SavvyBlog

Topic —  From the Editor's Desk,

Embrace Life

April 20, 2010
Minnow Hamilton

One of the most basic instincts we have as mothers is to keep our kids alive. That’s why safety is always of paramount importance to us at SavvyMom. But let’s face it, while we’re busy keeping them alive, we’re also spending a lot of time in the car driving them around.

So, with that in mind, I wanted to share this video with you that a friend of mine sent to me. I think it’s beautifully done and it serves as a reminder to cherish what we have and to keep our kids and family safe. 

I know I’m grateful for my family and that we now have the right tools to keep them as safe as we can. I am also grateful to my friend for sending it to me.

Car seat safety is always a concern of moms, we know. What is the biggest fear you have about your child’s safety?

Topic —  From the Editor's Desk,

Egg Hazards

April 25, 2011
Minnow Hamilton

Easter might be over but there could still be some chocolate lingering in your house (we’ll be talking about ideas on how to use those excess choco-bunnies this week). Apparently chocolate is not the only thing lingering, though.

We’ve got a few safety tips to consider before consuming any hard-boiled coloured eggs lying around the kitchen. Before you rush to make a batch of egg-salad sandwiches, make sure you’ve looked at these points first.

• If the eggs have been left out at room temperature for any length of time, they are not safe to consume.
• If you have any concerns about the dye used for your eggs, do not consume.
• If the eggs are visibly dirty, cracked or were not stored in the fridge within two hours of being out, do not use.

Chocolate, however, is still up for grabs, so continue to enjoy.

Tips from Health and Safety Watch

Topic —  From the Editor's Desk,

Be Prepared

May 03, 2011
Minnow Hamilton

“Be Prepared” may be the Boy Scout motto, but it’s also really good advice for moms. So during Emergency Preparedness Week, we’re encouraging everyone to take a few precautionary measures to ensure that you’re ready for any emergency that can pop up (large or small).

Here’s what the Government of Canada’s Get Prepared site recommends.

Step One: Know the Risks
What enviro-dangers are relevant to your area? Look at the listings to see what you should be preparing for.

Step Two: Make a Plan
Things to consider when you’re making your family plan include:

• Note safe exits from your home as well as your neighbourhood
• Designate easy-to-remember meeting places to reunite with family or friends
• Have alternates available to pick up your kids if you cannot
• Have designated contact people
• Have extra copies of your health and insurance information
• Know the location of fire extinguishers, water valves, electrical panels and more…

Make your own printable plan online.

Step Three: Get a Kit
Having an emergency kit in your home and car is a smart plan, and the basics should include:

• Water
• Non-perishable food & can opener
• Flashlight & batteries
• Battery powered (or wind-up) radio
• First Aid Kit
• Special needs items (prescription meds, extra baby formula, etc)
• Extra keys
• Cash (include bills and change)
• Emergency plan (as seen above)

So take time this week to put together a kit with your family. It’s a great way to discuss safety with the kids.

A little preparation goes a long way, and peace of mind is a great gift.

For more information on events occurring in specific provinces, see www.getprepared.gc.ca.

Topic —  From the Editor's Desk,

Savvy or Not So Savvy: Paranoid Parents, Extreme Discipline and Suing Mom and Dad

August 29, 2011
Minnow Hamilton

Last week was all about kids growing up too fast. This week we’re talking about parent–anoia and over-the-top discipline tactics.

Are you free-range or just a chicken? In an article making the rounds on the Internet this month, one mom confesses she suffers from ‘parent-anoia’. Her symptoms include referring to her daughter by a code name when they’re in public together (because of course, some creepy pedophile might learn the child’s real name and use that to lure her away), wriggling beside her daughter, commando-style, through kiddie tunnels at the playground in order to thwart any would-be abductors who might be hiding in there, and panicked trips to the emergency ward to have her daughter treated for bumps and bruises that could easily be handled by a Band-Aid and a little Polysporin.

It feels like 2008 all over again when Lenore Skenazay wrote an article about encouraging her then nine year-old son to get himself home on the New York subway. To Ms. Skenazy’s way of thinking, parents, ‘see no difference between letting their kids walk to school and letting them walk through a firing range’. The article sparked such a heated debate in the blogosphere that you’d think Ms. Skenazy was asking her son to walk off a cliff instead of just finding his own way home. Don’t get us wrong—we’re big believers in keeping our kids safe—but we also have to let them grow up. I’m pretty serious about safety but I’m quite confident in saying that parent-anoia is not savvy at all. We can’t raise our children in a culture of fear. There are nice people out there, and we have to instill some level of trust and faith in humanity (read: strangers). Not everyone is a bad guy. That’s why I think parent-anoia is so not savvy. Still the question remains: where’s the fine line between their safety and our fear?

