Safety VS Sanity

IT’S A RARE PARENT who isn’t making serious decisions, daily, regarding what is safe for their child. We worry about products, about companies, about countries of origin. We would like to remind and assure you that in fifteen years RK has had only two recalls involving toxicity – both Thomas Train red paint (efficiently fixed by the company). All of our plastic tethers are BPA & phalate-free, our dishware the same, anything your child might put in his our her mouth. Any yes, we sell products from Asia. China is only part of the problem. The larger problem is companies that care more about their bottom line than your baby’s bottom. In our infant room many of our products are from European companies.

Look for the European Union Standards symbol – tested to much stricter European Union Standards – rather than the country of origin. Much like the EU tested car seats, these products have historically offered a safer product for your child. Once again keep in mind that there are always alternatives. Ask us about organic mattresses and bedding, organic slings and clothing, BPA & phalate-free bottles and teethers.

Together we really can make a difference.

Just When You Thought...

That you had a handle on the latest car seat standards of safety, they change on you again.

Don’t stress, keep it simple when possible (see below); and ask us for solutions and advice when it seems confusing. Here’s the simple stuff:
• A 5-point harness when possible is always safer than a 3-point harness. Having said that, a 3-point in the right situation, used properly, can be very safe and appropriate. We can help you with the timing for this.
• Keep a child in a properly installed, federally tested car seat until they are 8 years-old and 57 inches. We can help you understand which seats allow you to do this.
• The new standard for rear-facing a child is 2 years-old. These children will be more than five times safer than kids turned around earlier. We can help you see how this is possible, and, unfortunately,when it is not. Standards are great but kids growth doesn’t always cooperate.
• See AAP News (American Academy of Pediatrics).

The middle seat for any car seat and child is always the safest, but of course, that’s no comfort to all of the parents we see today with multiples. We can help you to figure out how multiple seats can fit, and more importantly, help you understand that, with the right car seat, your child can be safe wherever they sit.

Finally, never hesitate to ask any question, no matter how silly it may seem to you. We are the first generation of parents being asked to adhere to such strict standards. We’re all having similar problems with these standards, and we can help you to understand how to meet these challenges.