Best Ways to Clean Your Baby's Toys

The little bundle of joy has begun crawling and exploring toys by tasting them in his mouth. Of course as a parent you are worried about every little issue and cleaning takes precedence over all other matters. As you are in great dilemma as to how to clean the toys without using harmful chemicals, this article seeks to solve your problems.

As your baby starts to play with toys, you are beaming with joy when those little hands hold his/her first toy. But suddenly your smile is replaced with anxiety when your angel puts his favorite toy in his mouth. You fear whether the toy is clean and safe enough for your baby to put in his mouth. Of course as a parent I was always worried about cleaning the toys without use of any harmful chemicals. That is why I preferred herbal cleaning products which were not as harmful as the chemicals used in many cleaning agents. Also I was worried about the disinfecting part after cleaning the toys. Even for some electronic toys and woolen soft toys one cannot clean it in water. That's the reason I prefer non toxic and environment friendly products.

Another reason is babies will explore their surrounding by touching, feeling and practically munching toys which we do not want them to do. My little toddler still tries to munch things which he finds attractive and drop his toys at places which I do not want him to. The trick is to keep minimal carpets in your house so as to avoid attracting dust mites. Here are certain tips which I followed which helped me solve my tension.

Cleaning of Toys

Electronic Toys
Electronic toys need to wiped with mild baby wipe so after wiping either let it dry or use dry towel. Also read the manufacturer's label on how to clean. Do remove batteries and do not submerge the toy in water or use cloth soaked with water as moisture can erode the battery area. After using a baby wipe, clean the toy with dry paper towel. Using disinfectant and then sanitizing it is a better idea. It's wise not to use bleach as it may damage the surface.

Stuffed Toys
These toys need special care like a detergent which is of mild nature. You can either wash it in the washing machine or clean it with your hands. If the plush toy has plastic joints then it's better not to wash it in a washing machine. Soft toys which come with sounds should be cleaned with a dry cloth or vacuumed as water can damage the product. Toys which have wool can also be washed in the machine but always read the instructions before washing. Because some toys need to be dry cleaned and washing these might damage the fabric of the toy. Always wash the stuffed toys at delicate cycle and dry them at low temperature in the dryer. After low drying, the plush toy might be wet so it's better to dry it out in the sun. Do not spray any baking soda or bleach on the stuffed toy as the chemicals can be difficult to remove and may harm the baby too if he/she puts the toy in his/her mouth.

Bath Toys
Bath toys are easily vulnerable to mold, water contamination and mildew. The best solution is to dry the bath toys in the sun after your baby uses it. It's best not to use any bleach as it contains harsh chemicals which might affect your baby's delicate skin. Once a week you can wash the toys in vinegar and water solution mixed equally which is safe for the baby. You can soak the toys in the solution for a whole night and rinse it in the morning. Also, if there are certain mold stains which are hard to remove then it's better to dispose those toys.

Plastic Toys
Though plastic toys are unsafe because they contain BPA (Bisphenol), they are sold and used extensively. The best option to clean these toys is washing it in a dishwasher. But if you are not comfortable with this idea then cleaning it with baby soap or mild soap water may be an ideal option. You can scrub the plastic toys or put them in boiling water to kill all the germs. Do check the manufacturer's label about instructions regarding cleaning the toys. Do not boil the toys for a long time as it may get damaged. You can also clean the toys with baby wipes and disinfect it with a mild disinfectant solution.

Investing in popular kids toys brands is a better idea as we don't have to deal with tension relating to color, safety or toxicity. Even though the quality toys might be expensive, it's better to buy during a sale as the prices are low. Toys are always going to be a child's best friend and cleaning and sanitizing them are the only option which ensures that your dear one doesn't fall sick.

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Are Baby Walkers Safe for Your Child?

Every phase in a child's growth is a milestone and so it is pretty crucial. These phases occur naturally one after the other at their own pace and should not be obstructed or disturbed in between. Why I am saying this is because baby walkers might prove be such an obstruction to the natural progression of the walking phase in a child's life. 

The baby walkers, according to studies, do not enhance the development rather, they can be responsible for delaying motor skills development of the child. A child, while in the walker, is in semi-walking position. This position allows him/her to use only his/her lower leg muscles to movement and does not give a chance to use his/her upper leg and hip muscles which he/she will be using later.

Use of a baby walker hampers early child development. A child has to go through the phase learning to roll, crawl and sit before it begins to walk unaided and without falling. Contrary to belief, there are no advantages as such in using a baby walker. Instead, they become a reason to worry. Parents, who are unaware of its drawbacks as well as the hazards it can precipitate, feel that baby walker will help the child in learning to walk without falling, by giving support when it has yet not mastered how to balance itself. On the contrary, these walkers may prove to be responsible for the late development of upper leg muscles of the child.

Disadvantages of Using a Baby Walker

Parents think that babies can be left unwatched within the walker in a room for sometime but, they should know that keeping the baby within a walker needs extra attention.

