School Bus Safety?

Here is a question I bet has been wieghing heavily on your mind.
WHAT is up with the seatbelt/carseat/lack of seatbelt on schoolbuses? Why don't the same rules apply to them as it does to us? If I drove around with 3 kids climbing on the seats I'd get a ticket.... huh? Are they safe?
These are all questions I was asking myself as I realized that my daughter would be going on a schoolbus for her first fieldtrip. Was I supposed to bring a carseat??? Of course, the thought didn't occur to me until late last night and the fieldtrip is today. I imagine children climbing over the seats, runnung up and down the aisles , as the bus zooms down the highway at 65 mles an hour...I mean isn't thatwhat we kinda did when WE were youngsters?
Anyway...here is the deal.
Apparently there is no safer way to transport a child than in a school bus. Fatal crashes involving school bus occupants are extremely rare events, even though school buses serve daily in every community—a remarkable 8.8 billion student "to-and-from school" trips annually. Every school day, some 450,000 yellow school buses transport more than 24 million children to and from schools and school-related activities. Said another way to give perspective to the huge magnitude of pupil transportation, the equivalent of the populations of Florida, Massachusetts and Oregon ride on a school bus twice every day—almost always without a serious incident.
The Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences estimates that every year more than 800 school-aged children are killed as occupants in other motor vehicles or as pedestrians or bicyclists during “normal school transport hours.” Most of these deaths could be prevented if children rode in school buses. Parents need to know that driving a child to school—or allowing them to ride to school with other teenagers--is not a safety smart decision—hands down, the school bus is the safest way to and from school. Even worse, allowing a child to drive themselves to school, or riding with other teenagers to school, increases the risk of fatality by 10 percent.
Occupant Fatalities
Last year, 5 children were killed as passengers in school buses (one each in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Texas). 45 states did not have a single child killed as a school bus passenger—an incredibly good national safety record. Between 1990 and 2000, an average of just six children each year died as school bus passengers. These tragedies typically involved unavoidable, severe circumstances.
Pedestrian fatalities
Last year, 26 children were killed as pedestrians getting on or off a school bus, or while waiting at the school bus stop. Other motorists illegally passing a stopped school bus remain a problem in every community and the school bus industry urges strict police and judicial enforcement against violators. Over the past 10 years, an average of 29 children were killed in school bus-related pedestrian accidents - struck while getting on or off a school bus
Modern school buses (those manufactured after April 1, 1977) are equipped with more safety equipment than any other vehicle on the road. This is by design because safety regulators and state pupil transportation officials always err on the side of providing an extra margin of safety. The size of the school bus alone gives it an important advantage in all but the most catastrophic circumstances.
Key federal safety requirements include:
Special passenger crash protection: Well-padded, high-back, energy-absorbing seats, as well as special requirements for wheelchair restraint systems. These seating systems provide “automatic protection” for young passengers. Additionally, school bus interiors are designed to reduce the chances of injury caused by sharp edges or body panels that may tear loose in a crash.
Better brakes: Brake systems that enable the school bus to stop in a shorter distance than other large vehicles.
Warning lights: Lights and reflective devices that indicate when the bus is loading and unloading passengers.
Special mirrors: Additional mirrors that allow the driver to see all critical areas directly in front of and along both sides of the school bus.
Swing out stop arms: A stop arm that extends out to the left side of the bus to warn motorists when the bus is loading or unloading passengers.
Emergency exits: Several emergency exits, based on the capacity of the school bus.
Rollover protection: Rollover protection that reduces the likelihood of a roof collapse and allows for operable emergency exits even after the roof is subject to extreme forces.
Fuel system protection: Protected fuel tanks, and fuel pump, fuel delivery system, emissions control lines and connections to protect against fuel spills in severe crashes.

Ok and now the big question...
Q: Why don’t school buses have seat belts?
A: School buses are the safest way to transport your children to and from school. The color and size of school buses make them easily visible and identifiable, their height provides good driver visibility and raises the bus passenger compartment above car impact height; and emergency vehicles are the only other vehicle on the road that can stop traffic like a school bus can.
School buses are carefully designed on a different transportation and protection model than the average passenger car. The children are protected like eggs in an egg carton – compartmentalized, and surrounded with padding and structural integrity to secure the entire container. The seat backs are raised and the shell is reinforced for protection against impact.
There are other differences to consider between your car and your child’s school bus. In your car, you can supervise your child and ensure that your child’s belt remains properly secured. School buses use what is called “passive restraint,” meaning all a child must do to be protected is simply sit down in a seat. School buses also must be designed to be multi-purpose, fitting everything from a six year-old to an 18 year-old senior on the high school football team in full uniform. Sometimes it’s two to a seat, other times three. Because of this, emphasis is placed on protecting the entire valuable cargo.

