Now?

LittleBrother was always a fish. He would “swim” with his swimmies on, occasionally asking for help when he got tired. He wasn’t really a fan of putting his face in the water though and would sometimes panic if he thought you weren’t paying attention (which we always were).

I missed swimming lesson sign ups for all classes in our area. Though LittleBrother is technically too young, I have been informed by parents who are better than me that BigBrother should have already had two years of said classes under his swimming trunk elastic. I have failed yet again.

But do kids need swimming lessons?

I ask this not knowing the answer. I’m all about safety. I am 100% for children learning the importance of safety around water, how to properly swim and to learn to love and respect the water. But classroom settings, even in a pool, stress BigBrother out. In fact, the thought of swimming class stresses me out and both of my sons play heavily on how I react. Will swimming lessons be beneficial? Are they an absolute necessity?

I understand that my kids are still using floating devices and are therefore not technically swimming. I would never leave them unattended in their swimming devices just like I would never leave them alone without those helpful bits of floatie stuff. I’m not asking for permission to do so. What I’m wondering is if I have to shell out money for something I can technically teach the kids on my own or, really, that they can learn while in the pool with others.

This isn’t like the issue of organized sports. I believe they learn all kinds of things in a setting like t-ball (for which we have a year end pizza party tonight) or soccer (which went incredibly well this past winter). I think things like basketball camp can teach kids great skills that they can use in a team setting and even in real life. And, really, I’m not the one who should be teaching either of these kids how to properly handle a soccer ball with their feet seeing as how I never played. But I can swim and I can swim well. Can I teach them? Should I teach them? Will they learn from someone else better?

In short: did your kids take swimming lessons or did you teach them or a combination of the two or neither or… please chime in on my inner dialogue, okay?

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[This is the last week to win the $100 Visa gift card!]
[This blog is nominated for two BlogLuxe awards (Eye Candy & Blog You Learned the Most From) while Chronicles of Munchkin Land is nominated for Most Inspiring. Vote if you feel so inclined.]

We turn on the 90′s on 9 on Sirius Satellite radio and begin busting our collective move. There were also some bits of horseplay thrown in which I, the Safety Conscious Mom, may or may not have participated. Okay, okay. I did some under chin tickling on both boys because it creates the most wonderful set of giggles ever heard. But otherwise I danced and reminded my three boys (count ‘em, it’s three) to be careful.

FireDad was spinning in circles with BigBrother in the air. It’s not an unusual occurrence, even in our house. Kids love to spin. Dads love to spin their kids. I’m sure that somewhere else in the world another Dad was spinning his kid and their house, like ours, was filled with giggles, laughter and whines of the other child saying, “Me now! It’s my turn, Daddy!”

And then it happened.

The sound of giggling was replaced with a thud. BigBrother had wiggled mid-air and FireDad did what every child and every mother has to believe is impossible: he dropped BigBrother. Thankfully we have carpet in the living room where our After Supper Dance Party is held. But, really, that didn’t matter too much. As I rushed to the Scene of the Accident, the pattern of the carpet was starting to show little pin-pricks of blood on his forehead.

THE PATTERN OF THE CARPET. ON HIS FOREHEAD.

I ran for ice and a rag. BigBrother expressed his outrageous anger with FireDad and clung to me. Then he yelled at me because I was freezing him to death. He sobbed. And yelled at his Daddy. And sobbed. And we kept calmly talking to him, helping him to remember the process of breathing in between his sobs and yells. Eventually he calmed down. And began laughing.

So, I took a picture.

Gosh, he’s cute.

