Parent Traps

Funny Things Kids Say

2008-06-15T07:38:00.003-04:00

This a compilation of a lot of funny quotes from kids - from many sources. Enjoy it and Happy Father's Day!

Quick Quotations:

"I'm being haive!" -- 2 year old son, when his mother told him told to behave
"I'm not an oxymoron!" -- 7 year old
"TNT." -- Given as an answer for a written spelling bee, when the teacher called the word "dynamite."
"I'm glad I'm finally eight. This is the oldest I've ever been in my entire life!" -- 8 year old son.
"I had to read and write six book reports." -- Girl, in an email to her friend, attempting to explain what she had to do over the summer. She later tried sending a correction, which read, "I had to read and write six books."
"Oh, well Mom said all I had to use was the sponge and dish detergent." -- 12 year old daughter, when her father told her he used elbow grease to get the dishes clean
"Do they look after the Pokemon?" -- City kid, when asked what a gamekeeper does.
"Why don't you get some expensive money?" -- 3 year old daughter, when told by her mother that she could get a small toy but that the ones asked for were too expensive
"I have a rock in my nose." -- 2 year old son, greeting his mother after preschool, a full hour after recess was over.
"There's no one in there." -- 6 year old son, in response to seeing his father hanging pictures and tapping on the walls to find the support beams.
"Quiet!" -- 4 year old, when asked what begins with 'M' and sounds good.
"If I was a raccoon I would eat the farmer's corpse." -- A kindergartener, writing a story about what we would do if he were a raccoon.
"Well, sometimes I say something mean to my brother, but I feel really good inside. Does that mean I'm a hypocrite?" -- 7 year old girl, after a Sunday School teacher explained that a hypocrite was someone who says one thing but feels something else.
"Daddy, did your hair slip?" -- 3 year old son, to his bald but long bearded father.
"Daddy picked them up and looked underneath. I think it's printed on the bottom." -- 3 year old son, when his mother asked how his father knew the genders of four new baby kittens.
"How will that help?" -- Kindergarten student, when the class was instructed to hold up two fingers if any of them had to go to the bathroom.
"They didn't see it -- it was all cut off!" -- 2 year old son, when his mother was asked how his grandparents liked his new haircut.
"Tell me when you're asleep, ok?" -- 7 year old son, overheard talking to his 5 year old brother.
"I had a fraction in my neck and had to go to the hospital for a long time." -- Fifth grader, to his class.
"Well you're old, and you're not dead." -- "3 year old son, to his father. The comment followed an explanation of why the father's grandparents weren't around anymore.
"Are you kidding me?! They go together like balogna and cheese! No, wait. More like mayonnaise and bread." -- 9 year old girl, when asked if her brother and cousin hang out a lot.
"The box says you can't eat them if the seal is broken. I'm looking for the seal." -- A young son, examining the contents of a box of Animal Crackers.
"Don't kid me, Mom, I know they're my feet." -- 3 year old son, when his mother told him his shoes were on the wrong feet.
"Mommy, you said it would be a shot; instead it was a needle!" -- Boy, overheard at the hospital.
"How do you put make up on your mind?" -- Girl, when told she should make up her mind.
"I wish someone we knew would die so we could leave them flowers." -- 6 year old girl, upon seeing flowers in a cemetery.
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us some email." -- 4 year old girl, misquoting the Lord's Prayer.
"Watch out, Daddy. Mommy's got her eye on you!" -- 4 year old girl, after hearing her mother telling her father that she'd take an I.O.U. for a promised restaurant dinner.
"I didn't look much -- I've only got little eyes!" -- 7 year old, about to be scolded for peeking at her Christmas presents.
"When you were my age, you was just a baby!" -- 5 year old.
"Why don't they just do what they did in 1899?" -- On preparing for Y2K in 1999.
"Daddy doesn't like that man, does he?" -- Daughter of John Cleese and Connie Booth, during the filming of the Black Knight scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
I Feel So Old:
"This is the biggest CD I've ever seen!" -- On first seeing a record.
"You know those big CDs?" -- High school student describing a record.
What We Learned From the Ice Storm of 1998:
"Never take your little sister to a shelter." -- 12 year old
"Trees aren't as strong as I thought they were." -- 11 year old
"Not to kid around saying timber around people." -- 12 year old
