Given all the latest information about lead in children’s lunchboxes, I became worried about my daughter’s backpack. Her backpack, obviously bought by Grandma and adored by my daughter, is made by a very commercial company (Disney) that targets children through character promotion (princesses). Since it has some vinyl on it, I wondered if it also contained lead like certain vinyl lunchboxes. I bought this home lead test kit at our local hardware store (I laugh when I use the word local to describe a hardware store two hours away) to do our own experiment. The test kit is very easy to use. A few drops of water is applied to a pad, then the surface of the backpack is gently rubbed for a couple of minutes. The results: her backpack is lead-free. We are relieved by the results, but I do wonder if lead is present in other vinyl products designed for children.
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[…] commercial character backpack (which thankfully we no longer have), and we conducted our own Eco Child’s Play lead testing experiment. The results were negative, but now, I have learned that home lead test kits may not be accurate, […]
I wonder the same thing. I have to say I was never really worried about organic eating (my son is now 2). A friend of mine feeds her daughter organic food (although primarily meat & dairy) & told me about the dangers of plastic. After speaking about it with my husband because of the cost, we decided to feed our son organically as well. My question is though, where does it end? Everything these days seems to be bad for you. From plastic & lead to carpet fumes and furniture varnish and cleaning solutions. I can become a bit obsessed, and reading a lot of this stuff on websites (not just this one) is making me nervous. Now I’ve been feeding my son organic milk 100%, but sometimes, like at Whole Foods, I can’t find organic zucchini or squash. What do I do in that case? My son likes these foods. Is there a way to “reduce” these pesticides in foods that I can’t find organic?
I know what you mean about getting obsessed. When we built our house, we used recycled cotton insulation, eco-friendly sealant on the wood, etc., only to find out the dry wall may have contained formaldehyde. We are surrounded by poisons, and the best you can do is the best you can do. Eliminating many of the toxins by eating organically and cleaning your home with natural products is a great start. It makes me nauseous sometimes when I think about it all! Organic foods are best for farmers, the earth, and consumers. If you can’t find something organic, look for stores that test for pesticide residues. Washing commerciallly grown food well is also important. I have seen special produce washes for sale, but I think a good eco-friendly dishwashing soap is all you need and a gentle scrubber. Also, a certain fruit or vegetable may not be available because it is not in season in your region. Eating seasonally is important in my opinion, as the food is fresher, better tasting, and locally grown.
Good advice. Thanks!
You are welcome. It is natural for parents to worry about their children, add all this stuff on top of it, and you could have an anxiety attack! Take deep breaths, eat well, go for walks with your child, and enjoy the love!
Well,well our beloved Disney brand…never knew that Disney can fall that low,as to sell products that contains chemicals…Last night i was about to purchase a bunch of stuff on the Disney.com,since my little one is a huge fan of princesses as well. What may i say i was speechless when i saw the warning that this particular product contains chemicals that can cause cancer in the state of California…How do you like that..The next step I have contacted the Disney .com…the answer was fast and sweet:we are providing the best service bla…bla…bla…,and of course no real answer…The only thing that I may suggest to concern mothers is to boycott and try not to waste money on the multi-million dollar industry that doesn’t care about our children…
Well, well our beloved Disney brand…never knew that Disney can fall that low as to sell products that contains chemicals…Last night i was about to purchase a bunch of stuff on the Disney. Com, since my little one is a huge fan of princesses as well. What may I say I was speechless when i saw the warning that this particular product contains chemicals that can cause cancer in the state of California…How do you like that. The next step I have contacted the Disney .com…the answer was fast and sweet: we are providing the best service bla…bla…bla…,and of course no real answer…The only thing that I may suggest to concern mothers is to boycott and try not to waste money on the multi-million dollar industry that doesn’t care about our children…