I didn’t take this picture so that we could laugh about this story with our potential grandchildren someday. (Well, that was one reason.) I took this picture to tell the Internet that After Supper Dance Parties are DANGEROUS and SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS. I mean, isn’t that what would happen if some big government agency got hold of this story? Bath toys and slings are bad, and now you can add dance parties, spinning in circles and maybe even laughter to the list. Or, you could, perhaps, use a little common sense, and, maybe, not drop your child on his face while participating in said dance party events. Or, as my parents learned in the 80′s, if you’re walking across the ice with your little girl on your shoulders so her feet don’t get wet, it’s best not to be wearing slippery cowboy boots. Recently, Dee experienced a scary parent moment, too. Lessons are learned everyday.

BigBrother is fine. He went to school today, some carpet pattern still visible on his head. He was his noisy, bouncy, too-happy-for-morning self while getting ready for school. My next thought is how we’re having pictures with the Easter Bunny taken on Tuesday and how this accident will forever be immortalized with the big scary rabbit. It’s almost funny.

In short, no more spinning on hard surfaces. Today. Maybe tomorrow.

Enter: Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog by Firefighter Dayna Hilton.

I “met” Firefighter Dayna and Sparkles online shortly after Stop, Drop and Blog was launched. Hailing from Arkansas, they teach their local children about fire safety through their fire department. They don’t stop there! If you have Sprout, the PBS channel for kids, you might have seen a mention or two (or more) about Sparkles this week. They’re serious (and fun) about spreading the message of fire safety.

That’s why they sent us their book to read. I’ll be honest; I love the book. What says firefighter more than a dalmatian on a fire truck? The pictures are bright, vivid and go with the descriptive information on the page. The book teaches children (and parents) to know the sound of their smoke alarm, how to get out of the house (go low under smoke), to have a plan and a preset meeting place outside and, which is a very important thing, not to be afraid of firefighters. One of our adult friends admits that he was afraid of firefighters when he was a kid. Not good! We need to teach our children that firefighters are our friends and that if they show up, they’re only there to help!

If your kid are like mine, they might also like the audio book which includes Sparkles’ theme song! Fun!

I just can’t stress the importance of teaching fire safety at home with your own children. Yes,  your schools likely did a lesson or more on fire safety this week. Next week they’ll be on to something else. Your children need to know how to get out of your house in various ways. Your children need to know the sound of your own smoke detector. Your children need to know that you know all of this as well.

And that’s why we’re giving away two copies of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, the audio book, some cards with Sparkles picture and a First Alert smoke detector pack. What all is included?

Two winners will receive a copy of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog book and audio books by Firehouse Dog Publishing. This fun and educationally sound book is autographed by Firefighter Dayna and “pawed” by Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog. To date, the book has been credited with saving the lives of two children and their families. Inspired by her work as a firefighter and by the love of her four-legged friend, Firefighter Dayna set out to create a heart-warming story about Sparkles.

Through the book, children learn the adventures of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog while at the same time learn valuable fire safety tips, which empower them to stay fire safe in case of fire. These tips include, (a) recognizing the firefighter as a helper and a friend, (b) knowing the sound and purpose of a smoke alarm, (c) learning how to crawl low under smoke, and (d) understanding the importance of practicing a home fire drill using an escape map. Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog is based on the latest fire safety research for young children by Oklahoma State University’s Fire Protection Publications.

The winner will also receive life saving products from First Alert, including a smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, Tundra™ Fire Extinguishing Spray and two-story escape ladder. Prize package value $135.00.

That’s a big prize pack! How do you enter?

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me your kids’ ages and what they know about fire safety as of yet. You may do this once.

Bonus entries:

2. Copy/paste the following in your twitter stream: Win a fire safety prize pack worth over $135 with @FireMom and @sparklestfsd: bit.ly/sU2XO …Be sure to leave a comment here in case I miss your tweet! You may do this as many times as you think your followers will tolerate!

3. Blog about this giveaway on your public blog, linking back to this post. Leave a comment here with your URL so I can be sure to find it.

Restrictions: Limited to US residents.

The giveaway will be open until October 23, 2009 at noon. The winner will be pulled via random.org and contacted via email. You will have 24 hours to respond or I will pull a new winner.

