An exerpt from Positive Toddler Parenting curriculum

                  Here are a few tips to define success, integrate your parenting goals into your daily activities, and shift your thought process to be more proactive and less reactive:
                  1. Appreciate your child’s unique personality and talents. Children come into the world with their own personality. While we can guide, support, and influence some aspects of their behavior, who they are at the core is pretty well established in utero! That’s part of what makes them unique and precious, and they should be celebrated.

                  2. Decide what parenting success means to you. Imagine a point in your child’s future (college graduation, wedding, etc.) when you will reflect on the adult your child has become. Set the platform to be proud of the wonderful person they have become, respecting their inherent traits as well as the values they hold and how they treat others and make decisions.
                  3. Set an intention to succeed. Set the image of parenting success clearly in your head and act as if it were a fait accompli. Make a commitment to make your success image come true.
                  4. Make a plan and make it easy. For each of the most important success factors, identify ways you can model to your children that value or behavior while you go about your everyday life. Get your children involved in the process. This is your opportunity to be proactive and reinforce positive actions each day.
                  5. Review at different stages in your child’s life. Find a way to remind yourself of your intention and your action plan. Review it periodically to make sure it is still relevant to you and appropriate to your children’s’ ages and interests. One of the best ways to ensure that you stay on track with any goal is to find an accountability partner – your spouse, a friend, a coach.
                  When you consciously and intentionally model the traits and behaviors you wish for your child, your opportunities to foster those values grow exponentially. You may never get a formal performance appraisal for your job as a parent, but it’s nice to know that you’ve done everything you can to help your child be the best person they can be. Now that’s a job well done!


Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

To Be A Better Parent I Will Strive To Be:

To Be A Better Parent I Will Strive To Be:

BRAVE enough to say no when it would be easier to say yes to my child, especially when I know that my refusal will make me unpopular and him angry.

PATIENT enough to let my child learn from his own mistakes.

LOVING enough to let him suffer the consequences of his actions.

HONEST enough to tell the truth when my child comes to me with a question.

SENSITIVE enough to be there when he needs me.

INTELLIGENT enough to realize that he has much to teach me if I will only be willing to listen.

DETERMINED enough to listen more and talk less, especially when my child is trying to tell me something.

ACCEPTING enough to realize that my child is a separate person with needs, qualities, strengths and weaknesses unlike me and unique to him.

BIG enough to apologize when I jump to conclusions or blame someone else when the fault is mine.

COURAGEOUS enough to take a good look In the mirror and honestly evaluate the self I see.

SELF-DISCIPLINED enough to attempt to master new goals.

STRONG enough to put forth the effort to become the person of my dreams.

TOLERANT enough to accept weaknesses and shortcomings in others without griping or belittling them.

SECURE enough to look for and affirm the good I see in others.

CAPABLE enough to cope with daily obstacles, attempting to solve problems and not just complain about them.

COMPASSIONATE enough to show respect to younger and older people by sacrificing time and energies for them.

KIND enough to be concerned about the needs of others.

WISE enough to remember that if I want my child to grow up to possess these noble traits, it will be necessary for him to see them first in me.

I will remember that hitting and/or screaming only tells the child to be more careful to not be caught the next time.

I will remember that hitting only teaches violence.

I will remember that talking and conveying feelings will help my child to better cope with his problems.

I will remember that re-directing behavior has more of a positive effect than yelling or hitting.

I will remember that my child is a child, and to let him be just that.

I will not withhold love when my child is bad-this just teaches him that he is not loved.

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com







Proud Mama To

About the More at Four Program for disadvantaged children

Overview
   

Overview

Publications/
Presentations

More at Four
Reporting
System

Research Team
   
About the More at Four Pre-kindergarten Program

Girl on a swingThe More at Four Program is North Carolina's statewide pre-kindergarten initiative for at-risk 4-year-olds, designed to help children be more successful when they enter school. The purpose of More at Four is to provide a high quality educational program for at-risk children in the year before kindergarten entry. The More at Four Program began in 2001-2002 and is overseen by the More at Four State Office of the Office of School Readiness in Raleigh, North Carolina.

More at Four provides funding for classroom-based educational programs at sites designated by each local county administration, including public schools, private for-profit and non-profit child care centers, and Head Start programs. The More at Four program guidelines provide standards related to staff qualifications, class size, teacher-child ratios, North Carolina child care licensing levels, curriculum, and provision of other program services. Children are eligible for More at Four based on poverty status and other risk factors with priority for service given to children who are otherwise unserved in a preschool program.

