by
Susan Robinson
Au Pair Answer Mom Susan Robinson invites guest host mom Dr. Jennifer Canter to provide advice for host parents on important toy and play safety topics for discussion with your au pair. “Dr. Jen” is a pediatrician with two sets of twins who is also a Cultural Care Au Pair host mother. In addition to her regular practice as a general and child abuse pediatrician, Dr. Jen is the creator of a new educational toy called the U-Play Mat (www.playthisway.com).
My twin 3-year-old sons went to a birthday party recently and received a goodie bag treat they absolutely LOVED. A plastic snow shovel. It was a winter birthday party for good friends, who happen to have one son. I am sure they see the shovel as a lovely winter activity. My husband came home from the party with the boys and the shovels knowing exactly what I would say, “Great, they can use the shovels to clock each other over the head, put them in the garage so we can make sure we’re watching them!”
And, at the birthday party of our 2-year-old twin cousins (yes, a lot of twins in our family), I was the “party-pooper” explaining the hazards of popping latex balloons over the birthday cake while secretly hyper-ventilating around a group of seemingly unaware parents.
As the mom of two sets of twins, now ages 6 (girls) and 3 (boys), we’ve had our fair share of fun, play, and bumps, over the years! As a board certified general and child abuse pediatrician, I’ve personally witnessed tragic and horrific consequences of momentary lapses in vigilance. I am a specialist in the medical evaluation of children when safety measures have failed. I am also a toy creator, having invented and brought the U-Play Mat to market in 2009. So, parenthood, child abuse pediatrics and toy creating have made me a clairvoyant. “A clairvoyant?” you ask, “You can see things in the future?” Yes, I see accidents before they happen! And I talk about them with my au pair.
Even for au pairs with significant child care experience, any new home presents an opportunity to learn. I start with any new child care provider going over a list of safety items. We talk about food safety, stairways, kitchen safety, crossing the street and little fingers getting smashed in doors. I make sure that my au pair truly understands by asking her to explain back again, and if necessary demonstrating what I’m referring to. One topic I also cover is safety during play.
Children’s toys and games are age specific, and intended for particular uses. Older children may have games and toys with small parts or strings, presenting a hazard to younger children. Common toys and games in many homes may not be familiar to an au pair from another country. And, instruction manuals may be difficult to interpret. Including careful and clear training on the toys and games your children play with, and safe ways to play, is a critical part of the au pair orientation to a new house.
I’ve outlined some basic toy and play safety topics for discussion with your au pair below:
1. Make sure your au pair understands how toys are intended to be used, and that instructions are understood.
2. When opening new toys, it is important to discard plastic wrappings. When assembling toys or changing batteries, it is important to secure small parts and batteries in a safe place. Also, tools used such as a screwdriver, may present their own safety hazards.
3. Make sure your au pair understands age recommendations for toys and what your expectations are for safe play between different aged siblings. Do you want older children to play with small parts in a designated area of the house? Do you want your au pair to double-check after clean up?
4. Explain safety hazards with soft toys and young children. Soft toys (as well as blankets, pillows, and other soft items) are not intended to be in the sleep environment of young babies.
5. If a toy breaks, it may present a new safety hazard. Make sure your expectations are clear — do you want her/him to throw a toy away when it breaks, or show to you to decide about the next step?
6. Toys should be put away safety to avoid unnecessary trips and falls. Toy boxes and toy chests should have a lid that will stay open in any position and ventilation holes.
7. Think about small parts with children ages 3 and younger, or older children who exhibit hand-mouth behaviors. Thing about long strings/cords and the risk of strangulation. Explain this to your au pair. Don’t have toys with long cords in reach of an infant’s sleep or play space.
8. Broken or un-inflated balloons are a choking hazard. This is one of the most common causes for choking. Discuss this with your au pair.
9. Talk about your expectations when you au pair buys your child a gift. Do you want to see it first and make sure it is something you feel is safe?
10. If your child has a developmental or physical disability, make sure to explain specific safety issues that may apply.
5 months ago