"Don't live in Maine." -- 13 year old
"I learned that if you plug your generator into your TV, VCR, or your computer, it will cause too much friction and it will blow up." -- 10 year old
"I didn't miss school at all. What are you talking about?" -- 15 year old
The other day my five year old grandson was lounging on my lap.
Him: "Poppop, you have hair in your nose."
Me: "Everybody has hair in their nose."
Him: "But you have a lot of hair in your nose."
Me: "Well, it's not growing on top of my head very well. I have to grow it somewhere."
Him: (thoughtful pause) "Do you want me to pull some of it out for you?"
I declined the offer.
In a preschool class I used to teach, we had two little girls who played every day that they were characters from classic Disney cartoons. One day I heard one calling the other "Allison." I didn't know a single Disney character named Allison, so I asked the little girl who she was today. She replied, "Allison Wonderland."
My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, "62." He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"
A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods."
The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"
My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo while I asked, "No, how are we alike?"
"You're both old," he replied.
A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he asked.
"I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."
Conversation overheard at a zoo in Tasmania, where a young kid was looking at a wombat:
Kid: "Look Dad, dog!"
Dad: "No, not a dog. Remember, we talked about what this is?"
Kid: (thinks) "Dog!"
Dad: "Noooo. It starts with a 'w'."
Kid: "W......w......w......wdog!"
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."
A high school teacher asked when surfing was popular in the USA. A cheerleader in the class said, "The 60s." The teacher asked her to be more specific, and she said, confidently, "The 1960s."
I just had an interesting conversation with my sister. She was talking about the "carcass" of a printer.
Me: "You mean 'cartridge'? 'Carcass' is a dead body."
Her: "Oh, yeah, cartridge! But a dead body is a 'cork'."
Me: "'Cork'? You mean 'corpse'?"
Her: "Uh, yeah."
I had a party a few weeks ago, and a really good friend of the family had brought some cousins, about 7 and 5 years old. The older one looked up at a guest and said:
Older Kid: "I bet you're 40."
Younger Kid: "No, he's 80!"
Older Kid: "85!"
Younger Kid: "No, he's 100!"
Older Kid: "He's not 100, that's when you die."
When I called home one day, my six year old son answered the phone. "Hello," he said, panting a little. I said, "Hi, Nick. Wow, you sound out of breath." He replied, "No, I have more."
A father was reading Bible stories to his young son. He read, "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city, but his wife looked back and was turned to salt." His son asked, "What happened to the flea?"
When we were trick or treating in my neighborhood, my three year old cousin came along. When we walked down the side of the street, and whenever he saw a stop sign, he made us all stop in front of it, look both ways, then continue on.
In my Sunday School class, we discussed what we would give up for Lent. One eight year old girl said she'd give up homework. I replied that the idea was to give up something she liked. She said, "But I like homework!" A seven year old boy, in the same class, said he'd give up fighting with his brother. I asked if he could give it up for so long. He said, "Well, it's only until next week, so that's ok."
I told my boys, aged 9 and 6, that I wanted to stop and get some hair coloring. My 6 year old asked what color I was getting and why. I told him that it was just to cover my gray and left it at that. They were like kids in a candy store, searching for the "perfect" color. We agreed on one, bought it, and left. That weekend, at church, a lady said she really liked the color of my hair. My 9 year old beamed and said, "Thanks, I picked it out!"
A little boy was in a relative's wedding. As he was coming down the aisle he would take two steps, stop, and turn to the crowd (alternating between bride's side and groom's side), put his hands up like claws, and roar. Step, step, ROAR, step step, ROAR, all the way down the aisle. The crowd was near tears from laughing so hard by the time he reached the pulpit. The little boy, however, was getting more and more distressed from all the laughing and was almost crying by the time he reached the pulpit. When asked what he was doing, the child sniffed and said, "I was being the Ring Bear."

