One of the most significant jobs you surely have as a parent is keeping your child safe while riding in a car. Thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes every year. The correct use of car safety seats helps keep children safe in case there is a car crash. Nevertheless, with so many different car safety seats out on the market right now, it’s no wonder why so many parents find this overwhelming. The type of car seat your child needs depends on quite a few things, including the size of your child and the type of motor vehicle you may have.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) highly recommends that all infants should ride rear-facing right from the first ride home from the hospital. They ought to remain rear-facing until they reach the highest height or weight allowed by the manufacturer of their car safety seat.  At a bare minimum, children should ride rear-facing until they weigh at least 20 pounds or are at least 1 year of age. Once your child has reached the highest weight or height permitted by the manufacturer of the seat for rear-facing, she/he can ride forward-facing in a more convertible seat. Nevertheless, it is best for him/her to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of his/her car safety seat. She/he should ride in a forward-facing seat with a harness until he/she outgrows it, which in most cases would usually be at approximately 4 years of age and about when your child weights 40–65 pounds.

Once your child has outgrown his/her forward-facing car safety seats, they are now old enough for a Booster seat. It is in everyone’s best interest for children to ride in a harnessed seat as long as it is possible, which would mean at least to 4 years of age. If your child outgrows his/her seat before reaching 4 years of age, you should consider using a seat with a harness approved for children with higher weights and heights. Booster seats should be used with a shoulder and a lap belt and should never be a lap-only belt. When you are using a booster seat for your child, you must make sure that the lap belt lies low and fits perfectly across your child’s upper thighs. The shoulder belt should also be crossed in the middle of your child’s chest and shoulder.

Remember, be a good role model and make sure you always wear your seat belt. Our children always observe and learn from their parents. If you are not sure of how to use any of the safety recommendations for your infants always call the manufacture or read the instructions and make sure that you install your infant’ safety gadgets properly.

Being the parent of a toddler is a really difficult task. As parents we have to indulge with our toddlers in many new daily toddler activities. Toddlers are easily entertained and they love exploring their world. Toddlers can create the most simplistic games out of everyday items. However it is up to us to make sure that toddlers indulge in activities that are not only fun but also creative and educative. Activities for toddlers make them learn and become independent with daily activities.

Since kids like to mimic adult activities, a toddler might also like to be mommy’s or daddy’s big helper by assisting with indoor household chores. These toddler activities don’t take up a lot of time, but they will give a toddler a sense of accomplishment. Even children as young as 18 months old can throw individual items in the trash, hold a dust pan, help load clothes in the washing machine, sort laundry, or pick up after themselves. To toddlers, these are ways to be a big kid, not chores.

There are many schools and play groups running around especially foractivities for toddlers. They charge a huge amount of your hard earned money as well for these toddler activities. Parents need to save and utilize their hard earned money for betterment of their toddlers and not simply waste it. Parents do not need to spend money on expensive toys to keep toddlers occupied. Household items and a little imagination are all the only requirements for creating fun indoor activities for young children.

For a quick and inexpensive toddler activities, all is need is time and imagination. You can consider using everyday household items to create matching games and encourage imagination play. Here are several household items that can be used for indoor toddler activities:

Blankets and chairs – Drape blankets across sturdy chairs for an instant play house.

Cardboard boxes – Before throwing out old cardboard boxes, let a toddler turn it into a house or a huge collecting bin for toys.

Old magazines – Children see adults reading all the time. Let a toddler feel like a grown-up by “reading” a magazine. A fun way to do this is to send the little one on a scavenger hunt throughout the magazine. Just ask him or her to find all of the puppies, flowers, cars, houses, or other recognizable images in the entire magazine.

Plastic containers with lids – Toddlers can find many uses for plastic containers. Matching the lids with the appropriate containers creates a fun matching game. Open containers can be stacked in multiple configurations, knocked over, and stacked again. Filling up the containers with toys or other objects can also be fun for little ones.

Pots and pans – Toddlers like to mimic adult activities, so let them “cook” with actual pots and pans (on the floor, of course)!

Using the above mentioned traits and tips it will be very easy for you as parents of toddlers to use these toddler activities.

