Toy Shopping for the Holidays? Read THIS First...

The robotic fish, of which I have half a dozen, are listed. The detachable tail poses a choking hazard.

It is the season to be shopping and the focus is definitely on the children's Christmas List. Every year, a new wave of toys is pressed upon us as we try to sort the best for our brood. We can become overwhelmed. Of course the appeal to the child is going to determine which toy they gleefully open Christmas morning, however as parents, we need a baseline. Safety. That is why we regularly check Recalls.gov where the governance of toy safety is maintained and presented to the public. You can even receive updates. Clinical Pediatrics released a study showing an increase in toy related accidents in children by 40%. Most injuries are in the under six range and are related to choking hazards. Another big concern are scooters which are popular all over the world but accidents are heavily abated with the use of a helmet, knee and elbow pads. Protection is power.
Check out the article via CNN.com

Slip, Slap, Slop & Wrap This Summer

We spend quite a bit of time having fun in the sun. The beach is only a quarter of an hour away and each and every time we head to the golden sands and glistening blue beaches we are prepared to protect ourselves against the sun's damaging UV rays. We love a great pair of summer shades but it takes a bit more than that to stay healthy at the beach. Slip, slap, slop and wrap. That is the credo by which we live by in our house now that we have been educated by Surf Life Saving New Zealand about the benefits and necessary steps to take while enjoying the beach. In order to reinforce sun safety, we found this poster to compare animals natural tendencies to protect themselves from the sun and helps us to also remember what we need to protect ourselves.

We took these few shots today to demonstrate some cool ways to stay sun smart this summer.

Skin cancer is preventable with just a few easy steps to keep your skin protected. Use the poster above for a start and remember, if we begin these steps while our children are still young, we will develop lifelong habits that will keep us healthy while enjoying the sun. Our new skin protection product of choice is Skinnies. It is quick- drying, long lasting, and you only need a little bit to go a looong way. It is also paraben and preservative free. With an SPF 30 even after a good swim, we were sold. It's especially good to put as few chemicals as possible on your little ones so shop wisely for a good sunblock that avoids the metals and strong smells that are laden in traditional sunblocks. 

Wherever you are in the world, make the most of your time in the sun and please protect yourself. 

US

Australia

New Zealand

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Summer Shades
Shopping Highlight of 2013
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Mom's Beauty Brigade 2014

Gun Safety is Commonsense

The President usually delivers his own weekly address but this week was a bit different. Sandy Hook Elementary school mom Francine Wheeler is asking for you to listen for just over 4 minutes to what she has to say. Her 6 year old son was murdered in his classroom that fateful day in Newtown, Connecticut just over  four months ago.

This issue resonates with me as I was recently visiting the states and come from a place where guns are almost everywhere and available. Now is the time for some changes. I have traveled and now live in a place where commonsense is used to determine how guns are used. Let's think outside the box and move forward.

#NowIsTheTime