Urban Suburban Mommy

Tag Archives: technology

Car seats: How safe is safe enough?

Posted on by Posted in Mommy Approved .

Car seats.

Ok, I admit, I have an unfair advantage because I have four kids and a grandkid. I’ve seen them survive falls, fires, bullying, getting lost, getting left behind at the store and all the stuff that kids face.

Of course that doesn’t mean my heart hasn’t leapt more than a few times.

Another confession though is this. It makes me angry how much the world preys on the fear instinct of moms, especially new moms. Don’t we have enough to worry about without having to stress over being a mom who trusts their child to a death-trap car seat?

Here’s a little encouragement.

Car Seats are Safe

All car seats sold legally in the United States (and Canada – and many other countries) are subject to meeting federal safety standards. The standards are updated and tend to get more restrictive over time.
And the standards are effective. The CDC says the number of deaths in children under 12 decreased by 42% between 2002 and 2011.

They also say that 9,000 children died during that period.

But if you dig into accident data (not just the CDC estimate), a couple of things are apparent:
– A large percentage of children who die in accidents weren’t buckled at all – Duh!
– Incorrect installation of car seats is a far bigger risk than inferior car seats

That’s why the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) dedicates their reviews of car seats to “usability” factors. They know that injuries are primarily caused by misuse and installation problems, so equipment that is easier to lock, clip, buckle, connect, carry, etc. is much safer.

Don’t Stress Out

Even the lower-end infant and convertible car seats are safe. They may not be the most comfortable, have the best features, be the easiest to use or fit right in your car – but if you install them correctly and buckle the kids up correctly, they are safe. That being said, there will always be a “safer” product. Not always, but often, the more expensive seats have more safety features.

These include:

– Extra side-impact protection
– 5-point harnesses
– Steel frames
– Anti-rebound bars
– Extra layers of padding
– Different technology for energy absorption
– Easier and more reliable latching, straps and buckles

And the list goes on and on…

Maxi-Cosi just introduced the world to the first car seat with built-in airbags, the AxissFix. And there is also a car seat that is completely inflatable.

Don’t Stress, But Do Do These Things

Stressing is actually unsafe. But while you are busy not stressing there are a few things you should do to keep the kiddos safe.

(Don’t roll your eyes)

– Don’t text when you are driving
– Don’t drink and drive
– Don’t drive recklessly – (do drive “wrecklessly”, get it? I just made that one up)

Seriously, this kind of thing is statistically a much bigger risk than buying the wrong car seat.

So, For Car Seats:

– Do look for easy-to-latch and buckle seats
– Do find a nice travel system that makes it easy to transfer car seats from home to car to stroller
– Do keep your child in a rear-facing seat until they are age two
– Do make sure the kid can breathe in the car seat (careful with thick winter coats, it’s highly advisable to remove outerwear and get the straps snug to your little one’s body)
– Do consider a convertible seat so that you don’t have to buy an infant seat and forward-facing seat separately

Another “do” is to take pictures of messes instead of crying over them. It’s really fun to collect “kid
disaster photos” and share them on Facebook! (Ok so that’s not strictly a car seat tip, but sometimes memorable messes happen in car seats too.) If I had actually caught every episode on camera I would seriously be the most famous social media mom of all time.

Other Fancy Car Seat Things

I went to the JPMA show and talked to the Baby Trend people. They have this new
technology they call Connected Gear. The cool thing about it is that it has a sensor in the belt harness that can sense whether your baby is buckled into the seat.

So it can signal your phone if you’ve left the kid in the car. It detects when you’ve walked far enough
away from the car (with your phone) and lets you know if the kid is still in there.

This feature can also be used for a secondary party like a care giver. Your phone can be notified if the care giver makes the same mistake.

It can also tell if the harness isn’t tight enough. If you are interested, search for the Secure Snap Fit Infant Car Seat.

Another interesting car seat development is the Doona Infant Car Seat/ Stroller that basically is a stroller and car seat all in one piece of gear. The wheels and handle fold up into the car seat.

With new developments in safety, technology and style, car seats are getting better and safer all the time. Keeping up with all of the info is a whole other story. But getting one with government approval, not expired and never in an accident is important. It will be the best car seat that works for your baby and your budget  and will keep your child safe and secure.

Blessed mother of two boys and two girls, changing diapers and homeschooling for 20 years and counting. I love to research (I’m a CPA). And I really love to help other moms make wise and thoughtful decisions for their families.

 

experiencedmommy.com

 

Experienced Mommy

Three things my children make fun of me for

Posted on by Posted in The Struggle is Real .

I don’t know about you, but my boys have gotten to the age where they’re starting to tease me. They’ve got wit, they’ve got a sense of humour and they’ve got some nerve…

I remember saying these types of things to my mom when I was a kid.

