Remove Harmful Chemicals From My Children's Products

Moms are instinctively protective of their children. When a new mom brings home a beautiful baby from the hospital, this protective instinct can go into overdrive. They don't want anyone around the baby, they are afraid to take them out in the cold, they have baby monitors to hear every breath, they buy thermometers to make sure the bath water is not to hot...the list could go on and on. We do all these things because we now hold this beautiful miraculous human being that we love more than anything in the world. We have seen many changes in safety recommendations over the years. My first baby slept on her stomach because it was safer if she got sick. By the time I had my second child, I was placing him on his side with pillows to keep him in place. By the time I had my third child, I put her on her back to sleep, removed any blankets or pillows and swaddled her in a blanket. We are moms and we listen and learn and adapt to create the safest environment for our children. Thanks to the efforts of numerous non-profit groups such as the Environmental Working Group and Healthy Child Healthy World, moms are learning that there are also hidden dangers that they need to be aware of. They are learning that there are chemicals in products that can be harmful to their children. Just look at the awareness of the dangers of Lead, Bisphenol A and Phthalates to name a few. Many parents are starting to ask questions and read ingredient lists. They want to know what is in a product. There has been huge growth in the demand for organic products as more and more parents seek purer more natural choices for their children. One of the best resources to find out if a skin care product is safe for your baby is to check the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Safety Database. They even have a great printable buying guide to take with you shopping with a list of ingredients to avoid. It is easy to pretend that something that we can't see could possibly do harm. However with the rise in asthma, autism, cancer and birth defects in children, I think we owe it to our children to take the time to research and listen to organizations that are dedicated to protecting our children. If you have 15 or 20 minutes, please take that time to listen to this video from the Environmental Working Group.

CPSC Grants One Year Stay

Breaking News Today!

Today the CPSC granted a one year stay of certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products. The CPSC implemented the stay in order to buy time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve some materials from the lead testing and to fine tune the testing guidelines.

There are four areas that the stay does not apply:

1. Lead in paint and other surface areas.
2. Standards for full-size cribs, non full-size cribs and pacifiers.
3. Ban on small parts.
4. Lead content of metal components of children's jewelry.

Click here for the full article.

There is no doubt in my mind that we need to look at the products on our shelves and ask questions about all the unnecessary chemicals that we are exposing ourselves and our children to on a daily basis. Manufacturers that are more concerned about providing cheap plastic toys with little regard to their safety should be the ones that are punished not the manufacturers who care. This new law is a step in the right direction but it was given very little thought as to what the impact would be on smaller businesses and the homemade goods industry. Parents are becoming more and more aware of what to look out for in products. Those companies that are dedicated to providing safer products already test. They are proud to tell you that there product does not contain phthalates, BPA or lead. As a parent and a store owner, I ask you to support those businesses that care.