My three children were all born within a little over three years. Therefore, it really surprised me that within such a short amount of time, safety recommendations had changed.
It was out with the bumper pad in the crib and in with a net of some sort or nothing at all. No longer were babies getting their first taste of solids at four months, but we were urged to wait until six months.
If I had let it, all the recommendations would have left my head spinning. Had I done everything wrong with my first two children? Had I unknowingly endangered their lives?
I was reminded of these things when I saw the new guidelines recommended by both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Both are recommending children remain rear facing in their car seats until age two. Children under 13 years old are encouraged to ride in the backseat and booster seats are suggested until children reach 4 feet 9 inches and are between 8 and 12 years old.
I’m certainly not disagreeing with the guidelines. I’m simply wondering how any children in my generation survived. Okay, I’m kidding. I’m really wondering how parents like you and me deal with the always changing guidelines in everything from how to feed, dress, discipline, and well, everything else we do with and for our children.
I find, that as I parent, I second guess myself enough without needing the experts to weigh in on every single issue. Obviously, some of these issues are more important than others, and if it keeps kids from getting injured or worse, it’s definitely worth our attention. Of course, not everything is so serious.
How do you deal with information overload when it comes to parenting recommendations? Please discuss.