With Thanksgiving coming up Thursday, all kinds of Thanksgiving memories are flooding my mind. After my dad passed away, I’d go to Wenatchee, Washington, to prepare the Thanksgiving dinner for my mom and me. I remember leaving after work for the three-and-a-half hour drive. Getting there late, I’d be making... Read more →

Along with getting my yard ready for winter, I prepared for and enjoyed Halloween. Next on the fall agenda is Election Day. I’ve voted, Washington state has mail-in ballots, and I’m looking forward to getting the election results at last on Tuesday. I’ll be joining my friends for an election... Read more →

For most summers, my daughter Lisa, who lives in Madrid, visits me with her kids, Rafa and Cecilia. Although the visits are shorter now that the kids are older and want to spend more time with their friends, we had a great time. Fun times included a barbecue, swimming, walking in an arboretum and parks, dining out, and a July Fourth celebration. Read more →

Parents need to continue to use extreme caution when their kids are swimming or are near water this summer. Fatal drownings for children increased 12 percent in 2021, compared to 2020, a new report, which focuses on deaths and injuries for children under age 15 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, shows. Read more →

World Against Toys Causing Harm announced its 51st annual nominees for the “10 Worst Toys” of the year. Although intended for fun and entertainment, many toys contain hidden hazards unnecessarily putting children at risk of harm. Making safe toys needs to be the top priority in the design, manufacture, and marketing of children’s playthings. Read more →

After years of delays and despite intense lobbying by manufacturers, a federal safety agency finally adopted a window covering rule that eliminated the dangers from cords on custom window coverings in November 2022. However, almost immediately after the CPSC finalized the rule, manufacturers filed a lawsuit challenging the agency’s rule. Read more →

By Michele Barry, president, Safe Infant Sleep, Guest author. It’s Baby Safety Month, a good time to review the new recommendations for infant sleep. Safe Infant Sleep was founded in June 2020 after members in a Facebook support group realized how little support and evidence-based information caregivers were receiving about safe sleep. Read more →

On Memorial Day, I rushed over to REI to see what I could find at its “biggest sale of the year.” REI’s clothing, shoes, and other items are so expensive I only buy things when they’re on sale. I found a pair of sandals that I like, Keens, $97. Also the sleeping bag that I use when I travel is decades old. So I bought one on sale, $127. Read more →

Every year I write about children’s toys to avoid, according to W.A.T.C.H., World Against Toys Causing Harm, a group that helps raise awareness about the dangers in toys, children’s products, and recreational activities. W.A.T.C.H.’s list of nominees for the “10 Worst Toys” of 2022 includes: Read more →

It’s great progress that 40 state attorneys general have reached a $391.5 million settlement with Google over its location tracking practices. The Big Four – Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook – have tremendous power over our personal information and more needs to be done to rein them in. Read more →