I am a subscriber to the CPSC (Consumer Products Safety Commission). I have requested that I receive e-mails regarding any products for children that are recalled. It is nice because it is so hard to keep up with all that stuff that is recalled and you never know when an item that you use for your child is recalled for being unsafe or even deadly. I often get e-mails for recalled cribs, toys, jewelry and even clothes. For quite awhile I was getting several e-mails regularly regarding use of lead paint on toys or children's/teens jewelry. I often delete the e-mails after reading that they are for and looking at the pictures of the recalled items.
What I don't understand are all the recalls that I keep getting e-mails regarding sweatshirts with drawstrings. Where I find it to be very unsafe for baby clothes to be made with drawstrings I do not understand why they must recall sweatshirts with drawstrings for bigger kids. I raised this issue with two mothers I know the other day. One of them is a mother of a young teen, a 9 year old, and is also due with her third in September. The other mom has a 4 year old and a 1 year old and is thinking of adding on in the next year or so. Both mothers thought it was pretty strange how they are recalling all these sweatshirts with drawstrings, especially sweatshirts for kids that are old enough to know better.
Supposedly the drawstrings pose a strangulation hazard for children. Now I am 36 years old. I grew up with lead paint, hand-me-down furniture and clothing (flammable, drawstrings, etc.) I made toys out of wire hangers, played with my dads power tools, used the stove and oven and mixer at a young age, hung from trees with duct tape and rope, etc. I could go on but I think you get the picture. I just cannot fathom why they must be recalling and now sewing all children's clothing without drawstrings. What is up with supervision and parenting today? Really, I get the lead paint thing and the unsafe baby furniture and drawstrings on baby clothes. I for the life of me do not understand how I lived this long with minimal supervision once I "knew better." I definitely did my share of dumb things once I knew better like swallowing money, ODing on Flintstone Vitamins, eating Sucrets and Pepto Bismo like candy (my mother did not believe in junk food), hurting myself in various ways too. Still alive!
There have been several times that I put a hooded sweatshirt on Little Buddy and was frustrated that there were no drawstrings to tighten so as not to let gusts of cold wind into his ears. Some companies have worked around this by adding elastic to the edge of hoods which does help. I honestly think that there are enough ways for a kid to hurt themselves if they really aren't being watched or disciplined properly (mini blind cords, electrical outlets, etc.)
I think that since the CPSC has cracked down on unsafe products it has been a very beneficial thing that has saved hundreds of thousands of children's lives. I am very glad and thankful for that. I don't really understand why they have to recall things like children's beaded jewelry for being a choking hazard? Isn't that a given when you buy anything with beads for a kid under 10? Honestly?
It is very, very unfortunate and I am deeply saddened for the lives that have been lost due to products that have not been thought out better before being put on the market and sold to unsuspecting, loving parents such as cribs, bassinets, pacifiers, etc. Parents are putting their complete trust in these products and companies for their children.
Just wondered if you grew up and have lived to talk today about your drawstrings? Did you do stupid things as a kid like I mentioned? If so, please share. Do you think that recalling drawstringed clothing and beaded children's jewelry is ridiculous? What will be next shoelaceless shoes? Soft-edged children's scissors? Crayons without points? Bagh!
7 comments:
Just one more step in "mommy-state" reminding us that we are incapable of caring for ourselves and need the government to do it for us.
AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
Remind me not to mention the time that brother and I thought we should see if we could hoist ourselves up with a rope in the barn. We threw it over the rafter and tried to pull ourselves up. Um, never mind that we tied the other end, um, well, it wasn't like it was a noose or anything... but a loop around the neck sure seemed convenient.
btw... you CAN'T lift yourself up with a loop around your neck. In case you're wondering.
Let's see...I remember climbing onto the roof to retrieve a Frisbee, jumping off the top of a very tall slide into our pool, swinging way too high on old school swings then jumping off, letting each other drop on a over sized teeter totter. How did I ever survive it!!! The horror!!! Injuries? Pscht!!! Suck it up and walk it off.
My loving significant other is amazed that I never broke anything as a child! Ironically enough, I didn't start breaking bones, pulling rotator cuffs and spraining ankles until I reached adulthood. Maybe that's when I started being careful?! 'Cause, Lord knows, I sure wasn't prissy and careful as a child!
My daughter has a pull toy dog--but the strangle proof cord is too short for her to stand up and pull with it. Talk about asinine.
Yup, totally agree with you. Some of the "dangerous" things in kids' lives make them more aware and stronger. Over-protecting can sometimes go over-board.
AMEN. Meadowlark actually posted an interesting link on someone's blog that reminds me of this:
freerangekids.wordpress.com
I think there's sensationalism in almost everything these days. of course companies need to worry about liability, but seriously, I grew up with lead paint and other hazards and turned out just fine. I never heard of people dying! I guess when something did happen it was very miniscule and didn't make headlines? I read every book there was when I was first pregnant. I learned a lot of great things since I was without experience of any kind, but now, i just kind of let nature take its course. I will majorly freak out if I pay attention to all the media outlets, and I want to remain a laid back person. I feel like I'm rambling, but basically I thnk that responsible caring moms have an inborn intuition. There is a lot of research showing that moms are usually right. So there's something to be said about a mother's intuition regarding her child. Sometimes I wonder how much these warnings etc. are just an advertising ploy, although yes, I would rather buy natural things without all the chemicals and lead.
My husband calls this Paranoid Parenting. My son used to chew on his drawstrings, that was annoying. We love our hoodies w/drawstrings. It is all about attorneys sueing companies.
My sister and I used to jump off the stairs all the time, play in the foundations of homes being constructed nearby, raid an abandoned dump for items to build forts, and eat Tums like candy. How did you OD on Flintstones, did you get sick? I am just curious -- they were another thing we'd eat like candy if given half a chance. I by now guess you've figured out my Mom didn't buy junk food either.
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