Public Service Announcement

Because I am a bit of a geek, I am always collecting bits of trivia and facts that are useful to me as a mom and may be to you. So, being the altruistic being that I am, here are some helpful and maybe not commonly known mom facts.

1. Those little packs of Silica Gel that come in shoes and stuff and say "DO NOT EAT, THROW AWAY" are not toxic, at least that's what the nice lady at the poison control centre told me this morning when I called after Spud ate some. The only hazard is choking, but he recovered after I took my hand off his neck. In his defense, I did leave it lying out, (in the garbage, in my bathroom, with the door to my room closed and the childproof handle on the door) and he can't read yet so how was he supposed to know it wasn't edible? You would think the fact that it was in the trash might be a clue, but I guess not.

2. Canada Geese do not carry rabies so if your 3 year old ignores your warning to leave the goose alone and gets bit directly under his eye, the only concern is a staph infection, that and the fact that he will probably insist on wearing a bright blue Curious George band aid for at least a week, which will lead to everyone (from the mailman to your check-out clerk) to inquire as to what happened and you to develop laryngitis from explaining it for the 753rd time. The rabies fact was provided by the nice man from Fish and Wildlife who has to follow-up all reports of animal bites.

3. If your child sprays bathroom cleaner into his eyes, do not lay him on his back in the tub and pour cold water over his face for 10 minutes. Instead, make a warm bath and gently pour water over his head for about ten minutes. So says another nice lady from poison control.

4. You know how they say that a beater bar on the vacuum can be hard on your Berber carpet? It is also hard on a 2 year old's hand if they slide it underneath while you are turned to look at the 1 year old balanced on the canister. It will remove large strips of skin. It is best kept covered until it heals over to protect infection, at least this is what the nice nurse at healthlink told me when I called her. It's also a good idea to have plenty of ice-cream on hand in case of such an emergency, no-name vanilla for the victim and Hagen-daz for mommy.

So, there you have it, a few little known facts that I am passing on to you. If you have all girls, you may never need to know this, if you've only got boys, I suggest you print it and post it on your fridge, right under the poison control number!