If you’ve learned anything this week on Stop, Drop & Blog I hope that it is that fire safety is both important and easy for you to teach at home. If you ever have any questions about fire safety and kids, please don’t hesitate to ask. In the meantime, best of luck in this giveaway!

(Our winners were Jennifer and Mandy. We had two Mandy-entrants. I linked to avoid confusion. They have been emailed!)

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Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book and the CD. We would have posted this giveaway without such a thing as we have been fans of Sparkles for years!

Today I though I would bring you some links so that you can utilize the Internet as you teach your children about the importance of fire safety. Even very young children can utilize Internet sites, whether for games, for reading or for printing coloring pages. All they need is you to help them locate the sites, work on whatever the site offers and to explain the importance of each site and safety tip. Here are some of my favorites.

1. The National Fire Prevention Week website actually has some great resources for parents and kids. Things like the Fire Safety Inspection Checklist (.pdf) and the Fire Safety Information card are great activities to complete with older children. The arcade on site provides for a fun way to bring a discussion about fire safety into your learning process. For the youngest set, a coloring page with Sparky is made available that highlights the important things to remember to prepare for and in the midst of a fire emergency.

2. Sprout, the PBS kids channel, has a great Fire Safety Week program going on right now, including on their website. This site provides more coloring pages, including a counting one, a Fireman Sam one and some others. (A fun thing on the Sprout site allows for you to upload a picture of your kids’ artwork once it has been completed for others’ viewing pleasure on the website! Cool!) There are also some videos on their Fire Safety page.

3. USFA Kids (US Fire Administration) has a great site that combines pertinent information (Home Fire Safety, Smoke Alarms, and Escaping from a Fire) with some games (Crossword Puzzles, Coloring Pages, a test to be a Jr. Fire Marshal among other things). I found this site to be particularly easy to navigate for a computer-independent child who wants to learn on her own.

4. Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog is one of my favorite programs regarding fire safety. Sparkles’ owner, Firefighter Dayna, is passionate about fire safety (just like we are!). They’re actually part of the Fire Safety Week on Sprout this year! Their site offers more activity pages, GREAT fire safety videos and crafts.

These are just some great online resources for you, as a parent, to help your children understand the importance of fire safety. As a parent you need to know these things as well. First and foremost, know your house’s floor plan and make a fire escape plan should an emergency occur. Teach things as simple as “stop, drop and roll” and the importance of getting low should the hallway be filled with smoke. As you help your child navigate the online resources for learning about fire safety, make sure you’re up-to-date on all of your knowledge. Your family’s lives depend on it!

Tomorrow I will have a review of some younger child storybooks that also highlight some fire safety points. Be sure to tune in all week as I bring you various tips, fun pictures and other pertinent facts on fire safety. (Also, as this is October and Halloween is just around the corner, check out our review of the best firefighter costume on the market right now, pictured above.)

1. Be safe with fireworks and obey your local laws. What’s that mean? Know what is and is not legal in your area. If it’s not legal, don’t use it. The list of tips at FireworksSafety.com is really handy to keep in mind.

• Use fireworks outdoors only. (This should be obvious.)
• Obey local laws. If fireworks are not legal where you live, do not use them.
• Always have water handy. (A hose or bucket).
• Only use fireworks as intended. Don’t try to alter them or combine them.
• Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
• Use common sense. Spectators should keep a safe distance from the shooter and the shooter should wear safety glasses.
• Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated shooter.”
• Only persons over the age of 12 should be allowed to handle sparklers of any type.
• Do not ever use homemade fireworks of illegal explosives: They can kill you! Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.

If you are experiencing a drought in your area, avoid shooting off fireworks above your house or the homes of others. A stray spark or a bottle rocket gone off course could set a rooftop on fire. A few pretty colors and a big boom aren’t worth losing your home or injuring those that you love.