To learn more about the More at Four Program, please contact the More at Four State Office. Parents or caregivers interested in enrolling a child in More at Four should call 1-866-NC-PREK4.


About the More at Four Evaluation Project

The More at Four Evaluation team at the FPG Child Development Institute serves as the external evaluator for the North Carolina More at Four Program. Since More at Four began in 2001-2002, we have gathered information each year to evaluate the program’s effectiveness and to provide data for program improvement.

Major research questions include:

    * Who is being served by the More at Four Program?
    * What are the characteristics and quality of the services provided?
    * What are the outcomes of children attending these programs?
    * What factors are associated with better outcomes for children?
    * How satisfied are families with the program?
    * What factors have enhanced or impeded the implementation of More at Four?

The evaluation provides a "big-picture" look at the statewide program as a whole, and includes varying data each year from a variety of sources. The types of evaluation information gathered include:

    * Assessments of children's development
    * Observations of classroom quality and curriculum implementation
    * Surveys regarding parent satisfaction with More at Four
    * Monthly reports of program characteristics


Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Health Coverage for All Children Campaign

The Children's Defense Fund has launched the Your Truth Aloud! video project so you can tell your elected officials why you believe all children need health coverage now. In this pivotal election year we need to send a clear message to all elected officials that we cannot continue to ignore the nearly nine million uninsured children in the United States.
To find out more, including how to submit your video or how to become a project organizer, visit www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=act_election2008_videoproject#videosubmission.

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Market to Parents—Not Children!

As families struggle to cope with the growing economic crisis, they won't be getting any relief from the toy companies that bombard children with ads during the holiday season. Even though experts predict parents will spend less on toys and gifts this year, marketers are still planning their usual holiday ad blitz to kids.
It's never fair for corporations to bypass parents and market directly to children. But with parents everywhere worried about making ends meet, it's especially cruel to bombard children with ads for expensive toys and electronics. That's why we're launching a campaign to urge major toy companies and retailers to market to parents—not children—this holiday season.
Tell Toy Marketers: Target Parents, Not Kids, With Holiday Ads.
Even in better economic times, holiday gift-buying can be a considerable strain on family budgets, with many parents carrying credit card debt for months or even into the next holiday season. Given the strains of this economic downturn, it's imperative that companies refrain from exacerbating family stress by flooding children with ads for holiday gifts that their parents may not be able to afford.
We understand that manufacturers need to create awareness of their products. But they can do so by advertising directly to parents instead of using the advertising to enlist children as lobbyists for their holiday gifts. Since parents will be making the difficult purchasing decisions this holiday season, they should be the targets of any commercial appeals. A barrage of holiday marketing aimed at children too young to understand the economic crisis will create unrealistic expectations and make parenting in these uncertain times even more difficult.
Today, CCFC sent a letter to the CEOs of 24 toy manufacturers and retailers calling for a moratorium on holiday advertising targeted at children. Now they need to hear from you. Please take a moment to tell marketers to leave kids alone this holiday season by visiting salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/621/t/6914/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26139.
And please, share this message with family and friends.
Please visit the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood's website at:
www.commercialfreechildhood.org

---

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com





Proud Mama To

Guide to Commercial-Free Holidays

If there is ever a time when commercialism seems inescapable, it's during the holidays. Now, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has created a guide to help you find your way through the hectic holiday season. You can download your free copy here: www.commercialfreechildhood.org/holidayguide/home.htm.

Becka has a Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Development, and has 17 years experience in the field. She is a Certified Parent Educator and Licensed Baby, Toddler, and Preschool Sign Language Instructor. You can visit her site, at www.learnandgrowtogether.com




Proud Mama To

Help Make Effective Parenting a Presidential Priority

As leaders in the nation's efforts to promote, celebrate and advocate for effective parenting and parenting education, the National Effective Parenting Initiative (NEPI) extends its warmest and most heartfelt congratulation to Preseident-Elect Barack Obama's stunning victory!

  His accomplishment is a landmark in the history of our country.  It actualizes for all of us Dr. King's dream that the content of one's character exceeds in importance the color of one's skin.  It helps to remedy a wrong that our nation has struggled with since our beginning.

