Licensing for Parents
July 6th 2008 15:06
I’ve been thinking on that old saying “You need a license to have a dog, but any idiot can have a child.”
Recalls have been coming from every corner of the globe lately and many are legitimate beefs. My son still asks me for Aquadots, but we had one last blowout with them Studio-54 style. Among the recalls that annoyed me within the last year were the Bumbo seat and a toy shelf. For those that are unfamiliar with the stories behind them, the Bumbo seat was recalled with the instructions that it was not to be placed on the countertop or a seat as a child could fall on the floor. A Jetmax storage system was recalled after it fell on a child and suffocated him.
While I truly do feel sorry for these children, I have a hard time feeling sorry for the parents. I have to wonder where we draw the line between items that are unsafe and parents who are just being stupid and irresponsible.
I mean, how many people honestly believe that putting a baby on the counter in any sort of device is the right choice? Perhaps I’ve set the infant car seat on a table when the kids were newborns and couldn’t move much yet. By the time they are old enough for a Bumbo seat, babies pretty much need to be holding their head straight, which means there will be some movement or bouncing around. At that point, who wouldn’t expect there to be a problem with placing them on the counter?
The shelf recall is very sad. I never like to hear about a baby dying - it makes me remember my own children’s mortality which is something no parent wants to think about. I’ve been doing some reading, since I’m not a doctor. I was curious to see how long it takes for a child to die from asphyxiation. From the slight understanding I’ve gotten from my reading, asphyxiation isn’t actual death, it is the process of oxygen being cut off to the brain. Suffocation is the actual death part. I’ve read that babies generally have a 5-10 minute window to be able to recover from asphyxiation without death actually happening. Feel free to correct me if you are a medical professional and I am wrong here.
So there are a few problems I have with this story. First of all, any time you suspect a shelf of being unsafe or it seems wobbly, bolt it into the wall. None of the shelves in my library came with instructions to bolt them into the wall, but common sense said “Hmm. These feel wobbly. I have 2 kids who will be looking at the books on them. They could probably pull them over if they tried hard enough.” I called my husband and he got huge industrial wall screws and they are secured in the wall. Second, who leaves an 8-month-old baby alone in ANY room for an extended period of time? On occasion, when I went to the bathroom I would put my son in his room next door for a minute with both doors open so I could hear what he was doing. Out of sight for a few seconds, but certainly not out of earshot. Just how far away was this parent that they not only were not watching their baby, but also not hearing a shelf collapse. Third, just how long were they gone? I understand that the shelves fell on the baby’s neck and caused asphyxiation, but this was not an instant thing. How long did the poor baby lie there before someone actually went to their aid?
It makes me wonder why it is so easy to just have a baby and take it home. My parents had been trying to adopt a puppy from a rescue organization. There were a couple that they were interested in and filled out applications for each organization. These applications had questions like ”what kind of home do you live in?,” “do you have a fenced yard?,” “how many pets have you had in the past and what happened to them?,” “Provide three references,” “Provide your vet’s name and phone number,” “Why do you feel you deserve this pet?”…… Yet, anyone can get pregnant and have a baby and take it home no questions asked. Is the world seriously more concerned about how puppies are taken care of than babies?
I propose licensing for parents. Some questions I would include on the test? Just the first few…
1. True or False- It is ok to place a baby on the counter and walk away. This includes placing them in any device.
2. True or False- Babies are buoyant, meaning that they will float in water.
3. At what age is it appropriate to leave a child home alone?
a. 6 months
b. 12 months
c. 3 years
d. 7 years
e. 12 years
4. Which of the following is an appropriate toy for a 6-month old?
a. marbles
b. cigarette lighter
c. plastic bag
d. beach ball
e. pennies
5. Which of the following is an acceptable way to bathe a newborn baby?
a. put them in the shower alone
b. place them in a bathtub full of water alone
c. washcloth with water and mild soap
d. place them in a bucket alone
e. dishwasher
Perhaps if people fail the test, they could have a mentor- a seasoned parent- take them under their wing for a few weeks to show them the ropes. I don’t think that people need to be geniuses to have kids. I do think people should have some level of logic or common sense. I also believe people need to take responsibility for their actions and not blame everyone else for their own bad judgement.
