It won’t be long before bicycle fever strikes, if it hasn’t already in your area. Here a bike, there a trike, everywhere a bike or bicycle trailer. If you’re hoping to join the biking crowd this season, with or without your child in tow, you probably know what purpose bike helmets serve. But do you know how to properly wear a helmet or how to ensure one is properly positioned on a child?

Many people think they know how a helmet should fit, but it’s surprising how many people wear them or place them on a child’s head incorrectly. Thanks to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, here is what a correct fit looks like. Helmets should fit snugly and shouldn’t obstruct vision. Even if you’re pulling a little one around in a trailer, you’ll want to ensure the helmet is snug and doesn’t flop around (back and forth or side to side) on the child’s head–a matter of safety and comfort for both child and parent.

Have any tips for biking with children in tow? If so, leave a comment and let other parents know how you do it!

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I confess, I rarely think about the smoke detectors in my home–actually, I probably only think about them when my cooking sets them off!  But two recent events have me thinking about them today:  a friend’s scare with a chimney fire and a visit to the pediatrician, who said that she urges parents to change smoke detector batteries each year on their child’s birthday (a date that is sure to be remembered).

Besides making sure that your household is equipped with functioning smoke detectors (with fresh batteries), the U.S. Fire Administration reminds people (with or without children living in the household) to:

          * Plan escape plans and practice them

          * Teach everyone in your family when and how to call for help (i.e. emergency numbers)

          * Keep a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it

          * Install carbon monoxide detectors (note:  you may be able to buy smoke/carbon monoxide combo units). 

For additional fire safety tips and resources, check out the U.S. Fire Administration’s Web Site. 

For a great selection of child home safety products, including stove guards, stove knob covers, and fireplace guards, pop on over to baby-Wise.com.  When it comes to child safety, peace of mind is priceless.

As I piled my kids into the car after the first snowstorm of the season, my preschooler asked, “Mom, is it safe to drive the car after it snows?”  After giving a brief age appropriate explanation about snow driving, I started thinking about ways to minimize driving hazards in all weather conditions–not just in snow.  Driving with precious kid cargo aboard makes safety an even bigger priority, especially since kid-related distractions can potentially increase driving risks.

Here are 7 tips for safer driving:

1.  Buckle up.  Everyone in the vehicle should wear a seat belt.  Kids should be properly restrained in age appropriate child seats–also be sure car seats are properly installed in your vehicle.     

2.  Be alert.  Put down the cell phone (or consider a hands-free headset if you must talk while driving).  Leave the MP3 player or radio alone while you’re in motion–wait until you’ve stopped.  Concentration is crucial.

3.  Keep safe distances.  Years ago, my driver’s education instructor explained the importance of the two (or three) second rule.  That rule says you need to stay a couple of seconds behind the vehicle you’re following.

4.  Be on guard.  This goes with being alert and keeping safe distances, but it also entails driving defensively–being ready to avoid accidents.  Having an escape route.  Just in case.

5.  Observe road rules.   Speed limits.  Road construction signs.  Cross-walks.  Red flashing bus lights.  Obeying traffic laws is a critical component for safe driving–as a bonus, when you obey those laws, it teaches your children to respect them, too. 

6.  Keep loose objects secured.   If you get into an accident, loose objects in the car, like toys or trash, could become projectile missiles.  Consider cargo nets or backseat organizers to contain your objects to keep you, your kids, and others safe.

7.  Discipline later, when possible.  A calm car is incredibly important for safe driving.  Teach your kids that your job is to keep them (and others) safe on the road.  This means they’ve got to behave in a safe way, too.  No throwing objects.  No yelling–that includes you, too!

November 21, 2007:  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a recall of select models of Boppy Slipcovers, which are imported by The Boppy Company of Golden, Colorado.   

The recall involves particular Boppy Slipcovers (see CPSC for specifics), including certain velvet and boa slipcovers. 

According to CPSC,  “The zipper pull on the slipcovers can break, posing a choking hazard to young children. In addition, paint on the zippers contains excess levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard.”

No injuries have been reported.

For more information, check out the CPSC news release. 

 ————————

Note:  If you own a Boppy Slipcover, keep in mind your slipcover may not necessarily be affected by this recall.  When I heard about the recall, I got a little jumpy when I saw a slipcover resembling mine on the CPSC site.  After checking the tag on my slipcover, I was relieved to learn it wasn’t recalled (the date code didn’t match the slipcover listed on the CPSC site).

