shopping for toys, I think we get caught up in how cool the toy is, how much our child will like it and the packaging, instead of thinking safety first.
As we move into the holiday season, I’ve made a vow not to take any chances with my kids’ safety. When I shop for toys, I’m going to stick with companies I trust, most of them from Europe, where toy safety standards are a lot higher than they are in this country. Even with these companies, I’m going to be very careful to choose toys made of material that I know is safe and tested. I’m going to stick with tried and true toys, not the latest glitzy gimcrack or character-based toy. I’ve learned that my kids’ favorite toys have turned out to be toys that allow them to be creative, not one-trick ponies.
If we all do our homework and only buy toys from ethical, trustworthy companies, we’ll be much closer to providing our kids with the safe, happy childhoods that they deserve
Lill Hawkins blogs about the best toys for Toddlers to Teens, lists toy recalls and maintains a safe toy list at http://www.safetoyinfo.blogspot.com
Check in daily for the latest toy and sports equipment related recalls and a long list of alternatives to blah big-box store gifts.
New Moms – Transform Your Emotional State In Just Five Minutes A Day
Why isn’t there a crash course in being a new mom, where they hand out a pamphlet that lays out the reality of new motherhood? Not another place to hear about how wonderful the baby is, how sleep is a memory after birth, but the truth of what motherhood does to women. Face it, it has a real impact and when you are completely blindsided by it, it can take a little getting used to.
Don’t be hard on yourself if you to feel alone, or have moments where you resent the impact that having a baby has had on your life. Being a new mother is difficult and when we are out of balance, we can often suffer emotional overwhelm.
Becoming a new mom can be stressful, but there are definitely things you can do to reduce and avoid the emotional overwhelm. The first thing you can do is avoid putting unrealistic demands on yourself. Being a new mom is an extreme challenge even for the most maternal woman. So what if the house is immaculate, washing is not done and you haven’t had time to shower. I know as a woman we have this misconception that we must do everything ourselves and if we ask for help we are saying we have failed. No, know this, it is the strongest person that is able to admit that they need help and then ask for it.
I am speaking one mom to another; my experience has taught me a few things about motherhood. Firstly you need to accept your world for what it is and not what you want it to be. You are a mom now, you life is no longer just about you. While right now it might seem like you are spending all your time focusing on the needs of your baby, remind yourself that this is just a small window of time that will pass quickly.
There are definitely many things that women can do to help their emotional transition into motherhood. One of the most powerful ideas I have come across is to spend five minutes each day writing in a personal journal.
Write your thoughts and feelings, and especially write about what you are thankful for. Call it your Gratitude Journal. The concept and value of journaling feelings has been around for a long time, but I believe its power and application in motherhood is often overlooked.
When you feel emotional overwhelm start to creep into your day, use your journal as a safety valve. Make sure you focus only on your feelings. If you need to vent, then do so, but always conclude each entry by writing down at least one thing for which you are grateful. Read back on it when you feel low. By being thankful for what you have and those that love you, it will help keep reality in perspective.
Be realistic about what you expect from yourself and those around you. Becoming a new mom is a very challenging time, and it is important to recognize that it is a time for treating ourselves gently. Being a mom is really a wonderful experience, but it is important that we cultivate habits that will help us to stay centered.
Salena Kulkarni is the creator of http://www.NewMommyMentor.com, and has just released an audio on how new moms can really thrive after childbirth. You can claim your copy now by visiting this site.
Implement Cycling in Your Family Fun Time
Family life is one of the first casualties of the fast paced modern life. When you have two parents that both work and children busy with school and extracurricular activities, it is often that people forget to count their blessings and start ignoring their family.
In our busy society, family fun time is not prioritized ahead of the rest of family life which can lead to parents missing out on precious moments and milestones with their children. Family time is not some kind of a project. It should come naturally to families. Just knowing that Mom and Dad are making a point to spend time with the kids can often be all the assurance children need to feel part of a cohesive family unit.
Parents can involve themselves in the development and growth of their children by adding family fun time during the weekends when the ‘busies’ are a little more scarce than they are during the busy work week. One of the easiest form of family activities involves physical activity. Physical activity is good for both children and adults, and if children can get active at an early age, they will be much less prone to problems such as obesity.
Cycling is a wonderful way to get the family involved in a group activity and every member of the family can participate regardless of their age. For children that are too young to ride a bike, get a seat or carrier installed on your own bike to give your child that connection and bond during family fun time, even if they are not physically able to do the activity. As children grow, use tricycles and then training wheels and then ultimately a two wheeler bike for the big kids to ensure everyone can participate in family fun time.
I can think of very few things that have given me as much bliss as watching a child learn to cycle, and if the entire family can participate in this event, then that child will not only pick up a new skill, but some wonderful boosts on self-esteem and confidence as well.
Whenever you and your family have the opportunity to spend time outside for your family fun times, you can and you should. What better way to achieve this than to go cycling and is something the whole family can enjoy. Even the babies and young children will be rewarded from this activity by being positively influenced by their parents on the merits of regular physical activity and regular time spent with the family.
Cycling is not an activity that needs to be restricted to your backyard only. Install a bike rack on your vehicle so that even when you are on vacation you can enjoy this wonderful activity together as a family.
Your child will soon become an adult, they will look back on these times and memories with fondness and the memories of cycling with the family will influence them positively in their lives. Thereby you could find the ultimate El-dorado of parenting. Giving your children a great childhood and a happy adult like.
For a family activity get a weeride baby bike seat at from http://weeride.com.au/ Read the FAQ of Baby Bike Seat at http://weeride.com.au/Examples/FAQ.html
The Family that Plays Together Stays Together
Most families have favorite games that they have shared together over the years. When I was a child, my family was very keen on family games. It wasn’t just the lack of other forms of entertainment that made us play them, we loved them anyway. Even if there had been more TV channels and computer games, we still would have got the family games out of the cupboard.
I think that kids miss out today by not having that quality time with their parents and siblings. It’s a great bonding exercise and it teaches kids to be graceful in victory and defeat. So many activities are solitary today, and kids have entire home entertainment systems in their bedrooms. Families are fragmented throughout the house.
My father taught my brother and I to play chess from a very young age. Chess games and checkers were part of our Sunday afternoon routine. We also liked to play card games for matches or pennies. We’d play pontoon or gin rummy. Board games were another sort of family games we played a lot. Our favorites were monopoly, snakes and ladders and clue. Family games of monopoly could go on for days.
Outdoor activities were also popular with my family. We liked to go to the local park and play a game of cricket or kick a soccer ball around. There were tennis courts too, which we made use of.
When my own children were little, my husband and I carried on the family games tradition. They liked board games too, and we played the old favorites. My adult son still plays The Simpsons version of monopoly with his girlfriend. We also liked to play Risk, the war strategy game. Pictionary is still one of the games we enjoy. We have only recently got Twister in our house. It’s certainly good for keeping you agile and its great fun.
Many games now have computer versions, such as Risk. I’d rather smell the board and hold the figures in my hand. Everything has to be on a screen now. I think we assume that kids won’t want to play family games the old fashioned way. You can also play chess and cards on the computer.
If more families spent time together, perhaps they’d stay together. I have many happy memories of sitting round the table with loved ones, playing family games. It’s great for stress levels, as long as you don’t mind losing!
Sarah Jones loves teaching. When she isn’t teaching her own son, she is busy sharing her love of education with others.
Find a wide assortment of Lesson Plans, crafts for kids, and education tips at her site, http://www.KnowMore.com.