Grandpa Richard's Kids

All parents worry about whether they have done everything possible to ensure their child’s safety. As our children grow the task sometimes seems to get a bit more difficult. Their sense of adventure and bravery heightens which means that nothing in their path is off limits. Even with strict rules and safety guidelines, children are apt to curiously investigate things- which is often how they get hurt. In order to help you, here is a quick list of reference points to remind all parents about the places in the home and beyond that should never be overlooked when it comes to the implementation of child safety measures!

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Grandpa Richard lives by many of these tips, and his food bill is quite reasonable, even though he has a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables in his diet. I personally do not believe that I need meat every day, but I definitely miss it if I do not have some fruit and a salad each and every day!

As many Canadians feel the pinch of tough economic times, it is important to remember that healthy meals and snacks do not have to cost a fortune.

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Another great article from my friends at News Canada. Enjoy.

Is your five-year-old worried about getting enough vegetables or exercise? Not likely. If you’re looking for ways to keep your son or daughter healthy and happy, here are some simple ideas:

1. Studies show that by the end of high school, children will have spent 15,000 hours watching TV and only 500 in physical education classes. Limit your child’s TV, computer or video game time to 30 minutes per day.

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Here is some great advice that Grandpa Richard wants to remind all parents about. Please read this article, and the GO DO what it suggests.

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A mother’s worst nightmare, you’ve fallen asleep and your child has gotten into the medicine cabinet.

Kid-proofing your medicine cabinet is key to the health of your children and what better time to tackle this project than when you’re doing your spring cleaning! Checking your medicine cabinet regularly helps you ensure contents are stored safely and you have the right medications on hand to deal with the most common childhood illnesses.

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The Great One (hockey’s Wayne Gretzky) has been asked many times, “Do you think my son can make pro?”

Wayne’s answer is always the same, “He’s 15, just enjoy it. Just let him have fun.”

Grandpa Richard heartily agrees. There is too much pressure on young athletes. They need to enjoy their childhood.

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In a recent incident, four children, between 7 and 14 years-old, suffered injuries when they ran stop sign and hit a car. They were riding in an ATV. Two of the children suffered serious head injuries and broken bones, while the other two were treated for minor injuries. The car’s passenger reportedly suffered a neck injury.

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A recent accident in California highlights the need to be vigilant about children and open windows.

In this case, a babysitter placed a 2 year-old boy on a kitchen counter which was flush with an open window. The babysitter then turned briefly to tend to a meal cooking on the nearby stove. When she turned back, the boy was gone, having fallen out of the window to the ground below, a 12 foot drop.

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I was at my grand daughter’s home yesterday and had fun taking photos of her and 2 other children playing on a water slide. It got me thinking about how much more the children are outside during the summer, and how safety issues change focus.

With the water slide, the danger is obvious – make sure there are no objects sticking out of the ground in the area where the slide is put. Also, there should always be an adult within sight, as young children could drown even in the very shallow water found on one of these slides.

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Experts are now targeting the safety record of an old standby – bunk beds.

While Grandpa Richard is always concerned about safety issues, he also believes that you can only go so far. We cannot keep our children in a cocoon until they are 25 (older for some, especially boys!!!)

I see no problem with bunk beds, as long as you take care of some obvious safety concerns.

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Back when my first born arrived (30+ years ago!), cloth diapers were the norm, while disposables were a luxury item. My wife even took the time to custom make hourglass shaped cloth diapers. No folding, as they fit perfectly as is. Today, disposables are the norm and people using cloth diapers for their babies are considered to be strange.

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