  It  is also a landmark in the history of effective parenting.  In speaking about fulfilling America's promise, he has eloquently exemplified and linked our future as a people to the competencies and commitment of parents in guiding the development of our children.  His speeches have urged and inspired parents to vigorously carry out their role as the leaders of families and have added to the dignity and status of that pivotal role.

  His emphasis on the importance of effective and responsible parenting in the lives of children, and in the future of our nation, has been particularly timely and welcomed.

  There are signs all around that many parents are not being as effective as possible, which is costing our nation an enormous price.

  Our rates of parental abuse and neglect of children are still shockingly high, with three million reported cases a year.  Such children and their families require an array of expensive services to prevent further abuse and to treat children for the physical, mental and learning problems that are the usual accompaniment of child maltreatment.

 In many of our cities the public school dropout rate has reached epidemic proportions, and ineffective parenting is one of the prime contributors. Dropouts drain our welfare resources and rarely reach their full human and workforce potential.

 Childhood obesity is a major health problem, and uninformed and ineffective parenting is here again implicated.  The drug and gang problems that plague our communities can also be seen as resulting from parents not being as responsible and effective in carrying out their guidance and supervision responsibilities.

 All of these problems cost our nation billions of dollars, and thus should be addressed for economic as well as humanitarian purposes.  For example, the direct costs of child maltreatment (judicial, law enforcement and health system responses) are estimated at 24 billion each year.  The indirect costs (long term economic costs of child maltreatment such as lost wages and taxes paid) exceed an estimated $69 billion annually.

 So linking efforts to assist parents in being more effective with overall economic recovery makes excellent sense and we urge President-Elect Obama to do so.

 His call for parents to be thoroughly involved in supporting our nation's moral obligation to provide every child with a world-class education is also right on the mark.  Urging parents to turn off television and see to it that children complete their homework is advice worthy of following.  Indeed, all of his parenting tips thus far reflect a keen appreciation of what can and is needed to be done.

 Our nationwide coalition of parents, providers of parenting services, and local and national organizations that develop and disseminate effective parenting programs -- we at the National Effective Parenting Initiative stand ready and able to share what we have learned and to help make effective parenting a national priority.

 We have spoken about how the presidency can be a vehicle to not only educate and inspire effective parenting, but to acknowledge parents for taking scarce time and energy to learn how to become more effective and involved. Presidential citations for completing parenting classes, and even tax credits for doing so, are options that we also encourage. 

  In addition, The National Effective Parenting Initiative has detailed blueprints for how the federal government can be positively involved in assisting America's parents to be the best that they can be.  We have shared such blueprints with the Clinton and Bush administrations, including through White House Briefings.  We are ready to do so again, and to work with our new president in seeing to it that all communities provide their parents with the educational opportunities that they need and deserve.

 Indeed, America already possesses the world's most varied and research-proven parenting and family skill-building programs, and other nations look to us to train their people how to train their parents.  American ingenuity and creativity has led us to develop effective parenting programs for parents of children of different ages and for parents of varied cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. President -Elect Obama's recognition of this particularly American program expertise, and his actions to see to it that every parent has the opportunity to receive the education and support that matches their values, life circumstances and heritage would be a massive advancement.

 So we are not only congratulating President-Elect Obama's monumental achievement.  We are also, out of the spirit of service he is asking from all Americans, pledging our knowledge and expertise to work with him and his administration to make the United States the most nurturing nation in which to raise children.

Warmly,

Kerby T. Alvy, Ph.D.

NEPI Founder,

CICC Founder and Director

(818) 980-0903

Proud Mama To

Wyatt's favorite books

As usual, we have been reading all day...so today I decided to list Wyatt's favorite books...

How do Dinosaurs Count to Ten?
How do Dinosaurs Learn Their Colors?
How do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends?
How do  Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?
Baby Einstein Pretty Poems and Wonderful Words
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!
Good Night, Sweet Butterflies
Excuse Me!
Goodnight Moon
Baby Einstein Let's Explore Series:
Nature
Rhymes
Art
Languages
Poetry
Colors
Shapes
Numbers
Animals
ABC's of Art A-M, N-Z
How do Dinosaurs go to School?
The Animals in the Ark
Noodles from Scratch
What Color?
How do Dinosaurs eat their Food?
Baby Einstein My First Book Of:
Numbers
Colors
Letters
Shapes
Oh my, oh my, oh Dinosaurs!
Hey! Wake Up!
Dinos to Go
The Dino Pals ABC/123
Horton Hears a Who!
Sneeches
Yertle the Turtle
Horton Hatches the Egg
Woodrow for President
Woodrow the Whitehouse Mouse
Peek a Moo!
Dinosaur's Binket


