Remember your Pool Safety

Summertime is here and the kids flock to the pool because it is something to have fun. As much fun as the pool is, it is also something that can be deadly for the kids. It is important to know that the pool season is here that the adults freshen up on the thing to ensure the safety for the kids.

We have a pool and my now 5 year old always stayed clear of it when she was little. We never left her alone out there and she had a natural fear to it which took a few years to overcome. My 17 month old is a complete different story- there is no fear and recently as I was standing right there, slipped into the pool. He was face down for a moment, as I jumped in to get him out. In a second, our lives could have changed forever. I was pretty shaken up about it.

The thing is we are a family that are doing the right things to ensure safety of our kids with the pool. We have the kids in swimming lessons and made a investment in a pool fence that surrounds the pool. Our fence which is a wonderful thing, can be removed, which at the time of the incident was down so that the kids could enjoy the pool. I was watching my son like a hawk, and I turned my head for a second, when I heard a splash and looked down to see him in the water. He was only in there for a moment and he did hold his breath but still it was terrifying to go through that. I can't even imagine what it feels like for a parent when the unthinkable happens.

My cautionary tale is one to remind people that even when you do all the right things, that things still happen. I never leave my children unattended in or around the pool even with the fence up. Both kids are told constantly about how dangerous the pool and water is. As parents we need to make sure we are always watching our kids when in the pool and remember that even if our kids are good swimmers that something could go wrong in a heartbeat.

So remind your kids about pool safety, and freshen up on pool safety as well. Make sure that you are doing all the things you need to do to ensure that your kids are safe if you have a pool. Kids can drown in just enough water to cover their faces.

I am doing all the right things and my kid still fell into the pool as I was standing right there. It only made me feel that I need to continue with what we are doing and never turn my head for a moment until my son is a strong swimmer.

Haircut Trick

I so have to share the haircut trick used on Lumpy today. When I took him for his official first haircut back in February, he screamed like a banshee. I had the haircut done in one of those places in the big box store and people were stopping and staring because he was carrying on so. Some laughed and said it must be his first haircut. It was an overall painful experience so I was not looking forward to repeating it.

So fast forward to now and his hair has gotten long. I knew it needed to be cut when the woman at the sub shop asked it the baby was a boy or girl. I told her a boy and sort of laughed it off with a witty comment about his long eye lashes. Though I knew that it was time for a cut. Grandpa also commented on the need for the haircut to so, I found one of those places, far from my house to try because I figured if I had a reenactment of last time, I wouldn't run the risk of having to go there or see them again.

The stylist took his info and asked me how I wanted it cut and suggested we shave it. I thought that was a great idea but inside was terrified at how it was going to go. We put lumpy in the seat alone and the brilliant stylist asked if he could have a lollipop- it was the perfect thing to distract him for the ten minutes of the haircut.

She was able to shave his head and use the scissors without one peep. The only time someone got upset was when the sucker was done. I will always use this method now with him until he gets big enough to understand more that he needs to sit. This small amount of sugar helped both him and me through what I thought was going to be a nightmare.

I usually don't like to bribe my kids in to doing things but once in awhile especially in situations that cause anxiety with them, I am willing. So now I have a kid who looks like a boy actually he looks like a boy who really looks like his Daddy now.

Why the Blog!

So awhile ago I was at story time and I was almost plowed over by one of the other mothers who decided she just needed to park next to me even though there were plenty of other spaces around. What annoyed me was that she say me taking my one year out of the car as she pulled into the spot. I had to stop and practically climb into the car so she was able to get the spot.
You see this isn't the first time that I have had an issue with this woman and her kid. The kid is pushy and has shoved my kid and other kids many times. I understand why the kid is that way because Mom is the same way.

I have for a long time thought about how we in this country has an epidemic of poorly behaved kids because we have poorly behaved parents. For my husband and I parenting is about common sense. We work hard each and every day on having our kids be good kids. I have been told countless times how nice my kids are and how well behaved they are. For the most parts my kids are well behaved. Both my parents and my in-laws have told us we are hard on them but it has paid off because the kids are great. I will admit that it isn't all wonderful and we do have trying times- what parent hasn't.
I wanted to have a blog in order to jot down some of the things as a mom that I am thinking about. I know in this crazy world that we all deal with the stresses of parenting. I know that as a Mom, I work hard every day to ensure that my kids are in a good place.
So I figured I needed a place to put those thoughts down and see here it goes. So that is why I wanted to blog, to give tips, get things off my chest, and help each other.