Recalls have been coming from every corner of the globe lately and many are legitimate beefs. My son still asks me for Aquadots, but we had one last blowout with them Studio-54 style. Among the recalls that annoyed me within the last year were the Bumbo seat and a toy shelf. For those that are unfamiliar with the stories behind them, the Bumbo seat was recalled with the instructions that it was not to be placed on the countertop or a seat as a child could fall on the floor. A Jetmax storage system was recalled after it fell on a child and suffocated him.
While I truly do feel sorry for these children, I have a hard time feeling sorry for the parents. I have to wonder where we draw the line between items that are unsafe and parents who are just being stupid and irresponsible.
I mean, how many people honestly believe that putting a baby on the counter in any sort of device is the right choice? Perhaps I’ve set the infant car seat on a table when the kids were newborns and couldn’t move much yet. By the time they are old enough for a Bumbo seat, babies pretty much need to be holding their head straight, which means there will be some movement or bouncing around. At that point, who wouldn’t expect there to be a problem with placing them on the counter?
The shelf recall is very sad. I never like to hear about a baby dying - it makes me remember my own children’s mortality which is something no parent wants to think about. I’ve been doing some reading, since I’m not a doctor. I was curious to see how long it takes for a child to die from asphyxiation. From the slight understanding I’ve gotten from my reading, asphyxiation isn’t actual death, it is the process of oxygen being cut off to the brain. Suffocation is the actual death part. I’ve read that babies generally have a 5-10 minute window to be able to recover from asphyxiation without death actually happening. Feel free to correct me if you are a medical professional and I am wrong here.
So there are a few problems I have with this story. First of all, any time you suspect a shelf of being unsafe or it seems wobbly, bolt it into the wall. None of the shelves in my library came with instructions to bolt them into the wall, but common sense said “Hmm. These feel wobbly. I have 2 kids who will be looking at the books on them. They could probably pull them over if they tried hard enough.” I called my husband and he got huge industrial wall screws and they are secured in the wall. Second, who leaves an 8-month-old baby alone in ANY room for an extended period of time? On occasion, when I went to the bathroom I would put my son in his room next door for a minute with both doors open so I could hear what he was doing. Out of sight for a few seconds, but certainly not out of earshot. Just how far away was this parent that they not only were not watching their baby, but also not hearing a shelf collapse. Third, just how long were they gone? I understand that the shelves fell on the baby’s neck and caused asphyxiation, but this was not an instant thing. How long did the poor baby lie there before someone actually went to their aid?
It makes me wonder why it is so easy to just have a baby and take it home. My parents had been trying to adopt a puppy from a rescue organization. There were a couple that they were interested in and filled out applications for each organization. These applications had questions like ”what kind of home do you live in?,” “do you have a fenced yard?,” “how many pets have you had in the past and what happened to them?,” “Provide three references,” “Provide your vet’s name and phone number,” “Why do you feel you deserve this pet?”…… Yet, anyone can get pregnant and have a baby and take it home no questions asked. Is the world seriously more concerned about how puppies are taken care of than babies?
I propose licensing for parents. Some questions I would include on the test? Just the first few…
1. True or False- It is ok to place a baby on the counter and walk away. This includes placing them in any device.
2. True or False- Babies are buoyant, meaning that they will float in water.
3. At what age is it appropriate to leave a child home alone?
a. 6 months
b. 12 months
c. 3 years
d. 7 years
e. 12 years
4. Which of the following is an appropriate toy for a 6-month old?
a. marbles
b. cigarette lighter
c. plastic bag
d. beach ball
e. pennies
5. Which of the following is an acceptable way to bathe a newborn baby?
a. put them in the shower alone
b. place them in a bathtub full of water alone
c. washcloth with water and mild soap
d. place them in a bucket alone
e. dishwasher
Perhaps if people fail the test, they could have a mentor- a seasoned parent- take them under their wing for a few weeks to show them the ropes. I don’t think that people need to be geniuses to have kids. I do think people should have some level of logic or common sense. I also believe people need to take responsibility for their actions and not blame everyone else for their own bad judgement.
| 111 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Priyanka
Mumbai Corner
The licensing would also help in ways to curb population. And it would give parents a chance to ask themselves whether they really want a baby in their lives, to go through all the licensing.
