Some warnings state the obvious

As the weather heats up and areas of Tennessee are under a heat advisory, I keep hearing the same warnings over and over. Some don’t bother me and some just get me going, if you know what I mean. If you don’t know what I mean, you are about to find out.

The ones that don’t bother me are the warnings to stay inside as much as possible. If you must go out, wear light, loose clothing and drink plenty of water. Those to me are just common sense, but everyone needs a reminder every now and again.

The ones that get me going are the ones about not leaving your children and pets in the car, and about how high the temperature can get inside the car and how fast. People shouldn’t need reminders about this. When I hear these warnings, I get going.

If anyone needs a reminder, they don’t deserve to keep their pets much less their children.

The simple solution for pets would be to leave them at home. I know most people treat their animals like babies and babies shouldn’t be left at home. Realistically, animals aren’t babies and most businesses don’t allow pets. If you love your animal, leave it at home unless someone will be sitting in the air-conditioned car with your pet until you get back.

There is no simple solution to children. If there was a simple solution, and if I knew what it was, I would be rich right now just from the rights to the book.

Let’s face it, going places once you have children is one of the biggest changes new parents have to face. Gone are the days of just jumping up and going to the store, to the mall, to a friend’s house or anywhere else you can think of.

A quick trip to the store for a loaf of bread, gallon of milk and a little something for dinner isn’t quick anymore unless you find someone to come over and take care of the kids. Getting from the house to the car, from the car into the store, and back to the car, with a child or children in tow, is like running a marathon even for a couple items.

Every trip, no matter how small, feels like moving. When the children are babies, you have to pack everything they might need. As sure as you don’t take it with you, you will need it. At a minimum you better bring one outfit, one bottle, one pacifier, one diaper, a diaper bag and a stroller.

Leaving your child or children in the car, even if it is more convenient, is wrong and also illegal in Tennessee if the child is under age 7. Giving up the little luxury called convenience is part of being a good parent. Whoever said children rule your life knew exactly what they were talking about.

I do understand that most warnings, and warning labels, are necessary. The reasons for warning labels are to protect product makers against people who don’t use a little common sense and then want to sue.

I think the first really stupid warning label I noticed many years ago was, ‘Hot beverages are served hot!’ That little addition was thanks to people buying coffee, spilling it on themselves, and then suing because they got burned. If my coffee isn’t hot, I’m suing.

My daughter once asked me about the warning label on a prescription I just got filled. It read, ‘Consume by mouth’ and she wanted to know why they were silly as to put a warning like that on the bottle. She asked, ‘Where else would you put it’? Good question. Who didn’t consume by mouth?

I wonder who tried these things which prompted theses warning labels:

‘ A hair dryer had a warning not to use in the shower.

‘ A clothing iron had a warning to remove clothing before ironing.

‘ A chainsaw cautions against stopping the blade with your hand.

Lisa Hobbs is a reporter for the Standard. She can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].