How to keep your kids safe
It is truly amazing that anyone survived past 1971. Almost every bit of baby furniture that my parents used would be considered illegal and unsafe for human use. I even rode in the car without a seat belt. I have no problem with safety but I think, sometimes, things are carried too far and stupid people are allowed to make it to reproductive age. I attribute my survival so far to luck, vigilant parents and common sense.
I have had some close calls. Some would attribute my survival to God or his angels. I don't like that because people get killed, anyway. God saves me but allows an equally worthy person to die. Those power of prayer stories that get passed around via e-mail irritate me because in every story the person who prayed lives but someone else dies or gets hurt. Is not the other person equally worthy of safety? Did the other person get hurt because they did not believe or pray fervently enough? If God is so powerful why couldn't his angels spare both people or even eliminate the evil doer? Adding a personal deity into the life and death equation just adds to the pain. I prefer luck. It is impersonal, random and does not depend on the strength of anyone's faith.
A reader sent me this e-mail:
I was pointed to your 1971 (page 41) Sears Catalog by a friend and saw your page on old safety restraints. I'm a child passenger safety technician and a car seat junkie. They look quite scary but both the vest type harness and the lay down restraint are available still today. They're installed quite firmer, not allowing kids to roam around the car. The vest type is made for children with autism or ADD who can't be taught to leave their harness straps alone. It zips up the back, straight jacket style. The lay down kind is made for children with respiratory problems, back and leg problems that prevent them from sitting up; such as spinal or hip surgery. Neither are recommended for children who can sit in a normal car seat though. :) So we've come a long way, but some how we're also sticking close to our roots.
Here's the link to the company that still sells them. http://www.ezonpro.com
Thanks!