Obama...Alabama?

2008-06-12T11:38:00.005-04:00

My daughter came and told me, "my friend, Lily, knows Ala-Bomma". I said, "what"? "Ala-Bomma."

I told her that it's O-bah-ma and Ala-bam-ma! She said "oh" and left.

Literacy

2008-06-12T10:43:00.003-04:00

I score student tests for a national company. I couldn't resist remember this little gem from yesterday's session (spelling and grammar as written by the student - age 12):

"First thought that Puero rico was the biggest island But my dad suid it's
not. So month past. And I saw a glob. Now I know that It's
Mexico."

In Memoriam - The Baby Birds

2008-06-11T18:24:00.003-04:00

May they rest in peace. Our little babies disappeared in the night. I can only assume that some damn raccoon paid them a visit. Mother bird stopped chirping after daybreak. Here's Emily's story about the babies in their happier days (note the foreshadowing of doom):

3 Baby Birds by Emily (sic)

Once upon a time there was three little birds that were in a bird house. Thare names were Tiny, Peepers and Chi Chi. Thay were so cute thay got everything thay wantid. one day every thing changed.

There mother bird got them a worm. She got them a beadle. Thay wernt happy but one day thay were mad. Thare in pie! Thay learned lesson by thare faces coverd in thare underware put over there faces.

The End.

Rest easy little raccoon pie birds.

(Actually, I am quite depressed over this).

New Babies at Home!

2008-06-09T20:15:00.002-04:00

No, not what you think.....

Our baby birds hatched two days ago! We now have three little tiny brown thrush babies living in the nest in the southern plantation house on the front porch. This is a Southern Living at Home "fake" birdhouse that was supposed to be for decor. Now it's a real birdhouse! I am hoping that no critters find there way in to mess with the little ones, especially since it's only two feet up off the front deck on a little table (remember - decoration!). The parents have been making lots of noise and chirping away all day bringing food.

Annie has peaked in (we all have) and discovered that she just whistles and the little ones pop right up with beaks agape. Again, I hope they make it! Emily wrote a story about them after she named them Peeper, Tiny, and Chi Chi. The photo is terrible, but at least you can see two of the tiny beaks. More later!

A Great List of Mystery Shopping Companies

2008-06-09T19:44:00.002-04:00

Click on this link at Moms Wallet where I found a great list of reputable mystery shopping companies. I think there's every one I have heard of and worked for and hundreds more. I have done mystery shopping for about 8 years now. I don't make a lot of money at it. Some people make a semi-living at it. I do it mostly for the free or reduced cost of dining out. In these gas-frugal times, that is even a better bargain.

Why Television has Become "Baby Crack"

2008-05-28T11:22:00.008-04:00

Are your preschoolers glued to the screen every time Dora the Explorer shouts on screen? Do you plan your coffee break around your infant gazing dreamily at Baby Einstein videos? If so, don't feel alone. You are part of the calculated preschool entertainment media frenzy - all to achieve your child's addition to and resulting purchase of products resulting from these creations.

I just finished the new book Anytime Playdate - Inside the Preschool Entertainment Boom or How Television Became Baby's Best Friend by Dade Hayes. Mr. Hayes uses his prowess as journalist and curiousness as the father of a preschooler to investigate how and why preschool television has become so popular and pervasive.

Reading through the process and research that new shows much go through before they hit the airwaves is thought-provoking and scary. Millions and millions of dollars go into creating marketing machines designed to hook our little ones before they even know how to differentiate reality from fiction. Times have definitely changed since Sesame Street started in the 1960's and 1970's to education young children through media. There are very interesting interviews with Julie Clark, creator of Baby Einstein, as well as television executives from Nickelodeon and more.

"More is always better for the audience. Kids over 6 don't buy toys,
they're turning to technology. They don't buy dolls. They don't buy
plush." says the president of Nickelodeon Preschool about why they target
kids under six.

My own children are addicts. There, I've said it. The plan their days and nights around offerings from Nickolodeon, Disney and sometimes, PBS. They didn't use to watch so much, but then the at home business got going and more and more of former "mommy-time" became "entertain yourself time".

After reading this book, I'm moved to make changes. I have always cringed at the commercials and marketing of the media machines, especially Disney. But I always thought of it as basically harmless. When you read about the calculations that go into making sure your two to five year old will not just watch, but buy products from these shows, you too might just want to pull the plug.

I was a marketing major many, many moons ago - back then, there was nothing like this! This book is extremely eye-opening. Give a read and learn more about current media and your child. If you've read this so far and are interested - please post a thoughtful comment and I'll be happy to share my review copy with you!

A Great Book for Dads with Sons

2008-05-27T13:54:00.007-04:00

I recently received some new parenting books to review on this blog. I also will be giving many of them to faithful readers, so keep on reading for the opportunity to get one! I'll start by reviewing one that seems very appropriate for the upcoming Father's Day gifting!

There When He Needs You - How to Be an Available, Involved and Emotionally Connected Father to Your Son
by Neil I. Bernstein, Ph.D. with Broke Lea Foster

I have really enjoyed reading this book. I think a lot of what Dr. Bernstein discusses about children and child development would be obviously applicable to all children. But, the focus and fine-tuning of each chapter of the book targets father/son issues. He discusses ways for dads to truly connect with their sons, while differentiating themselves from "mom". The chapter titles speak for themselves (with my commentary on each):

1) A Dad is Not a Male Mother: From Half-There Fathers and Peripheral Parents to Good Enough and Better - I really liked the premise that builds on the idea that dads can do more and "be more" than they've been doing. My own husband often discusses (half-jokingly)that it will be soon time for him to be less available as my children become teenagers to avoid all that teen angst. Wrong! What works well and how you have to evolve as your children grow are important topics discussed.

