the tale of a safety-conscious six-year-old – how approximately 58 stuffed animals ended up sleeping in the floor

Published on June 27, 2010 by in Elizabethtown, Kentucky Consignment Sale

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Shortly after I heard of the June 24 recall of even more drop-side cribs, I found myself watching the CPSC’s video blog with questions & answers about the recall.  Because they come running everytime they hear sound from the computer, one of my six-year-olds, we’ll call him “Thing One” for short, was watching over my shoulder.

“Mom, whacha watching on the computer?”

I explained that some cribs with sides that go up and down have broken and a few have even hurt babies.  I told him that the safety experts had decided these cribs needed to be taken off the market and because of that we couldn’t allow those types of cribs at a Kentucky Kids Consignment Sale anymore.

He shrugged and ran off to the room he shares with the other six-year-old, called “Thing Two” for short.  I heard a big crash and followed to see what disaster had unfolded this time.

drop-side doll crib

“Mom, I didn’t want all my stuffed animals sleeping in the baby doll crib if it’s not safe. See, it has a side that goes up and down. I took them all out!”

So, now I’m trying to figure out how to get a repair kit for a circa 1975 drop side doll crib… can anyone help me out? :-)

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Is there hope for CPSIA reform?

Published on August 5, 2009 by in Uncategorized

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Today’s Louisville Courier-Journal features an editorial I wrote about former Kentucky Congresswoman Anne Northup’s confirmation hearings for her appointment to the CPSC.

I think that this terrible law is a runaway train of unintended consequences that can only be stopped by Congress amending it to clean up the mess they made in the first place. Handing it over to the CPSC for interpretation and implementation has only created a nightmare for businesses who have been doing the right thing all along.

Let me be clear, I do not want my children or any other children exposed to dangerous substances. I am in no way advocating that lead containing toys should be distributed willy-nilly. I am advocating that a tiny shred of common sense be applied.

Common sense says resale entities should not need to test non-recalled items produced prior to February 2009 for lead. To be far, the CPSC has said we are not required to test, we’re just not allowed to sell anything over the 600 ppm limit, soon to be 300 ppm, and possibly 100 ppm.

Common sense says that parents who choose to let children under 12 ride ATV’s should have the option to buy small, low horsepower models.

Common sense says that ink pens and rhinestones that have not been proven harmful pose no real threat to our children.

Common sense says that a mom making hairbows at her kitchen table from ribbons that have been tested for lead by the manufacturer should not be required to rest every style and size of bow she makes before selling it.

Where is the common sense? Nancy Nord seems to have a bit of it and all I can do is hope that Anne Northup does too.

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CPSIA and Kentucky Kids Consignment Sale

Published on February 15, 2009 by in Elizabethtown, Kentucky Consignment Sale, Louisville, Kentucky Consignment Sale

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As many of you are already aware, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Information Act last year and those new regulations took effect on February 10.

For more information about CPSIA, you can visit the CPSC’s website.

The CPSC says that consignment sales like the Kentucky Kids Consignment Sale are not required to test items for the presence of lead or phthalates. New information about how to comply with CPSIA is constantly coming from the CPSC. Be assured that we are watching closely for each new announcement and will adjust our policies as needed.

Because we are concerned about your family’s safety, we have decided to err on the side of caution and not accept any children’s jewelry, “grab bags” of small toys, or books printed before 1985 at our Spring 2009 sales.

We will continue checking items very closely for recalls. We ask that all sellers please use the CPSC website to screen items for recalls prior to coming for item check-in.

recall search page

As always, all items of questionable safety will be removed from the sales floor. We have never allowed any items on our sales floor that we would not purchase for our own children.

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