Safety Nut? Who? Me?

I cut corners in many ways. I buy most of my kid's clothes at consignment shops or off clearance racks, I use coupons at the grocery store, and I have an ancient not-so-smart cell phone. But when it comes to safety I don't take chances. I researched car seats for weeks when I was pregnant. I spend extra for organic dairy and meat. Is there really such a thing as being too safe when it comes to your kids?

Sometimes I feel like I'm in the minority though.

I don't let my three year old play outside by himself. Why not? Snakes. Fire ants. Wild animals. The possibility of him wandering into the swamp or running out to the road.

I keep the bathroom door closed, with a childproof door knob cover. Why? I'd rather just eliminate the  possibility of danger, as opposed to fishing toys out of the toilet fifty times a day. Or cleaning up shower gel that's been squeezed all over the floor.


I don't shower when I'm home alone with the kids. Why not? I don't trust the impulsive nature of preschoolers and toddlers. The ten minutes I'd be in the bathroom is plenty long enough for someone to get into a heap of trouble, break an arm, or worse. Why risk that when I can wait until my husband gets home and take a nice leisurely shower?

Some may call me paranoid or overprotective. Maybe I am. But I put a high priority on my kid's safety. It takes just a second for a child to wander out the door and into a busy street. It takes just a second for a curious toddler to pick up a snake and get bitten. It takes just a second for a child to fall into a toilet and drown.

Call me a Safety Nut if you will. I prefer to think I'm just nuts about safety.

Keeping it real: Evenflo has just released the Momentum 65 DLX Convertible Car Seat, with features that help make safety, installation and use as easy as possible for parents. Evenflo and JuiceBoxJungle sponsored me to write this post, and talk about what child safety means to me and my family.