I also remember the look on her face. It was probably the same look I had on my face when my kids asked me about my experience growing up with dinosaurs. And my mom had me young – she was 23 and a mom, barely 25 with her second. Having kids at 37 and 39, I have some serious years on her! I’m not sure though, if my kids perceive me as old because I’m a 40-something mom, or if all kids are just brutes when it comes to comprehending their parents’ generation. Regardless, my kids love teasing me about being old (because they know they’ve hit a nerve/have some material to work with) and they’re merciless. My husband has a blast joining in.

1. Mom, your hair is so grey.

Just the other day, my younger son told us that when he grows up he’s going to be rich so that he can buy dad a solid gold mansion. “What’s he going to buy for mom?” you ask? HAIR DYE. Dad gets a solid gold mansion and I get hair dye so that I won’t have to look old.

2. Mom isn’t cool enough to speak the lingo.

Last week my son told me they were watching Yubes.

Yah, I asked.

Turns out that’s what kids are calling YouTube. I’m so old I don’t know the lingo. I keep catching myself saying I taped that – I tape nothing. I record. I’m having problems moving on from VHS in my own mind, apparently. My kids think it’s funny – not in that “laughing with you” funny. They’re definitely laughing at me.

3. Mom, did you ever have a pet dinosaur?

This one cuts deep, since I remember asking my mom questions along the same line – I also asked my mom if she wore ball gowns (you know, because she was old enough to grow up in the Victorian era); if they had suits of armour when she was small (because she must have been around in the middle ages); and if the world was in black and white when she was a kid (I didn’t quite understand that colour TV was because of technology developments, I thought actual colour was a recent invention in the early 70s.). My poor mom. I was a mean kid – however unintentionally.

10 Questions with a coder

Posted on by Posted in 10 Questions With .

A coder?

Yes. A coder.

Us 40-something parents who grew up with manual typewriters didn’t learn to use a computer until our 20s, may recall the hundreds (lol) of web pages that were online in the early 90s.

It still blows my mind that there is a language to talk to computers (and really blows my mind that two computers learned to speak to each other last week and then created their own language –– hello SkyNet from Terminator Genisys) so it’s starting to become more clear why coding is important to know.

We caught up with Jen Chiou, founder of CodeSpeak Labs to find out about coding for kids. She has created computer programming classes for students from PreK to Grade 12. Most recently she created CodeSpeak Books, just launched on Kickstarter, geared toward children 2 to 6+ years of age. The first book, How to Turn Your Grownup into a Robot, is the perfect way to engage children at such a young age. And Jen’s not just a teacher – she has two small boys, 3 and 1, and is already teaching them the basics.

We asked Jen the questions you know you want to know about getting your kids to learn how to code.

1. What is coding?

Coding is giving instructions to a computer so it knows what you want it to do. In order to create and control technology, you have to speak computer languages.

2. How does coding apply to my child’s life?

If your child is anything like my kids, they already gravitate toward wanting to use technology. Unfortunately, most of that is passive, like watching YouTube videos.

We want kids to be creators of technology, so that they can help shape the future. In order to do that, they have to be code literate.

3. How young can you teach coding to a child?

CodeSpeak Books is one of the age appropriate ways you can start teaching children computational thinking, the foundation of coding. We say the book is for kids as young as 2, though similar to any picture book you have, you could start reading it with your child even earlier!

4. What keeps their interest about coding, it seems intense?

Keeping it fun is key. CodeSpeak Books are entertaining and interactive – kids laugh and delight at seeing how the code changes the course of the story.

5. Is coding going to be integral for future success?

For our kids’ generation, coding is as important as reading and writing.

No matter what field they decide to pursue, technology is going to play an important part. Coding early in life not only gives them technical knowledge, it actually broadens how they think about problem solving.

6. Does coding language change? How can I keep my child up-to-date?

There are many programming languages. Professional software engineers are constantly learning.

What’s most important is teaching kids the fundamental logic, which applies across languages, and helping them develop a growth mindset so that they are eager to tackle new problems and continuously improve.

7. I’m practically computer illiterate since I grew up without computers. I didn’t have an email address until the 90’s, and started with the World Wide Web Worm.

I can’t code – how can I help my child?

You’re not alone! Most parents don’t know how to code.

What’s great about CodeSpeak Books is parents AND kids learn at the same time! Any who can read can learn from CodeSpeak Books, no prior knowledge necessary.

8. Will my child need sophisticated equipment and expensive computers to be a successful coder?

Definitely not. When you learn from a book you can read it without any other technology. When your child is ready to use a device, you can use the code on any laptop/tablet that has an Internet connection.

9. Does coding lead to too much screen time?

We leave it to parents to decide how much screen time their children have. Learning code involves both screen and non-screen activities.

And if your child is ready, you can use a device alongside the story and code together.

