CPSC and Pampers Parenting Institute Announce First-Ever Joint Grandchild Safety Campaign

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Pampers Parenting Institute are joining together to offer important safety and child nurturing tips to grandparents. With millions of children getting set to visit their grandparents' homes over the holidays, CPSC Chairman Ann Brown and Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, world-renowned pediatrician and Chairman, Pampers Parenting Institute, today unveiled a free booklet, ""A Grandparents Guide for Family Nurturing and Safety.""

The easy-to-read booklet contains critical information on child development as well as potentially life saving safety advice to help grandparents kid-proof their homes and protect grandchildren, from newborns to five-year-olds. The publication is co-produced by CPSC and the Pampers Parenting Institute and is available free of charge through the Consumer Information Center. The toll-free number to call is 1-888-8-PUEBLO. The booklet will also be posted on both the Pampers Parenting Institute Web site at www.pampers.com and the CPSC Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

As more and more grandparents become primary caregivers of American children (a U.S. Census Bureau study cites 1.3 million children are entrusted to grandparents every day), the Pampers Parenting Institute, a forum where leading experts provide parents with information on child care, and the CPSC are responding to the immediate need for reaching grandparents with this important information.

Chairman Brown said the goal of the initiative is to encourage grandparents to spend time with their grandchildren in a healthy and safe environment. "In the many years since grandparents were raising their own children, so many safety issues have arisen or drastically changed. For example, who would have thought that venetian blind cords could be a safety hazard? In fact, one child every month dies from strangulation after becoming entangled in the loop of these cords. The booklet, 'A Grandparents Guide for Family Nurturing and Safety,' has a practical grandchild safety checklist to point out hidden dangers in the home. We want every grandparent to be aware of these child-safety concerns - especially during the holidays when so many children are visiting Grandma and Grandpa."

In the booklet, T. Berry Brazelton offers expert advice on overcoming common grandparenting "hurdles" to fully experience the wonders of a loving and nurturing extended family. Notes Dr. Brazelton, "Grandparents do so much that is right and child development studies show that children have so much to gain - family values are reinforced, family history is shared and, of course, every child benefits from the somewhat notorious spoiling and extra-special attention grandparents give their grandchildren."

Dr. Brazelton further comments, "Grandparents can provide a wonderful, often much-needed break from the daily strains of raising children in the 1990s. What a shame that there are some real potential relationship pitfalls in extended families that can disrupt a healthy relationship and create undue tensions. For instance, some grandparents may step beyond a little overindulgence with their grandchildren to not adhering to rules set by the parents. In 'A Grandparents Guide for Family Nurturing and Safety,' Chairman Brown and myself address these concerns - as grandparents ourselves - and hope we can help families recognize the inspiring and awesome role models that grandparents can be."

The Pampers Parenting Institute provides a forum where parents can interact with foremost child health and development experts. Established in October 1996, the Pampers Parenting Institute, chaired by Dr. Brazelton, is designed to be an important resource to providing parents with the knowledge and advice they seek on children, newborn to age three.

For more information, visit the Pampers Parenting Institute Web site at www.pampers.com.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is a federal agency that helps keep families and children safe in their homes by overseeing the safety of 15,000 types of consumer products.