There are a few more he brings to be during the day, but those are his FAVORITE!!! Now, go buy them for your kids lol



Proud Mama To

Send a card to President Obama

MomsRising.org actively supported mothers' needs throughout the presidential campaign. Now that the race is over, they are shifting their focus to the future and President-elect Obama.
To continue to make sure your voices are heard in Washington, sign their giant card for Obama that reads: We look forward to working with you to enact more family-friendly policies! They will deliver this huge card with thousands of signatures and display it outside of the White House.
To read the letter in its entirety, please visit MomsRising.org's action page here: salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/signUp.jsp?key=3837



Proud Mama To

Vaccine Safety Awareness

Making the decision to vaccinate or not requires a lot of consideration. To ensure that both you and your physician are fully aware of the risks involved and the additives in the particular vaccine that will be administered, consider requesting that your physician complete this Physician's Warranty of Vaccine Safety before you make the final decision.
To find out more about vaccine safety, please visit www.safeminds.org.
Physician's Warranty of Vaccine Safety
I (Physician's name, degree)_________________________, _____ am a physician licensed to practice medicine in the State of ________________ . My State license number is _______________, and my DEA number is _______________. My medical specialty is ______________________ . I have a thorough understanding of the risks and benefits of all the medications that I prescribe for or administer to my patients. In the case of (Patient's name) ___________________________ , age _________________ , whom I have examined, I find that certain risk factors exist that justify the recommended vaccinations. The following is a list of said risk factors and the vaccinations that will protect against them:
Risk Factor Vaccination:
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

I am aware that vaccines typically contain many of the following fillers:

• Aluminum hydroxide
• Aluminum phosphate
• Ammonium sulfate
• Amphotericin B
• Animal tissues: pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain, dog kidney, monkey kidney, chick embryo, chicken egg, duck egg, calf (bovine) serum
• Betapropiolactone
• Fetal bovine serum
• Formaldehyde
• Formalin
• Gelatin
• Glycerol
• Human diploid cells (originating from human aborted fetal tissue)
• Hydrolized gelatin
• Mercury thimerosol
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Neomycin
• Neomycin sulfate
• Phenol red indicator
• Phenoxyethanol (antifreeze)
• Potassium diphosphate
• Potassium monophosphate
• Polymyxin B
• Polysorbate 20
• Polysorbate 80
• Porcine (pig) pancreatic hydrolysate of casein
• Residual MRC5 proteins
• Sorbitol
• Sucrose
• Tri(n)butylphosphate
• VERO cells, a continuous line of monkey kidney cells, and washed sheep red blood

and, hereby, warrant that these ingredients are safe for injection into the body of my patient. Reports to the contrary, such as reports that mercury thimerosol causes severe neurological and immunological damage, are not credible. I am aware that some vaccines have been found to have been contaminated with Simian virus 40 (SV40) and that SV40 is causally linked by some researchers to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and mesothelioma in humans as well as in experimental animals.

I hereby give my assurance that the vaccines I employ in my practice do not contain SV40 or any other live viruses. (Alternately, I hereby give my assurance that said SV40 or other viruses pose no substantive risk to my patient.)

I hereby warrant that the vaccines I am recommending for the care of (Patient's name) _______________ _______________________ do not contain any cells from aborted human babies (also known as fetuses).
In order to protect my patient's well-being, I have taken the following steps to guarantee that the vaccines I will use will contain no damaging contaminants.
Steps taken:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

I have personally investigated the reports made to the VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) and state that it is my professional opinion that the vaccines I am recommending are safe for administration to a child under five-years-old.

The bases for my opinion are itemized on Exhibit A, attached hereto, "Physician's Bases for Professional Opinion of Vaccine Safety". (Please itemize each recommended vaccine separately along with the bases for arriving at the conclusion that the vaccine is safe for administration to a child under five-years-old.)