For twenty-three million students nationwide, the school day begins and ends with a trip on a school bus. The greatest risk is not riding the bus, but approaching or leaving the bus. Before children go back to school or start school for the first time, it is obviously important that parents/adults and children know school bus safety rules.
Every school bus is surrounded by a "danger zone." A danger zone consists of ten feet in front of the bus and on all other sides of the bus that are used for loading and unloading the bus. The precautions one can take are to:
Try to get to the bus stop early to avoid running at the moving bus.
Stand about 6 feet from the curb as the bus approaches.
When crossing in front of the bus wait for the driver to signal
Never walk behind the bus.

So I feel a little better...how about you?

For more info this is a great, easy to understand website: http://www.americanschoolbuscouncil.org


-SBH

Safety in the Kitchen

I am in the process of remodeling my kitchen and felt I needed to look into childproofing it from my curious little one.
A few good tips-
• Keep in mind that child-safety locks are most useful between the ages of 6 and 25 months.
• Make sure you keep all hazardous materials/chemicals in a high cabinet. Products with child resistant caps are a good extra precaution.
• Store knives and other sharp kitchen tools in a locked drawer.
• Use the back burners on the stove when possible and keep the pan handles away from the edge.
• In general it is wise to keep china and glass in a high cabinet. Grandmother’s china is so pretty and so much fun to break…
• Beware of what is near the edge of the counter-i.e. hot items, breakables, choking hazards, things that spill (ugh- HOW many times have you made THAT mistake? Nothing like pancake batter everywhere.)
• Trash should be inaccessible.
• Have one cabinet that is just for them to explore…Fill it with fun, safe stuff like Tupperware, wooden spoons, tins, and anything else that makes annoying noises.
• Children love helping out in the kitchen so always supervise them.

I came across a cool little picture that was published in Parenting magazine in February of 2005. It has a few pointers we may not of thought of...Who fills the soap dispenser before they are ready to use the dishwasher anyway? It gets all cruddy and spills otherwise doesn’t it? Anyway- this is a good reference diagram….Check it out.
http://www.parenting.com/parenting/whitepage/magazine_pullouts/pdfs/0205_Childproofing_Kitchen.pdf

-SBH

Is It a Boy or a Girl? 10 fun myths

Oh you MUST be having a girl – your belly is so high! There are countless myths on determining the sex of your child- none of which have any scientific proof. Nonetheless, it can be a fun game to play- at least until you are about 7.5 months pregnant and everyone in line at the supermarket (and their grandmother) seems to know what you are having.

Here are 10 good ones
1) Belly high and round it’s a girl, belly low and sideways it’s a boy. Or the opposite depending on theperson’s beleif making the remark.
2) Baby’s heartrate is over 140 it’s a girl, under 140- it’s a boy
3) Ring test: take a piece of thread and tie it to your wedding ring- hold it over your belly and watch the motion- circle-it’s a boy, side to side- it’s a girl. I have heard the opposite as well. AND apparently because you need your wedding band to do this test, you have to be married…..
4) If Daddy is gaining weight then you are carrying a boy. If he is losing weight, it is a girl.
5) Drano test- mix urine and Drano and the color will determine what sex it is. Green,blue or black it’s a boy. If it turns red, yellow or brown it’s a girl.
6) There is a SECOND Drano test as well…If your pee and the Drano bubbles- it’s a boy. If it does nothing, it’s a girl. Who knew one could have so much fun with Drano?
7) A baby who is very active, kicks, and moves a great deal in the womb is far more likely to be a girl than a boy. According to one delivery-room nurse, "Boys are lazier, even before they are born."
8) If the unborn kicks on the right side of the mother's womb, he's a boy; if on the left, she's a girl
9) A woman who craves sweets is bearing a boy; a desire for sour foods indicates she's carrying a girl.
10) If the unborn baby's female sibling becomes especially clingy towards her mom throughout her mom's pregnancy, a boy is on the way.