Parenting toddlers

Parenting toddlers as said is a very difficult task for parents. As parents, it is essential that we set limits for activities for toddlers. Activities for toddlers are essential when it comes to parenting toddlers. Minds of toddlers are very young and immature. Hence, when parenting toddlers, we should keep in mind many factors.

As their infants become toddlers, parents are often faced with new problems and issues to consider making sure they keep their kids safe and healthy.

Practical advice and tips on Parenting Toddlers

1) Nutrition Basics

As your toddler gets off baby food and starts eating more and more regular food, you can expect his diet to look just like the rest of the family’s diet. That means three meals a day and a couple of healthy snacks.

2) Picky Eaters
Many parents would characterize the typical toddler as being a picky eater. Keep in mind that even if your toddler is a picky eater, if he is growing normally and is physically active, with a lot of energy, then his diet is probably okay.

While parenting toddlers, remember the following:

a. Serving size for a toddler is nearly 1/4 of what an adult size serving would be, so you would only expect a toddler to eat 1/4 of a slice of bread, 1-2 tablespoons of vegetables, etc.

b. If your toddler is drinking too much milk or juice, she may be too full to eat. Don’t forcer your toddler to eat.

c. Most toddlers like to feed themselves, so give them lots of chances.

d. Toddlers will often want to try what their parents are eating and that is a good opportunity to get them to try some new foods, although you may have to offer it several times before they even think of trying it.

3) Safety

Although your home should be child proofed by now, you have to be even more careful now as your toddler gets more mobile.

To keep your toddler safe, you should:

1. During activities for toddlers, they would like to move around and play with toys, etc. Make sure that your house is child proofed.

2. Your house should also have smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, etc

4) Potty Training

Some toddlers are ready to begin potty training as early as eighteen months, while others don’t begin until they are two years old or older. And while there are many different potty training methods, one thing is clear – starting too early or pushing your child to become potty trained when they aren’t ready doesn’t work. So develop a plan on how you want to potty train your child and then wait for signs of readiness.

5) Temper Tantrums

Temper tantrums are another universal part of the life a toddler, since they can get frustrated easily and can’t express what they need or want very well. But while they are something that is to be expected, that doesn’t mean that you can’t take steps to try and make them happen less often. Most importantly:

1. try to anticipate tantrums, distract your child before one erupts, and keep in mind that most toddlers can’t be easily calmed down once a tantrum starts, although you should pick up your child is you think they will hurt themselves.

2. Don’t give in to tantrums.

6) Speech Delays

Most toddler who aren’t talking ‘well’ aren’t really delayed. They may not be talking as much as their parents want or expect them too, but that can still be normal. Before labeling your child’s speech as delayed, consider that most toddlers:

1. begin to say Mama and Dada between 7 and 15 months.
2. say 4-6 words between 11 and 22 months.
3. say 50 or more words between 18 and 27 months.

Hopefully after reading this article, it will now be easier when you are parenting toddlers. As parents, activities for toddlers also play an essential role in their growing. Come up with daily new activities for them. Activities for toddlers will help them grow physically as well as mentally.

And Teach Them to Value the Dollar

by Vicki Salemi

In this age of designer toddler clothes and cell phones for second graders, here’s how two parents keep their spending in check, and keep the kids’ tastes down to earth.

Don’t succumb to peer pressure.  For David Mott, father of two, that means no video games in his home. “If other parents let their kids play, that’s their problem. I also don’t prohibit my kids from playing video games when they visit friends. I just explain to my kids my reasons for not allowing video games in my house. Reading and outdoor physical activity are healthier alternatives.”

Keep it simple.  “Sunsets are free. All you have to do is look,” says Mott.  “Like Rachael Ray says, ‘You can live richly without being rich.’ For me, this joy comes from cooking, hiking, cycling, reading. When I take my kids to Santa Cruz, I make it a point of pride to not cave into paying money at the boardwalk every time. We do hit the rides occasionally. But I teach them there is value in appreciating nature.”

Establish boundaries. If you don’t instill the value of the dollar now, it’ll be much more difficult to do later on when the treats get pricier.  Mott explains, “It’s important to set strict boundaries now to help them build limits. Free spending youths can turn into free spending adults with credit problems.”