2. If you’re having a picnic, make sure that your hot foods are grilled thoroughly and that your cold foods (especially ones that contain mayonnaise) are kept cold enough. In fact, according to What’s Cooking America, there’s a “two hour rule.”

Two Hour Rule. Don’t leave perishable food un-refrigerated for more than two hours. Put perishable foods back in the cooler or refrigerator as soon as you finish eating. Don’t leave them out while you go for a swim or a hike, and don’t leave them out all afternoon to nibble on.

If you feel like something is if-y (like if the sun moved the shade off of a table, thus “baking” some potato salad), it is always better to toss it and be safe than figure it is safe and make everyone at the party sick. If in doubt, pitch it!

3. Don’t forget the sunscreen. While it’s been cold here in the Midwest this week, it’s supposed to be sunny and in the 80′s on Saturday. That said, even on cloudy days, 80% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays can pass through the clouds. (Trust me! I’ve been burnt on cloudy days.) Put your safe sunscreen on 15-30 minutes before heading outside and reapply every two hours or again after toweling off after a swim. (Don’t forget lips and the tops of feet!)

4. Don’t drink and drive! Obviously you should never be drinking and driving. However, just in case you think that you’re safe this weekend, you’re not. A holiday doesn’t magically exempt everyone from the rules of the road. Here in Ohio, a crackdown is planned on impaired drivers (through Monday). Fifteen people died in car accidents in Ohio during the 4th of July celebrations in 2008. “Almost half” of those were alcohol related. If you think you’re exempt because drunk driving accidents only happen to bad people and you, of course, fall under the heading of a “good person,” think again. Stop in and read Joy DeVere’s post at BlogHer which talks about how she lost her husband to a drunk driving accident and then was hit by a drunk driver herself. In short, save yourself and others: designate a driver.

From our family to yours, have a safe and Happy 4th of July! (I’m sure we’ll toss up a family picture from my Uncle’s wedding at some point in time over the weekend. I can’t guarantee we’ll be smiling. But we’ll be safe!)

My shoulders, arms, chest and upper legs are now the color of a beautifully ripe tomato.

My face, however, is saved as my foundation has 15SPF already in it. Saved by a purchase by my maternal grandmother. I should send her a thank you note. Anyway, so, yes. I’m dealing with a pretty hefty and oddly lined sunburn this morning. It definitely doesn’t match my bathing suit lines. Or the shirt that I’m currently wearing. I almost feel the need to wear a turtleneck until this humiliation passes. I feel like a fourteen year old who got a hickey in the middle of summer; how do I hide this mess?

Of course, I feel better knowing that neither boy has a spot of burn on them. The fact remains that “overexposure to sunlight before age 18 is most damaging to the skin.” (Of course, daily unprotected exposure, even when it doesn’t result in a sunburn, is what causes the most damage.) I know I need to be more careful with myself. I’m fair skinned, freckled, moled and come from a family with a history of skin cancer. However, my boys are also fair skinned (though BB has both maternal and paternal grandfathers’ ability to tan), freckled, moled and come from two sides of a family with a history of skin cancer. They’re under eighteen. As such, they will always be my first priority when it comes to applying sunscreen. (More info here.)

Now if only I had someone to apply mine while I was taking care of the children. Do they make those?

Of course, our family also deals with the fact that the boys have sensitive skin. I recently decided not to listen to my better judgment and use some cheaper sunscreen. BigBrother broke out in hives. I know better. In fact, I know enough to pay attention to helpful lists like this one at Skimbaco Lifestyle. Knowing which sunscreens are safe and which are, well, really not is helpful in making my decision as well. (You know, if I could just remember to put it on my own darn skin.)

In the end, my sunburn has been a learning lesson for BigBrother. I showed him my bright red arms, at which point in time he had a great giggle. I explained that was what would happen if he didn’t let me put on the sunblock before we went outside to play. His eyes got sort of big and he agreed that sunblock was the way to go. He’s an easy sell. It’s the Wiggle Monster otherwise known as LittleBrother who tells me, “Tickles,” as he tries to roll away.