Taking the "lovey" outside?

Recently I was asked about what to do when a child wants to take their special toy/lovey everywhere with them. I feel well versed in this because my now almost 6 year old, Lulu, has her special friend "Woody" who is essentially her favorite thing in the whole world. Lulu's "lovey" is a japanese toy called Totoro and is virtually impossible to find in the green color that she likes. I managed to buy a few extras over the years but that was not an easy task and she knows the difference between these- which she calls Woody Two- and her own mangy Woody. Woody is basically a small round green beanbag with eyes. She has slept with it every night since she was born...She is NOT allowed to bring him outside the house. I set this rule from the beginning because I know she will be devastated if she loses him. So now, when she loses him for the 48th time each day, I know he is in the house somewhere.(It doesn't help that he is the size of a tennis ball and camoflauges into everything. bad Woody...bad bad Woody!
My recommendation to all mamas out there is try to get your kid attached to something replacable! I live in fear that Woody will disappear. He really is my Lulu's best friend. So I do everything I can to make sure he doesnt get lost and that means he stays IN THE HOUSE! When I travel I put him in a ziplock bag in my purse and he re-emerges when we get to our destination. I don't risk putting him in the luggage. OK..I sound crazy...:)
Then there is the "lets put him in a box or a bag and leave him there and then ask mommy to find him". I recommend leaving a few boxes around that your kids can put things in so when you have to find the lovey you know where to look. My daughter once put Woody in a cookie box and he lived in our pantry for a couple weeks before he was found.. HORRIBLE but funny. For two weeks I was searching endlessly- looking and relooking in drawers, under cushions, in cabinets, pots, EVEN digging in the bushes outside just in case she happened to chuck him out the door. I thought I would make myself crazy but I couldn't bear the "where's Woody" question. She was so sad and SO excited when SHE found him!
I spend SO much time looking for him. So I'll say it again...DO NOT take the "friend" out of the house!

Infant stimulation graphics

Researchers have discovered that infants not only prefer to look at high contrast graphics, but that such images can help:

*
increase concentration skills
*
stimulate the creation of synapses (brain cell connections)
*
increase an infant's attention span
*
calm a baby (when she is bored)
*
enhance curiosity

Download images for free here:
http://www.envisagedesign.com/ohbaby/infstim/graphics.html

Top 3 Choices for Foods That Stay Down During Pregnancy

Forget those damn crackers. I couldn’t stand the sight of them. The doctors are always telling us to eat crackers. They did little for me. As I have said in a previous blog, I have suffered from severe morning sickness (Hyperemisis)- so I feel like I have a little knowledge about these things. I know it is different for everyone but I will offer my advice anyway.
Choice #1
Smoothies. Any flavor just as long as it is cold and icy.. Packed with vitamins it is a great way to get some nutrition. My favorite was/is the Malibu Peach from Robek’s. I have soy protein added for that extra added nutrition. Other “boosts” are not recommended for pregnant women.
Something about things being REALLY cold seems to help. I have recommended this to many friends who have enjoyed keeping them down.
Choice #2
French Toast- It’s bready, its got eggy protein and yummy. I actually preferred it with very little syrup so that it was dry but I know that most people like their bread swimming.
It is particularly good with Brioche bread.
Ingredients for about 4 pieces. (If you have never made it before)- 2 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, dash of allspice.


Choice #3
Granny Apples- An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Well not really in this case but… Apples have less sugar content then most fruit and it good for you. Each apple is about 80 calories and has about 16 grams of sugar has about 3 grams of fiber, 8 grams of vitamin C and 7 grams of vitamin K. It is also high in antioxidants.
I like Granny Apples because they are crisp and tart. Sour always tastes good to me when I am feeling queasy and green. In my opinion there is nothing worse then a mealy apple- but hey, that’s me.
A favorite snack or breakfast is a sliced granny apple with Almond Butter (Creamy Whole Foods Brand) on a rice cake. Dry rice cake- good, almond butter- protein, with apple- super yummy.

And here is an extra-but without a picture because, well, a picture of Matzo Ball soup looks icky
Choice #4
Matzo Ball Soup- On those days where you have just vomited so much that you think you are gonna die, it is best to keep to the liquids and minimal other stuff. So pick one that has lots of nutritional value. Matzo Ball is great because it has the chicken stock, some soft veggies and that mushy matzo ball that feels a little comforting to eat. I only managed to eat a little at a time but I felt better knowing that the baby was getting something healthy. It also isn’t so bad when it comes back up. Gross but definitely a consideration.