We keep our kids safe by disciplining them when they make a mistake, but what if your chosen methods just aren’t working and you’re at the end of your rope? That was the case with two moms who made the news this month. An Australian mother caused an uproar when she forced her 10 year-old son to wear a sign proclaiming, ‘Do not trust me. I will steal from you as I am a thief’ while standing in a park as his family ate lunch nearby. She also made her son wear Shrek ears and write lines (presumably saying, ‘I will not steal’) over and over again. I know Aussies have their own way of doing things but this is a serious case of not so savvy—no matter where you’re from.

As bad as that sounds, it pales in comparison to the discipline doled out by Jessica Beagley, a.k.a. The Hot Sauce Mom, who was found guilty of child abuse when she poured hot-sauce into her seven year-old son’s mouth as a disciplinary tactic. Her son, who was adopted from Russia at age five, suffers from a challenging emotional disorder due to early deprivation. Beagley claims she resorted to this extreme measure when nothing else worked. Maybe so, but the real issue I have with this mom is that she sent a video-tape of the encounter to the Dr. Phil show. Yes, that’s right. Beagley sent a tape of herself pouring hot sauce into her son’s mouth to the Dr. Phil show in hopes of being featured as an ‘Angry Mom’ on the show’s ‘Mommy Confessions’ segment. It’s disturbing on so many levels and definitely not so savvy in my books. It’s a topic that’s not worthy of discussion beyond this point.

Speaking of punishment, in what-goes-around-comes-around news, Kimberly Garrity was the subject of a lawsuit brought against her by her two children, Stephen and Kathryn, both in their 20s. The pair allege their mother treated them poorly and was ‘mean’ to them after she divorced their father. They were hoping to be awarded $50,000 for the ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ their mother inflicted on them including not sending birthday cards with money in them, making Kathryn return the family car early (midnight) on homecoming night, and not sending care packages to Stephen’s college dorm. The judge ruled against Kathryn and Stephen but it’s still unclear as to whether the siblings will appeal the decision, possibly siting new evidence including the fact they didn’t get a pony for Christmas. Maybe Stephen and Kathryn should be enlisting the help of professionals with a degree in the medical arena rather than the legal one.

Tell me if you have any news that is savvy or not. We like hearing from you.

Topic —  From the Editor's Desk,

Safe Halloween Tricks

October 29, 2011
Minnow Hamilton

Safety is a huge issue during Halloween, and we wanted to share this great Halloween Safety Checklist from Health & Safety Watch with you:

Halloween Costumes

• Wear costumes made of fire-retardant materials; look for “flame resistant” on the label.
• Avoid costumes with baggy sleeves or flowing skirts to minimize the risk of contact with candles and other fire sources.
• Wear bright, reflective costumes or add strips of reflective tape so you’ll be more visible; make sure the costumes aren’t so long that you’re in danger of tripping.
• Wear makeup and hats rather than masks that can obscure your vision.

Halloween Candy

• Don’t eat candy until it has been inspected at home.
• Trick-or-treaters should eat a snack before heading out, so they won’t be tempted to nibble on treats that haven’t been inspected.
• Tell children not to accept-or eat-anything that isn’t commercially wrapped.
• Parents of very young children should remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys.
• Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.

Pumpkin Carving

• Never let children carve pumpkins.
• Adults carving pumpkins should remember to use specifically designed carving knives, rather than kitchen knives, as they are less likely to get stuck in the thick pumpkin skin.
• Should a pumpkin carver cut a finger or hand, make sure the hand is elevated higher than the heart and apply direct pressure to the wound with a clean cloth to stop the bleeding. If continuous pressure does not slow or stop the bleeding after 15 minutes, an emergency room visit may be necessary.
• Be considerate of fire hazards when lighting jack-o-lantern candles or use non-flammable light sources, like glow sticks or artificial pumpkin lights. Alternatively, try painting pumpkins for a fun, creative option.
• Keep candles, jack-o-lanterns, matches and lighters in a place that children cannot reach.

Trick-or-Treating

• It is important that children walk on sidewalks and never cut across yards or driveways.  They should also obey all traffic signals and remain in designated crosswalks when crossing the street.
• Trick-or-treaters should only approach houses that are well lit.  Both children and parents should carry flashlights to see and be seen.
• Be aware of neighbourhood dogs when trick-or-treating and remember that these pets can impose a threat when you approach their home.
• It’s also a good idea to carry a cell phone while trick-or-treating in case of an emergency.

Have a safe Halloween (and make sure you get to enjoy some treats as well).