Tag Archives: protection

New Five-in-One Vaccine Approved

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new combination vaccine for children. The combination vaccine covers five different diseases — and could reduce the number of shots needed for infants by as much as a third. The combination vaccine is known as Pentacel and is manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur. It is a four-dose vaccine series that protects against five different diseases: Diphtheria Tetanus Whooping cough (also known as pertussis) Polio Influenza type B Pentacel is safe for children two months of age and older. Most childhood vaccines are completed before the age of eighteen months. The U.S. Food … Continue reading →

Staying Open…When We’re Tempted to Do Just the Opposite

The thing about going through the school of hard knocks, is that it can bring us a great deal of experience and wisdom, but it can also make us rigid and wary of taking chances. I have yet to meet a single parent who has “been through the wringer” who doesn’t wrestle a bit with staying open and continuing to try new things, people and take risks. Some us may blame our risk-taking behaviors for leading us to where we are in life and believe that if we exercise more self-control, we will avoid future problems. Somehow, we have to … Continue reading →

A Warning To Homeowners—Guard Your Fences

There was a time when egg tossing, mailbox smashing, and the occasional TP-ing were the only high school hi-jinks homeowners had to worry about. Not so anymore. It turns out teens living in the suburbs of Detroit, New York and Chicago have devised a new way to vandalize area homes, and it’s proving costly for both the vandals and their victims. The new craze is called “fence plowing” or “fence popping,” and it’s a way for bored teens to get their kicks at someone else’s expense. The premise is simple… the teens choose one member of their group to be … Continue reading →

A Trip to the Dog Park: Warm Sensations

Murph in sniff mode… Murphy’s almost six years old now, so his wild puppy days are behind him. But in his prime, the prospect of a trip to the dog park would get him wound up with wild-eyed, tail-thumping excitement before the “ark” in “park” was fully enunciated. Even though the dog park isn’t as alluring to Murph nowadays, every once in a while we’ll still go. There’s always the dogs who come to greet every newcomer, the dogs that are a little more shy, the dogs that are looking for a good chase, and the dogs who happily accommodate … Continue reading →

Do Kangaroos Wear Seat Belts? – Jane Kurtz

The little boy and his mother are off on a long-awaited trip to the zoo. He is so excited, he can’t sit still. “Can we go fast?” asked the boy. “Can’t we blast to the zoo?” “It won’t take long,” said his mom. “Sit still, you bouncy kangaroo.” She buckles him in, prompting him to ask her if they would still wear seatbelts if they were kangaroos. She explains that the kangaroo’s pouch holds the babies tightly so they don’t get jounced around. They arrive at the zoo and the mother rents a tiger-shaped stroller for him to ride in … Continue reading →

Bitss of Caramel Marmalade on Toast – Megan Bayliss

Megan Bayliss is an advocate for children’s safety in her home country of Australia, working as a social worker. Her blogs on child sexual abuse have caught our attention and her devotion to bringing this to the forefront is admirable. In a desire to help her spread her word about the importance of keeping our children safe and teaching them how to deal with would-be predators, I’m reviewing her children’s book “Bitss of Caramel Marmalade on Toast.” Bitssy is a half-dingo who lives in the city with her owner. She has a beautiful backyard full of plants, flowers and trees … Continue reading →

Video-Sharing Sites—Do You Know What Your Kids Are Watching?

Google video, Yahoo video, MySpace, YouTube… video-sharing sites are the hottest things online. And, I will admit, if someone says, “Did you see that 7-foot tall man squeeze himself into a oven?” I run to one of the aforementioned sites to see it for myself. If you have ever visited a video-sharing site you know that people post everything from pet tricks to outtakes from news programs on them. And, while these sites can be the venue of choice for people to share some very hilarious G-rated moments, they are also the sites of choice for some to post nudity, … Continue reading →

Tips To Avoid Getting Scammed

I will never forget a news story I did a few years back with a retiree who fell for a telephone scam and subsequently lost a large chuck of his savings. We’re talking thousands and thousands of dollars. My heart broke for him. He thought he was “investing” in a company that would help him double what he had shelled out. Alas, he became another statistic, another victim of some selfish “business owner.” The kind of greedy low-life that targets the elderly and preys on the financially vulnerable… the kind of individual that we should all be aware of. A … Continue reading →

Protect Yourself and Others in Hot Weather

If you don’t have air conditioning, or know someone that doesn’t, please follow the guidelines below to protect against heat when temperatures rise. The heat can be very dangerous. 1. Anyone that does not have air conditioning should get out of the house and into a cooled area for at least a couple of hours each day. Ask a friend to take you to the mall or go to a courthouse or another public building. If you don’t have anyone to call or anywhere nearby to go, call a local church. Many have hospitality areas that they will open to … Continue reading →

Facts about home invasion And Protecting Your Home and Family.

. It’s seems like the news reports are full of more and more stories of home invasions. There has always been a risk of burglary and most homeowner insurance policies cover the losses of a burglary. Burglars usually hit during the day when everyone is busy and the house is empty. Burglars tend to choose a different house when they see an alarm system, strong locks and doors, and barred windows. Insurance companies will often offer a discount when homeowners have these things in place. A burglar will usually run away if the homeowner should come home or be inside … Continue reading →