Set an example. If you want to keep your kids grounded, it’s important to practice what you preach.  For instance, Mott is well educated and can afford to live more lavishly yet he chooses to not overspend.  “I try to be happy and grateful for what I already have in my life and that sort of rubs off on my kids,” he says.
Avoid specific stores. If you want to avoid tempting treats, simply don’t go into high-end stores, which may easily lure you to the cash register.  Shea Kelly, mother of a two year-old daughter and president/CEO of Chez Shea Baby, Inc. and DaBib, explains, “I focus almost exclusively on Target and Old Navy. Their stuff is adorable.” Sure, there’s also adorable clothing at Baby Gap and it’s OK to occasionally break down, she says,  but she makes it a habit of routinely going to the less expensive stores.

Create priorities. “If comes down to what you need to have versus what you want to have,” Kelly adds. “You can’t have everything you want.”  Plus, this instills a sense of values so when her daughter is older, she’ll be able to distinguish the two: what is absolutely essential versus what she wants.  “You learn to set a value associated with whatever those things are.”

Establish a rewards system. Rather than instantaneously giving your kid a new video game, parents like Kelly envision establishing an allowance when her daughter is a bit older. “There should be a sense of reward via an allowance,” she says.  This way, kids will get paid for doing chores around the house and may spend their hard earned money instead of spending yours.

If money were no object, do you think it’s OK to indulge or better to be frugal?

Are You Read to Playgroup? 4 Pointers To Get Started

Tips for finding or creating a playgroup for your toddler

By Mary Fetzer

‘Fess up… does your child need practice taking turns, sharing, and – let’s face it – detaching from your hip? If so, it’s time to playgroup, my friend! Get out there and connect with others, says Michele Borba, Ed.D., a renowned educational consultant and an advisory board member for Parents. “Playgroups are a wonderful chance for your child to be with other kids and participate in new activities, and develop social skills such as taking turns, sharing, cooperating and solving conflicts.”

Can’t find a playgroup in your area?  Here are some tips for creating your own:

Put the Word Out

• Pitch the idea to friends who have kids about the same age.
• Find at least one other mom who’s interested, and ask her to help spread the word. Mom-to-mom word of mouth spreads quickly!
• Post flyers in community centers, grocery stores, libraries, pediatrician offices, preschools, and churches.
• Place an ad in the newspaper.

Plan the Nuts and Bolts

• Gather the interested parents – sans the kids – to discuss the goals of the playgroup.
• Establish timing. How often will the group meet? For how long? What day(s) of the week? Morning or afternoon? Consider the age of the children, nap schedules, and other scheduled activities that may conflict.
• Determine the location. Will parents take turns hosting at their homes, or will the group meet in a central location like a church or community hall?
• What are the duties of the host? Does she plan and provide for the activities? Does the host provide the snacks, or do children bring their own? Is the host’s location safety-proofed for young children?

Be Sure to Cover the Tough Stuff

• Each parent should have a contact sheet for all of the children. Include emergency contact numbers, doctor’s information, and allergies.
• Agree that each child attend with a parent. The purpose of the playgroup is not to provide free babysitting time for everyone but the host.
• Determine whether or not siblings outside the age group can tag along. While it may present a challenge to moms with more than one child, it’s most beneficial if the children within the playgroup are all about the same age.
• Keep the group to a reasonable size. As a rule of thumb: the younger the children, the smaller the group. Break into smaller groups, if necessary.
• Compare discipline philosophies. Who corrects the children? How will misbehavior be handled? You may find it difficult to actually finalize these issues until the moment arrives.
• What is the sick kid policy? How does a parent determine whether or not a child is too sick to attend?

Keep Everyone Busy.

• Determine what activities are acceptable. Will the kids be allowed to watch TV or play computerized games? Will parents allow their kids to get dirty with messy play or outdoor activities?
• Toddlers have short attention spans. If playgroup meets for two hours, consider breaking up that time into segments: time for unstructured play, time for snacks, time for songs or stories, and time for a craft or hands-on activity.
• Consider the occasional field trip. Maybe the group meets at the park or McDonald’s once a month. Or take the group to a museum or the zoo.
• During the kids’ “free time,” moms get a chance to catch up. Consider reviewing a book, sharing a recipe, doing a craft, even exercising – all while keeping a close eye on the children, of course.

Bottom line: Make it fun. Playgroup should be something that both moms and toddlers look forward to.

