Beginner Baby

As each of my children were old enough to understand, I taught them how and why to call 911.  Typical of my kids, two of them called “to see what would happen,” resulting in a police officer at my door.  Fortunately the officers understood, explaining this happened every few months.

But what if there were a true emergency?  My children would have known what to do – just like a three year old boy from New Jersey who helped to save his grandmother’s life.

Little Jaden’s mother had taught him how to call 911 just a few days before his grandmother agreed to babysit.  While watching Jaden, she suffered a seizure.  But Jaden knew what to do.  He calmly dialed 911 and explained that his grandmother was sick.

Jaden saved his grandmother’s life.  Police say if he had not called, she would not have pulled through.  So take a moment to be sure your children know how to call 911.  They probably won’t need this skill, but if they do, their knowledge may save a life!

How many of your little ones have enjoyed those adorable Baby Einstein videos, with cute little animals and sweetly arranged classical pieces?  Did you purchase them because the company claimed your baby would be smarter after watching their products?  Many parents have done just that, and are now receiving a full refund for their Baby Einstein videos!

It all began in 2006, when the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood filed a complaint to the FTC alleging that Disney’s claim that the videos make your baby smarter fell under false advertising.  The CCFC pointed out that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of two should not watch television, as it may damage a child’s intellectual development.

Baby Einstein’s claims included a promise that babies watching the videos would be smarter, could identify second languages, identify body parts and learn numbers and colors before they were even out of diapers.

Today, Disney is providing refunds to those who purchased Baby Einstein videos between June 5, 2004 and September 4, 2009.  If desired, a parent can opt for a Baby Einstein book or CD instead, or receive a 25% discount on future Baby Einstein products.  The company has also removed claims from their website and media about their videos making babies smarter.

Do you own Baby Einstein videos?  Would you trade them in for a refund, or do your children enjoy them enough that you plan to keep them?

An Illinois couple found themselves awakened by their cat just after midnight in their Wonder Lake area home.  The couple fell asleep on their couch, unaware of the imminent fire.

Once the fire started, their cat jumped on the man and began pestering him until he woke up.  When he realized a fire extinguisher would not put out the fire, he called 911 while the couple left the home with their dog and lifesaving cat.  And yes, the woman is pregnant with twins!

The couple moved into this recently renovated house just a few months ago.  Unfortunately, the blaze caused an estimated $67,000 in damage.  Some of this damage included baby items that had been stored in a back room.

As heartbreaking as the news of this fire is, both mother and babies are doing well.  Thanks to their amazing cat!

Many parents have to wait until a second trimester ultrasound to find out their baby’s gender.  But in the near future, this may not be the case!  A recent study has found that a simple blood test can successfully determine the sex of a baby early in the pregnancy.

This is excellent news for those who simply can’t wait to find out if they are having a boy or a girl.  But more importantly, this blood test can help those who may be passing on particular inherited medical conditions to their unborn babies.  These are conditions in which it is important to know a baby’s gender early on for future planning and treatment.  In cases such as these, previous tests were much more invasive and could potentially cause an unwanted miscarriage.

This study included 201 pregnant mothers who received blood tests as early as seven weeks to determine their baby’s gender.  Of the 189 conclusive test results, 100 percent were accurate.

The cost of this test has not been released, nor do we know when this test will be available to the public.  If this test were available today, would you have it done?