Safety Recall: 12 Models of Kolcraft Infant Play Yards

Nearly 425,000 infant play yards by Kolcraft Enterprises, of Chicago Illinois, are being recalled recalling following the death of a child. A 10-month old boy was strangled on the changing table’s restraint strap that was hanging down into Kolcraft’s “Sesame Beginnings” Travel Play Yard where the child was located. Manufactured in China and sold in the United States, the play yards were sold at retail stores nationwide from January 2001 through September 2007 for between $50 and $130. All of the play yards have raised changing tables with a restraint strap that forms a loop beneath the changing table, posing a strangulation hazard to a child in the play yard. The recalled Kolcraft models include: Kolcraft Travelin’ Tot, Kolcraft Travelin’ Tot LTD Kolcraft Travelin’ Tot 3-in-1 Kolcraft Travelin’ Tot 4-in-1 Carter’s Lennon Travelin’ Tot “Sesame Beginnings” by Kolcraft Travel Play Yard Jeep Sahara SE Play Yard Jeep Sahara Limited Play Yard Jeep Sahara XT Play Yard Jeep Sahara Limited SE Play Yard Jeep Sahara Limited XT Play Yard Contours 3-in-1 Play Yard (with rocking cradle and changing table restraint strap) ACTION: Parents and caregivers should immediately stop using the changing tables and rocking cradle and contact the firm for instructions on receiving a free repair kit. View Press Release for photos, specific model numbers and markings to identify affected models. Kolcraft Company Web Site

Doctor? Lawyer? IT Professional? Starving Artist?

Fascinating conversation going on over at this article. The author questions whether he is a bad parent about the career advice he’s giving his son.

My son is a high school senior with an A-minus average who takes mostly advance placement and honors courses. He loves the challenge of math, and aced a calculus AP exam, scoring a 5, the top grade. Yet, his true passion is composing classical music, and all of the colleges he’s considering offer strong programs in classical music composition.

While many parents steer their kids toward college programs, including those in IT management and computer sciences, that promise relatively steady and lucrative careers, my wife and I have been my son’s biggest champions in his pursuit of his passion, though we know that few people earn a good living composing classical music.

I have to admit, my instinct is to be practical and recommend getting a ‘decent’ paying job with some relative job stability. There’s nothing fun about being a starving artist. Maybe that’s nice for your twenties, but you’ve got to think long term.

Most of us don’t have obscenely wealthy parents. As a single income household with kids and increasing demands, my focus has to be on income/stability, not passion. (In my beat down humble opinion.)

What do you think? Please answer the poll below:

Also, please leave a comment. But please no angry/accusing rants. Just share what your situation is and what you think is realistic. This is an important issue.

Thanks!
-BD

Once You’re Outnumbered, It Doesn’t Matter By How Many

When Awesome Mom and I we’re in Moscow many years ago, we met a man waiting to leave the country. He was adopting a young girl (around 8 years old). He said he was an accountant, lived in Long Island, and had 5 children already. I thought he was nuts. But he said something that I’ve never forgotten and often quote:

“Once you’re outnumbered, it doesn’t matter by how many.”

Fast forward seven years. We have four boys. Awesome Mom and I are definitely outnumbered. But I found this awesome widget for blogs:

You customize it with the expectant date and the number of babies expected. It then countdowns to the event with little fetus’ floating around and growing larger over time. How cool is that!

I’m a glutton for punishment. So, I’ll have to throw down the gauntlet for Awesome Mom. Let’s shoot for quadruplets … by New Years Day … so we can use the widget (of course). What do you say?

-BD

Help Locate a Missing Child - Register For Free Wireless Amber Alerts

May I recommend that you sign up for Wireless AMBER Alerts. In the United States, the major wireless carriers have made this service available FREE to consumers.

AMBER stands for “America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response.” Essentially, a state-wide alert is issued when an abducted child, age 17 years or younger, is reported to a local law enforcement agency. By quickly distributing information to the public, citizens may be able to report critical information to local law enforcement.

Simply visit:
http://www.WirelessAmberAlerts.org
… and you’ll be directed to the appropriate registration form for your mobile phone provider. You

I’ve also provided some alternate instructions to sign up by text message or to register for email alerts:
http://www.baddadradio.com/2007/06/04/help-locate-a-missing-child-register-for-free-wireless-amber-alerts/

Please consider doing this and tell a parent/friend.

Thank you.
-BD

P.S. If anyone has any suggestions about similar missing persons alert systems in other countries, please share and I’ll be sure to post the information here. Thanks.

Get School Lockdown Alerts By Email or Cell Phone

Last week was crazy here in New Jersey. Just two weeks into the new school year here were several school bomb threats and other shenanigans causing dozens of school closings and disrupting lives.

Check out this new service that I heard about on The Advertising Show podcast… it’s called LockdownAlert.com.

Lockdown Alert works with almost any pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, special education or vocational public school in the United States.

The next time there is an unplanned event at your child’s school, you will receive a text message alert or email directing you to a web page with full details and instructions.

You can sign up to receive these free school lockdown alerts by text message to your mobile phone or via email. They cover all grade levels, from Pre-K thru College/Universities.

I thought this makes sense to register. I’m a bit leary to give out my cell phone number to receive text messages. Instead, I registered with one of my secondary email addresses and used Gmail’s inbox filters to forward emails from that domain to my work email and my wife’s email address.

Related Links:
Help Locate a Missing Child - Register For Free Wireless Amber Alerts

P.S. Please share any tips or related Web sites and services. Thanks!

Kid Friendly Search Engines

Matt Baily at Search Engine Guide posted a good list of Internet Search Engines for Kids that you should check out and bookmark on your family computer.

Related Links:
Parental Control Software

Safety Recall: Simplicity Crib Also Sold Under Graco Logo

Nearly 1 million cribs by Simplicity Inc., of Reading, Pa., are being recalled.

Manufactured in China and sold in the United States, the drop-side can detach from the crib, which can create a dangerous gap and lead to the entrapment and suffocation of infants.

The death of a 9 month old and a 6 month old are attributed to Simplicity manufactured cribs with older style hardware, where the drop-side was installed upside down. There are also additional cases of infant entrapments and 55 incidents in these cribs.

The recalled Simplicity crib models include:
Aspen 3 in 1
Aspen 4 in 1
Nursery-in-a-Box
Crib N Changer Combo
Chelsea
Pooh 4 in 1

The recall also involves the following Simplicity cribs that used the Graco logo:
Graco Aspen 3 in 1
Graco Ultra 3 in 1
Graco Ultra 4 in1
Graco Ultra 5 in 1
Graco Whitney
Graco Trio

The recalled cribs have one of the following model numbers, which can be found on the envelope attached to the mattress support and on the label attached to the headboard:
4600, 4605, 4705, 5000, 8000, 8324, 8800, 8740, 8910, 8994, 8050, 8750, 8760, and 8996.

The cribs were sold in department stores, children’s stores and mass merchandisers nationwide from January 1998 through May 2007 for between $100 and $300.

ACTION: Parents and caregivers to check all Simplicity cribs to make sure the drop-side is installed right side up.

View Press Release with photos to recognize the hardware

Simplicity Company Web Site

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