News Moms Need

Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner. Where I live, we observe this holiday with parades, little league games, backyard barbeques and the re-opening of the town pool. I can’t wait to jump-in and splash around with my little girl. This is such a fun time of year! Outdoor activities are back in full swing, so it gives us good reason to revisit the importance of playing it safe with our kids, particularly in the water. We have a few posts written on this topic already, so you can click here, here, or here to check them out. A colleague passed along a recent (and somewhat gross) article and I wanted to pass it along. It talks about the prevalence of poop in public pools. It’s an unpleasant reality, but important to know about because it can make children sick. On a brighter note, have a fun and safe holiday weekend.

Splashing with my granddaughter over the weekend made me think of water safety for kids. Not long ago I underwent a refresher course in CPR with some of my colleagues.  I’m relieved to know that someone else in the building knows what to do if I slip on something in the parking lot or take a tumble down stairs.  The area around swimming pools is wet and can be slippery.  Kids and adults can fall and get hurt.  I think it would be an excellent idea for parents to take course in pool safety and CPR.  Sure, there should be a lifeguard on duty, but what if she is busy with someone else?  What if you’re at a pond or the beach where there is no lifeguard?

The Red Cross is an organization that offers widely recognized CPR programs. Get together with a few friends and find a CPR class. It’s a life-saving skill, and you never know when you may need to use it on your own or someone else’s child.  It’s a great skill for parents to have to keep children safe, especially in the summer months if your kids are swimmers.

A colleague of mine is taking a course in CPR.   She was telling me that her main reason for doing so is because her elderly mother is going to be moving in with her and she wants to have a better idea of what to do in case of an emergency like passing out, not breathing, choking, etc.

It dawned on me that each of us as parents, future parents, family members and neighbors all would benefit from knowing something about emergency care. I took a first aid safety course a long time ago, I’m talking decades, and I’m sure I could use a little brushing up on techniques.  How up-to-date are you?  The American Red Cross offers courses in CPR and other health and safety services.  You should be able to find a course near you at their web site.  This might make a nice holiday gift for someone, too.