Generations of moms in my family have sworn by mixing a tablespoon of rice cereal into a baby’s bottle before bed. My mom, aunt and cousins swear it fills up their tummies and helps them sleep through the night. My pediatrician, on the other hand, swears it's a bad idea. He warns … [Read more...]
‘Ditch The Laundry Detergent Pods’ – Consumer Reports
Source: The Problem With Laundry Detergent Pods - Consumer Reports We often hear about freak accidents where a child is seriously injured or killed due to a seemingly benign product. The first reaction for many parents is to shrug it off and place blame on an irresponsible … [Read more...]
Experian Child Credit Freeze Summary
UPDATE 2018: Experian Child Credit Freeze Warning: Parents Beware of Mailing Sensitive InfoWe recently discovered that Experian will no longer allow parents to use their secure online upload portal. Experian is now requiring that you mail in sensitive documents despite laws … [Read more...]
Equifax Child Credit Freeze Summary
The Equifax child credit freeze process is by far the most consumer-friendly of the three credit bureaus.But alas, the Equifax procedure for requesting a "security freeze on a protected consumer or minor" also presents a couple of significant security risks.Like TransUnion, … [Read more...]
TransUnion Child Credit Freeze Summary
While the TransUnion child credit freeze process is relatively easy, their standard procedure for implementing a "protected consumer freeze" (outlined here) presents a couple of significant security risks.By default, TransUnion asks that you mail the required documentation to a P.O. … [Read more...]
You Need My Social Security Number But You Won’t Give Me Your Employee ID?
By now, most people know that their Social Security number is the key to their identity, so they need to be very judicious about who they share it with. Most security experts agree you should even decline to give it to your doctor or your child's school unless it is absolutely … [Read more...]
How I Forced the Credit Bureaus to Freeze My Child’s Credit
When I first began covering credit freezes, I was shocked that the bureaus would not let me freeze my child’s credit.As I've mentioned in several blog posts and broadcast news stories, a credit freeze is widely believed to be the single best tool to prevent financial ID theft. It … [Read more...]
Are There Toxic Chemicals in Your Kids’ Sunscreen? Check Here!
So there I am, standing in front of the sunscreen aisle at a baby superstore with my 6-month old in the stroller, my dog-child in the basket underneath and my face buried in my iPhone. I must have been the picture of a "Basic" Bay Area Mom (insert eye roll here). No, I wasn't … [Read more...]
Car Seat Safety Standards Leading to More Child Deaths
Car seat safety standards may contribute to kids forgotten in hot cars. It seems every summer we hear shocking stories of children left to die in hot cars. In most cases, it's a heart wrenching accident that leaves many parents thinking one of two things: "I would never do that!" or … [Read more...]
A Wireless-Free Bedroom – What About Baby Monitors?
A Follow-Up to "Why I Declared Our Bedroom a Wireless-Free Zone." A couple of weeks ago while covering a story, I interviewed one of the foremost experts on (and critics of) electromagnetic radiation. During the interview I asked him a personal aside: "How dangerous is it that I … [Read more...]