Archive for the ‘Safety’ Category

School Board Member Wants Students To Die

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

According to the Center for Public Education, school boards have one primary purpose: “first and foremost school boards look out for students.”  They do this, in part, by determining policies, selecting curriculum, and providing oversight and accountability for the schools in their districts.  So the last thing you’d expect from a member of a school board is to publicly and openly encourage people — including students from Midland School District which he represents — to kill themselves.  And yet, that’s what Clint McCance did.

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Job Description for Parents

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

So what if, instead of being something you do because you want to or because you have kids, parenting was something you did for a living?  What if it were your career, something you trained for and then looked for just the right situation?  You’d have to read job listings, check the online websites, network with friends and colleagues.  You’d have to go through a lot of job postings to find the one that was just right for you.  But what exactly would that position look like?  How would the job description read?  Perhaps it would look something like this: (more…)

Things Parents Say

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

“No, you may not push your brother down the stairs.”

Parent stopping an older brother who was pushing the stroller when he came to a stairway.

Have you heard yourself saying something crazy to your spouse or to your kids? Has someone said something to you that, in retrospect, seems completely off-the-wall? Let us know!

Things Parents Say

Sunday, July 4th, 2010

“The rule is if you fall off the bed and have to go to the hospital, you’re not allowed to go on the bed any more.”

Parent explaining why a toddler cannot play on his brother’s loft bed.

Have you heard yourself saying something crazy to your spouse or to your kids?  Has someone said something to you that, in retrospect, seems completely off-the-wall?  Let us know!

Three-Year-Old Nudist Caught By Google’s Camera

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

If you’ve been living in a cave for the last few years, you might not be aware that Google, once known solely as an internet search engine, currently offers many other services, including street and satellite maps of a goodly portion of the world.  In addition, for many cities, you can access their “Street View” — 360 degree images as seen by cameras mounted atop roving vehicles.  For some, it’s a great way to explore the world but for others, it’s an invasion of privacy.  Such is the opinion of Claire Rowlands of Walkden, Greater Manchester in England.

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Avoiding the Sun, Aussie Style

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

In addition to the issue of general water safety and that whole not-letting-the-kids-drown thing, there is another issue that needs to be dealt with these days — sun protection.  Sunburn is no laughing matter, even if it doesn’t always lead to skin cancer — it’s bloody painful in its own right.  As parents, it’s part of our job to keep our children safe and that includes making sure they are not exposed to too much sun.

If just staying indoors isn’t an option (and, truthfully, would you want to be stuck in the house all summer with your kids?) then sunscreen is an absolute must.  But for the parts that don’t get sunscreen, is a t-shirt and swim trunks enough?  Perhaps — and perhaps not.  A lightly woven, wet t-shirt doesn’t really offer that much protection.  So what can one do, short of staying indoors?
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Pool Rules: Watch Your Kids or Pray

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

I’m spending a few days by the pool with my kids right now and, although the older two are both excellent swimmers, I am well aware of how very easy it is for even an expert swimmer to drown.  After five years of swim lessons, I feel comfortable sitting on the side of the pool keeping an eye on my kids instead of being in the water with them — but I make sure that I keep an eye on them.  The little one, at two-years-old, requires constant, hands-on, in-the-water attention.  Even with a swim ring, it would be too easy for him to flop over, end up upside-down, and not be able to right himself.  Sadly, not everyone understands that.

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