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Children
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safety
death
CPSC Says Company Refuses To Recall Bassinets That Strangled Two Infants
The CPSC has issued a consumer alert, urging you to stop using Simplicity Inc.'s "close-sleeper/bedside sleeper” bassinets after two infants died after being strangled by the product's metal bars. The company is refusing to cooperate with the CPSC and will not recall the product. More »
commercials
Duracell's New Ad: 'Oh No Your Kid Just Got Stolen!'
MSNBC's Ads of the Weird blog is a little creeped out by Duracell's new kidnapping commercial, and so are we. Making people feel bad about something is advertising's job, we get that, but trying to scare parents into thinking their kid will be stolen from the playground by the classic man-in-a-van is going a little overboard. (Watch the commercial below.) More »
Someone Think Of The Children
Disney Decides To Stop Selling "Dive In" Panties For Young Girls
Gee, someone wasn't thinking too clearly when they were designing High School Musical 2 themed panties for Disney. Sold in the UK, one pair of panties in a package of 5 read "Dive In" — a reference to a scene from the popular musical. More »
education
6 Back To School Money Lessons For Little Consumerists In Training
Ah, children. We know you're trying your best not to mess yours up, but teaching kids about money is hard. If it wasn't, this credit card would not even exist. So what do you do? More »
fisher-price
Fisher-Price Walkie-Talkie Picks Up Trucker Talk; Now Tot Wants Pot And Strippers
A mom in West Virginia says her 3-year-old's Diego walkie-talkie, which is supposed to have a range of 20 feet, picked up some blue talk from truckers who may have been 275 miles away. "They said we should go smoke some weed, and were talking about being in a strip bar, some really explicit things," the mother told the Asssociated Press. More »
fast food
Which Restaurants Are Making Your Kids Fat?
Unless your kid is named Hansel, he probably doesn't need to be fattened up like a juicy Christmas goose every time you go out to eat. That's not what some of the biggest restaurants think, though: Chili's has a kids' meal that comes in at 1,020 calories, while Burger King and KFC both offer meals that are over 900 calories. Your healthiest option, says the Center for Science in the Public Interest, is Subway. Here are what some other restaurants are offering, as well as tips on how to make the best of a bad meal when your kid is eating out. More »
Back To School
Save On School Supplies With Sales Tax Holidays
School supplies in eight states are tax-free this weekend thanks to sales tax holidays. Hurry though, because the savings expire at the end of the day, unless you live in Washington D.C., where the savings last through August 10. The full list, inside... More »
Someone Think Of The Children
House, Senate Pass Bill That Increases CPSC Budget, Bans Lead In Toys
New legislation banning lead and (pending further study) six types of phthalates (chemicals suspected of causing heath problems) from children's products has passed the Senate and now moves on to President Bush. In addition to banning lead and other chemicals, the bill will require independent testing of children's products before they can enter the marketplace — a practice many consumers assumed was standard until they found out that Thomas the Tank Engine was covered in lead. More »
carnival
It Shouldn't Take Three Years To Book A Carnival Cruise
Leslie and her husband haven't been able to cruise with Carnival since Hurricane Katrina rained all over their original itinerary back in 2005. Carnival promised they would be able to cruise on a "space available" basis, except Carnival won't confirm if space is available until three days before departure, making it nearly impossible for Leslie and her husband to buy affordable plane tickets or arrange care for their sixteen-month-old daughter. More »
customer service
JetBlue Can't Decide If They Charged An Unaccompanied Minor Fee
JetBlue promised Catie's husband in March that the $798 fare charged to fly his children from Austin to Boston included the unaccompanied minor fee. But when Catie recently called to verify the reservation, she was told that her children wouldn't be allowed to board unless she paid an extra $200. More »
Someone Think Of The Children
Reader Jillian thought she was keeping an eye on her three-week-old son, Benjamin, but apparently, he managed to sneak away and sign up for a Brooks Brothers catalog. As Jillian explains, "either I have a very preppie prodigy on my hands, or his name is already on a mailing list."
More »
Brooks Brothers Thanks Three-Week Old Infant For Requesting Their Catalogue. What?
Reader Jillian thought she was keeping an eye on her three-week-old son, Benjamin, but apparently, he managed to sneak away and sign up for a Brooks Brothers catalog. As Jillian explains, "either I have a very preppie prodigy on my hands, or his name is already on a mailing list."
More »
complaints
Neiman Marcus Sells Used Bugaboo Stroller As New
When Steven paid Neiman Marcus $682 for a Bugaboo stroller, he expected to receive a new model, not a used stroller with worn wheels and axles coated with hair. More »
hdtv
Reader Andy sent us this great coloring book he made that helps explain high definition television to children, parents, and luddites. More »
This Coloring Book Helps Children And Grownups Understand HDTV
Reader Andy sent us this great coloring book he made that helps explain high definition television to children, parents, and luddites. More »
polls
Should 8-Year Olds Wear Contacts?
The WSJ Health blog reports that Johnson & Johnson's Vistakon division thinks the best way to increase sales is to decrease the age, from 15 to 8, as the time kids should start wearing contacts. A J&J sponsored study says it's safe, and that kids can better enjoy sports and have improved self-esteem, but an ophthalmologist expressed concern that somewhere in between the frog-catching and BB guns (you'll poke your eye out!) there's a real risk of infection. What do you think?
(Photo: Getty)
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Children’s Hospital Boston held on to the top spots for general pediatrics in the 2008 America's Best Children's Hospitals ranking. [U.S. News & World Report]
As if you needed a reason not to wear Crocs, here's another story of a kid whose foot got caught in an escalator while wearing the damn things. The kid was fine, the escalator was repaired, the bottom of the Croc is chewed up, and "Crocs stands by its design." [CBS5.com]
someone think of the children
