Do You Know What Is In Your Kid's Toys?

Toy makers are scrambling once again to pull products from the shelves that can harm our children. Who the heck is minding the store? The following story is excerpted from INDSYSTAR.COM:

"Millions of Chinese-made toy beads for children have been pulled from shelves in North America and Australia after scientists found they contained a chemical that converts into a powerful "date rape" drug when ingested."

WTH? Was there no product testing? Where do they get these chemists from? Did they borrow them from the trailer park home made meth labs? This is damn ridiculous!

"Two children in the U.S. and three in Australia were hospitalized after swallowing the beads. In the United States, the toy goes by the name Aqua Dots, which are distributed by Spin Master Toys based in Toronto. They are called Bindeez in Australia, where they were named toy of the year at an industry function earlier this year. Scientists say the beads contain a chemical that the human body metabolizes into the so-called date rape drug gamma hydroxy butyrate. When eaten, the compound -- made from common and easily available ingredients -- can induce unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma and death. statement from the New South Wales Fair Trading Department said the product was supposed to use a nontoxic compound used in glue, but it contained the harmful chemical instead."

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!! How can we trust that the regular products that we use have been tested extensively and are safe? Will we find out ten years from now that the lotion we have been putting on our bodies has been poisoning us? Is this really a Chinese issue as the news would have you believe or the get-it-on-the-shelf-as-cheap-as-possible mentallity of the toy makers? We should all be outraged.

Juanita Bynum Strikes Again, So To Speak

I have talked about Juanita Bynum more on blogs than I have ever talked about anyone in real life. And I thought I was through, well at least until the "trials." But girlfriend has gone and done it again. She has established the "Love Don't Hit" foundation. See for your self:
http://www.juanitabynum.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=28
I just find this hilarious on so many levels, but will save my comments for the trial. This chick is a barrel of laughs.

Kudos to A Smart, Savvy and Empowered 9 Year Old

This happened a few weeks ago but I could not start a blog without giving this little girl her props. From an article in the Washington Post dated October 23, 2007, this nine year old is credited with having a child molester by the balls, so to speak.

"A 9-year-old girl was molested in a Fairfax County Wal-Mart by a man claiming to be a police officer, but the suspect was arrested minutes later, after the victim kicked him and ran for help, police said yesterday.
The girl was in the Wal-Mart at 7910 Richmond Hwy., in the Hybla Valley area of southern Fairfax, on Saturday afternoon, police said. She was standing in the electronics section when a man approached her while she was separated from her mother.
The man told the girl that he was a police officer and that he had to check her pockets for stolen merchandise, Fairfax Officer Don Gotthardt said. He did not present any identification or badge, Gotthardt said, and was not in a uniform. He wore a white hooded sweat shirt and bluejeans.
While the man was checking the girl, he molested her, police said. The girl kicked the man in the groin and ran to her mother. Jaime F. Calacan Jr., 36, of the 200 block of North Furman Street in Alexandria was charged with abduction, aggravated sexual battery, impersonating a police officer and other counts."

Now that is what I am talking about!! Her bravery and quick thinking turned a horrific experience into something she can remember as a moment of pride. My child has been known to wander off in stores and I have become much less anal about keeping an eye on her as I did when she was younger. Sometimes parents need to be reminded that there are predators out there waiting for us to turn our backs.

Empowering Our Kids With Words

There are things that we, as parents, can do to empower our kids. We need to do things that inspire a level of confidence and nurture that confidence to grow as they mature into successful young adults. When outside of our home, my daughter was extremely shy as a toddler. She was very bright, very articulate, and very personable. However, except for the people that visited us on a regular basis, no one else knew. They could only take our word for what a wonderful child she was, to others she acted like a deaf mute and they probably considered her borderline autistic. So when she started preschool at 2 yo, I began to say affirmations to her to remind her who she was, and what others needed to know about her. I would look her in the eye every morning before we went out the door and tell her, "You are wonderful, you are beautiful, you are strong, you are smart, you are a leader and God has purpose for you and you will know what it is." She is now 9 and over the years we have added a lot to her morning declarations. She is no longer the shy little girl, she is a leader in her class and is a little girl with strong determination and purpose. I am not the only one to think this now, everyone says so. Every school morning (we usually skip weekends and holidays) my daughter declares the following about herself. Some mornings when we have time, I have her stand in the mirror but most days she says it as she waits at the door for the school bus.

"I am wonderful

I am beautiful (inside and out)

I am strong

I am smart

I have purpose

I will walk in my purpose

I am healed of any infirmity

God's hedge of protection surrounds me always

No weapon formed against me shall prosper

I am prosperous

I am virtuous

I am a leader not a follower

I am the lender not the borrower

I am the head and not the tail

I am a soldier for the Lord

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

I am a college graduate

I own my own business

I am independently wealthy

My overflow will help others

I believe it

I receive it

In Jesus' name

Amen"

These affirmations are just one of the God inspired methods of empowerment that I incorporate as part of my daughter's life. How do you empower your children? They are our future and we are called to provide them with memories that bless them all of their lives.