Awareness Days Category
Celebrate Baby Safety Month With the Best Crib Mattress for Your Baby
September is Baby Safety Month. How do you ensure a safe sleeping environment for your baby? A firm crib mattress is a great start. Did you know our Sealy Ortho Rest crib mattress with 150 durable coils is GREENGUARD certified?
Read MoreNever Forget
September 11, 2001 will always be in our hearts. We remember all those who were and still are victims. We hope and work for a better future for our families and children.
9-11-01 Never Forget
*Helpful info on talking to your children about 9-11
National Infertility Awareness Week
This week we celebrate National Infertility Awareness Week. This year’s theme is “Don’t Ignore Infertility.” There is so much pain around infertility beyond the physical because there are also emotional and social implications. Unfortunately there is a lot of ignorance around infertility and awareness is key to breaking down barriers and building healing bridges.
What you can do if you have struggled with infertility:
- Speak up – Share your story about infertility. Whether you blog, tweet, belong to a special interest group or teach a class you can help people open their eyes to this issue and step out of their ignorance.
- Find support – Don’t be afraid to seek support. Infertility can be a lonely journey. Find a support group you can share your journey with in a welcoming environment.
- Get involved – There are many road blocks from healthcare and the government to helping infertile couples to become pregnant. Write to your local representative to have policies changed.
What you can do even if you don’t struggle with infertility:
- Educate yourself – Just because you don’t struggle with infertility, doesn’t mean you should be ignorant of it. Educate yourself to all that is involved in infertility so your knowledge can prevent you from making insensitive comments like; “Yeah we got pregnant at first shot.” “We just think about it & we are pregnant.” Or probably the worst – “Don’t stress, I’m sure one day you will be able to experience the joy of motherhood. It’s the best feeling ever.”
- Make a donation – Funding is needed for infertility research. Because many infertility treatments are not covered by insurance, couples spend a lot of money on fulfilling their dreams to become parents. Consider making a donation to help bring needed programs and services to couples dealing with infertility.
- Be sensitive – If you know someone is struggling with infertility be sensitive to that, but don’t leave them out of your own parenting experiences. That will only make them feel more alienated.
For more information on Infertility Awareness Week, please visit the NIAW website.
Celebrating National Family Literacy Day
Celebrate National Family Literacy Day
Reading with your children is vitally important for their success, both in academics and in life. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is recommended that parents read to their parents each and every day (even to newborns)! The Healthy Children Organization offers parents great tips for reading to and with children of all ages. To celebrate National Family Literacy Day, Kolcraft staff members are sharing their favorite books to read with their children!
- Brent, Kolcraft’s graphic artist, loves to read his 2 year old daughter Time For Bed by Mem Fox. The book’s soothing rhymes and beautiful illustrations are perfect for bedtime. Another of his daughter’s favorites is Miss Spiders New Car by David Kirk.
- Sam, one of Kolcraft’s engineers, enjoyed reading Mr. Brown can Moo! Can you? by Dr. Seuss to his kids when they were little. The antics of Mr. Brown are fun for young children learning their sounds. Another family favorite is The Napping House by Audrey Wood.
- Hyon, the head of Kolcraft’s fashion team, has two daughters who love to read magical Disney princess stories. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson is another of her daughters’ favorite books. Young kids will love the hilarious tale of woodland creatures and a hibernating bear.
- Shannen, Kolcraft’s resident stroller guru, loves to read her son Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems. Her son also enjoys reading Baseball by Murray Books. This fun fact-filled book is shaped like a baseball and is sure to delight any young sports fan.
What is your child’s favorite book?
Celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month
October marks Down Syndrome Awareness Month, a time to celebrate the achievements and abilities of people with Down syndrome. In honor of spreading awareness, the National Down Syndrome Society suggests a few ways for you to get involved.
- Participate in a Buddy Walk: This walk was established in 1995 to celebrate Down syndrome Awareness Month. It began with 17 walks in 1995 to over 250 walks in 2011. Last October over 285,000 people participated in Buddy Walks and more than $11.2 million was raised to benefit local programs, services, and aid national initiatives. Visit BuddyWalk.org to find a walk in your area.
- Learn more with the My Great Story Public Awareness Campaign: The National Down Syndrome Society website created a place to honor people with Down syndrome by sharing inspirational stories by and about them. If you have someone’s story to share you can enter it here, but if you are interested in learning more and in being inspired, read the stories.
The National Down Syndrome Society website offers more resources, opportunities to get involved, and information about all of the celebrations occurring this October and throughout the year.
Celebrating a Survivor Mom
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With 1 in every 8 women in this country being diagnosed with breast cancer, it is something that has affected many moms, daughters, grandmothers, wives, and friends. On this Mom Monday, we catch up with Debbie, a two year breast cancer survivor and mom to Kolcraft’s Marketing Assistant, Kim.
During your chemotherapy and radiation treatments, you always maintained such a positive attitude. How were you able to stay so positive?
I think that positive thinking is powerful. I knew that negativity wouldn’t be helpful, so I focused on the future. I thought about being able to be there when my daughters get married and having the chance to meet my grandchildren some day. Although I was tired, I stayed busy with reading, completing craft projects, and continuing my PhD studies.
