The Hidden Dangers of “Shake it Off” Parenting

                What do you do when your child is upset? The answer to that question can be based on the parenting style that you choose to practice. One option is to comfort your child until he or she feels better. Another option is to tell your child to “shake off” the injury or emotion that he or she is experiencing. Parents that do this often feel it is a good way to help their child grow up. However, there are some hidden dangers to “shake it off” parenting that you should be aware … Continue reading

Hand Sanitizer Can Be Dangerous for Preschoolers

It has become quite common for hand sanitizers to be used by both adults and children. People carry them in purses and bags. Schools often require a small bottle of hand sanitizer as part of the list of school supplies a child must bring to school. However, there is a potential danger that involves hand sanitizers and young children that parents need to be aware of. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of microbes on them in most situations. They only suggest … Continue reading

What to do When Other People’s Kids are in Danger

Most parents are very careful and cautious with their children. They put in a great deal of effort to keep their children out of dangerous situations. Sometimes though, things happen and a child could wind up in a situation that is not at all good. What can you do when you see that a child, who is not yours, is unsafe? Here are some suggestions about what to do. What to do if You Think a Child is in Danger A Child Has Been Left in a Car There are a lot of parents who will tell you that they … Continue reading

Meeting the Neighbor Dogs

I’ve blogged before about my neighbor’s dogs, the ones she lets roam free through the neighborhood. Sometimes I see them in our yard. Yesterday while I was working, I noticed one of them, the tan one, out the window. I went outside to greet it, as I always do whenever I see any of the neighborhood pets. They all, cats and dogs included, run away from me. This dog did the usual, but I thought of something: I called for it to come here. I didn’t think it was a dangerous dog, because our neighbor said he isn’t. He also … Continue reading

Teach Kids About Stranger Danger

It seems like every time we turn on the news we hear about another Amber Alert for a child that has been taken. It has been said that nearly 800,000 children are reported missing each and every year. These alarming statistics make me want to hold my son just a little bit tighter each night. It makes me never want my son out of my sight. This week we had an interesting experience that gave me the opportunity to teach my son about stranger danger yet again. We were eating lunch at the mall with some good friends of mine. … Continue reading

Do You Dare to Compare?

Have you seen this tooth-achingly sweet note a 10-year-old boy penned to his hard working mom and attached to an even sweeter homemade gift? The photo has gone crazy viral since the boy’s sibling innocently posted it on Reddit. The youngster’s touching note reads: “Dear Mom, This is for you, I understand how hard you work, and I know you love strawberry milk, so I made this for you. :)” Sniff. Sniff. Right? I mean, c’mon moms, admit it; that tear in your eye, the tingle in your gut, your melted heart-—pure jealously. Okay, maybe, not 100% pure, but pretty … Continue reading

Most Teens Hide What They Do Online

A few months ago I attended a parenting class at my church. One of the dads was expressing how it is our job to monitor our teen’s use of technology. Of course that makes sense, right? But as I pointed out, it isn’t always so easy. Let’s face it…teens usually know more about technology than we do. That means they can get around things. For instance, some parents look at the computer’s history to see which websites their children have been on. But most kids know how to clear out their history. A recent survey from McAfee found that 71% … Continue reading

Dangerous Exotic “Pets”

Exotic pets have been in the news lately. I define exotic pets as wild or barely domesticated animals that you’d sooner expect to see in a zoo than someone’s home. They’re often illegal to own. Even then the classification gets tricky; I’ve previously written about potbelly pigs and hedgehogs, two uncommon pets, that are sometimes illegal in certain states or counties. In these cases, however, the illegality issue has to do with invasive species; certain types of hedgehogs and pigs are not native to the country and officials want to keep out the non-native breeds. When I’m talking about exotic … Continue reading

Finding Ways to Make Valentine’s Day Allergy-Friendly

Will your child’s classroom at school be having a Valentine’s Day party? This is one of those situations where you cannot be certain what foods, sweets, or treats your child will encounter. It can be a dangerous situation for children with food allergies. Fortunately, there are some allergy-friendly valentines treats to be found. If your child has food allergies, I would highly recommend that you speak with your child’s teacher before Valentine’s Day. Find out if there will be a Valentine’s Day celebration taking place in the classroom. Will the party include cookies, candy, and other treats that are sent … Continue reading

Do You Blog About Your Homeschool?

Do you have a blog? And if so, do you blog about your homeschool? When you go online and type “homeschool blogs” into a web search, you have a wealth of information at your fingertips. Just a quick search in Google yielded me 4,110,000 results – wow. Think of all the resources those four million blogs could hold for me. Think of all the inspiration, the lesson ideas, the motivation I could get by tapping into that completely free resource. With all those blogs already in existence, is it still important for you to add the topic to your blog … Continue reading