Any playgroup pointers of your own to share?

6 Ways to Avoid Toddler Food Fights

Take the drama out of mealtime

By Dawn Papandrea

Karen Wright of Mankato, MN buys ketchup in bulk. Without it, her three-year-old son Grant refuses to eat anything — not graham crackers, cheese, or even yogurt. “At least it has lycopene and vitamin C,” she reasons. Plus, she’s hoping that eventually he’ll grow out of it.

From condiment gross-outs to tantrums over sandwiches with crust left on, toddler mealtime mania can be difficult to digest, but experts say it’s normal.

“Toddlers don’t have the same voracious appetites as babies do because they aren’t growing at as rapid a rate,” says Ann Douglas, author of the book “Mother of All Mealtime Solutions.” Therefore, they’re more likely to equate high chair time with experiment time.

In fact, Douglas says, “they’re little scientists at the dinner table.” Whether it’s investigating different food textures or establishing a sense of order, eating is simply one way that toddlers explore their world.

Here are six ways you can avoid daily food fights:

Brush up on your biology. They’re not just being picky. Toddler tastebuds are far more sensitive than yours, so bold flavors like Brussels sprouts, can be overpowering. Hint: If your child gags, he’s not faking. If you must, use creativity to sneak veggie servings in. For example, the mashed potato lover will most likely enjoy butternut squash. Dipping sauces and fun shapes can help, too, as well as fine chopping mixed veggies into rice and noodle dishes.

Nibbling counts. Don’t take it personally if your little one seems to be on a mealtime hunger strike. He will not go hungry. Provide healthy snacks that your child can munch on during playtime – sometimes this is referred to as grazing. All nutrients count even if they’re not eaten at the dinner table.

Cater to control-freak tendencies — sometimes. Establishing a sense of order manifests itself as a need to follow certain food rules (hence, why grilled cheese must be cut into triangles or different foods cannot touch). If separating peas from carrots will prevent a meltdown, it’s worth the few extra prep seconds, says Douglas. Just don’t give into every demand, all the time.

Tame texture trauma. How food feels is a big deal for little eaters, so pay attention to preferences. If soft, mushy foods are getting tossed, try offering raw veggies, toasted sandwich bread, and dry cereal (with a side of milk).

A method to food throwing madness. Rule of thumb: Don’t expect toddlers to sit patiently for more than 30 minutes. When she starts catapulting carrots, it’s a good indication that she is full or bored. It’s probably best to let her play with the refrigerator magnets or offer a high chair toy or two, so you can finish your meal.

Table manners are an acquired taste. She’s not trying to make a mess; she’s trying to figure out how spaghetti “works,” reminds Douglas. Let her, so long as you point out and praise examples of good table manners along the way. By the time she’s a preschooler, she’ll most likely pick up good table habits of those around her.

What are your toddler’s quirky food habits?

5 tips to keep in mind as you approach (dread) college exploration time

by Gina LaGuardia

How the day got here is beyond you. All of a sudden, that little girl in pigtails who used to cling to your leg is spending more time surfing college Web sites than downloading videos off YouTube (for now, anyway). Last week she wanted to go to nursing school, this week it’s business, just last month it was engineering. Though an array an opportunities await her – she can, after all, be anything she wants – so does the confusion on how to start planning for college, which college to choose, and how to pay for it all….

Here’s a list of five tips to ease your mind in between pangs of nostalgia for lollipops and playdates being replaced with tuition price comparisons and the thought of her dorming:

1)    Know that there will be hurdles. With so much choice and so little knowledge (your college days are a long way off and times have definitely changed!), expect some confusion. To prevent information overload, hit into a trusted site like The CollegeBound Network http://www.collegebound.net/college, which has been advising college-bound teens on colleges, careers, and more since 1996 and provides easy-to-search profiles of four-year and community colleges along with career schools that offer specific training based on your teen’s professional interests.