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group has just released its 22nd Annual Toy Safety Report. 

Click here to see a summary of the 2007 Trouble in Toyland report.

Today, the Washington Post reports that ”the vast majority of toys are safe.”  This news couldn’t come at a better time for holiday shoppers.  For those who remain concerned about toy safety in light of recent recalls, the Washington Post suggests this option:  go shopping with a lead-test kit, choke-test cylinder, or sound meter in hand.   

A sure sign your child is growing up is when they start asking to go to a friend’s house or begging to invite one home. Gone are the days when the idea of a playdate originated with you. And, certainly gone are the days when a playdate was more about grown up time than child socialization-oh, how I fondly remember going to playgroups with my baby at a time when she didn’t yet know she had hands, let alone understand the concept of play.

Whether your child goes to a friend’s house or one comes to yours, safety is no doubt a key concern.  This is probably especially true when your child receives a play invitation that doesn’t include you.  When you’re the one leaving a child at another’s house, particularly a home that you haven’t before visited, you may want to ask these questions before you make the drop off:

• Is my child emotionally ready for a playdate without my presence?
• Who will be supervising my child?
• Who else will be in the home at the time of the playdate? (e.g., if your child is intimidated by “big” kids, he may feel uncomfortable if his friend’s older siblings are also having friends over at the same time).
• Are there firearms in the house? If so, how are they stored?
• What type of safety-childproofing exists in the home? Are there gates on the stairs–toddlers aren’t the only ones to be concerned about on stairs?).  Are doors equipped with safety latches or alarms, like sliding doors that open to balconies–curiosity can get toddlers and preschoolers alike into trouble.  Are hazards, like matches and chemical agents, safely stored?
• Are there pets? If so, what kind? (this may be an especially important question if your child has allergies, or if you have concerns about a particular breed of animal).

When it comes to your child’s safety at a friend’s house, you simply can’t underestimate the value of asking questions.

A mom friend just asked me if I knew of a good place to buy “Made in USA” toys this holiday season. The best advice I could offer her was to look online.

After having ventured to two brick and mortar toy boutiques this past weekend looking specifically for American-made products, only to encounter disappointment, I’ve pretty much decided that online shopping is the only way to go–at least, if there’s any hope of efficiently crossing names off Santa’s shopping list.

I’m not the only one thinking that online retailers are the way to go this holiday season. Check out Regina Lewis’ recent blog entry on where to buy American-made toys. She suggests consumers kick off their shopping at:  How Americans Can Buy American  and Still Made in USA.com.

If your holiday shopping goal is simply to find manufacturers who seem attentive to toy safety, you may want to check out Melissa & Doug products.  Even though some of their products are (or have been) Made in China, Melissa & Doug appears attentive to consumer safety, at least according to the company’s Sept. 2007 email sent to concerned parents.  

Did you know that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”), that agency that announces toy recalls, which we’ve been hearing from so much lately, employs ONE full-time toy tester.

Yes, you read that correctly. One. Uno. Full-time toy tester.

That figure has upset a lot of parents, including myself. This news has also ignited a flurry of activity within the blogosphere, as you can see at The Parents Bloggers Network.

Parents are speaking out about their concerns throughout the blogosphere, like Susan, a blogger at DC Metro Moms Blog and Toddler Planet, who writes, “I’m becoming increasingly concerned and frustrated about the safety of my children’s toys.” In another blog entry she writes, “What can we do to fix this?”

Recalls be gone. There is a five minute solution. One quick way to take action is by sending a letter to Congress.

As if that figure of ONE (let me repeat myself here, so we’re all clear …ONE) isn’t startling enough, The Washington Post further reports that CPSC has lost 15 percent of its workforce since 2004. Action is definitely needed right now, especially with the holidays just around the corner.

Sounds to me like that Illinois Senator who recently said, “Let’s face it, our consumer product safety system is busted and in need of major reform,” hit the nail on the head.

November 8, 2007:  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) has announced a recall of Aqua Dots Toys, a toy craft kit, distributed by Spin Master of Toronto, Canada, and manufactured in China.

According to CPSC: 

The coating on the beads that causes the beads to stick to each other when water is added contains a chemical that can turn toxic when many are ingested.  Children who swallow the beads can become comatose, develop respiratory depression, or have seizures.

Consumers are advised to stop using the recalled product immediately and contact the company for free replacement.

The recall affects about 4.2 million units.  At least two reports of children swallowing Aqua Dots and slipping into comatose states have been reported.

For more information, check out the CPSC news release.