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Bad News for Reusable Shopping Bags

For a couple of years now, we have been pushed to say goodbye to both plastic and paper bags at the store.  Instead, it has been suggested we use reusable bags.  This means less waste and less plastic in landfills. But now, there is bad news for reusable shopping bag fans and it may have everyone rethinking the whole bag thing again. One thing that appears to be important with the reusable bags that wasn’t with paper or plastic bags is washing.  Yes, your reusable bag may be a haven for germs which can make your family sick. In fact, … Continue reading →

Hantavirus: Are You Afraid?

Yesterday, while on recess duty at my daughter’s school I noticed two kindergarteners making sand castles near the playground’s baseball diamond. And by sand castles, I mean dirt mounds. By the time I realized what they were doing, the bell rang and they started dashing toward the cafeteria door to line-up for lunch. Fortunately, another mom was able to make them out through their respective dirt clouds, intercept them and escort them to the restroom to wash up. “Did you see how filthy they were?” the mom asked as I held the cafeteria doors open. “Human petri dishes,” I sardonically … Continue reading →

Germs Among Us

I’m not 100% positive, but I think my brain is hemorrhaging. My eyes sting, my sinuses are on fire, and my temples are sizzling from what feels like an acid-like substance that’s coursing through my veins instead of blood. Oh, and my 7-year-old is going on week three of her cold from purgatory. And by purgatory I mean one step away from Hell, not Heaven. Our doctor, along with every other health expert I’ve seen yapping it up on morning news shows this week, keep reminding us to wash our hands “thoroughly,” as we are smack in the middle of … Continue reading →

Germs in the Laundry

Did you know that there were germs hiding in your laundry? These germs can make you and your family sick. Here is what to do about them. If you aren’t washing all of your laundry in hot water (and I certainly don’t), then you are not getting out all of the germs and bacteria that could be making your family ill. Laundry washed in cold or luck water only gets out about 80 percent of existing bacteria. Where is all of this bacteria coming from? There is bacteria living in dishcloths and kitchen towels, underwear and bath towels, among other … Continue reading →

The Dangerous Shopping Cart

When you go shopping do you put your baby in a shopping cart? Now the AAP along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is saying that if you have a reasonable alternative–use it. Some 24,000 children are rushed to the emergency room each year as a result of shopping cart injuries. Children stand or are strapped in improperly and fall onto the hard grocery store floor resulting in head and neck injuries, fractures, and even concussions. The AAP also points out that most shopping carts are designed with a high center of gravity which makes them prone to tipping … Continue reading →

When a Cold is Not a Cold

Spring fever is spiking in our home.  The last few weeks have been beset with sniffles, sneezes, sore throats and some serious sinus issues. For a long time I thought the aforementioned symptoms were related to the common cold, but a recent trip to the doctor proved otherwise.  The next time you are tempted to self diagnose your child’s runny nose and congestion, consider the other conditions he could be suffering from: Allergies:  Frequent sneezing and itchy, watery eyes, especially during the spring months can be a sign of allergies.  March and April are notorious for having high pollen and … Continue reading →

Dirty Habit

Remember when you had your first child and his pacifier fell out of his mouth at the park?  You wouldn’t dream of letting your precious peanut place the plastic plug back in his mouth after it touched the ground.  Not a chance.  Rather, you likely pulled out a fresh binky and let your baby resume sucking on it. Then, you had baby number two.  When his pacifier fell to the ground, you picked it up, brushed it off on your sleeve and stuck it back in his mouth without thinking twice. Looking back, I bet it’s hard to tell whether … Continue reading →

Shameless Savings

I love to shop.  Unfortunately, I don’t have the money to support this passion.  Consequently, I’m often put in a situation that’s all too familiar to parents:  kicking pride to the curb. Admit it; you’ve done some pretty gross things since becoming a parent.  Goodness knows I have learned to exercise an immeasurable amount of humility since giving birth.  For example, I never thought I would willingly stretch out my hands to catch another person’s vomit.  Ditto for plucking poop out of the tub with my bare hands.  I also never imagined I’d allow my shirt to be used as … Continue reading →

Say Goodbye to the Five-Second Rule

Are you a proponent of the five-second rule? For busy parents, the five-second rule is typically standard operating procedure.  This is especially true for parents with multiple children.  Whereas firstborns usually gets a clean pacifier if their original hits the floor, by the time the third kid comes along, he’s lucky if mom wipes said pacifier before sticking it back in her child’s mouth. Sound familiar? Well, you may want to start thinking twice about following the famed five-second rule. According to researchers at San Diego State University, if an item falls on the ground, it is not safe for … Continue reading →

How Clean is Your Kitchen?

We all worry when we go out to eat, is the kitchen clean? Do the employees follow good hygiene and cleanliness standards? Everyone worries about those things but restaurant kitchens are held to a much stricter standard than your average kitchen. Your biggest food concern may be right at home. Most of us know how to handle raw meat or to wash food before preparing, it’s the little things that cause the most problems. For instance, is your pet allowed in the kitchen while food is being prepared? Just quickly touching the dog, either a pat on the head or … Continue reading →