2)    Get organized. If you thought organizing your child’s diaper bag way back when was key to your sanity, think again. Helping her manage all of her  college mail, emails, open house material, and then applications, essays, and recommendation letters (oh my!) is a job in itself. Use a calendar, charts, and a foolproof filing method you’re comfortable with, advise experts at College Data.com (https://www.collegedata.com/cs/content/content_getinarticle_tmpl.jhtml?articleId=10053). “The most important thing is to find a system that works for you. It does not matter if it’s an old-fashioned wall calendar, a stack of folders, an electronic spreadsheet, or all of these.” Some ideas to help get things in order: Separate schools by “Yes” factors that mean something to your child: Where a school is located, majors offered, cost. Then work through your files/choices that way to start.

3)    Avoid the December mania. We all know that preparing for the holidays is a major time suck – add college application deadlines to that mix and it’s a recipe for disaster. Unless you’re prepared. Make sure your child begins her senior year of high school ready to hit the ground running: Schedule an appointment with the school’s guidance/college counselor as soon as possible, and be sure to work on applications as soon as they are available, leaving plenty of time for reworking, proofreading, and ultimate completion and submission.

4)    Get your finances in order. Make an appointment with your financial advisor to figure out what moves (if any) need to be made with available money for tuition. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available January 1 of a teen’s senior year, but you can take a look at what data you will need for it ahead of time by logging onto http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Experts advise familiarizing yourself with the form, the process, and then adding (and checking off) the following items form your to-do list: Determine your dependency status; review the FAFSA on the Web worksheet; search for school codes; apply for a PIN; and make note (a big note!) of application deadline dates.

5)    Remember: You’re not alone. Millions of parents have navigated these tumultuous waters many times and survived! Ask them everything you can think of, log onto sites like College Parents of America (http://www.collegeparents.org) and The College Board’s parent portal (http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/plan/), then be proud of the fact that your baby has approached this important milestone. It won’t be long before she’s walking down the graduation aisle with a college diploma in hand and you’re hit with a wave of nostalgia thinking back to these very moments. Good luck!

Gina LaGuardia, former editor-in-chief of CollegeBound Teen Magazine, is the editorial director of The CollegeBound Network. She has watched hundreds of parents stress about – and then bask in – the excitement of college plan

10 Parent-Friendly TV Shows for Your Toddlers and Preschoolers

They may even learn something while you take a break

By Mary Fetzer

I’m guilty. I admit it. I’ve used the TV as a babysitter.

As grateful as I am for that half-hour of peace and quiet, I’m sometimes freaked out by the “Poltergeist effect” the TV can have on my kids. Their trance-like state is penetrable only by the TV’s power button. To calm my uneasiness, I try to make sure the programs they watch offer at least some underlying value.  Here are my Top 10 guilt-free picks:

1. The Backyardigans, Nick Jr.

From the catchy theme song to the colorful characters, The Backyardigans is a preschool favorite. Pablo, Uniqua, Tyrone, Tasha, and Austin hang out in each others’ backyards, where playtime turns into lively 3-D adventures. They travel on a pirate ship, visit a haunted house, and go to Mars… anything the imagination can conceive. With impressive animation and outstanding choreography, the Backyardigans encourage children to sing, dance, and imagine their way across oceans, through jungles, and back in time. Like all Nick Jr. shows, The Backyardigans is 20-minutes long and commercial-free, so parents can get a much-needed breather.

2. Dora the Explorer, Nick Jr.

Dora the Explorer is a wonderful, interactive program for preschoolers. The bilingual Latina girl and her best friend, Boots the Monkey, face obstacles and solve problems together. Even though each episode features a different character in a different dilemma, the flow of the show remains consistent, delighting viewers. Children can always count on Dora and Boots consulting with “Map” about their game plan, digging into “Backpack” for helpful tools, and warning away “Swiper the Fox” as he attempts to foil their plan. Dora encourages children to converse with the characters (in both English and Spanish!) and to get up off the couch and moving. Always ready to help a friend, Dora is an excellent role model.

3. Little Einsteins, Playhouse Disney

There’s nothing pretentious about exposing preschoolers to classical music – just watch Little Einsteins. Leo, Annie, June, and Quincy, along with their helpful Rocket, travel to learn about instruments, notes, staccatos, and crescendos, with a soundtrack that features well-known classical music by composers such as Bizet, Tchaikovsky, and Mozart. Anyone who took music lessons as a child will appreciate the vocabulary and musical selections. And folks will be impressed when your four-year-old, upon hearing dinner music in a restaurant, exclaims, “Hey, that’s Johann Sebastian Bach!”

