Parenting tips from the playpen

NEW YORK -- "No! No! No!"

It's the familiar soundtrack of households with babies and toddlers.

Many parents find themselves prying toys out of their children's hands and pulling food out of their mouths because whatever the little ones have gotten themselves into poses a safety hazard.

But what if the children were already in a safe environment? That would allow parents to encourage playing, eating and exploration without a battle.

"The Baby Rules: The Insider's Guide to Raising Your Parents" (Health Communications Inc.) is a new book written by Jamie Schaefer-Wilson and Jo Anne Germinario, two mothers who wanted to be able to say "yes" a little more often.

Schaefer-Wilson says the book features short chapters and bulleted points so moms and dads could use it as a practical reference guide that doesn't have to be read all at once. "What new parent would have the time?" she says with a laugh.

"The Baby Rules" is written from a baby's point of view. One of the first pieces of advice is: "Please make sure all my visitors wash their hands before holding or touching me. Do you know the last time they washed those hands? I don't, and I'm very susceptible to germs."

Schaefer-Wilson says writing this way forces parents to see things from a different perspective -- and they'll see how tempting it would be to pull on a curtain cord or how much a table cloth can look like a cozy blanket when you're crawling on the floor.

"They say the best way to babyproof your home is to get on hands and knees, and it's true."

Using the baby's voice also helps bring safety risks closer to home. "No one wants to hear all the horrible statistics about accidents," says Schaefer-Wilson. "Instead we're saying, 'Don't do this because you don't want me to get hurt.' With a generic voice, you can say it'll never happen to me -- but it can."

The other reason why the authors turned to a tot's perspective is to add a little humor to an otherwise serious subject. "We want to make taking good care of your baby fun," Schaefer-Wilson says.

One example: "Never take your eyes off me when I'm in the water. Not unless you see the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Peter Pan and Mother Goose all on the same day ... and not on or including October 31!"

Schaefer-Wilson and Germinario became friends on the job; they were both TV producers, orchestrating segments for talk and news shows. Once too often, their subject was a tragic -- and likely preventable -- accident involving children.

That's when they decided to write a book. At first, publishers weren't interested in the topic of safety, telling the authors that they'd be better off writing a "how-to-get-your-baby-to-sleep book."

This attitude convinced the mothers even more that their book would fill a void. "If it's more important that your child sleeps well instead of sleeping safe, there is something wrong with this country," Schaefer-Wilson says.

Eventually they found a publisher in Health Communications Inc., which describes itself as a company that prints "books that change lives."

It's OK, though, with Schaefer-Wilson if the book changes only a few little behaviors. "If we could save just one child, I'll be happy," she says.

The top of her list includes having parents educate themselves about poisonous plants and moving them out of the reach of little hands; locking up household chemicals and cleaners; making parents aware of choking hazards; and reminding mothers and fathers that the best way to prevent accidents is to maintain a watchful eye at all times.

"We don't want to scare people; we want people to be proactive. We want people to join us to keep 2.5 million children from getting in accidents that lead to injury or death each year," she says.

Straight from the baby's mouth

Parents will enjoy their babies more and babies will enjoy their parents more if they all live in a safe, child-friendly environment, according to Jamie Schaefer-Wilson and Jo Anne Germinario, authors of "The Baby Rules: The Insider's Guide to Raising Your Parents."

With potential hazards eliminated, parents can concentrate on the smiles and giggles on their children's faces, says Schaefer-Wilson, and babies won't have to listen to the constant drone of "no, no, no."

Some advice from the book, which is written from the baby's perspective:

I know it's convenient to have baby oils and powders on the changing table. Did you know some of these items can be harmful to me if I swallow them? Keep these things out of my reach. They look like fun and interesting toys to me.

There should be both a waist belt and a strap between my legs when I'm in my high chair. The tray is not meant to restrain me! Imagine what could happen if I slide down between the chair and the tray.

In the bath, never give me a sponge to play with. I will put it in my mouth and break some pieces off. Just use a washcloth.

Don't leave stuffed animals or toys with plastic buttons, eyes or noses I can pull or choke on in the crib. The furry creature can cover my mouth and nose when I sleep and make it hard to breathe.

Never dispose of razor blades, toothbrushes and other dangerous items in bathroom or bedroom wastebaskets. Now that I'm crawling I will naturally look in the wastebasket, stick my hand in or tip it over.

Look into buying a car with automatic window sensors. If I accidentally push the window button and put my hand, or worse, in front of the window, the sensor will not allow the window to close.

Please empty all gift boxes before you give them to me to play with. I can get into all sorts of trouble with wrapping and tissue paper. You know it will only end up in my mouth. And packing "popcorn"? Don't even think about leaving that within 20 feet of me or my playpen.