Search Results for: blog do you leave your kids alone in the car

Do You Employ High-Tech Sitters?

What do you use to keep your children occupied while waiting for your food at a restaurant, driving to grandma’s house or zipping through the aisles at the grocery store? I doubt the answer is dancing, unless you’re doing it on a video that you posted to YouTube and can be viewed on your kid’s favorite electronic device. Don’t worry; you aren’t alone. According to a recent survey, nearly 60% of parents admit to using a tech toy to entertain their children, and experts predict that number will likely rise in the next decade. In other words, iPads, handheld video … Continue reading →

Backpack Overload

If your kids are complaining that their backs hurt this weekend, it may be more than just a ploy to get out of chores. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), an alarmingly number of children is carrying way too much in their school backpacks. What’s more, the overload is resulting in serious injuries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that more than 13,700 kids aged 5 to 18 sought medical treatment for backpack-related injuries last year alone. While backpacks are essential in helping students carry books and other supplies, doctors say parents need to teach their … Continue reading →

Take Them Camping

Summer is almost officially over. Labor day is just around the corner. Are you doing anything fun? As a single mother money is always tight but I still like to take little trips with Hailey. Everyone needs to get away and one final weekend trip to end the summer is always welcome. When I first got divorced I was scared to go camping alone. I’m not sure what I was afraid of but I had to bite the bullet and do it, it was really the only thing I could afford to do. Taking kids camping is always fun as … Continue reading →

Who Can You Trust?

I have major trust issues. And by major I mean I really don’t trust anyone. That goes triple when my child is involved. Make that quintuple. Let’s just say I am not the type of parent, who would drop off my 9-year-old kid at a municipal pool with five bucks for lunch and head to work for 8 hours, hoping that the lifeguards or other adults will make sure he’s alive and well by the time I return. For many parents, entrusting their flesh and blood to others is not a task they take lightly. And, no, I don’t buy … Continue reading →

Saving Kids from Hot Cars

One of the things that I really dread about summer are all the reports of babies and toddlers who die or are critically injured when a parent or caregiver inadvertently leaves them behind in a hot car. Often, it is hours before a child is discovered, and with internal temperatures reach 120 degrees, these babies are found too late to be saved. Why does it happen? Overwhelmed or distracted drivers simply forget. Sometimes a change in routine is enough to do it. The parent that doesn’t usually drop the child off at daycare has to do it one time and … Continue reading →

Finding A Babysitter

Getting a babysitter for the evening when you are a single mom is almost like getting a little vacation. It’s wonderful if you have family that can care for your child, but sometimes you have to get a babysitter, and that can be scary. Most teenage girls baby-sit at one time or another and the majority of them are really good with the kids. They are close enough in age to remember what is was like to be smaller. When you are looking for a teenage sitter, word of mouth is the best way to find a really good one. … Continue reading →

The Macaroni and Cheese Wars

My mother-in-law and I have a difference of opinion about Macaroni and Cheese recipes. I like to put all sorts of different cheese into it and either cook it in the crockpot or bake it in the classic style. She likes to use only Velveeta and cook it over the stove. Hmm, the problem in my smugness, is the kids and my husband usually prefer her version. I have a hard time letting go of my holier than thou attitude about Macaroni and Cheese recipes, but I have to face the music that my version, while perhaps a bit healthier, … Continue reading →

Leave Your Kids at Home

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Recently there was a story in the news about a mother who is accused of putting her five year old daughter in a tanning bed. I don’t know if this woman is guilty or not but she certainly is fond of tanning. As a single mother I’ve had to take Hailey lots of places that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. When I went to the emergency room, not only did she go with me, she had to drive me, with only a learners permit because I was in too much pain to drive myself. I will never forget how frightened … Continue reading →

Too Cheap to Pay for a Sitter

Or too dumb. The suburban Pittsburgh dad, who’s making headlines for leaving his young kids alone at a playground while he ran errands, falls into that category–in my less than humble opinion. Listen, I don’t look kindly on people who leave their dogs alone in parked cars, so when innocent children are ditched by their parents, be it in a vehicle or at a playground, I typically have a hard time holding my tongue… or in this case, my fingers. If you missed the news flash, Govindaraj Narayanasamy has been officially charged with child endangerment after police claim he left … Continue reading →

Spring Stranger Danger

The recent record-breaking heat has made it feel more like summer than spring. Earlier this month we started the week wearing winter coats, hats and mittens, and by Friday my second grader was sporting a swimsuit while running through our neighbor’s sprinkler. Go global warming! Yes, the unusually warm weather has many kids jumping for joy. Their bout with cabin fever has come to an abrupt end, and most have been rejoicing in the great outdoors. Unfortunately, this wild spring fling comes with a few drawbacks. With tens of thousands of kids frolicking outside way before school lets out for … Continue reading →