A big thanks to the OKC Fire Department
On Monday, my son gave me quite the scare. I was talking to another parent at his day care while he and his friend played in the cubby area of the classroom. He was tugging on his friend’s shirt and when his friend broke free, my son fell backward and hit his back on the cubby.
I was consoling him (he was crying pretty hard) when all of a sudden his eyes glazed over and his body went completely limp and lifeless in my arms. I tried shaking him to snap him out of it, but he was completely passed out. His teacher called 911 and he woke up about a minute later, disoriented and crying.
When the EMT/firefighters arrived, they checked him thoroughly. They put him at ease by talking to him about things he could relate to so he wouldn’t be so frightened. In the end, they think he just hyperventilated from crying so hard. His doctor wants to run more tests, but hopefully, that’s all it was.
After about 45 minutes, when all seemed back to normal, the firefighters invited my son and his friend to go outside and see their fire truck. You can only imagine the excitement on the boys’ faces.
They gave them stickers, blew up rubber gloves, showed them the super-humongous ax and let them sit inside so they could show them all the bells and whistles.
Then came the best part.
“We’re taking them with us.”
I thought the firemen were joking.
Then the doors to the truck closed, and off they all went for a ride through the parking lot, flashing lights and all. Their first ride ever in a real fire truck. I think that made my son’s life complete. I don’t remember ever getting to ride in a fire truck. But these two boys would surely be the envy of all their classmates the next day.
So to the Oklahoma City Fire Department: You guys have the biggest hearts. Thank you so much for taking the time to turn a scary situation into something my son will always remember. Thank you for putting this smile on my boy’s face.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
Another (but not so good) first
Baby books are great. You can document your child’s first tooth, first word, first steps, first birthday.
But I’ve got a new one to enter.
First swear word.
My little 3-year-old outfielder was waiting patiently for his cousin to hit him a ball at grandma’s house on Easter. He waited and waited. Begged for a ball to come his way. Finally, it happened. The ball tumbled his way. He ran up, glove on hand and wanted nothing more than to catch that ball in his mitt.
But he missed.
And then it came out.
“Oh, S**T!”
I think I about fell over from shock. How could such a young, innocent mouth use such a bad word? Not wanting to make the biggest scene on the lawn at grandma’s, I put the seriousness in my eyes and voice. “What did you say? Who told you that?”
He cowered and told me who he heard it from. Still in shock, I let him know in no uncertain terms he is not to use that word again. But I’m scared to know what’s next.
Have a toddler who used a bad word? Did you ignore it or punish them? Let me know here or e-mail me at esmith@opubco.com. I’d love to hear from you.
-Erica Smith
Three deaths prompt recall of baby slings
One million baby slings made by Infantino have been recalled following the deaths of 3 infants in 2009. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has stated that there is a danger of suffocation with use of these baby slings in children younger than 4 months old.
These recalled slings have been sold in the U.S. and Canada from January 2003 to March of this year. Stores carrying the slings included Walmart, Target, Babies R Us, Burlington Coat Factory and on the Web at Amazon.com.
I had this exact sling when my son was born. But I had to return it because he was too big to fit inside without it straining my neck. If you have this sling, or know someone who does, don’t take any chances. Contact Infantino to get a free replacement product, like an activity gym or shopping cart cover (which I personally recommend and still use!). Go to www.infantino.com to get replacement information.
For complete recall information, click here.
-Erica Smith
Momma, am I gonna be a hobo?
We’re in hard economic times in case you haven’t heard.
My husband and I talk openly in our house about our finances, and, so, little ears are always listening. Our discussions are generally that our bills need to be paid or that we’re paying out more than we’re bringing in, at least some months.
We’re not destitute, and we haven’t gotten down to “our last $5,” a story my mom used to tell us kids.
Both my parents lived during the depression, so they had plenty of stories to tell. And, although they lived comfortably when I was a child, they were never ones to spend hard-earned money on needless luxuries. Up until my teen years, I thought we were about to go broke, since they always talked about not knowing if they were going to have enough money to get by. My mom would clip coupons and shop three different grocery stores in town just to get the best deals. They rarely bought new clothes. They made a garden. They didn’t recycle, because they would reuse containers and bags, instead.
