CNY PARENTS

Family Life & Raising Children in Syracuse & Central New York

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced three recalls. Each is a clickable link, where you can reach more information.

Bead maze toys.

Bead Maze Toys were recalled because trees on the toys can detach, exposing a metal screw. This poses a laceration hazard to young children.

The recalled products are painted wooden toys with beads that slide on a curved metal track. The product was sold in three styles: the Apple Tree Bead Maze, the Cactus Tree Bead Maze and the Palm Tree Bead Maze.

This blind was recalled after a baby strangled in the cord.

IRIS and ALVINE Roman Blinds were recalled after a 1-year-old girl in Greenwich, Conn. became entangled in the inner cord of an IKEA Roman Blind and strangled. The child was in a portable playpen that was located underneath a fully lowered roman blind. She was found partially suspended with the inner cord of the blind wrapped twice around her neck.

This recall involves all sizes of IRIS and ALVINE Roman Blinds in white. The blinds have a sewn-in label at the top edge of the blind with the IKEA logotype, article name (IRIS or ALVINE), 5-digit supplier number 19799 or 21369, four digit date stamp (YYWW) and the words "Made in India". On the bottom edge of the blind there is a sewn-in orange/white safety warning label. The blinds are made from 100% cotton.

A girl nearly strangled in this cord from black-out shades.

Insulated Black-Out Roller Shades and Insulated Roman Shades were recalled because the
black-out roller shades and insulated roman shades have a continuous looped bead chain that when not attached to the wall or floor, hangs loosely by the blind, posing a fatal strangulation hazard to children.

A 2-year-old girl from Bristol, Conn., who suffered a near strangulation, June 2008, when she placed a loose bead cord loop around her neck and then slipped off the radiator where she was standing. Her 5-year-old brother lifted his sister, who was gasping for air, from the cord entanglement. She vomited and had deep neck bruising, but has since recovered from her injuries.

This recall includes all insulated black-out roller shades (colors: white, cream, harvest, light sage) and insulated Roman shades sizes 48, 60 and 72 (colors: white, natural, sage, sienna, blue, goldenrod, mahogany, terracotta). The shades have RN number 107875 printed on the care label of the shade and identify the manufacturer on the "Installation and Care Instructions."

The Associated PressThis identified Nebraska mom left her 18-year-old daughter at a hospital under the state's safe haven law after a spate of her daughter's bad behavior. The mom says she hoped her daughter would get help. Nebraska has amended the law to allow only to infants.

Well, it's about time. Nebraska has amended its safe haven law to apply only to infants -- not to kids up to age 18, says the Los Angeles Times.

The law had allowed parents to abandon their kids at a safe place no questions asked, and since it took effect in September, 35 children have been left -- most age 11 or older.

Nebraska's law now will be more similar to other safe haven laws -- including the one in New York -- that allow parents to drop off a baby in a safe place, but not older kids.

I've been railing about this law for months because I just think it's the wrong way to solve the problem of a family overwhelmed by a child. I can see reasons in extreme cases that parents may want to stop parenting a child -- but dropping off a teenager and leaving just seems too cruel for words to me. If that's the only solution for a troubled child, our social services system is failing.

So I'm glad Nebraska has fixed it law. What about you?

The Associated PressMcDonald's is picking six moms to convince the world that its food is healthy.

OK, now McDonald's is taking a new tact to prove it's food is healthy.

The fast-food giant has invited six moms to get a behind-the-scenes look at McDonald's -- from behind the counter to its test kitchens -- to show the fast-food is good for you, according a report on cnbc.com.

I guess the idea is these women will spread the word, and all us moms will just be -- whoosh, automatically convinced that potatoes fried in oil and burgers full of preservatives and grease are just great to feed our kids.

But the scary thing is: It might work. It's probably a smart marketing move because so many people want to believe that unhealthy things are healthy. I'm always shocked when people are flummoxed that a Big Mac, a medium fries and a drink are 1,130 calories.

As they say, the Nile isn't just a river in Egypt. We believe what we want to believe because we like to eat fast food, so we convince ourselves that throwing lettuce and tomato on the burger -- along with three tablespoons or so of mayo -- makes it healthy eating. We are eating a vegetable.

I'm not against fast food. I think it comes in handy, and while I'd prefer a more high-end meal over fast food anyday, I can admit a Big Classic with Cheese tastes mighty good on occassion.

But note to fast food makers: Why not just make your food healthy instead of trying to persuade us that is already is? Another good idea would be to ban fast-food ads during children's programming, as urged by a study released this week. Kids, especially young ones, don't totally get that they are being lied to in advertising, and they are gullible little consumers. Then add to that the nag factor -- as in kids nagging mom and dad -- and parents who can't stand to say no to their kids and presto, you have kids eating at fast food all the time.

What do you think? Post a comment.

Congratulations to Jill Piacitelli, a mom of one from Syracuse.

She won my contest for four "Curious George" books -- "Merry Christmas Curious George," "Curious George Feeds the Animals," Curious George at the Aquarium" and "Curious George and the Firefighters" -- and a Curious George stuffed animal. All are courtesy of Kohl's. (Thanks, Kohl's.)

Here's an overview of my Family Notebook in today's Post-Standard:

Party ideas: Central New York has some fascinating ways to throw your kids a party Sugar & Spice Party Planners offers a variety of themed parties, such as princess or day spa. Or they'll tailor the party to your kids' interests, such as Power Rangers or Hannah Montana. Parties are held at the shop, 3 Marble St., Baldwinsville, or at local restaurants or customers' homes. Call 720-6043.

