1)  Stay in groups.  Never go trick-or-treating alone. 

2)  Teach children to never enter a home without prior permission from their parents.

3)  Teach your children to never approach a vehicle unless they have their parent or guardian.

4)  Carry a flashlight or glow stick and wear reflective clothing.

5)  Never go up to a home that is not well lit.

6)  If possible, go with your children.  If not, go in groups or see if your child can tag along with another parent.

7)  Consider attending fall festivals and community events rather than trick-or-treating.  Usually these are more fun because they have games, bounce houses, and other activities.

8)  Teach your children not to eat any treats without permission.  When they get home, check their candy and treats.

9)  If something seems suspicious, report it to the proper persons.

10)  Take a cell phone. 

I don’t mean to be paranoid, but it’s always best to be safe.  What tips can you add to this list?

image morganz at sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

This past Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, my sister-in-law asked if I’d like to go to — Mall around 6:30 in the EVENING.  Knowing from past experience that all of the heavy “black Friday” shopping is over by late afternoon, I agreed to go.  There were multiple parking spaces open near the door, as most of the shoppers were home resting at this point in the day. We went in the JCPenney catalog entrance, and agreed to split up and meet again around 8pm.

I was not shopping for anything specific, so I ended up entering Belk at the upstairs entrance and browsed.  I worked my way around to the left of the store, where I tried on multiple coats and jackets.  The store on that side was practically empty.  I kept working my way towards the back of the store, stopping to look at various items.  When I reached the left rear of the the store (again, upstairs Belk), I looked up and saw a sign that said “RESTROOMS”.  I decided I could stand to go.  As I stepped through the doorway, there is a small hallway, with water fountains directly ahead, men’s room entrance directly to the left rear, and about 4 steps to the right and forward is the ladies’ room.  As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I immediatly felt someone right on me.  I turned and looked up, and there was a HUGE man with a HUGE head, about 6′2, maybe 300 lbs., mid-twenties to early 30’s, with a shaved head.  I had seen him in the store earlier and really hadn’t given him a second thought, but as I was entering the very short hallway to the restrooms, he was there.  Keep in mind the store was pretty much dead; there were absolutely no shoppers in that particular corner of the store at the time.
As I looked up, I said “Excuse me”, and he mumbled “Excuse me”, and he went directly in the men’s room to the left.  I took the 4 steps or so that it took to go to the women’s room door, pushed the door open, and immediatly assessed the situation:  no one in ladie’s room, no one in department; and I quickly backed out of the foyer and back into the store among the clothes racks, all the while watching the hallway to the restrooms.
This may take several minutes to read and explain, but what just happened probably took less than 15 to 20 seconds.  This man, thinking that I’m in the ladies’ restroom and at this point would’ve been in a very vulnerable position, came out of the men’s room and charged directly into the women’s room, again, thinking I’m there.  He never looked up as he was crossing the entrance to the hallway, or he would’ve seen me standing back in the store.  Instead, he went directly into the ladies’ room.   Of course
upon not seeing me in there, he came straight back out, looked around and when we made eye contact, I was about 6 or 7 clothes racks away. He then made a B-line straight to the mall exit.

It took me a few seconds to realize the full impact of what ALMOST just happened, and a minute or so for it to fully sink in.  I immediatly notified a Belk employee, who contacted security, but of course by then this man was long gone and technically hadn’t done anything to anyone.  Regardless, I talked to another security guard, then called and spoke with a Belk manager when I returned home, who told me that they have cameras scanning that area and that she would have “loss prevention” check the tapes.  I returned to the store the next day to personally speak to the manager.  She told me that since the cameras “scan”, it apparently didn’t scan the restroom area at that time.  I asked her to PLEASE make sure that the girls who work there are aware of what happened so that they could be careful, and then I went upstairs in Belk personally and spoke with any  employee who wasn’t with a customer at the time to make them aware of the situation and to please be careful.

OK.  At the very least that would’ve happened if my instincts hadn’t kicked in (and of course I’m aware that my Lord was watching over me), I would’ve at least been mugged.  I personally feel that it would’ve been much worse than that.  This guy was so huge that I’m sure my head would’ve been cracked open on the hard bathroom floor.  I was pretty shaken as the full reality sank in, and had previously asked God to let me run into some friends I know.  Within minutes after the incident, I ran into a friend (who’s 13-yr old daughter was shopping alone at the time), then ran into my dear friend, along with her 2 sisters and niece.  Of course I was spreading the word of caution to them.  By the time I reached JCPenney’s where I was to meet my sister-in-law, I was so shaken that I broke down and called my brother Jerry, who of course came straight to the mall and escorted us out.

When I contacted my niece who frequents the mall, she told me about the girl who was raped in the dressing room at Abercrombie & Fitch.  The manager of Belk confirmed this story as she was upset that the mall managers had not been made aware of the incident so that they could caution their employees, but instead they had learned it when it hit the news.  Our prayers need to go out to this young girl who was raped and  traumatized in the mall dressing room.

I’m sorry for making you read such a long letter, but just want you to please, PLEASE be aware of your surroundings, and especially if you’re entering any public restroom.  You are in a very vulnerable position at that point.