Comment by Anonymous
Besides, isn't marriage all about falling in love, making wild love and rolling through the clover until we get tired of each other and then decide to split up -- no matter how really compatible we might really be (if we take our blinders off) and give it a go for LIFE?
This I do know from experience: No matter how hard a parent tries to make sure his or her child is secure and safe, there's always that one in a thousand chance the child will outfox you, the company that made the contraption and your ability to supervise the safety of your child while it's in it.
My youngest daughter, only six months old (now 19 years old) was securely snug in her "rockeraroo" we'd used without a problem with her two older siblings -- so my wife thought -- and she's a stickler on safety -- only to have wiggled herself out of the bouncy seat which was securely placed on the kitchen table and down she went and knocked herself unconscious while my wife was checking on some cookies she'd put in the oven. It could've been a much worse situation. Our daughter suffered only a concussion and tiny hairline fracture.
She was bouncing, gurgling and laughing on her mom's knee later that evening after being taken to the hospital.
We were all blessed and our "littlest girl" is now a very ambitious young woman with an extremely bright future.
Licensing parents isn't the way to go about it unless -- and only unless -- there's a repetitive pattern. In that case, all the licenses in the world won't do what cops/child welfare agents/juvenile court lawyers and judges will have to correct.
If a child is hurt due to a product; you have the civil courts. But that's "blood money." Still, if enough "blood money's shed" by these major corporations -- especially those relying on basically unregulated Chinese companies -- maybe that's when we'll see a lot more improvement for children's safety.
Comment by Josie
I know kids get hurt all the time- I've had trips to the ER for things that were beyond my control. I worry about people who want to blame others right away. Without a doubt sometimes it is the parent's fault, but MOST of the time when kids get hurt it was noone's fault.
Comment by Sara Dobson
My Turn
Samantha fell off our bed, I knew she could roll, but i was there and I didn't leave her unattended. I didn't take my eyes off her, I just wasn't standing close enough to catch her. But at least I can put up my hand and say that was my fault I should have thought that through a bit better.
Blaming a Bumbo for a childs accident is crazy, its like nobody can take responsibility. It one thing if it is an accident another if it happens over and over.
Clealy this post hit a raw nerve with you anonoymous. So much so you couldn't even put your name to your comments.
Personally I just take Josies post in the "tonge in cheek" manner in which it was meant.
Comment by Anonymous
Your post provided a lot, and I mean a lot, of sobering things parents and grandparents -- or any adult -- should always have on their short list of things to keep in mind.
As for suing companies for negligence resulting in a child's death, that's something I don't recommend it lightly. But what else can parents and consumers do to prevent more acts of factory negligence resulting in these kinds of needless tragedies?
As a certified paralegal and former Federal District Court Deputy Clerk I am fully aware of the wastefulness of excessive litigation and what it does to production costs, etc. On the other hand, once stockholders get wind of a rash of lawsuits being brought against their investments, that's when you see changes occur.
There's GOT to be a happy medium between the greed of some trial lawyers and the stingyness of major stockholders.
But yes, more common sense, better childrearing skills and NO licensing.
Hey, I've gotta pass that word "Bumbo" on to my wife, she'll LOL!
Comment by Priyanka
Mumbai Corner
I was also partly being sarcastic about child bearing licenses but I was thinking from a point of view where people without an income source, who are living in slums in India, Africa and other extremely poor countries. Should it be legal for them to have children when they do not have any semblance of hygenic living space, income of any sort whatsoever.
Comment by all-things-autism