They were smart. I mistook it for being nearly poor.
So, when my 11-year-old daughter hears my husband and I talk about money, she has a unique way of processing the situation. She has declared we are never to go out to eat again. (We did last night.) And, instead of spending money on school-sponsored trips (for her sister), we should save that money.
And, sometimes, when she’s been thinking just a little too much, she pops out the question: “Momma, are we going to be hobos?” or “Momma, am I going to be a hobo?”
I envision an older man in tattered clothes hopping in a railcar to travel across the country or maybe an “Andy Griffith” episode about a hobo who talked Opie and his pals into being like Robin Hood and robbing from the rich to give to the poor (in this case, the hobo).
Still, my daughter hasn’t totally rejected the possibilities of such an occupation. Sometimes, when she’s worrying about school or is stressed by something kids stress about, she’ll get to thinking about a life of no responsibilities and declares, “I wish I were a hobo!”
– Linda Lynn
“What color am I?”
Last weekend, I took my son (he’s almost 4) to see “The Blind Side.” Given the rating and subject matter (football), I thought it would be OK to take my boy to see it. And it didn’t disappoint. It was a fabulous movie and really tugged at the heartstrings. My son wasn’t wrapped up so much in the storyline, but he was definitely into the football scenes. And of course, he loved “Big Mike.”
When we got home, he says, very matter-of-fact, “Mommy, Big Mike is brown. What color am I? Am I brown?”
OK, so I really wasn’t expecting that. I was a bit tongue-tied, I must admit. I don’t want him to think he’s different than someone else based on skin color. But I didn’t want to lie to him either. What’s a mom to do?
Call her mom. That’s what.
My mom had some great advice and told me exactly what to say.
“Hunter, God made us all different shades, like paint on a palette. Like snowflakes, no two are alike, and that makes each of us very special.” Then she suggested I show him how my skin tone is even a little darker than his. He seemed very satisfied with that and went on with his day.
Whew! Good answer, Mom. She really does know best.
Ever been asked a difficult question by your toddler? How did you handle it? Let me know by commenting here or by e-mail. I’d love to hear your stories.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
Massive recall of window coverings issued
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today has released a recall of all Roman blinds, roll-up shades and some vertical blinds in homes with children. The report says there is a risk of strangulation to young children.
This recall involves millions of blinds, as the CPSC estimates 5 million Roman blinds and 3 million roll-up blinds are sold EACH YEAR.
Anyone with these types of blinds is urged to go to www.windowcoverings.org or call (800) 506-4636 to receive a free repair kit. In the meantime, the CPSC has issued these important guidelines:
1. Examine all shades and blinds in your home. Be sure there are NO accessible cords on the front or back.
2. Do not place cribs, bed or other furniture close to windows, where children can climb on them and gain access to cords.
3. Make loose cords completely inaccessible.
4. If the shade has looped bead chains or nylon cords, install tension devices to keep the cord taut.
Since 2006, the CPSC has received reports of 5 deaths and 16 near-strangulations. And those are only reported numbers. Please consider this an urgent problem that needs to be addressed if your home has these types of blinds.
For full recall information, click here.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
More than 2 million cribs recalled
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the voluntary recall of more than 2.1 million Stork Craft drop-side cribs, including almost 150,000 bearing the Fisher-Price logo.
Because of the danger these cribs can impose, such as as suffocation, concussion, bruises and even death, parents and caregivers are urged to stop using these cribs IMMEDIATELY, wait for the free repair kit and NOT attempt to fix the crib without the kit. The drop-side to these cribs will need to be converted to a fixed side.
The drop-side hardward can break or deform, causing the drop-side to detach in one or more corners, creating a space where infants and toddlers can become entrapped, leading to suffocation.
