It’s nearly time for Halloween so we thought we’d take this opportunity to share some safety tips from the Safety Store at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel to ensure a happy, healthy holiday (sugar overload not withstanding!): More…

Category: Holidays, Safety // Posted on October 19, 2011 // 1 Comment

Last week I wrote about my family’s efforts to learn about fire safety. This week, I want to share some valuable — and surprising — information I gathered along the way.

One of my main fire safety questions turned out to something of a red herring because what I had considered an important part of our home fire safety plan is, in reality, questionable at best. I was curious to find out how many fire extinguishers we should have in our home, where they should be placed, if they need to be inspected at regular intervals and, if so, how/where? More…

Category: Safety // Posted on April 27, 2011 // Leave a Comment

Like most of the parents I know, the recent earthquake/tsunami/nuclear fiasco in Japan got me thinking, once again, about how prepared my family is for emergencies. The answer? Not very. I created a disaster kit several years ago (after 9/11), but I’ve done little to keep it updated. (Expired canned goods anyone?) Plus, it’s in the basement and quite bulky, so it’s not really portable and probably wouldn’t be accessible if there’s serious damage to our home.

I now realize it’s not feasible for me to keep everything we’ll need in any given emergency available and accessible, so I’ve decided to focus on the things we CAN do to prepare. More…

Category: Safety // Posted on April 18, 2011 // 2 Comments

Just like our kids — and probably yours, too — we’ve got Spring Break on the brain! If you’re as excited as we are about the upcoming week off of school, check out our Spring Break Fun Guide with loads of activities you can share with your kids.

But if you’re one of the many local parents who has to work that week, we’ve got some ideas for you, too. Our online Guide also details local camps and classes, and More…

Category: Camps, Online Articles, Safety // Posted on March 9, 2011 // Leave a Comment

The Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG) recently released its 24th annual survey of toy safety, ominously titled, “Trouble in Toyland.” We find the report especially noteworthy this year, after the seemingly endless onslaught of toy recalls we’ve seen over the past few years. The 2009 report looked into the issues of choking hazards, excessive noise, and lead and phthalates in toys. In addition to naming specific products that pose safety hazards, the report offers some solid guidelines to keep in mind when purchasing toys for small children, but the bottom line is, parents need to be vigilant. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) doesn’t test every toy on the market, and some toys you find on the shelves do not meet CPSC standards. More…

Category: Safety, Toys // Posted on December 6, 2009 // Leave a Comment