This may be a little off topic, but it can certainly relate to the kitchen.
For those who have young children in their lives-
Last week I discovered a "baby" item in my home that shocked and upset me. What was it and why did I have this reaction? My babes still use pacifiers (paci's) at naps and bedtime. While the paci's are washed daily, somehow we failed to notice how worn they were. Not only were they worn, but some were on the verge of breaking apart. This was a choking hazard waiting to happen! I immediately took inventory of all the paci's and it turns out more than half were in this condition.
I decided to seek out other common items my babes use, such as drinking cups and utensils. Oh no - not again! Upon closer observation, the straws, forks, and spoons had bite marks and scratches. Oh boy....parent fail.
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Sooooo, rather than beat myself up, I decided to purge. I recycled the used items and realized that this may have been a blessing in disguise.
I was curious to know the average life expectancy of these items, so I hit up Google. Here's what I found...
From the Livestrong.com website regarding when to replace pacifiers:
New (and upgraded to the next stage) utensils and cups, check. New paci's, check. Lesson learned, check.
UPDATE: Since writing this post, my babes are no longer using pacifiers! After discovering the chewed items, it kick-started mine and Tim's goal to rid the house of paci's. We did it cold turkey and my babes are doing great!
For those who have young children in their lives-
Last week I discovered a "baby" item in my home that shocked and upset me. What was it and why did I have this reaction? My babes still use pacifiers (paci's) at naps and bedtime. While the paci's are washed daily, somehow we failed to notice how worn they were. Not only were they worn, but some were on the verge of breaking apart. This was a choking hazard waiting to happen! I immediately took inventory of all the paci's and it turns out more than half were in this condition.
I decided to seek out other common items my babes use, such as drinking cups and utensils. Oh no - not again! Upon closer observation, the straws, forks, and spoons had bite marks and scratches. Oh boy....parent fail.
Sooooo, rather than beat myself up, I decided to purge. I recycled the used items and realized that this may have been a blessing in disguise.
I was curious to know the average life expectancy of these items, so I hit up Google. Here's what I found...
From the Livestrong.com website regarding when to replace pacifiers:
How often you need to replace pacifiers depends on how often your baby uses them. If you only give your baby a pacifier at night to help prevent sudden infant death syndrome, the pacifiers should last longer than if you give your baby a pacifier in the daytime. Additionally, how much your baby actually sucks on the pacifier as opposed to just holding it in his mouth makes a difference in how long the pacifier lasts.
The same site also mentioned Age Appropriate pacifiers. This was news to me. Did you know?
Pacifiers come in two main sizes, based on your baby’s age. After your baby turns 6 months old, replace all of your babies pacifiers with ones sized for babies 6 months and older. Look for one-piece pacifiers with soft nipples that are dishwasher safe. The pacifier shield must be 1 1/4 inches or larger and have holes for ventilation. Before the 6-month birthday, use the pacifiers sized for babies younger than 6 months old. If you use a pacifier that is too small for your baby, he may choke on it.
Discard and replace at first sign of damage. Always check temperature before drinking. Do not let child walk or run while carrying the cup. Straw is not intended to be used as a teether. Do not allow child to bite or chew on straw. Do not leave child unattended during use. Discard all packaging components before giving to the child.
UPDATE: Since writing this post, my babes are no longer using pacifiers! After discovering the chewed items, it kick-started mine and Tim's goal to rid the house of paci's. We did it cold turkey and my babes are doing great!
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