Fire Safety Pajamas

Fire safety is a topic we cover on the news each year when space heaters and old furnaces tend to catch fire. This got me thinking about the fire safety warnings on my sons' pajamas. Some of their jammies are tight and some are loose.

So what are the fire safety requirements for P.J.s and why do they exist? Here's what I found:

Kid's sleepwear is required to be either snug fitting or made out of fire-resistant material, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. There are three different types of acceptable sleepwear for kids:

1. Flame-Resistant loose-fitting sleepwear made of polyester
2. Snug-fitting sleepwear out of natural fabrics like cotton
3. Chemically Treated sleepwear that's loose-fitting and cotton

The flame-resistant sleepwear is supposed to stop burning once it's removed from a flame. Snug fitting clothing is too tight against the skin to provide enough oxygen to feed a flame.

Q: Which type of sleepwear is best? (Ebay of all places has this list of questions/answers that are very helpful)

A: Each solution has its pros and cons: Loose-fitting polyester fabric may fit more comfortably, but does not “breathe” against warm little bodies the way natural fabrics do. Snug-fitting natural fabric can breathe well but may be too tight to be comfortable. And loose-fitting natural fabric treated with flame retardants is comfortable and breathes well, but is typically more expensive because of the costs associated with treating the fabric.

Q: Does all children’s sleepwear meet safety requirements?

A: Children’s sleepwear from Infant size 9 months to Children size 14 must meet these safety requirements if the manufacturer does not wish to receive a hefty penalty. Items marketed as sleepwear that are not made of flame-resistant materials and do not contain flame retardant chemicals must include a brightly-colored tag with the statement: "Wear Snug-fitting, Not Flame Resistant."

Q: Do pajamas or nighties sold as “loungewear” have to meet the same safety requirements?

A: No. This is a loophole that some manufacturers use to avoid the extra costs associated with providing safe-fitting sleepwear. As long as the “loungewear” (or “underwear”) designs look different from their sleepwear product and is kept in a separate location of the store, they are permitted to classify the items under other categories.

Q: It sounds as though finding comfortable and safe sleepwear is nearly impossible unless I want to pay an arm and a leg for it.

A: That is true, but only in some cases. During the cooler months, or if your child’s bedroom is cool at night, he or she will be perfectly comfortable in loose-fitting, flame-resistant polyester. If you prefer a natural fabric that breathes, you can always go up a size or two so that their sleepwear isn’t so tight. (Note: the CPSC does not recommend doing so, as it presents an increased risk of injury caused by fire.)

Q: If I can buy a larger size in the more comfortable cotton sleepwear, why would I even consider spending more on fabrics treated with flame-retardant chemicals?

A: Because it’s ultimately the safest alternative. The companies that invest the time and money into producing flame-retardant natural sleepwear fabrics generally also produce higher quality clothing, which means it will fit better and last longer than some of the less expensive options.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Kids and the Dentist

My 4-year-old son is so excited because he got TWO sticky eyeballs.

Have you ever told your kids they have to brush their teeth or they will fall out? Let me tell you, my son won't soon forget that after the latest dental appointment. He really didn't want to go, but was being pretty brave considering the circumstances. Fortunately, his teeth are in great shape. But the little boy next to us.. not so lucky. As my son was clenching my hand, the little boy next to us starts screaming at the top of his lungs. I'm thinking it's his first dental visit and he's scared. Then, his mom starts explaining to the dentist how her son's tooth had fallen out. Her two-year-old son's tooth fell out for no apparent reason! Sure enough, the dentist says he has periodontal disease and his mom says over and over, “See I told you honey, you need to let me brush your teeth or they will fall out.”

Our dental hygientist is a little stunned by the situation. She looks at the fear in my son's eyes, finishes cleaning his teeth and lets him pick two toys out of the bin instead of one. So my son was excited to get two sticky eyeball toys.. and he brushed his teeth twice before he went to bed!

When should your child first go to the dentist? The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends at one-year-old. Did you know there are pediatric dentists? According to webMD, pediatric dentists have two years of additional experience beyond dental school. I thought they just catered to kids with toys, movies and kid-friendly equipment. Who knew they actually have more training in spotting dental problems with kids? I'm thrilled.

And what about that pacifier? Is it really that bad for my child's teeth? You can find a list of commonly asked dental questions and answers at healthy smiles healthy children.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Choosing a Pediatrician

Choosing a pediatrician is one of the hardest things I have done. I admit I have been through 5 pediatricians with my four-year-old! That's partly because we moved to a new city. But still, my husband thinks I am picky. I do think this it' partly my problem. I ask a lot of questions. A big part of pediatrics has to do with opinions. So, I always want to know a doctors opinion on different topics. Most of the docs rush me along and get annoyed. Then, I get aggravated and switch pediatricians. It's our ritual. However, I have been happy with our latest kid doctor!

This question was posed to me by a reader: (I can totally relate!)

