We live in an information age. With that, you would think we would be more informed and able to make smart decisions and that our kids would be do the same. However, it seems like we have become so “internet smart”, that we have forgotten common sense. The new trend online is the “Tide Pod Challenge” – where kids/teenagers/college students, try to chew and swallow a Tide Pod filled with laundry detergent. Are kids that desperate to be “famous” that they are willing to make themselves unbelievably sick or near death for a few “likes”? I’m afraid so.
So what can we do about this? First of all, we can take the time to educate our families the best we can on respecting these products. However, for the generation unable to understand safety, we should also make sure these chemicals and products are kept in a safe area where our young children or older family members cannot access them or mistake them for something other than a chemical/detergent.
1. Pay attention to labels
If the product is harmful or requires extra attention while using it, there will be a label on the product of some kind, declaring words like:
- Warning
- Danger
- Toxic
- Caution
Do not remove the labels and instructions as they contain important safety information on them. Make sure you read these labels thoroughly.
- Storage
All cleaning products should be kept out of reach from children. If they are stored in a linen or storage closet, please keep them on a higher shelf that the children are unable to reach. Keep the door closed and even lock up certain items if possible. Even items such as pills or certain medicine. Make sure you keep the products away from any food or drink container to avoid a potential mix-up.
- Management
Never leave these products open and unattended while using them. Pets and Children are curious and will likely try and attempt to use/play/ingest the product. If something harmful does happen, please call the Poison Control phone number immediately: 1-866-454-1212 as well as the hospital. If possible, please keep a first aid kit on hand for any type of emergency.
We have to be on alert for everything our children do, and just when we think we covered all the bases, the internet comes out with another challenge of stupidity. I remember when we would get our mouths washed out with soap as a punishment for a foul mouth. Now kids are taking it as a challenge. The world has been flipped upside down. As parents, we need to take time to teach our kids the importance of safety around the house and maybe a small lesson in common sense, self-control and standing up to the pressures around you. Just because you are challenged, doesn’t mean you have to do it. There was the cinnamon challenge, or salt & ice challenge. Even “planking” was taken to the extreme. There will always be a new challenge, we need to teach our children to be strong and stand up for themselves, and to use their brains to smarten up society, not dumb it down.