4. Handy Manny, Playhouse Disney

This delightful show is like HGTV for kids. Manny is the town’s handyman, a polite, helpful fellow whose good friends include a set of talking tools. There’s Rusty the wrench, Stretch the tape measure, Squeeze the pliers, Dusty the saw, Pat the hammer, and Felipe and Turner the screwdrivers. And don’t forget clumsy Mr. Lopart who always needs a hand. Little ones watch and learn as Manny and the tools solve problems by working together.

5. Caillou, PBS

Four-year-old Caillou loves his family and his home, but enjoys “escaping” to make-believe adventures in each episode. Preschoolers will identify with Caillou – his reactions, vocabulary, and expressions are so realistic that you’d swear he was sitting right next to you in the living room. Youngsters will be inspired by Caillou’s imagination, and comforted by the fact that other kids pretend, too.

6. Dragon Tales, PBS

Follow this brother and sister as they “fly with dragons in a land apart.” Six-year-old Emmy is brave, smart, and confident, and her brother, Max, is four years old. When they travel to Dragon Land, the siblings find help with their challenge-of-the-day from their dragon friends. Ord, Cassie, Quetzal, and Zac and Wheezie, with their unique personalities, remind us of our human acquaintances. The show cleverly illustrates how friends with different outlooks help us find solutions to our problems.

7. Curious George, PBS

The lovable monkey from our childhood storybooks comes to life in educational 15-minute stories. Like George, preschoolers are curious by nature. They enjoy exploring science, engineering, and math with George as he lets his curiosity lead him from one adventure to another. They empathize when he spills or breaks or ruins things, and they breathe a sigh of relief when the forgiving Man in the Yellow Hat makes everything better.

8. Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, Nick Jr.

It’s impossible to not like happy, little Wubbzy. He’s just a kid who likes to play with his friends Widget and Walden. Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! shows children that friends can work together – and sometimes things get worse before they get better – to get out of sticky situations. Cooperation, tolerance, and friendship are the takeaways.

9. Go, Diego, Go!, Nick Jr.

If you like Dora, you’ll like her cousin Diego. Diego is an eight-year-old animal rescuer. With his trusty field journal, computer, and talking camera, Click, Diego offers a new lesson with each episode. Children will learn about the sound, movement, habitat, diet, family, and physical characteristics of exotic animals from around the world. Young viewers will come away with a newfound respect for the environment.

10. Berenstain Bears, PBS

Papa, Mama, Sister, and Brother Bear “live down a sunny dirt road in Bear Country.” Their old-fashioned tree house lifestyle doesn’t lack modern-day drama, as the kids struggle with sibling rivalry, teasing, bad dreams, and strangers. The Bear family gives kids a warm, family feeling that encourages respect and tolerance for one another.

So, check the guilt at the living room threshold and let your kids live – and learn – a little through TV.

What has your little one learned from TV?

From danger to controversy, consider this your un-wish list.

by Vicki Salemi

Let’s face it: when your kid wants you to buy a toy gun or violent video game you cringe, get a knot in your stomach, pray they’ll get over it, or all of the above. Here’s our un-wish list of toys…

Spider Man 3 New Goblin Sword – Whenever a toy has the word sword in its name, be very afraid.  Supposedly this toy is one of the best “weapons ever wielded by human hands,” but we know better.  The spring-action blade can extend to over three feet and has the potential to cause injuries.

Rubber Band Shooter - Remember those days in middle school when everyone had braces, wore rubber bands, and shot them surreptitiously to classmates throughout math class? Now, imagine a product that does the same thing (sans braces). By firing colorful rubber bands, this toy claims to promote old-fashioned fun along with a disclaimer: “do not aim at people.” So where do you think your fifth grader will be aiming?

Hip Hoppa - As soon as you look at this toy consisting of a foot board on top of an inflatable energy ball, you won’t believe your eyes. A hand grip with an adjustable strap attaches to the bouncy ball thereby promoting falls and collisions.  Here’s how it works: children are supposed to stand on the base and immediately start hopping while holding the handle tight. We’re so not fans.

