While dining with some friends the other night, one of the women told an interesting story about someone she knew. It’s a story about safety, particularly for women. I like it when these stories are passed around — it’s the way we are reminded that we need to be aware of our surroundings and always keep safety top of mind.

Here’s how I remember the story:

There was a woman who was shopping and had her grocery cart by her car, purse in the seat. As she was opening her car door, someone drove by, reaching out his car window, grabbing her purse and driving away. To add insult, he did this while yelling an obsenity and calling her stupid.

Not only did the man get away with her purse, but a spare set of keys, her wallet with credit cards and cash, as well as her company ID badge. There’s more …

The woman went on as usual, but one day her car was stolen from her company’s secure parking lot. The lot is accessible only by employee ID badge. Likely the same predator. Luckily the story ends here, with no personal injuries to report.

There are so many messages from this one story. It’s a great reminder for women to always be aware, keep your purse close at all times and report personal theft.

It seems every few days now there is a product recall. Last night while watching the evening news I learned about a new recall for spiral-bound SpongeBob SquarePants address books and journals. Apparently, the binding material contains a high amount of lead. Read the recall information here, from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

While you are at the CPSC Web site, sign up for its recall newsletter to receive recall information via email so you’ll be among the first to know.

I’m thankful that we live in a world where companies can use the media as a forum to get the word out about products that are not safe for our children, however, I’m tired of all of these toy and product recalls. It seems that every week I have yet another list to review and toys to hunt down to make sure I do/or don’t have the exact toys that are on the recall list.

Today, it’s a car seat, last week Mattel toys, the week before Fisher-Price toys. How many of these will be have to go through?

Here are a couple of links of the recall lists that I recently found. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so take a few minutes today to ensure your kid’s toys are not on one of these lists.

Mattel (includes video from Chairman)
Fisher-Price toys (list includes toy name, ID and a thumbnail photo; information from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Britax Car Seat (from BabyCenter.com)

Today my little guy graduated from Safe Start, the infant/child safety “swim” program. I put swim in quotes because this course focuses on safety, not swimming. Children learn to float and to “swim” to the wall. They still need formal swimming lessons when they are older.

I am amazed how much he learned in 6 short weeks. We went to our local YMCA every Monday-Friday where he spent 10 minutes in the pool. It’s a huge commitment, but one I wouldn’t change now that I’ve seen what he can do. What it won’t change is our vigilance around pools and open water. But now I feel that he has another layer of protection. And, it gives us more to do in the water. We don’t have to hold him constantly, instead, we can practice his swimming from one adult to another, or to the wall.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a policy statement on swimming programs for infants and toddlers. My take on their statement is that these safety courses do not replace adult supervision and its main concern is that parents will let their guard down thinking their child is safe. They are probably right, so parents must remember to be as vigilant as if their child never took a lesson. Read their full statement here.

From the Safe Start Web site:

“Beginning at the age of 6 months, children are taught to turn from face down in the water to face up and into a comfortable back float position; at 12 months old, children learn how to swim, rotate onto the back and float, and then turn back over and continue swimming to safety. Children are taught in a one-to-one setting, where the instructor is focused solely on one child. Parents, who must be present during the lessons, are educated about all aspects of aquatic safety through interviews, observations, and the Safe Start Parent Resource Book.”

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