Recalls

I've just learned of the CPSC recalls XML. So now they're at the bottom of the list of posts instead of me taking the time to try to post them myself.

Security Alarm

We'd had rather good luck, with regards to having a child that stayed in bed when put down for a nap or for for the night. But lately, she was getting out of bed, playing and otherwise not being in bed. We'd still been using the baby monitor since the big TV is a ways away from her bedroom and we liked to retreat there after she was down for the night. So it finally dawned on me... the other part of the AngelCare Baby Monitor with Motion Sensor was a motion sensor. Placed between the mattress and the crib bottom, it was designed to sound an alarm after a certain period of time if it didn't sense breathing or movement.

We, praise God, never had a real opportunity to see if it worked. But it did sound twice when she had scooted all the way into the corner and was laying up against the bars.

Anyhow, I brought out the motion pad and stuck it between her bedframe and the mattress and then I turned it on and we sat on the floor and waited. When it started going off, I told her that would happen any time she got out of bed and so she shouldn't get out of bed unless something was wrong. I waited a few days before adding that a punishment would follow if she got out of bed and nothing was wrong.

It's seemed to work really well. It's only gone off once or twice in the last week, she's otherwise done well at staying in bed. (Or sitting on the edge of her bed kicking her toys.)

Recall: Mattel

Mattel has ended up having to recall an awful lot of products, either because of lead paint or because of small magnets. They've created a website here where you can go and see if you own any products covered by either recall: http://www.mattel.com/safety/us/

Alarm Clock Conditioning

PARENTHACK.COM -- Apparently, you can use an alarm clock to teach your children to sleep in. You set it for the time they normally wake up and they learn that they can get up when it goes off. After they're reassured by the alarm clock, you start setting later. They will teach themselves to go back to sleep if they wake up before the alarm goes off. More...