We live in a world where consumers not only expect instant gratification from the online products and services they pay for, but also instant justice when they believe they’ve been wronged. That’s why a growing number of websites now take a “shoot first, ask questions later” approach to complaints — removing content, and locking down accounts before they investigate. While many sites try to balance this preemptive practice by allowing affected users to appeal, that can’t be said about one prominent site that connects users with professional caregivers. [More]
childcare
If You've Got A Nanny, The IRS Has A Tax For You
By 3.6.12
You may not think of yourself as an employer just because you have someone drop by the house to watch your kids, but the Internal Revenue Service sees things differently. Many parents are taken by surprise by the “nanny tax,” which requires parents to pay FICA and FUTA taxes. [More]
No, You Should Not Sell Your Five-Month-Old To Raise Money For A New Apartment
By 4.25.09
19-year-old West Virginian Rebecca Sue Taylor is facing felony charges after trying to sell her five-month-old son for $10,000 to raise money for a new apartment. Taylor was in talks to act as a surrogate mother for Leigh Burr, but then realized she could skip a few steps and still turn a buck. When it looked like negotiations weren’t going well, Taylor, who claimed she had been “unable to bond with the infant,” dropped the price of her son to $5,000.
By 10.14.08
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This $10 silicone bib for babies is stain-proof and non-porous, and it forms a scoop (you might even say a trough) underneath baby’s uncooperative mouth, so that food items end up there instead of on the baby, table, floor, dog, etc. It can even be thrown in the dishwasher. [Cool Tools]
By 6.20.08
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It’s been a few weeks without a BPA story, so here goes: Four parents in Ohio have sued Evenflo, Avent America, Handicraft, Playtex Products, and Novartis for using bisphenol A in their baby products. They’re seeking class action status. [Washington Post]
Get Info On BPA-Free Baby Products Via Text Messaging
By 3.21.08
If you’ve got a baby and you’re concerned about buying unlabeled products that contain Bisphenol A or BPA—which some studies have indicated may lead to adverse health effects in humans—the website Z Recommends has just launched a free text messaging service that lets you query their database of companies while you’re standing in the store. They’ve also got a printable wallet-card you can carry with you, which serves as both a cheat-sheet for the text service and a quick reference source for major companies.
By 12.18.07
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British retailer John Lewis is selling the world’s most unintentionally disturbing baby bathtub ever. At least we hope it’s unintentional. [BoingBoing]
What To Do With Preschoolers When You Can't Afford Preschool
By 8.11.07
It’s Saturday morning, also known as Kids Run Wild Day, when you begin your weekly 48-hour endurance challenge and dream of the relative peace that will come on Monday when you return to work. But what if your kid isn’t school age yet? Preschool “tuition” can be more expensive than a well-groomed drug habit, all but guaranteeing poverty until you can ship the tyke off to kindergarten. SmartMoney notes that on average, preschool tuition now runs $7,000 per year, and they offer a few alternatives for the cash-strapped owner of a 3-year-old.