2) Generational Mistakes: Facing Your Regrets - You don't have to be exactly like your parent's were to be effective or ineffective - get it?!

3) Sons in Progress: Fathering Through the Developmental Stages - A very relevant chapter and a guidebook itself for many fathers who may wonder what they should be doing to help and sometimes, just manage, through each child's developmental stages. There's much more than just changing diapers here! Try managing positive communication during your child's defiant stage. Good reading here!

4) What Dad's Won't Say: Fathers' Secret Fears and How to Face Them - A chance to see that you aren't the only one dealing with these issues. A dad's forum about child issues.

5) Sons Speak Out: When Dads Hurt and Disappoint Them - Sons discuss what works and what doesn't during child-rearing.

6) Boys and Their Tech Toys - This section speaks for itself - male bonding through their toys - this should be one of Martha's Good Things.

7) The Father-Son Competition - Dynamics between the generations and how they manifest themselves in your relationships.

8) Love, Dad: Unlocking the Language of Feelings - Aagh! Feelings! Yes, they are important. And yes, you should be sharing them with your son.

9) The Father Project: A Mother's Role - you are not alone!

10) Top Ten Fathering Tips - speaks for itself in value!

I recommend this book very highly and found it interesting to read, even as a mom! It would be excellent reading for dads at any stage of life. Who out there would like this book! Tell me about it!

Make Money Working From Home

2008-05-08T10:19:00.004-04:00

Most of you who read my posts are either working from home or wish that you were. I do most of my work from home and have been doing so for the past ten years. However, I don't make a "killing" doing it. I make money by doing the following:

Blog Post Reviews - Payperpost, Sponsored Reviews, Review Me and now, Social Spark.com
West Telephone Sales online with telephone telecommuting Part-time
ETS - Scoring student tests online part-time telecommuting
Substitute Teaching - a bad year - they overhired in our district and there has been no work this school year.

I hope to add some income via blog advertising this year, which my husband does very successfully on the websites he manages. When I first left my full-time job to have my children, I did some consulting work from home in my work field - Human Resources. After that I sold Southern Living at Home products and left that after they refused to let me sell close out products online. Through it all I have Ebay-ed for nine years, very successfully. I now only buy Gymboree for most of my youngest daughter's clothing, because I get such a good return when I sell it online after she outgrows it.

Newsweek published an article this week called "Cutting Back Your Hours". It talks about everything that I do right now as being cutting edge for flexibility with decent money. I could use the decent money. Companies have jumped on our bandwagon, thankfully, by realizing the great workforce that is Stay At Home Moms.

Two placement services that serve this market are 10 til 2 http://www.tentiltwo.com/ and Mom Corps http://www.momcorps.com/. These services help find organizations that hire for project and part-time work. I am signing up with both today in hopes of increasing my hourly pay back to something more professional in range. As they said in the article, part-time doesn't mean low pay anymore, especially if you are a seasoned former professional. I'll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, I do highly recommend Educational Testing Service (ETS) for relatively high paying part-time work scoring tests. The lowest hourly pay is $10/hour and it goes up from there depending on the test and its scoring requirements. During the holidays, the telephone work for West is good and it helps pay for the holidays for us.

If you have some ideas to share, please e-mail me and I'll write about them.

Can I Really Get Ready to Be Seen In a Pool?

2008-05-04T12:35:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it's just a little over a month until I will have to don the annual caftan swimsuit and be seen almost naked! Why, you ask? Because where we are moving has a lovely community pool and the kids are already clamouring to go swimming everyday! I think I must get serious about Weight Loss if I am to actual undertake this mission!

I've really not be serious in years about this and I don't really feel like going back to meetings and other previously tried ways to lose weight. I like to do things on my own first. That is why I like www.PlanetFatLoss. They have very straightforward articles about losing weight and getting fitter. They have easy sections with different diet plans (not one size fits all) and exercise plans to choose from. You can join the community and get daily RSS feeds and other information emailed to you. It seems to fit in well with my daily computer use, so I'll get a lot of commitment reminding! I need to do something, so this will be the first day!

Growing Up Green Contest Winner

2008-05-02T09:02:00.002-04:00

Congratuations to Marcy - who finally took the plunge and wrote a comment on my post about the book Growing Up Green. She's looking forward to reading the book and I'm sending my review copy right out to her! Thank you for participating in my first contest! I'm happy to reward my readers!

Saving Money on Kids and Mommy's Clothes

2008-04-26T20:53:00.002-04:00

I had this article about saving money on clothing purchases from Family Hack tucked away in my favorites list. I was weeding out my massive list of links today and I re-read it and found it perfect for today's budgeting use! It's a great guide to saving money on clothing by timing your purchases to the store sales system. Give it a looksie!