Here are some major hazards you may have to protect your baby from while using a baby walker:

• Its gives the baby extra speed that sometimes goes out of control and results in the baby dashing into something.
• It also gives the baby extra height which enables him/her to reach things like electronic gadgets and switches, medicines, bottles containing substances like alcohol and other drinks which can result into serious consequences.
• The chances of a baby falling out of the walker because of the obstacles or leaning out of it to pickup something on the floor are very great. A child in a walker, if left unattended, may fall off the stairs or roll down the steps or slopes which may result into serious injuries or even death.
• Getting burnt is another major accident that can happen to a baby in a walker. Because of the excessive speed of the walker, the baby might propel itself into a fireplace and get burnt.
• Sitting or standing in a walker, they get easy access to dangerous places like oven doors, stove tops and open fires which can cause serious injury.

The records and research show that use of walker leads to frequent accidents for the baby and may lead to severe consequences for the baby. Generally, it is believed that keeping babies on the floor in a room is safer than leaving a baby unattended in a walker.

But if for some unavoidable reason, you have decided to buy a baby walker for your kid, then here are some important instructions to be followed while buying and using a baby walker. See that the shopkeeper provides all the essential guidelines in using the walker safely. Also make sure that the walker does not have any gaps or breaks in the baby walker that can trap baby's fingers, toes or any other body parts. Nowadays, some baby walkers are designed such that they stop, if any one of the wheels crosses over the edge of a step to avoid falling off the steps. Even the speed of the walker is controlled, in such walkers. It moves slowly in order to avoid accidents. Do not keep your baby in the walker when in a garden because, the surface there is uneven and may cause a fall. Avoid putting the baby in the walker when you are near the staircase.

Safety, always comes first when we are planning something for children. You should not blindly believe in any of the baby product and need to understand that the companies selling baby walkers intend to make money. Hence, know the drawbacks of a product before buying a product for your baby. Be a wise parent and take wise steps for your child's proper development. Know that the experts discourage the use of baby walkers. I am sure you will take all the necessary precautions while letting your baby use it because the hazards a baby walker can pose are already explained to you.

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Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on Your Family

Drugs and alcohol can not only impact your health but these can have serious implications for your family members. We often hear stories about men physically abusing their wives under the effect of intoxication, or how a family got into debts because of drug abuse. A family is built around certain values but alcohol and drugs cripple us mentally and we end up displaying erratic and irresponsible behavior. Let us take a look at the various aspects of the effects of alcohol and drugs on your family.

Impact of Drug and Alcohol Abuse on Families

Erosion of family system
As mentioned before, a family is not merely a group of people who live and eat together. A family is essentially about love, support, respect and caring. All these factors contribute in making an ideal family. Developing an ideal family takes some amount of compromise and sacrifice. However, drugs and alcohol impact our judgment and reasoning, and prevent us from thinking rationally. This causes a lack of communication in the family and erodes the very existence on which it is built. Lack of communication with your partner and children can make them feel alone and depressed. Your children may have a traumatic childhood and this can have long-term effects on their lives. Under the influence of drugs or alcohol a person may get into unnecessary arguments and physical abuse with his partner, which can seriously dent the relationship.

Economic impact
The dependence on drugs and alcohol may eat up your finances. Instead of taking care of the more important issues in your life, like your child's education, savings, etc. you may waste all your money on alcohol and drugs. Apart from this, it is highly likely that alcohol and drugs will interfere with your efficiency at work, and cause you to lose your job. This puts pressure on the other members to earn to sustain the family. Besides, abusers often steal money in order to satisfy their craving, and this can cause a rift in the family. Abusers are likely to suffer from various health ailments, and the money spent on treatment and hospitalization can have a huge economic impact on your family.

Health constraints
The intake of alcohol and drugs can cause a host of diseases, such as cancer, cardiac arrest, strokes, high-blood pressure and depression. Lack of treatment can also result in death. Apart from the abuser, the family members also experience health problems, which are collectively known as 'intoxication emotion'. This problem is a behavioral issue and makes the family members feel self-guilt, shame, and social anxiety. They may also suffer from depression and insomnia. The children of an abuser are the worst sufferers as they are denied care and love when they need it the most. They may develop negative perceptions, which can make them ambivalent and vulnerable to drug abuse.

Criminal activities
Abusers are more vulnerable to indulge in criminal activities than other people. When an abuser does not get the money to buy drugs or alcohol, he can easily indulge in mugging, violence, kidnapping or even murder to satisfy his needs. Apart from this, drugs and alcohol interfere with the reasoning power of the brain and an abuser is at a greater risk of sexually abusing someone. These activities can easily land an abuser in jail which can impact his family life.

These were some effects of drugs and alcohol on family life. Fortunately, there are various state-sponsored community centers where abusers are rehabilitated. It is important that possible signs and symptoms are detected early on so that an abuser does not fall into a downward spiral. It is important that you remain patient during the rehabilitation program as there is no magic cure for treating alcoholism and drug abuse. It certainly will take time, so it is the responsibility of the family members that they act as a support system and help their loved ones to recover. Drugs and alcohol can spoil your family life, but it is never too late to make a comeback.

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