The US' Approach to Maternity Leave

The United States stands apart from other nations when it comes to Maternity leave and this is NOT a good thing. With little public debate, the United States has chosen a radically different approach to maternity leave than the rest of the developed world. The United States and Australia are the only industrialized countries that don't provide paid leave for new mothers nationally, though there are exceptions in some U.S. states.
Australian mothers have it better, however, with one year of job-protected leave. The U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act provides for 12 weeks of job-protected leave, but it only covers those who work for larger companies.
To put it another way, out of 168 nations in a Harvard University study last year, 163 had some form of paid maternity leave, leaving the United States in the company of Lesotho, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland.

How did it end up this way?

According to Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, a professor of child development and education at Columbia University, some countries, like France, expanded maternity leave after World War II to fight falling fertility and encourage childbearing. That argument has been missing in the United States, where immigration has ensured population growth.

Jane Waldfogel, also a professor at Columbia, says another part of the puzzle is that the European and American feminist movements had differing goals.
In Europe, feminists emphasized special treatment for mothers, including maternity leave and child care.
"The American feminist movement didn't want to hear anything about mothers," Waldfogel says. "They wanted equal rights for women and didn't emphasize special treatment."
The U.S. feminist movement has moved away from this viewpoint, but that hasn't led to a change in maternity rules. One reason is that U.S. women are used to having about three months off and consider it the norm, Waldfogel says.

There have been several attempts at introducing paid maternity leave in the United States. The Clinton administration wanted to allow states to use unemployment funds for maternity leaves, but that was shot down by the Bush administration after opposition from business groups concerned with increased contribution to state unemployment funds.
A bill introduced in the House by Reps. Pete Stark and George Miller, both D-Calif., would establish a fund that would replace 55% of pay for workers on FMLA leave. Contributions to the fund would come from employers.
U.S. employers already pay $21 billion a year in direct costs related to the FMLA, Eastman says, in addition to indirect costs like additional overtime for those who fill in for workers on leave.

Not only is the US short on Maternity leave but also benefits for mothers- such as in the UK there exists a tax-free benefit to help parents with the cost of caring for their children. It is payable for each child from birth until at least age 16. They are given approx. $30 a week for each child.

Maternity leave at a glance:

Americans - 6-8 weeks paid leave
Canada- 54 weeks paid leave
In Sweden- 96 weeks
Norway- 52 weeks
Denmark- 50 weeks paid leave
France (for first and second child), the Netherlands and Spain are entitled to 16 weeks leave.
Germany- 14 weeks paid leave.

In Eastern Europe, women in the Czech Republic get 28 weeks’ leave, while those in Hungary are entitled to 24 weeks. In Poland, women are allowed 16 weeks’ leave (for first child).

This doesn’t even included facts about PATERNITY leave…For example in Sweden-, Daddy gets 16 months at 80% pay.

Food for thought?

-SBH

Only in America

Only in America......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.

Only in America......do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.

Only in America......do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.

Only in America......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

Only in America......do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.

Only in America......do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well: 'Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'.

Only in America......do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.

EVER WONDER ....

.. ..Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?

.....Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?

Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?

Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?

Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?

Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?

Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?

Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?

You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!

Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?

If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

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Now that you've smiled at least once, it's your turn to spread this blog!
- LT

Homemade Ice Cream....YUM!

Can you tell I'm on a homemade kick at the moment?
Your kids will enjoy making, and eating, this ice cream made in a ziplock bag.

INGREDIENTS:
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
• 6 tablespoons salt

PREPARATION:
Put milk, vanilla and sugar into a pint or quart-sized freezer bag. Seal well.
Fill a large, gallon-sized freezer bag with ice. Add the salt. (We used rock salt.)
Put the smaller bag into the larger bag and seal.
Shake and mix until the ice cream thickens, about 10 minutes. You can also let the kids gently throw the bag back and forth to help mix the ice cream. The bag gets very cold, so you might want to use towels to hold it. Makes 1 serving.

From Barbara Whiting, a stay-at-home parent with three sons. She runs a

website

that has some great ideas called Homeparents.

Courtesy USA Today.

- LT