Baby Carrier Recall

2008-04-26T14:52:00.003-04:00

I find the photo of this recalled baby carrier to be quite ironic, don't you? I don't think I'd be smiling with my coffee if my baby was ready to go plunk to the floor due to the failure of this product! Please check for other recalled children's and baby products at www.CPSC.gov.

Beco Baby Butterfly Carriers
Units: About 2,000
Made by Beco Baby Carrier Inc., of Newport Beach, Calif.

The buckles on the carrier shoulder straps can unexpectedly release tension, causing the strap to slip through, posing a fall hazard to the baby.
Incidents/Injuries: Beco has received eight reports of the carrier straps slipping through the shoulder buckles. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recalled infant carriers were sold under brand name “Beco Baby Carrier Butterfly.” The carriers have a black label with a green “b” logo on the left side and a butterfly on the right side. The label is sewn on the outside of the carrier. The following carrier styles are included in the recall: Mia, Pony Express, Carnival, Addison, Ethan, Sophia, Cameron, Ava and Joshua.

Sold at: Specialty retail stores nationwide and internet sites from January 2008 through February 2008 for about $140.
Manufactured in: USA and Dominican Republic

Consumers should immediately stop using the carriers and contact Beco Baby Carrier to receive instructions for returning the carriers for repair. Contact Beco Baby Carrier Inc. toll-free at (888) 943-8232/9-GET-BECO between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.becobabycarrier.com

Feeding Your Family for Less

2008-04-23T16:41:00.005-04:00

Why is my dog's photo attached to this article about saving food dollars...you'll see! I think we're all feeling the pinch of rising gas and food prices. I know we are. So from various sources, I've compiled some ways to save money and lower your grocery bill:

Coupons! Every Sunday get the paper and go through the coupons. The coupons alone will easily pay for the price of the Sunday paper. Match them up with the weekly food/grocery sale flyers and plan your shopping accordingly.

Dollar Store! My husband is living in temporary quarters on his own until we relocate. He has saved a bundle by dropping by the dollar store to get some necessary household items. There was an ABC News story recently that showed a chef's challenge to make a gourmet meal using only foods from the dollar store. She did it and saved over $100 on the meal over purchasing items at a high end market. Give it a try.

Wash Your Own Dog! Yes, technically, this isn't grocery shopping. But I save $32 to $40 every time I wash my own dog instead of taking him to the groomer. I buy Hartz Oatmeal dog shampoo for his sensitive skin at the grocery store and I use barber scissors to cut the little matts off. I even use an old hairbrush to groom him with. We have saved at least three grooms and he looks cuter now. Yes that's his handgroomed photo at the top!

Choose generic or store brands of healthy groceries, such as whole-grain cereal and frozen vegetables. Look high and low for them—the most costly options are shelved at eye level. Buy fresh produce in season. Try local farmers’ markets for fresher, less expensive options. Frozen vegetables are healthy and even more affordable than fresh produce, and you can get out-of-season vegetables less expensively.

Make larger batches of your favorite healthy meals. Store labeled leftovers in the refrigerator and take them for lunch the next day. Buy chicken, fish and meat in bulk, and put them in freezer bags in meal-size portions.

Begin a home or community garden so you that can grow your own fruits and vegetables. Or, have an herb garden at home, which is less expensive than buying fresh herbs in the grocery store. I know it's cheaper to buy a basil plant than to buy fresh basil at our grocery store.

Buy in bulk and make your own convenience sizes using ziplock bags.

UPDATE on Contest to Win a Free Growing Up Green Book!

2008-04-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Update: Well, I still have a book to give away, People! No one has commented, so I don't have a winner today - April 22, 2008. So here's the deal - first person to leave a thoughtful comment about this post will win this book! Be sure to leave or send me your email so I can get your mailing information!

I recently received a copy of the book by Deirdre Imus, Growing Up Green! Volume Two: Baby and Child Care. Deirdre offers numerous ways that parents of young children can "go green" and raise happy, healthy children. She covers everything from greening up during your pregnancy, to healthy eating for babies and kids, to managing your adolescents. I liked the section on Green Pediatrics, which covers all kinds of health issues and how to work with your doctor to manage your child's health. It includes discussions on vaccines, allergies, weight management and more.

Overall, I found it very thought provoking and interesting. It offers lots of practical ideas for going greener with your family. It also provides ideas for how you can advocate for a greener environment in your child's school and other situations.

Now to the good stuff - because I got it as a freebie to review - you can benefit! Just post a comment here and/or link to my post and I'll put you in a drawing to receive this new book absolutely free! I will award the winner and post it here on April 22nd (I have to travel to Alabama, so I'll award it when I get back!) It's only been read once, by me! I think anyone with kids will enjoy it!