I’ll be more careful with myself for the rest of the summer. If only so I don’t look like a bright red tomato at the billion and twelve events I have to attend this summer. But if you need some visual proof as to the benefits of sunscreen, take a look at this picture from last night’s Meet & Greet after the Yanni concert in Columbus. Can you tell which one is me? The bright shining red one.

So, yes, trust me on the sunscreen.

[Head on over to the review blog to read more about my fantastic, sunburned night at the Yanni Voices concert.]

Open-burning is particularly dangerous in the spring and fall, when the leaves are on the ground, the grass is not green and the weather is warm, dry and windy. As a result, open burning in Ohio is prohibited in unincorporated areas in March, April, May, October, and November, 6 am to 6 pm.

A few weeks ago, my husband’s department had a large number of brush fires on their hands. In the month of March while the burn ban was in place during prohibited hours. Why? Sadly, not many people know about the ban or understand what and where burning is still allowed. That’s why sites like Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources are so awesome. It spells out in pretty easy to understand language that you simply cannot burn much of anything between the hours of 6pm and 6am during these months. If you are needing to burn the land for reasons like vegetation regeneration, you actually need to have it approved first. If you don’t, a wildfire that could not only endanger your property but people’s lives.

A brief look at other states shows me that we’re not alone in this one. As an example, West Virginia only lets you burn between the hours of 4pm and 7am. That begs the question: does your state have a burn ban in place? Some states are like Ohio and have specific months every year with limitations on burning. Other states watch things like air quality and weather and issue burn bans for specific counties as the need arises. Do you know how your state mandates burn bans? You can do a quick google search by entering “burn ban” and your state’s name to find out pertinent information. Of course, there’s an even easier way to go about it: simply call your local fire department. Whether they are a paid or a volunteer department, they will be able to give you the information that you need that will keep you, your neighbors and, in the end, those same firefighters safest with regard to this topic.

Please be safe. While it’s been rather chilly here, it’s also been relatively dry. Do your part and clean up the leaves and other debris. Keep your burning set to appropriate hours and on days without wind. And pass on the word to others about the burn ban or information that is pertinent to your state. We can all do our part to keep wildfires at a minimum this year.

And then I heard this from the stairwell.

Mommy! There’s a fire!

A pause.

And smoke!

I immediately left my work station, opened the gate to the stairs and ran down to his playroom. I didn’t smell smoke. I knew that he was imagining himself to be a firefighter. I had heard the sounds he was making to put out a fire. And as I came down the steps, I saw him standing there with his musical instrument posing as a hose. But, still, I went, heart caught somewhere in my throat.

I asked him to show me, as I rounded the corner of the hallway into the playroom. He ran in front of me and pointed to a spot in the middle of his floor where all of his trains were crashed together on his Thomas the Train rug. There was no fire. I told him that I was glad he had his hose and that he was a brave firefighter. I also told him that I was proud of him for telling mommy that there was a fire. And I went back upstairs.

FireDad and I agreed, walking back up the steps, that while we were almost 100% sure that he was just talking about an imaginary fire, it was a phrase we simply couldn’t ignore. What if it had been real and we had just said, “Okay Buddy! Good work being a firefighter,” down the steps? While we didn’t smell anything, what if it had only been the first flickers, leaving us plenty of time to put it out before damage happened? A million questions raced through our heads. Should we encourage firefighter imagination play or not?

In the end, we’re not going to tell him he can’t pretend to be a firefighter. We’re going to let him pretend to be whatever it is that he wants to be whether that’s a firefighter or a space man or a cowboy or a teacher or a bear. We will, however, leave whatever it is that we are doing each and every time he mentions the word fire. It would fall at our feet if something was wrong and we didn’t believe him. I won’t even bother asking, “Is it a pretend fire or real,” because, to BigBrother, everything is real. Especially his imagination.