Hi there-I am a mom of 3 year old twins (boy & girl) and I recently moved to a new city (Louisville, KY). I spent the last 10 years living near Washington DC. I had a well established network of friends, doctors, business contacts, etc, but now I feel like I am starting from scratch. I have a topic for your site -- how do moms find all the necessary providers for their kids when they move to a new town where they don't know a soul? I need a pediatrician, pediatric dentist, preschool, you name it! I am trying to meet people through various moms groups, etc, but that is a challenge too. Maybe you could start a blog for how to find the best doctors for your kids when starting from scratch? I want to find a good one from a referral, but how do I know the new people I meet are reputable and their referrals are reputable? It is so hard! Just thought that might be an interesting topic...Thanks
Jennifer LathropTeam Manager, Tastefully Simple

Call the local pediatric hospital. The nurses deal with the pediatricians and they know which ones are good. Just tell them you know they're not supposed to show preferential treatment, but you are new in town and just want information. 21st Century Parenting suggests scheduling an interview with the pediatrician before you make a decision. Find out where he/she stands on issues such as breastfeeding, vaccinations, and discipline.

Preschool:

Try calling local churches who don't offer preschools. They have nothing to lose and they usually know what's out there. That's how I found a good preschool in my town.

Dentist:

This is a tough one if you don't have a pediatrician yet. I would ask my pediatrician who they recommend.

I only found one pediatric dentist where I live and she is great! In your case, I would start with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.1-800 dentist.com supposedly can find you a local dentist that specializes in treating kids. However, nothing came up when I typed in my area code.Dentists4kids.com brought up two pediatric dentists in my area. I would bet there aren't that many to choose from. I would call the offices and ask the receptionist how long they've been there and what they think of the dentist. If they don't like the dentist, it will be easy to tell.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Saving Money

I cringe every time I open the fridge and see leftovers. They always seem to sit there until we throw them out. I cannot recall a time when we felt like eating the same thing two days in a row. Can you blame us? So, every few weeks I go on this mission to save money by not wasting any food.

This is a challenge when it comes to my four-year-old son. He asks me for a grilled cheese for lunch. I have two pieces of muenster cheese left in one package and a new package of cheddar cheese in the freezer. My son always has cheddar on his grilled cheese. I decide we are not wasting those last two pieces of white cheese just because he can be particular.

I hand him his sandwich. He takes a bite and says, “What’s this white stuff?” I explain to him that white cheese is just as good as cheddar and quickly exit the conversation. He eats about 3/4 of the sandwich and sets it on the table. Then he says, “Mom, this white cheese tastes like paper.” I about died. I forgot to remove the little white papers in between the cheese! The moral of the story? Be careful about where you scrimp and save!

Saving advice

has a great blog on how others are saving money when it comes to all that gift giving we do!

And here are 66 Ways to Save Money without feeding your kids paper for dinner!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Spanking Kids

To spank or not to spank? Most parents I know who spank their kids are certainly not committing child abuse, but if you have kids who misbehave, it's easy to see how you could really lose your temper.

My husband and I decided before we had kids we would not spank, but there have been times where we thought that may be a good solution. I am all for punishing parents who physically abuse their kids, but should states be deciding how we discipline? This is a tough call.

Here's an ABC story by David Wright that sparking the spanking debate in my house: (Some of the information is paraphrased)

"Some Lawmakers in Massachusetts want to ban parents from spanking their children, even in their own homes. They say it's one more way to protect kids from abuse, but many parents say it's government attempting to take too much control.

In 29 states, it's illegal for a teacher to do this. In all 50 states, parents are allowed to spank their own children. Massachusetts nurse Kathleen Wolf wrote a bill that could make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to ban corporal punishment at home. "I think it's ironic that domestic violence applies to everyone except the most vulnerable -- children."

Some parents in Massachusetts are outraged at the possibility saying spanking should be a parent's choice. One mom said, "I don't want the government telling me how to raise my children."

Nineteen countries have banned corporal punishment. And some child rearing experts believe one day the US will do so as well. Wolf says she's not recommending that parents who do spank their kids should face jail time, as they do in Sweden. Or fines, as they do elsewhere. She said she just wants to give parents the support they need."

Discipline at Home is an anti-spanking article that reacts to some statements you may have said yourself.

The Religious Tolerance has a pro-spanking section that relates this form of discipline to Christianity.

What do you think about a spanking ban? Let me know by posting a comment.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Welcome

You know how it is being a mom.

You no longer need an alarm clock because your kids get up at 7:04 a.m. everyday no matter what time they go to bed.

They always come to your side of the bed first because you're the mom. You look over at your husband, jealous that he is such a sound sleeper. Why can't I be the one who doesn't hear the kids in the middle of the night?

Then, you crawl out of bed, make breakfast, get the kids dressed, change a diaper, take them to school and hope you have 15 minutes at some point to take a shower. Sound familiar?

So how do you have time to find out if the toy your child is playing with has lead paint or if there's some new warning about kid's toothpaste?

I have the answer. As a television anchor for WHOI (the ABC affiliate in Peoria, IL), I have to know these things anyway. So I decided I might as well blog about the important topics for us moms so you don't have to spend an hour searching for things like "treating pink eye" as your kids chase you around the house.

NewsAnchorMom.com is the place for you to find accurate information about topics that truly impact your life. Make your life easier by visiting this site. You might also meet some other moms just like you.

Take a look around the site.

Feel free to e-mail me at newsanchormom [at] gmail [dot] com with any suggestions or questions. Thanks for visiting!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen