July 4th 2021
Last year with the pandemic in full swing, the holiday was a bit quieter, but this year I see people slowly getting back to normal.
I am updating my old July 4th safety post. Most of these tips have kept their relevance. I have made notes where things seem like they need an update
The phone calls that I get following the July 4th holiday are fairly predictable so here are some tips that can help you all have a safe & healthy holiday weekend.
Since some of the holiday festivities may involve large crowds, I have some recommendations for dealing with situations where you might find yourself in a throng of people. Dress your child in bright clothes that stand out from the pack. Take a photo of them before you set out, so if heaven forbid you get separated, you have a current picture to pass around that shows exactly what they are wearing. Another sensible and creative idea is to write your phone number on your child's wrist and cover it with liquid band-aid to make sure it doesn't wash off. (2021 update - I personally still would not want to be in a large crowd of strangers, even outdoors!)
Make a solid plan with your older children. What should they do if they lose sight of you? Where should you meet up? This is a good time for the :
Will it be loud? Loud music and fireworks can be damaging to your child's sensitive ears. Consider getting some ear protection if you are going to be someplace that can put hearing at risk:
Please be very careful of fireworks. If you are skipping the organized shows and planning on setting them off yourself, make sure your kids don't have any access to the fireworks or matches ahead of time. Do an inventory and know exactly what you have on hand. Keep the kids at a safe distance during the actual fireworks. Have a bucket of water or a hose nearby. (2021 - with such a dry season PLEASE avoid setting off any personal fireworks!)
Try to keep your pets indoors with windows closed. There are items such as the Thundershirt or medications that you can give them if you know your animal has a tough time with the booms of fireworks. Stressed out animals need to be observed especially closely with any interactions with your children and babies.
(2021 - my poor grand-dog, Bowie who is an enormous fierce looking shepherd/husky mix, is absolutely terrified of fireworks and we will be dog sitting this weekend… wish us luck!)
If you are in San Francisco chances are you probably don't have to worry about the heat. When my kids were growing up, our July 4th fireworks watching usually included warm blankets, hot chocolate and lots of thick fog. I remember one year when Lauren was 3 or 4 and we were driving to a vantage point, she saw a traffic light through the fog. "Is that a firework? It's beautiful!" Ah, our San Francisco babies.
For those of you escaping the city make sure you stay well hydrated and protected from the sun.
Get in the habit of doing a skin sun exposure check at least every 30 minutes (more frequently for fairer kids) to see if it is time to reapply the sunscreen. Be very wary about applying any of the aerosol sunscreens around a heat source (like a grill.) These are flammable and there are horror stories out there about terrible burns that have occurred.
Let's move our discussion over to grills. I was watching the news and a story came on about the hazards of metal bristles coming loose from utensils that are used to clean your grill. These metal strands may get lodged into pieces of food. People have been reporting mouth injuries and worse. Happily, that is one call that I have never gotten, but it seemed like a caution worth sharing. Check your utensil brushes to make sure there is nothing loose. While you are at it, check the grill surfaces to make sure there are no pieces of any foreign objects that can get stuck in the food.
Make sure your child can't get anywhere near any type of grill. The danger begins from the moment you light it and are waiting for it to be ready, until long after the cooking is done and you are certain it is completely cool.
If you are cooking meat, make sure that it is thoroughly and safely cooked. Food borne illnesses don't just love under-cooked meat; other foods can transfer the bacteria also. Pay attention to any picnic foods that will be out of refrigeration for several hours:
If your picnic/meal is outside and you will be spending time in grassy, wooded places, make sure you do a head to toe check for ticks once back inside:
Ticks are rampant right now. Finding them early before they have been attached for a couple of hours will vastly decrease any concern about disease transmission.
No, it is not okay to keep your child in bubble wrap; that isn't my intent. Go forth and have a festive, fun and safe holiday. Happy 4th of July!
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