Keep Kids Safe at the Playground

2008-04-15T10:56:00.005-04:00

More on summer safety! Playground accidents are the leading cause of injury to children in elementary school. Each year, in the United States, approximately 150,000 children ages five to 14 go to the emergency room with accidental injuries involving playground equipment -- and three out of four playground accidents occur on public playgrounds, including school facilities, as opposed to backyard play equipment.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the ground should be covered 12 inches deep with shredded rubber, hardwood fiber mulch or fine sand, extending at least six feet in all directions around the equipment. This lessens the chances that severe injury occurs WHEN a child falls. I say when, because they will fall. Medical experts say that I child who falls more than 10 feet risks spinal cord injury, paralysis and/or death. These guidelines apply to all types of playgrounds, home, school and parks. So check out your own areas for safety.

Also, I've posted plenty of recalls for clothing with drawstrings on this blog. About ten children per year die from injuries involving playground equipment, mostly from strangulation when a piece of loose clothing or jewelry gets caught on equipment or the child's head gets stuck between climbing bars. Parents should be vigilant. For outdoor play, children's clothing and outerwear should be free of drawstrings and should fit snugly to minimize the risk of getting stuck in a piece of equipment. Do not allow kids to wear helmets, necklaces, purses or scarves on the playground or engage in any pushing, shoving or crowding around playground equipment.

The CPSC Playground Guidelines Handbook is available by calling 800.638.2772. At school, you might want to take a look at the school playground and, if necessary, discuss the CPSC guidelines with school officials.

Water Safety for Children

2008-04-13T07:52:00.002-04:00

Swim season will be beginning soon. It's actually already started in Florida. I have signed my kids up for another round of swimming lessons starting next month. We don't have a pool, so they don't always get to stay up to date with their swimming skills.

Here are some water safey tips to keep in mind to keep your kids safe during swimming season.

Never take your eyes off your children while they are swimming, even for a moment. Consider using a buddy system for the children as well.

If you're in a group, take turns with other adults being the designated "water watcher" to keep eyes on the children.

While supervising, avoid distractions, like phone use and/or reading or talking.

Maintain visual contact with the children and the water.

Teach children to swim beginning at age four.

Don't rely on water wings or other inflatables.

If your child can't swim, stay within arm's reach at all times.

Use only U. S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices.

Tell children to stay away from drains and tie up long hair to prevent entanglement.

Keep gates to pool areas latched.

Look for life-saving equipment at the pool.

Learn infant and child CPR. Contact your local Red Cross for local classes.

Make sure children stay within designated swimming areas in the ocean, lakes, and rivers.

Never allow diving in water less than nine feet deep.

Never leave children alone in the bathtub.

With younger children, keep toilet lids down, and doors to laundry and bathrooms closed.

Remember me?

2008-04-02T16:10:00.002-04:00

Yes, it's been a while, hasn't it? Thank you for hanging in there and reading the blog, over and over, while I am recovering from the worst case of asthma I've had in years.

I have now officially been sick since March 8th. My allergy doctor is befuddled. I've been coughing and coughing, and taking every prescription he can think of that might help me. This started the day before I left to visit Alabama (so I can't blame those people) and has only gotten worse over time.

I like to tell Tim that it's due to global warming, and it probably is. The trees and flowers started earlier this year with pollen, it got hotter faster, therefore helping the fungus and mold to proliferate as well.

I'm on Claritin AND the dreaded Singulair for allergies, taking a mega-strong antibiotic (again), plus all my regular meds for asthma and the daily "rescue" meds. And prednisone - my third course of it.

Sorry to go on and on, but this is just one reason I've not been on blogging regularly. I promise to be better.

Thank you!

Identity Theft Prevention to Keep Us Secure for the Move

2008-03-26T06:36:00.003-04:00

I really like services that help make life easier when difficult things happen. I've been quite impressed with the identity theft protection service offered by lifelock. Their CEO gives out his own social security number in every print ad and commercial, because they stand behind the security of their product completely. They have a million dollar guarantee which states that they'll pay up to $1,000,000 to cure a failure or defect in their identity protection service, per member, per lifetime for all incidents in the aggregate, regardless of circumstance. If something happens to your personal information while you are a member with them, they will completely handle the situation with creditors, law enforcement and the credit bureaus to ensure that your family's financial reputation is not harmed.

As I said, I'm really impressed by what they are offering and intend to take advantage of this myself. Since we're moving, changing mailing addresses to a new state, and moving all our records, I believe it will help keep our personal information secure throughout our move and beyond.