In the end, I will likely get a good leg workout running up and down steps. There’s always a silver lining to parenting, right?

A conversation in the FireHouse went like this earlier today:

FireDad: Are you done with this burner? *accusation in voice*
Me: Uh, yeah.
FireDad: *turns it off*
Me: To be fair, I was talking on the phone.
FireDad: And that’s how fires start.

Honestly, he is right. When they take kids through their smoke trailer, they talk about things like distraction causing fires. Forgetting to turn off burners (ours are electric, not gas) is actually a pretty common cause of starting a kitchen/house fire. What if I had tossed something on the top of the stove while cleaning? What if this had been yesterday when FireDad was at work and it had been left on all day? The what ifs pile up and I’m left feeling a bit unnerved. And guilty. And somewhat indignant! Indignant?

Well, yeah! I would like to blame all of this on FireDad. You see, we ran out of coffee two days ago. Two! He didn’t get any until this afternoon. You know, after the error on my part. And so, I have been drinking hot tea. I boil water in our kettle. When removing the kettle from the stove top, I forgot to turn off the burner. Without the amount of caffeine I consume in coffee, my brain wasn’t working right and that’s why I forgot to turn off the burner. Which brings us back to the fact that if FireDad had bought us more coffee, none of this would have happened. I wouldn’t have been drinking tea. I wouldn’t have needed hot water. My brain would have been functioning properly. See? It’s all his fault.

I type that paragraph, of course, very tongue in cheek. I’m normally very keen on fire safety and protecting our family and household from dangerous things like this and, so, leaving the burner on and getting caught by my husband… the firefighter… was a wake up call. We can never be too careful when it comes to fire safety.

And so, I encourage you to check and double check your stove burners when you are done cooking. Not only could you prevent a burn to yourself, your child or someone else in your home but you could prevent a house fire. I know it seems easy. I know it seems common sense. But, to be honest, if I forgot to turn off a burner, chances are that you could forget as well.

Keep those families safe, folks. (And have a nice weekend!)

Be Fire Smart, brought to you by Liberty Mutual, is an important site for you to view. Today. Before you get even more overwhelmed with holiday events. Why? Each year, nearly 47,000 fires occur during the holidays which result in more than 500 deaths. I don’t want to be part of those statistics. I don’t want my readers to become part of those statistics either. Liberty Mutual apparently doesn’t want you to become part of those statistics either because they have a list of tips.

1. Keep decorations (trees, wreaths, etc) at least three feet from heat sources. Candles, heaters, etc.

2. Inspect holiday lights each year for things like frayed wires. If you didn’t do this when you decorated, I really urge you to go ahead and do this now.

3. Do not overload your electrical outlet(s). I know guilt just washed over a handful of readers. Please go rewire that tree.

4. Do not leave holiday lights or candles unattended. I know your tree is beautiful and you want to come home after Christmas Eve service to your beautiful tree. But unplug it when you leave and turn it back on when you come home.

And, I’ll also be honest with you: the Fire Family does not own a live tree. Too many people don’t keep them properly watered and they become a fire hazard. If you have a live tree, please take care of it properly and always keep your eye on it.

The site also has non-holiday related fire tips that you and your family need to read over, discuss and plan out in your own home. If you don’t already have a fire escape plan, you need to, folks. Yesterday. And the site also has games for children.

I do believe this is one site I will reference in the future as I continue to bring you safety tips here on Stop, Drop & Blog. Please be fire safe this holiday season. Being part of the greater fire family, I know that too many homes are lost during the holidays and, most often, simply because the tips above were not heeded. I don’t think we’ve made it through a Christmas Eve yet in which FireDad hasn’t been paged out to a fire. Keep that in mind as you make your home as fire safe as possible.

We’re sending our very best to you and yours this holiday season. Be safe and Be Fire Smart!