Warning labels

I'm fighting a cold and not feeling like posting today, but I'm only a few days into NaBloPoMo, so no way I can stop now.

Here's a stupid thing: The Bumbo chair was recently "recalled." We'd heard rave reviews about this thing from other parents, as it helps babies sit up earlier than they can do so on their own, and they really like this. But some stupid parents did not use their common sense OR read the labels on the packaging and the chair itself and decided it was a good idea to use the chair on an elevated surface, like a COUNTERTOP. What the eff were they thinking! So of course a few kids have fallen out of the chair and endured some serious head injuries from the fall from that height. And these parents are suing the company.

The company is recalling the chairs so they can add a warning sticker to it, since apparently the molded-on warning and and statements on the packaging and instruction booklet that say virtually the same thing are not enough for some people.

I have historically not read warning labels. They say stupid things like: Toaster "Do not insert metal objects into heating mechanism" and Anti-Itch Cream "Do not ingest" and Car "Do not attempt to enter or exit vehicle while moving." Now that I have a wee human counting on me, I've started to read warning labels on things. For the most part, baby-related warning labels are both obvious and inspire some vivid worries about the absurd. Like August's bassinet came with a big warning on the side of the fabric that said something about watching out for baby not to get stuck between the mattress and side of bassinet. Looking at the thing I can't imagine how this would happen, but I'm sure it has happened once or twice, miraculously, and since the parents sued the company, they now have to post a warning about both the obvious and the inconceivable.

Anyway, we will be keeping our Bumbo chair. And we won't be using it on the kitchen counter, though maybe she'd enjoy sitting in it while riding on the hood...
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Just after I posted this, I walked into the living room where Ray was feeding August and watching a show where a guy on a motorcycle is trying to jump a school bus after setting himself on fire.