We are the New Leading American Economic Indicators

2008-03-23T18:50:00.008-04:00

It would appear that our family might be a new leading economic indicator that economists and families might want to follow. Everyone is saying the recession has just gotten started or that it hasn't bottomed out yet. Well, I beg to differ.

Tim and I have spent the last two years living with my parents. There we said it for all to hear! Now media is reporting that it is a new trend for families with job loss or economic worries to move back in with their parents to get back on their feet. As this is coming out as a reportedly growing trend, we are moving back out into the unsheltered world, one paycheck from the street again. Things are different. Before we had a house with a half acre of land. Now, we have no real estate, no savings and no retirement, having used every bit of it to survive and pay our bills on - sans house. We actually sold our home just before the real estate crash, thus allowing us a pool of money that has been drained by our never ending bills from the old life. But, we have managed to keep paying those bills, not even late once, thanks to these parental living arrangments.

Now, with the new job Tim procured a few weeks ago, we do have enough income to get back into our own little place. And that is what we are in the process of looking for in Huntsville, Alabama. Tim has found employment in a city that seems relatively unaffected by the economic troubles around us. All is not completely rosy - they do have state income tax at 5%, Florida's is 0%. And they charge sales tax on groceries! 8%! Florida's charge 0% - so this is going to put a hurt on our food and other budgets right away.

I would not have chosen to leave Florida, but I choose to try to get back on our feet as an independent family again. I know my parents will be happy to have their space back, their organization back and the quiet, unassuming lives of retirees back. But they'll miss watching the grand kids going to school and growing up. I know we'll be happy to have control of the air conditioning temperature back - probably more than anything! But we are thankful to have had a soft place to land and to not be homeless. Family is good for that.

I will hope that we are the new economic leading indicators, seeing that our employment is improving, we are now moving out of parental homes and hopefully going to start rebuilding savings and retirement, just in time for college!

Some Freaky...and Nice Easter Videos for You!

2008-03-22T20:38:00.002-04:00

The first one really is freaky! The weird little eggs will haunt me in my dreams tonight, as the Easter bunny prepares to add chocolate to their weird little countenances in the baskets set out for the children.

The next one is a classic and my favorite of all the Peanuts videos. It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! That Marcy really is dim! This one "cracks" the kids up every time we watch it. I'm so glad we can still share in the awesomeness that is Charles Schultz. Happy Easter!

Keeping Kids Safe This Summer

2008-03-22T05:38:00.004-04:00

Before you know it, the kids will be out of school and looking for things to do. You'll be wanting to keep them safe from the hazards that free time and heat can bring!

Here are some tips for keeping your children safe during summertime and Spring Break!

My Kids Ride Safe

Infants ride in rear-facing car seats as long as possible, but until at least one year of age and 20 pounds.

Children at least one year old and between 20-40 pounds are secured in a forward-facing car seat.

Children over 40 pounds ride in a booster seat with a lap and shoulder belt.

Children who weigh 80 pounds and 4 feet 9 inches tall may use an adult lap and shoulder belt.

Before getting in my vehicle and starting the motor, I always walk all the way around it to check for children.

I never leave my child alone in a car

My Kids Swim Safe

I maintain visual contact with my kids when they are playing in or near the water.

Install fencing around all sides of a home pool or spa. The fencing should be five feet high and have self-closing, self-latching gates.

My children wear life jackets when on a boat, near open bodies of water or when playing water sports, and I make sure the life jackets fit properly.

After their fourth birthday, my kids take swim lessons

My Kids Play Safe

I always supervise my children on playground equipment.
Safe playgrounds have 12 inches of shredded rubber, hardwood fiber mulch or sand beneath the equipment.

I don’t dress children in loose clothing, clothes with drawstrings or necklaces when they play on the playground.

When practicing or playing team sports, my children wear the right protective gear.

My Kids Wheel Safe

I make sure my child wears a helmet and other protective gear when riding bikes, skates or scooters.

The helmet fits snugly and does not rock back and forth. It should be centered on the head, strapped and buckled.The bike fits my child and is in good working order.

I teach my child the rules of the road and to obey traffic rules.

Children under 10 should only wheel on sidewalks, paths or other designated areas.

My Kids Walk Safe

My children under 10 cross the street with an adult.

Teach children to cross streets at the corner, to use crosswalks and obey traffic signals.

Instruct children to look left, right and left again before crossing the street and to keep looking as they cross.

Remind children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing.

I dress my kids in clothing with reflective materials and give them a flashlight when it’s dark.