New Creations Antiques, Gifts and Teas, which opened in October at 8319 Route 11, Cicero, offers princess teas for kids -- and adults -- complete with formal dresses, hats, fur stoles and boas. You can rent the party room and bring your own food or order a basic tea with pastries and fruit or a more elaborate high tea. Call 688-0019 for information.

Do your kids believe in Santa Claus?

Santa Claus: Belief in Santa Claus is alive and well among children of Family Life blog readers. I polled readers this week on my blog, and 52 percent say they'll keep the fantasy alive as long as they can. Read the rest of the results here.

"The Polar Express": The holiday-themed IMAX movie opens Nov. 28 at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology, 500 S. Franklin St., Syracuse. It plays through Jan. 4. The movie tells the story of a boy who travels to the North Pole and meets Santa. View a schedule of showtimes at www.most.org.

Gloria Wright / The Post-StandardMaria Maldonado, of Syracuse.

Guest blogger: What's a good reason to get married? That's the question Maria Maldonado, a mom of one from Syracuse, asks this week on The Post-Standard's new parenting public blog. Read her blog or post your own at blog.syracuse.com/cny-moms-group.

I have decided to give a weekly update of the illnesses in the Syracuse area. My hope is to bring awareness and hence decrease the prevalence and length of said illnesses.

So for the week before Thanksgiving comes, the general population is still struggling with sinusitis/bronchitis. The constant weather change and the turning on of furnaces are overworking our sinus and cause plenty of infections.

The 6- to 7-year population has been struggling with a 48-hour gastrointestinal problem that has spread to the parents. For most it is self limiting with lots of rest and fluids. It is highly contagious.

Our ever loved Streptococcus is making another circle and the throat infection is causing a lot of school absences. There is a popular belief that 24 hours is the contagious time but no data supports this. Most reference information claims Strep throat is contagious for at least 3 days. So beware.

Influenza has yet to make a mark this year and no reported cases in New York yet. The down economy may be part cause as travel is down and that is usually how the flu starts.
Wash hands, eat well, exercise and get plenty of rest to get through the season.

Dr.Chmelicek
Immediate Medical Care of CNY PC (www.imccny.com)
8240 Cazenovia rd (route 92)
Manlius, NY phone 315 682 0909
This communication is intended to enhance the general medical knowledge of its reader, does not constitute a physician-patient relationship with the reader and is not intended to be a substitute for a personal diagnosis. All readers are recommended to obtain routine physicals by a licensed physician. Any readers experiencing symptoms of any kind are advised to seek the immediate care of a licensed physician.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced two recalls. Each is a clickable link, where you can get more information and view more pictures.

Young Colors Children's Hooded Jackets were recalled because the jackets have drawstrings through the hood and at the waist. Children can get entangled in the drawstrings that can catch on playground equipment, fences or tree branches.

Dive Sticks were recalled because the dive sticks could remain in an upright position, posing an impalement hazard to young children. The CPSC banned pre-weighted dive sticks in 2001.

The recalled dive sticks were sold in a bundle of three in multiple colors: light blue, aqua green, fluorescent yellow, royal blue, and red. The tag accompanying the dive sticks contains: "Dive Toys" or "Diving Game" and has a white small parts warning label in the upper right hand corner. The words "Made in China" are printed in the lower right hand corner.

OK, I don't mean neglect them or stop answering when they talk. I mean: It's OK if your whole world doesn't revolve around your kids' needs. (And I'm talking school-age kids here, not babies. And, of course, I realize the rules are different for children with special needs.)

Now I can't take credit for this thought. I was inspired to write this post by an essay by family psychologist John Rosemond that I happened across on the Web. By the way, he was in Syracuse this week, in an odd coincidence.

Anyway, John says kids are perfectly happy to "do their own thing without adults hovering neurotically over them making sure everything in their lives is right and meaningful from moment to moment."

I couldn't agree more. Again, I'm not saying lock your kids in a closet and forget them while you dance naked sipping martinis with your spouse.

I'm saying what I say to my kids all the time: "My job is not to entertain you."

My job is to keep them safe and fed and healthy, both physically and emotionally. Sure, I interact with them plenty. We play games; we read together; we cuddle on the couch; we go to playgrounds and play dates.

But I also say on a regular basis: Mommy has to do something on the computer now, you play in your rooms. Or mommy is relaxing on the couch, you play quietly. I've done this enough for them to know that they shouldn't bother me unless blood is involved.

That's the thing: Kids learn routines. If kids learn as they are growing up in a loving home that sometimes mommy and daddy need to do something alone, they don't think it's any big deal. When they are very young, these play-by-yourself times are short. By the age of my own kids, 8 and 6, I feel they should be able to entertain themselves while I make dinner or while I take a break and read a book for a while or finish up some work on the computer. If I didn't do this, I think I'd resent my kids just a little bit.

When I was growing up, I had no doubt my parents loved me very much. But I don't remember them entertaining me. I remember playing outside with my friends all afternoon (my mom didn't work outside the home) until dinner. Sure, we had family game nights and joked around at the dinner table. But if anyone of us -- my two siblings or I -- said "I'm bored," my mom's answer was always: "I have some vacuuming you could do."

John makes the point in his essay that if we give our kids too much attention, they'll grow up with this inordinate sense of entitlement. I've seen college-age kids like that. They expect everything done for them. Now. Would I want my kids to end up like that?

So what do you think? Post a comment.