9 Bicycle Safety Tips for Kids
Bicycling can be a great activity for children—if they know the basic safety routines. The following guidelines can make it easier for you to get your child into the bike safety habit.
1. Helmets and kids - It’s the safety connection that really matters
Let your child help pick out the helmet.
Always insist your child wear [...]
National Adoption Month
November is National Adoption Month. There are a couple of sites with information on this month’s focus -
AdoptUsKids. The goal of National Adoption Month in 2009 is to increase awareness of the need for recruiting and retaining foster and adoptive parents. Good info on the several ways you can contribute to this cause (no matter [...]
Halloween Costume Safety
When we think of Halloween, costumes and candy usually pop into mind. However with all the fun it’s easy to forget about safety.
Here are a few costume tips from Jenna B., our guest blogger and child life specialist at Children’s Hospital in Minnesota.
Jenna writes: As a child life specialist in the ER, [...]
Don’t Trip the Kids on Halloween
There’s one weekend until Halloween - which is a Saturday this year! (YAY!). Either this weekend or next Saturday, take a few moments and get your house ready for the festivities
Avoid tripping trick-or-treaters!
Take things like hoses, ladders, flowerpots, wires, lawn furniture and bikes off your porch, driveway and sidewalk - anywhere you think kids (or [...]
Vacations: Cruising with Kids
With colder weather and holidyas seemingly around the corner, thoughts of vacations are looming on the horizon (hopefully a warmer horizon.)
Our family blogger Steven has seven tips for cruising with kids - our favorite is #5:
Eat dinner at the same table every night
This may sound boring, but if you want to enjoy your dinner, [...]
Seat Belt Safety - Best of the Day
Here in Minnesota, we just passed a seat belt safety law. If you’re stopped for not wearing a seat belt, you’re fined $25.
Our friends at WCCO/CBS have a good story on it. It’s here. (Always good news and info from WCCO.)
And you’ll see our accompanying article on Kids and Car Safety. This is one of [...]
Grilling on Memorial Day Weekend - Don’t Blow Up the House
It’s finally warm and we’re grilling out with friends this weekend.
The grill has been hibernating since last fall; we’ll be going through tips our writers put together on grilling safety so we don’t inadvertently blow up the house or set the dog on fire.
Here’s good info on BBQ safety from the Home Safety Council.
We just [...]
Talk to Your Kids about ‘Sexting’, a Dangerous Trend.
One concerned mother wrote to us about ’sexting’ a dangerous trend among teens and pre-teens. If you have kids, she recommends that this is a trend you need to understand and discuss with your children.
Hello WhatHappensNow -
My husband and I have two boys, 16 and 18. When I heard about ’sexting’, I was shocked. The [...]
Check the Smoke Detectors in Your Home
Having a working smoke alarm reduces your chance of dying in a fire by nearly one-half, according to the United States Fire Administration (USFA). You should have smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside bedrooms. If you keep bedroom doors closed, put a smoke alarm in each bedroom
Here are more smart [...]
Ice Storms Often Mean No Power
In the past 24 hours, ice storms have moved through teh Midwest to he Northweat, cutting power in many states including Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma.
School has been cancelled in many areas (trust me, a joy to children everywhere) and even businesses are calling it a day.
If you’re home with kids and have no power, they’ll realize they [...]