Cold Weather, Snow, and Ice - #6

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa or whatever holiday you may be celebrating this week. Also, for next week, Happy New Year!

This is going to be a special year for us. Not only is it our youngest daughter Janika’s first Christmas, it is the first Christmas where Lenka, our two-year old, is looking forward to a visit from Santa Claus. After visiting Santa and letting him know what she wants for Christmas, she has been getting even more excited. We have had to threaten her many times about Santa putting her name on the Naughty list. To make this list more legit, I going to show her this list; which is online at http://www.claus.com. It not only has many games kids can play, but you can type in your name and see what list you are on. It also gives you tips on how to stay on the nice list and what Santa thinks you need to do to improve.

A real treat for most of the United States this year is the bonus of a white Christmas. Of course with this snow comes ice and very cold temperatures. Make sure that when your kids go outside that they are bundled up and no skin is exposed. In our part of the country we’ve had days where the temperatures have peaked in the single digits. Most importantly, make sure you use caution when driving on ice. Even the biggest of vehicles with 4-wheel drive can slide off the road. You might have an easier time recovering after you’ve slid into a snow bank, but that is about it. Also, make sure your kids are buckled in securely. The law states that a child must be in a car seat and in the backseat until 80lbs and under 4’10”. If the child is under a year old, they must be rear facing. This will save you if you ever cause an accident, but what about the other guy? To keep your kids safe from other drivers, be sure to have your car seats professionally inspected when installing them. This can be done at various locations around your city. To find out where, just give you local police station a call. I’ve posted a story below about how an accident,caused by another driver, caused a toddler to be critically injured.

Finally, I want to end on a positive note. People are starting to notice our little blog and the readers are starting to grow. To keep this increase going, pass the website onto three of your friends. The more readers we get the more tips Angie and I will get from other parents and we’ll be able to share it. Also, pass along your holiday pictures and if you want, we’ll post them on our site. Parenttoparent00@yahoo.com


Driver Sought In Crash That Injured Toddler

Police are still looking for the driver involved in a hit-and-run crash that critically injured an 18-month-old girl on Sunday.
Silvia Arambula-Gonzalez was riding in a Toyota Camry that was hit by a Dodge Stratus at 24th and Poppleton just before 2:30 p.m.
The girl is listed in critical, but stable condition, suffering four fractured vertebrae. Her mother, 36-year-old Ernestina Gonzalez, suffered minor facial injuries and was treated and released.
Police say the driver of the Stratus continued west on Poppleton and struck a parked car at 25th Avenue and Pierce where he got out and ran off.
The investigation has determined that the man failed to yield as he turned left in front of the mother and baby. Contributing to the girl's injuries was a child restraint improperly secured to the vehicle.
Anyone with information regarding this accident or the whereabouts of the missing driver should contact police at 444-5627. There is a $2,000 reward for a tip that leads to the suspect's arrest and conviction.