Shopping cart safety
Monday, March 1st, 2010
Grocery shopping has become somewhat of a recreational activity these days. It’s a place to go. I get to see other adults and read the cover of magazines while checking-out. My daughter enjoys sitting high-up in the shopping cart while shaking a box of pasta and smiling at the other shoppers. I have one of those quilted shopping cart covers, so she’s kept cozy and clean. I’ve always noticed other women resting their infant car seats on the handle and back-rest of the grocery cart, but never thought anything about it. However, I just came across some interesting info and thought it was important to share.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in 2005, more than 24,000 children were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for shopping cart-related injuries. Most of these injuries occurred when a child fell from a shopping cart, the cart tipped over, the child became entrapped in the cart, or the child fell while riding on the outside of the cart.
The AAP suggests that parents who choose to place a child in a shopping cart should never:
• Leave a child alone in a shopping cart.
• Allow a child to stand-up in a shopping cart.
• Place an infant carrier on top of the shopping cart.
• Allow a child to ride in the basket.
• Allow a child to ride on the outside of a cart.
• Allow an older child to climb on the cart or push the cart with another child inside.
I’m at the point now where I ask myself that question almost on a daily basis. I think it’s safe to say that this has become a really bad habit. I’ve run out of ideas and I’m bored with what I make. Pasta. Chicken. Fish. Repeat. I like to shop for fresh veggies and meats, but end up throwing a lot of it away because with only two people we just don’t get to all of it. I hate wasting food. In a perfect world I would have the energy to plan our meals each week — a variety of healthy dishes that taste delicious and are effortless to prepare. I would make batches of things and freeze them. But sadly, I don’t do these things. On nights when my husband works late I usually just pour myself a bowl of cereal and call it a day. Now that I’m introducing solids into my daughter’s diet I need to work on my culinary skills and get organized. I want her to develop healthy eating habits right from the start and I know that I’m the one responsible for establishing that. I wish cooking didn’t feel like such a chore though. Maybe I should take a class. What are you having for dinner?