The professional journal articles I have relied upon in the issuance of this Physician's Warranty of Vaccine Safety are itemized on Exhibit B, attached hereto, "Scientific Articles in Support of Physician's Warranty of Vaccine Safety". The professional journal articles that I have read which contain opinions adverse to my opinion are itemized on Exhibit C, attached hereto, "Scientific Articles Contrary to Physician's Opinion of Vaccine Safety". The reasons for my determining that the articles in Exhibit C were invalid are delineated in Attachment D, attached hereto, "Physician's Reasons for Determining the Invalidity of Adverse Scientific Opinions".

Hepatitis B:
I understand that 60 percent of patients who are vaccinated for Hepatitis B will lose detectable antibodies to Hepatitis B within 12 years. I understand that in 1996 only 54 cases of Hepatitis B were reported to the CDC in the 0-1 year age group. I understand that in the VAERS, there were 1,080 total reports of adverse reactions from Hepatitis B vaccine in 1996 in the 0-1 year age group, with 47 deaths reported. I understand that 50 percent of patients who contract Hepatitis B develop no symptoms after exposure. I understand that 30 percent will develop only flu-like symptoms and will have lifetime immunity.

I understand that 20 percent will develop the symptoms of the disease, but that 95 percent will fully recover and have lifetime immunity. I understand that 5 percent of the patients who are exposed to Hepatitis B will become chronic carriers of the disease. I understand that 75 percent of the chronic carriers will live with an asymptomatic infection and that only 25 percent of the chronic carriers will develop chronic liver disease or liver cancer, 10-30 years after the acute infection. The following studies have been performed to demonstrate the safety of the Hepatitis B vaccine in children under five-years-old.

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

In addition to the recommended vaccinations as protections against the above cited risk factors, I have recommended other non-vaccine measures to protect the health of my patient and have enumerated said non-vaccine measures on Exhibit D, attached hereto, "Non-vaccine Measures to Protect Against Risk Factors".

I am issuing this Physician's Warranty of Vaccine Safety in my professional capacity as the attending physician to (Patient's name) ________________________________. Regardless of the legal entity under which I normally practice medicine, I am issuing this statement in both my business and individual capacities and hereby waive any statutory, Common Law, Constitutional, UCC, international treaty, and any other legal immunities from liability lawsuits in the instant case. I issue this document of my own free will after consultation with competent legal counsel whose name is _____________________________, an attorney admitted to the Bar in the State of _________________.

__________________________________ (Name of Attending Physician)

__________________________________ L.S. (Signature of Attending Physician)

Signed on this _______ day of ______________ A.D. ________

Witness: _______________________________ Date: _____________________

Notary Public: ___________________________ Date: _____________________


Proud Mama To

Positive Parenting Idea of the Day

You, as a parent, must become actively involved in your children’s use of television.

-- Kerby T. Alvy, The Positive Parent: Raising Healthy, Happy and Successful Children, Birth through Adolescence.

 



Proud Mama To

Positive Parenting Idea of the Day

You need to systematically plan (and take!) time away from your children to care for yourself and your other relationships.

--Michael H. Popkin, Active Parenting Now


Proud Mama To

A little reminder for all of us!

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'
DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man.
SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'

The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straig ht to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities. '

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After a while, the man had calmed down, and started to think:

Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often The man went to the boy's room and knocked.

'Are you asleep, son?' He asked.
'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.

'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.'

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.

The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled.

'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.

'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

I knew where this was going as I was reading it but I still got blubbery at the end. Thought I would pass along so someone else could get blubbery too




Proud Mama To

We really mean it - no toxic toys for our kids!

Dear MomsRising.org member,

You can't take your eyes off them for a second. No, I'm not talking about the kids. This time, it's the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) monkeying around with toxic toys.
Remember in August, we celebrated a major victory in banning the sale of toys containing the toxic chemicals phthalates starting on February 10, 2009? Well, put the champagne back on ice because we just learned that the CPSC is misinterpreting the law and saying that stores can continue to sell down their inventories of these toxic toys as long as they were manufactured before the February deadline.

Tell the CPSC to stop monkeying around with our kids' health and get these banned children's products out of our stores as the law intended. Send a letter to CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord: www.momsrising.org/really_ban_phthalates

Phthalates, plastic-softening chemicals, have been linked to serious health problems including early puberty (a risk factor for breast cancer), birth defects and testicular cancer. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was intended to ban sales of these toxic toys starting on February 10, 2009. Congress clearly intended the law to implement a full ban, so that parents would be confident that no toy on any store shelf contains toxic phthalates, and children would no longer be put at risk. Yet now the law is being interpreted as that it's okay to sell toxic toys as long as they were manufactured before the February deadline. This monkeying around with our kids' health isn't cool. No toxic toys should be sold after that February deadline at all.

Forward this email to friends and family so we can all have our voices heard to stop toxic toys. The more people who weigh in, the faster we'll be able to get the CPSC to reverse its interpretation and agree to a full ban.

Don't forget to tell the CPSC to prioritize the health of our kids over the profits of toy companies. www.momsrising.org/really_ban_phthalates

Thanks for your work on behalf of our children's health.

-- Donna, Julia, Joan, Kristin, Katie, Ashley, Mary, Nanette, Gretchen, Lisa, and the MomsRising Team

P.S. For information about how to avoid phthalates in children's products, see http://www.breastcancerfund.org/site/pp.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=4132341#tips
Please fell free to send this info on to all your friends. And thanks to the Breast Cancer Fund for all their great work to protect our families from toxic products!

P.P.S. Do you have a budding artist in your family? This January, just in time for inauguration, students pre-K through 12th grade are invited to enter a national art contest to promote children's healthcare. Fifty entries will be selected to be featured at exhibits in D.C.'s Union Station and a Congressional office building. For more information see http://iwanttobehealthytoo.org/blog/



Proud Mama To

Recalls

This message consists of the following:

1. Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner Recalled by DuPont Due to Leaking Cap; Poses Risk of Severe Skin Irritation (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09055.html)

2. JCPenney Recalls Arizona(r) Newborn and Infant Pants Due to Choking Hazard (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09056.html)

********************************************************

1. Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner Recalled by DuPont Due to Leaking Cap; Poses Risk of Severe Skin Irritation

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25, 2008
Release #09-055

Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 241-2780
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner Recalled by DuPont Due to Leaking Cap; Poses Risk of Severe Skin Irritation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner Bottles

Units: About 20,000

Manufacturer: DuPont, of Wilmington, Del.

Hazard: Pressure can build up in a full or nearly full bottle of the acidic cleaner when it is stored in elevated temperatures over an extended period of time, which can result in the cleaner leaking from underneath the cap. If the product comes into contact with skin, it can cause severe skin irritation.

Incidents/Injuries: Lowe's has received two reports of leaking bottles at two different Lowe's stores. One consumer reported temporary skin irritation. Another consumer reported skin peeling.

Description: Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner is used to clean ceramic and porcelain tile and grout. It was sold in silver-colored one quart plastic bottles. "DuPont" and "Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner" are printed on the front of the bottle. UPC code 6-69009-71003-9 is printed on the back label.

Sold at: Lowe's stores from March 2008 through October 2008 for about $7.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner bottles if there are signs of leakage. Even if there are no signs of leakage, consumers should use gloves when handling the recalled bottles and contact DuPont to receive a free replacement bottle cap. Consumers should not return the product to Lowe's.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact DuPont toll-free at (888) 241-2780 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.stonecare.dupont.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09055.html

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2. JCPenney Recalls Arizona(r) Newborn and Infant Pants Due to Choking Hazard

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25, 2008
Release #09-056

Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 333-6063
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

JCPenney Recalls Arizona(r) Newborn and Infant Pants Due to Choking Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with J.C. Penney Corporation, Plano, TX, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately.

Name of Product: Arizona(r) Newborn and Infant Denim Pants

Units: About 24,000

Importer: JCPenney Co., of Plano, Texas

Hazard: The metal snap at the waist can detach posing a choking hazard to infants.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall involves Arizona(r) brand newborn and infant girl's and boy's denim pants. They were sold in sizes 0-3 months, 3-6 months and 6-9 months. Only those pants made in Bangladesh are affected; pants made in China are not included in the recall. The country of origin is located on a label sewn into the waistband.

Sold Exclusively at: JCPenney stores nationwide and at www.jcp.com from July 2008 through October 2008 for about $15.

Manufactured in: Bangladesh

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled pants and return them to any JCPenney store for a full refund. Pants purchased through the firm's Web site may be returned to the Catalog Desk at any JCPenney store.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact JCPenney toll-free at (888) 333-6063 anytime or visit JCPenney's Web site at www.jcp.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09056.html



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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.



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