In the Oklahoma City area, these cribs were sold at JCPenney, KMart, Walmart, Sears, Target and online at Amazon.com. Cribs were sold between January 1993 and October 2009 for between $100 and $400.
For the repair kit, call Stork Craft at (877) 274-0277 or go to www.storkcraft.com (although word is the phone line and Web site is on overload right now, but keep trying!!).
To sign up for immediate recall information of children’s products, go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
To post or not post pics on the Web?
Are you one to share pictures of your children online or do you shy away from posting photos on the Web?
Recently, The New York Times had an article about the surge in sharing kids’ photos online. Many parents use sites such as Flickr, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and other social networking sites to share countless moments of their kiddos – whether they’re in a Halloween costume, at Grandma’s house or (gasp!) playing in the tub. But in some cases, photos have ended up used in ways not intended by the parent.
Some examples include photos of baby being passed off as someone else’s who is faking a pregnancy; use of children’s head shots on profiles on a social networking site in Brazil, even getting “sexy” ratings. And of course, parents are concerned about pedophiles singling out their children and in turn finding out where they live.
But some parents say this is the age of the Internet. No longer are moms and dads sending pictures of their children through the mail to the grandparents in another state. These days, grandma and grandpa are hooked to the Web to see instant pictures.
So is it exploitation or unsafe to post pictures? Or are the fears irrational and this is just how the 21st century is? It’s a decision only parents can make. But if you do post pics, be sure to use password-protected Web sites and always check your privacy settings on these sites.
And when given the choice of “Share with the world” or “Private” … don’t always go with what the site “recommends.” Go with your gut instinct instead.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
Prevent another child from drowning
We hear about it too much, it seems. A baby or toddler drowning. Many times in the care of responsible parents. It’s the leading cause of unintentional death for children.
I’ve written posts for Hiccups before on the importance of water safety, but in light of another recent drowning, I’d like to share my personal experience with a program my 3-year-old son is in.
Infant Swimming Resource is a program I found after a user on NewsOK.com posted a comment on a story about a baby drowning a couple of months ago. Her comment was, “If the family only knew about ISR.” That comment prompted me to look into this program.
I went to their Web site, www.infantswim.com, and watched the videos and read about parents’ experiences with the program. I have to say, I was instantly impressed. (Click below to see the video.)
These babies and toddlers weren’t just swimming, they were performing self-rescue skills. I found an instructor in the Oklahoma City-area using the online locator and got him started in the lessons.
I’ve had my son in swimming lessons before, but have been very disappointed with the results. He was only swimming with a floatie on or by using a noodle and these give children, and their parents, a false sense of security. Children don’t fall into pools with floaties on. If they did, no child would drown.
What ISR does is look at all aspects of a child. The program uses many fields of study in their approach – psychology, biology, physiology and anatomy. And most children go through the program and are skilled in self-rescue swimming in only 4-6 weeks.
When my son started, he had never even been put underwater. He never floated on his own. He was terrified of going underwater. Now he is in his last week in the program. He can swim underwater, turn to float to get his breath then continue swimming to the side of the pool. Without the aid of any flotation device. If you knew my son, you would know this is truly impressive.
The lessons are one-on-one with a highly trained instructor. Because repetition is key, they are every weekday for the full 4-6 weeks. To prevent water fatigue, the lessons are only 10 minutes long.
I urge every parent to check out this program. I am truly impressed with what my son has learned and with the professionalism and knowledge of the instructors. It’s a small price to pay and small amount of time to spend on preventing the senseless tragedy of losing a child to drowning.
-Erica Smith
Have mealtime hassles?
If the answer is yes, then a free workshop by the Oklahoma City-County Health Department may have all your answers.
The free parenting seminar will be at the Edmond library on Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. It’s perfect for parents and caregivers of children from birth to age 5. The experts from Child Guidance Services will answer questions and address concerns, and give out great information about issues related to eating. Techniques and resources will be provided.
To register, call Child Guidance at 425-4412 to register. For more information about this program and others, call 427-8651 or go to www.cchdoc.com.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
