Summertime Safety (FM)

Now that it REALLY feels like summer in the northeast; after having the month of June filled with rain and chilly weather, this show can now apply to keeping your kids safe while running around outside this summer.

I brought on Debra Holtzman, and internationally recognized safety and health expert and author of the book The Safe Baby: A Do-it Yourself Guide to Home Safety and Healty Living to discuss some of the major concerns of summertime safety. She fills us in on areas to be aware of such as the dangers of portable pools, fireworks and sparklers, as well as drowning prevention and lawn pesticides.

Then Jenna McCarthy, author of the books "The Parent Trip" and "Cheers to the New Mom & Dad", and an internationally published writer with her work appearing in more than 50 magazines and dozens of websites, and mother of 2 daughters, adds humor to the bumps and bruises that our children acquire.

While the first part of my show is more get real, down and dirty information about being an aware parent, the second part of my how is hilarious as Jenna and I discuss how to balance caution as a parent without being afraid of every little thing where our kids are concerned. She dishes on when one of her girls stuck a sharp bead up her nose, when one of the girls fell from the top of a play structure, and once when Jenna was convinced her daughter swallowed a penny and rushed her to the hospital. I on the other hand confess about accidentally locking my son in the car as I got out of the drivers seat to go around to the passenger side to take him out of his car seat and the door locked behind me.

The strangest thing about all of this was, after recording this show, maybe because the discussion of these accidents were floating in the air, later that night is when my son fell 10 feet from our upstairs banister onto the steps below and we thought he had a concussion. (read an earlier blog entry about a parent's worst nightmare.

For all parents out there the hardest thing we can do is allow our children to have freedom to run around and be a kid, while watching that they don't harm themselves in the process. I am constantly trying to figure out that balance.

In the meantime, have a great summer out in the "finally" wonderful weather!!