Please take the time to stay safe.  Thank you for reading this and watching out for yourselves and your family.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Thanks for the tip, Emily.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

September 12, 2007Dear Valued Guest, As a father of five children, I understand the concerns parents have about product safety. And, as the CEO of the world’s largest toy and baby products retailer, I can assure you that nothing is more important to our company than the safety of children. It is at the heart of who we are as a company. The issue of product safety goes well beyond business and directly to the well-being of the families we serve. We are wholly committed to our customers’ safety and have reiterated that simple, single fact to our suppliers and business partners. We will not tolerate products that do not meet our rigorous safety standards. When it comes to the safety of children, the bar can never be too high, and we are constantly looking at ways to build on our already substantial safety efforts. That is why today we are announcing further improvements that will ensure you have access to even more rapid and detailed information on safety issues. These improvements include: - A new Safety microsite at www.Toysrus.com/Safety to help you find all product safety and recall information; - The introduction of an email notification system for product recalls; - The addition of bilingual recall notices should there be future recalls; and - The introduction of new Safety Boards in all of our stores, which will contain important product safety information, including recall notices As the toy and baby products authority, we understand the unique role we play as the conduit between manufacturers and our customers. It is a role we take very seriously and requires our constant vigilance. On behalf of the entire Toys “R” Us, Inc. family, please know that we will continue to work tirelessly to guarantee we are doing everything we can to provide only the safest shopping environment for all families.

Sincerely, Gerald L. Storch Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Toys “R” Us, Inc.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

This morning I was getting in the van to go to church and noticed my glove compartment open with stuff hanging out of it and the things from my console on the floor.  I asked my husband if he had done it and he told me no, so I knew we had a thief. 

We immediately checked my husband’s car and his glove compartment was open too.  The few dollars in coins that he had under the seat were gone. 

Strangely, my cell phone (that I accidentally left in the car), my camera, and other possessions were still in the car.  Apparently, the person(s) was only looking for money.  Nevertheless, I feel violated.

I have to wonder if I should have locked my van, or if my window would be broken if I had.  Do you lock the doors when your vehicle is parked at your house?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I was traveling home late the other night and it was so hard to stay awake.  I know we’ve all been in this position before, so I thought I’d offer some tips.

 1.  Keep the car cool.  Avoid turning on the heat.  If it’s hot outside, turn on the air conditioning and turn the vents straight toward your face.

 2.  Turn on the radio.  Turn it up loud and sing to it.  Try to sing loudly and get into the music. 

 3.  Eat something.  When my husband used to travel home from his evening job, he would pop some popcorn before he left work.  He would eat the popcorn on the way home and it would keep him alert.  You might want to try stopping for an ice cream or something.

 4.  Find someone to talk to.  This is the #1 thing that wakes me up.  When I’m traveling and I start to get tired, I pick up my cell phone and make a call.  Having to interact in a conversation helps to energize me.

 5.  Pull over and walk around.  Find a well lit gas station, restaurant, or rest stop.  Walk or run around.  Breathe in the fresh air.

 6.  Get a good night’s sleep.  If you know you will be traveling the next day, then plan for it.  Go to bed early the night before.

 7.  Stay hydrated.  Even being slightly thirsty can cause you to feel fatigued. 

 8.  Drink caffeine for a temporary fix.  A cup of coffee always gets me going.

 9.  Get someone to go on the trip with you.  Having a friend to chat with will encourage conversation and will also give someone that you can share the driving.

10.   Keep a wet towel or ice pack in a cooler.  Use it to put on your forehead, neck, and temples.

You may even want to purchase a nap zapper.  Until today, I’d never heard of one.

If all else fails, pull over and take a nap.  Of course, you’ll want to do this in a safe looking area with the doors locked.  What works to keep you awake while driving?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

But the moral of the story is to be diligent about locking your doors.  I am usually pretty anal about this due to the town that I grew up in but I had left the garage door unlocked for my company to leave from.  I never imagined that someone was watching my house to see when my husband and I leave for work. 

So here are some easy ways to protect your home from intruders

• Make sure you lock your doors, house and car, no matter where you are.
• Announce you have a dangerous dog whether you do or not.
• Get a security system.  This might not be cheap but it will save you lost sleep and property.
• Have someone house-sit for you when you are on vacation.
• If your family is involved in a funeral, PLEASE have someone choose not to go to the funeral and stay at your house as a courtesy to the family.  We did when my grandfather passed away.  We felt so much better.

Safe sleeping tonight and I hope no one else has to stress over this like I have the last few days.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

A few weeks ago I posted about the Top 10 Worst Toys.  A toy safety report released by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group reports that there are more toys that you should avoid.   

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, almost 73,000 children under the age of 5 were treated in emergency rooms for toy-related injuries in 2005.  Out of those, 20 children died!!!!  That’s 20 deaths that could have been prevented.

The “Trouble in Toyland” report warns parents of toys with choking hazards, powerful magnetic parts, lead, and strangulation hazards.  Prior to this list I did not realize that magnetic toys could cause such problems.  Apparently, the magnets can stick together inside a child’s body and obstruct the bowels or cause a life-threatening tear in the intestines. 

My children have some of the books pictured here.  I had to take them away because they were tearing the foam off the front cover, which was definitely a choking hazard.

Please click here for a list of the hazardous toys.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy