Do I Really Need Organic Produce? We'd all love to feed our little angels an all-organic diet... but who can afford it when organic produce can cost almost 50 percent more? I mean, avocados are currently my daughter's favorite food, and one organic avocado can cost more than a gallon … [Read more...]
Adventures in Baby Travel: Useful Products for Jet-Setting Families
For those who procreate and yet still insist on feeding their wanderlust, many baby travel products promise to make adventure a breeze. Below is a rundown of a few I've found helpful in our travels around Asia. For another perspective, also see NewsMom Julie Watts' 10 Must-Haves … [Read more...]
Politics Stall Child Credit Freeze Law?
After years of reporting on child ID theft and struggling to freeze my own child’s credit, it was rewarding to learn that California Assemblyman Mike Gatto introduced state legislation based on what I’d found.This week, the bill passed its first test, sailing through the California … [Read more...]
Baby Gear: If I Could Go Back, Instead I’d Buy…
When I was newly pregnant for the first time, I went into baby gear research hyperdrive. Overwhelmed by the vast options—how do I choose something for someone I've never met??—I dropped by a baby megastore to aid in my research. I hoped seeing things in person would help me visualize … [Read more...]
Alba’s Honest, Ergo Baby’s Orbit: Why Green Companies Are Found with Concerning Chemicals!
Here we go again. Independent testing found a chemical in a “green” children’s product that the company itself called “toxic”.The Wall Street Journal reports that it found SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) in the Honest Company’s laundry detergent.Similarly, our recent investigation … [Read more...]
A Car Seat Conversion: Why I’m Changing My Taxi-With-Kids Habits
I have a confession to make: I've let my kids ride in taxis without car seats. It seemed mostly justified at the time, but a recent bump on my chin forced me to reconsider.The United States is the bastion for children’s automotive safety—laws in some states specify how long kids … [Read more...]
Want to Test Your Home for Lead, Concerning Chemicals and Flame Retardants? Here’s How.
A new friend recently asked me about testing her child's room for formaldehyde. She noticed that the newly-installed closet in her nursery had a strange order, and she wanted to make sure it was safe. She sent me a link to a formaldehyde test she found on Amazon and asked for my … [Read more...]
NewsMom Blog Prompts Child Credit Freeze Legislation
UPDATE 9/23/16: The governor has signed California's Child Credit Freeze Legislation AB 1580. California parents can now freeze their child's credit!My first-ever NewsMom blog was titled “Why My Toddler Has a Credit Card.” Six (long) months later, I followed that up with "How I … [Read more...]
Wake The Baby! Don’t Use Car Seats as Stroller Seats
All together now… “That’s unrealistic!”If this was a TV news story, I’d be starting off with a montage of moms rolling their eyes and replying “that’s unrealistic” when I tell them that “the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Green Science … [Read more...]
Why My Toddler Has a Credit Card
SEE FEB 2016 UPDATE: How to Protect Kids From ID Theft… One Year Later Over the years, I've covered far too many news stories about identity theft. I’ve interviewed adult identity theft victims, child identity theft victims, security experts and even convicted ID … [Read more...]