Parents - Here's A Great Engineering Program for Your College Student

2008-03-21T10:30:00.004-04:00

As parents of soon-to-be college students, you are certainly evaluating which colleges and universities will be the best choice for your child. As important as the choice of college is, it is just as important to evaluate which program of study will best prepare him/her for the career and real world experiences they'll need when they graduate. Engineering is always a top field for graduates. Employers look for graduates with real-world experience gained by participation in top quality engineering co-op programs.

As a daughter of an engineer, who once aspired to join this profession myself, I heard time and time again, as my dad prepared to hire new graduates into his division, that the quality of engineering program they came from was paramount. Kettering University has one of the leading Co-op programs and maintains an edge by ensuring that they place students in companies in their freshman year and rotate them between school and their co-op job alternating every 3 months to gain practical experience from the beginning of their Kettering education. Their students are ready to add immediate value when they join their employers, this translates to higher salaries as well.

US News and World Report ranked Kettering University as "the #1 University in the nation for Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering" in its annual "America's Best Colleges Guide for 2008". As far as engineering majors go, industrial engineering is easily one of the fastest growing occupations in the world. My eldest daughter already shows propensity to enter this field. As the granddaughter of two engineers, and the niece of another, it just might be in her blood. Thankfully, the science and math programs they have now starting in elementary school are already preparing her to enter a top engineering program should she choose it. I am happy to see that the colleges, such as Kettering, are ensuring their students' future success with their co-op program.

Magnet Toy Recalls Today

2008-03-13T17:36:00.006-04:00

Today there are several new toy recalls. I have been somewhat lax in my recall reporting due to our pending move. But I am rectifying this today and am reporting all the toy recalls since my last update, starting with these. I will be reporting the balance of them shortly. Remember you can find child-related recalls by looking at my category list to the right under Toy Recall or Child Safety.

Play Wonder Toy Sundae Sets/Target
Units: About 22,000, Distributor: Battat Inc., of Plattsburgh, N.Y.

The wooden cherries on top of the toy sundae pose a choking hazard to young children. Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

The recalled wooden sundae set toy includes six woodenscoops of ice cream, three cherries that attach to the top of the ice cream scoops, banana slices, a spoon and bowl. The ice cream scoops are green, pink, brown, yellow and purple. The sundae set pieces attach to each other with Velcro. Model number DPCI-204-12-0526 is included in this recall and is located on the packaging.

Sold exclusively at: Target Stores nationwide from December 2006 through December 2007 for about $10. Manufactured in: China

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy sundae setsaway from children and return the toys to any Target store for a fullrefund.Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Battat Inc. at(800) 247-6144 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET or visit the firm'sWeb site at http://www.battatco.com/

Battat Magnabild Magnetic Building Toys or Sets
Units: About 7,000 (125,000 other Battat Magnabild Building Systems wererecalled on January 23, 2008) Distributor: Battat Inc., of Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Small magnets inside the building pieces can fall out. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Battat have received 16 reports of magnets coming out of the building pieces. No injuries have been reported. No incidents have been reported with models BB1439 and BAT-34.

This recall involves the 108-piece (item number BB1439H)and the 68-piece (item number BAT-34) Magnabild Magnetic Building Systemsets. The 108-piece set comes in a rotating display case containingsixty 1-inch rods with magnets and 48 metal balls. The 68-piece set comes in a window box and contains forty-four 1-inch rods with magnets and 24 metal balls. The rods come in different colors. All of the plastic building pieces have the word "Magnabild" in raised lettering onthem. "BB1439H" is found on a hang tag attached to the display case."BAT-34" is found on the box. The products are designed for children older than three years.

Sold at: Various retailers nationwide and online sellers from July 2005through February 2008 for between $20 and $35.
Manufactured in: China

Consumers should immediately take the recalled Magnabild Magnetic Building System away from children and contact Battat to receive a pre-paid mailer to return the toy and to receive a free replacement product.Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Battat Inc. at(800) 247-6144 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET or visit the firm'sWeb site at http://www.battatco.com/

Return from Alabama

2008-03-13T08:25:00.007-04:00

I got back yesterday from our trip to Huntsville to relocate Tim for his new job. It was good I stayed for five days, as it gave me a chance to travel around the city and see more about schools and housing.

There are really too many choices for areas to live and schools - there will be many hard decisions to make to pick one over another. A complicating factor is that we have to rent, instead of buy. There aren't a lot of rental homes available and the apartments don't always mesh with the best schools. Also we have a lot of "stuff" to condense into an apartment, even though we weeded it out before we last moved.

The coolest elementary school is one located on the top of a mountain. It has only 250 students and a fabulous gifted program. It just scares me to ride up a mountain drop off road to go to school. Plus they have sea-type fog envelop the road from time to time.

More to come later on!