10. What is the demand for code?

Jobs in computer programming are among the fastest-growing and highest-paying opportunities in the world today. Even if your child doesn’t become a computer programmer as a career, the ability to understand how technology works will benefit them in any field.

Jen Chiou:
Jen Chiou, founder of CodeSpeak Labs, established computer programming classes for students from PreK-12 in classrooms in NYC and CA. Prior to founding CodeSpeak Labs, Ms. Chiou worked in tech – where she was shocked at how difficult it was to recruit a diverse tech team.

“I’m the mom of two, Maxwell, 3 and Alexander, 1 and a half,” Jen shared. “I’ve found stories to be one of the most powerful ways to engage my kids in big ideas – from potty training to being kind to others. So I hit upon the idea to experiment with different coding stories with my 3 year old. He’s hooked and loves the stories and the accompanied learning.”

Top 5 things I swore I’d never do as a parent (And did immediately after becoming one)

Posted on by Posted in The Struggle is Real .

I’ll admit it – before kids I took a hard line on things I knew nothing about. I read a lot of books, I watched a lot of movies, I had everything figured out. I used words like “never” and “always” as though I had a finger on the pulse of something that other parents, throughout centuries of child-rearing, knew nothing about.

I was going to nail this parenting thing because I was an expert.

At being a complete jackhole.

As you read, know that you will never judge me as hard as I’ve judged myself. If I could go back in time and punch myself in the neck, believe me, I would. Here’s a list of the “nevers and always’” that just didn’t pan out for me.

I will never let my child meltdown in public

I used to glare at parents who “let” their kids act up in a grocery store or throw tantrums in a restaurant. I’d look with derision and think “Pfft, my kids will never do that.”

I invite you to insert laughter here.

I get it now. Those parents aren’t ignoring their kids, they’ve actually gone dead inside. There’s a point where the non-stop needing, wanting, asking, begging, yelling, maddening repetitionrepetitionrepetitionrepetition causes the psyche to collapse in on itself like a dying star. It happened to me once, at a birthday party with both kids and no help. I couldn’t do anything but drive erratically and ugly cry the whole way home.

I know now that you can’t control a child’s behaviour any more than you can control the weather. All you can do is control how you respond. At almost four years old, Nate is pretty awesome to hang out with. He would never have learned how to behave in public unless we actually took him outside. These days he rarely acts out, and when does reach critical mass, we leave. Period. I’ve left movies, live theatre, concerts, family functions, play dates, you name it, we’ve bailed on it. Restaurants work if we can keep him seated for longer than 10 minutes, which leads us to…

I will never let my child watch too much TV/play with my iPhone/Tablet/Technology

child iphone

Oh those poor, disengaged children. It’s so sad to see the breakdown of the family unit. See how that child just gazes at that tiny screen while his parents ignore him and eat hot food while enjoying adult conversation for five whole minutes without interruption or having to placate him with a duffel bag full of toys, books, crayons, crafts and a diorama of The Last Supper featuring characters from Sesame Street and a glow-in-the-dark Big Bird Jesus, all while engaging the restaurant in a rousing rendition of “Old MacDonald Had A Farm” (E-I-E-I-Oh-my-god-kill-me!) Evil technology! It’s not our first go-to, but I keep an arsenal of PJ Masks and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes on my phone at all times.

I will always feed my child healthy food

When Nate was ready to start solids, I bought organic produce and grain-fed poultry. I steamed, chopped, pureed and roasted the healthiest combinations you could imagine. He ate almost none of it, because no one told him that effort = appreciation.

food freak out

His tastes have ebbed and flowed over the years, loving one food, then hating it in the time it takes me to buy a lot of it. His younger brother has a broader palate, and will gladly try anything you serve him, as long as it’s out of the garbage can after I’ve wiped it off the floor. As long as they’re putting on weight and not suffering from scurvy, I don’t give it a second thought.

I will never bribe my children

Yes you will. Often.

I’m all for parenting to achieve long-term goals, but once in a while, there is nothing wrong with immediate compliance, even if compliance looks like ice cream or a trip to Jungle Land.

My children will never sleep in our bed

child sleeping with mom

Replace “never” with “every night” and you would have our current sleeping arrangement. The first night I brought Nathan home, I put him in the co-sleeper beside the bed. We watched him scream himself purple for two and a half excruciating minutes before I picked him up and announced to my husband that I was never doing that again. Sleep training doesn’t work for us. It is an unholy nightmare and I’m done with it. My boys like sleeping with their mama. How much longer can I say that? How many nights did I lie awake, sobbing into my pillow while they wailed in their cribs? Who wins?

So there you have it. A crash course in how not to be a know-it-all super jerk. A lesson in empathy towards parents, those superheroes charged with caring for tiny, adorable despots. An elegy for a retired Judgey McJudgeyPants who learned never to say “never”.