My Little Baby Born – Like all cuddly dolls, toddlers are encouraged to hug and pamper this soft doll, but choking hazards abound. For instance, the small pink pacifier is attached to the baby’s pajama by a ribbon. As soon as it’s detached, the pacifier’s small part is considered a major choking hazard.

B’loonies Party Pack – Okay, we admit it that its name is cool, but that’s really the only cool thing about this kid-unfriendly product.  oung children are supposed to squeeze a ball of plastic from an enclosed squeeze tube and stick it at the end of a blowpipe. Substances such as poly vinyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and plastic fortifiers are used in this product. Translation? Flammable chemicals marketed as a children’s product.

Jack Sparrow’s Spinning Dagger - Associated with a character from Pirates of the Caribbean, this weapon is intended to strap to a child’s wrist. The dagger spins at the push of a button and electric battle-type sounds (and danger ) abound. Serious eye injuries and other calamities are inevitable.

Sticky Stones - This product in particular is very scary.  If one or more of its magnets are swallowed, they may attach themselves inside the body. The result? Intestinal perforation, infection, or blockage, which could result in death.  Magnetic stones are displayed in stores with a warning to customers that swallowed magnets may stick together causing serious infections and death. So if toys like this are potentially dangerous and have a huge disclaimer, why sell them in the first place?

Have you ever kept a recalled toy?

Is a family pet for your kids more fun, or just more responsibility?

by Jarrod Thalheimer

I am not a pet guy. I don’t want a dog, a cat, or even a fish. I realize this likely identifies me as a special kind of bastard among “pet people,” but I will plead my case thusly: I grew up without pets in my house or even in the immediate vicinity. My father before me was raised on a farm so, in his world, animals were divided into three categories: food, farm employees, or predators to be dispatched of. There was no time or place for a domesticated anything.

Don’t get me wrong. I actually like animals. I’m partial to dogs over cats, yet I still enjoy a kitten curling up on my chest and falling asleep. I once toyed with the idea of installing a super-cool aquarium in my living room after having such a good time watching Finding Nemo, but ultimately I just bought the DVD (way less maintenance). See, I’m just not a pet guy.

Then I had kids.

Pets Need Kids and Kids Need Pets

Now I am being forced to re-think my long-held position. Friends with pets are obnoxious in insisting the best thing for kids is the loyal friendship of a family pet. Apparently, no child’s life is complete without some dog padding around the house while everyone sleeps.

Christine Hierlmaier-Nelson, an author and parenting professional at NatKnows.com, an ID site, explains that pets are great for teaching kids responsibility, empathy, and even genuine lessons about life and death. “By learning to feed, brush, and walk their pet, children are taught to focus on service to others and their own personal responsibility in caring for another life.”

The real problem is that our day-to-day lives are simply insane. Soccer practice, dancing, back and forth to school, play-dates, meetings, PTA, you name it. We’re on the road more than Willie Nelson is and when you figure kids themselves are more often than not leaking or dripping bodily fluids of some kind already, there is no room for another passenger that drools every time we pass a hot dog stand.

What Happens When You Leave Them Alone?

There’s more though. I know I’m fixating on the worst of the worst, but I do have a heart, too. I think about the sad look that would be on Spot’s tiny face when we head out the door in our daily tornado of activity. Fido or Miss Mew would be lonely as hell and why wouldn’t they be? We’re always headed out here or there. What about vacations? We either have to take them along or figure out which of our friends we could guilt into pet-sitting. And, even if we found someone, it would only set us up for a hairy houseguest of our own, probably with a few vet-ordered suppositories that need insertion twice a day.

I’m trying to change. I want to change. There must be some way to give my children the joy of pet ownership without losing my mind.

Then I realized it. The perfect solution. Have friends with pets. The kids can play all they want with them when everything’s fun and easy, but at the end of the day, the wild kingdom packs its bags and heads for home. It’s like being a grandparent – all the fun without the hassle.

So in the question of “To Pet or Not to Pet,” I know I am taking the coward’s way out. I just can’t do it. It’s too big of a commitment and responsibility to take on right now while the children are young. If there were only some way to test the waters…

Maybe we could start with sea monkeys. I hear they’re really quite quiet and they can even learn a few tricks. Plus, if things don’t work out they seem to be comfortable in the water already so I’ve already got an efficient exit plan in place…

What’s the pet you always wanted to have as a kid but never got?