You even held onto a few strands of hair, calling them your “survivors.”
Each person needs to fight their battle in their own way. Some women shave their heads to give themselves a feeling of control over the hair loss. It empowers them. I chose to let it happen naturally and the remaining strands were a symbol of my power and strength. I would survive, just as they did. What’s important is for friends and family to support the choices that the person makes in the fight.
Not only did you have support from your friends and family, but from your students as well.
Yes, one daughter bought me a chemo bear and the other did the Komen Walk right after my diagnosis. One day, I arrived in class to find all of my students dressed in pink. Several of them also participated in the Pink Glove Dance at my university.
In 2010, you walked in a breast cancer survivor’s fashion show for the Pink Ribbon Connection and Nordstrom. What was that experience like?
The timing was perfect since I had just finished my year-long treatment. I really wanted to rock it on the runway so I smiled and strutted my stuff. I was inspired by my fellow survivor models who were several years out from treatment and still doing well. It gave me hope.
And now for a glimpse into Debbie’s life:
What book is currently by your bedside?
Researching Lived Experience by Max van Manen. I am doing qualitative research of lived experiences for my dissertation.
What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas. It’s a joyful time of year. Thanksgiving is a close second because I am very thankful for all I have and I really like getting up early and shopping the next day.
If you had a free day with no commitments or obligations, what would you do with it?
Exercise with my golden retriever, go shopping, create some handmade cards, have dinner with my husband, and talk to my daughters.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Chocolate and People magazine.
What is an instant de-stressor for you?
Watching a funny movie or using the wii fit for exercise. I like seeing the mii characters of my family exercising with me – it’s funny to watch them. If I can’t do that, then I use visualization, deep breathing.
The best thing about being a Mom is…
the pride and joy I feel when I see the wonderful young women my daughters have grown to be. Every tiring moment of motherhood in those early days was totally worth it.
Being a Mom now is…
probably easier than it was for my mother. Technology allows me to stay very connected to my daughters through texting, e-mail, and phone chats no matter where I am or what I am doing. My Mom had to wait for me to be home to talk on a land line.
Kolcraft Remembers America’s Heroes
Kolcraft joins our nation in remembering and honoring the victims and heroes of 9-11.
September Is Baby Safety Month
September is Baby Safety Month and while safety of our children is a 24/7 job, we think it’s important that there is a special month dedicated to it. JPMA initiated Baby Safety Month to educate parents and caregivers on the importance of the safe use and selection of juvenile products. If you have been putting off taking care of those “little” safety items around the house, now is the time to take care of them.
Important things to check:
- Is your car seat properly installed? Has it been a while since you have checked to make sure it is still as secure as it should be?
- Is your baby gear in proper working condition? If not, check to see if it is under warranty and call the manufacturer or if it is not under warranty and is not safe, be sure to get a new product. Your baby’s safety is worth it!
- Are your smoke alarms and carbon dioxide detectors working?
- Do your children know what to do if there is a fire?
- Are your child’s toys broken or falling apart? If so, they need to be fixed or discarded.
- Are hazardous materials and cleaning supplies out of your children’s reach?
- Does an adult in your home know CPR for children and infants?
Check out the Safe Kids USA site for great ideas on how to keep your children safe.
Kolcraft and JPMA Celebrate Baby Safety Month
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) annually sponsors September as Baby Safety Month. Kolcraft is a proud founding member of JPMA and all of our products comply with the JPMA requirements for testing. JPMA wants all parents to be confident the juvenile products they purchase are designed and built with baby safety in mind.
Kolcraft will celebrate Baby Safety Month by continuing to provide tips, resources, and information to parents. Also, Kolcraft is a sponsor at the Babies R Us “Great Trade-In” event to help parents get the updated and safest products that they need.
Do you have any tips as a parent to help promote Baby Safety Month?
August Is Breastfeeding Awareness Month
August is breastfeeding awareness month. The Department of Health & Human Services wants to empower women to commit to breastfeeding because of the many benefits it provides to baby and mom.
A few benefits to baby:
- Breastfeed babies have fewer and shorter episodes of illness.
- It is the most natural and nutritious way to encourage your baby’s optimal development.
- The superior nutrition provided by breastmilk benefits your baby’s IQ.
- Breastfeeding increases the effectiveness of immunizations, increasing the protection against polio, tentanus and diptheria vaccines.
- The action of sucking at the breast enhances development of baby’s oral muscles, facial bones and aids in optimal dental development.
A few benefits to mom:
- Breastfeeding in postpartum moms increases the rate of weight loss.
- Increased levels of oxytocin stimulate postpartum uterine contractions, minimizing blood loss & helping rapid uterine toning.
- Breastfeeding gives mom a unique sense of closeness with her baby.
Questions on breastfeeding? We love the following sites to help answer any breastfeeding questions:
While breastfeeding is best for mom and baby, not all moms can do it for a variety of reasons. It is important to always support a mom on her journey & not to judge her if she has decided not to breastfeed.
What breastfeeding tips do you have to share?
