Child Safety - beyond Lead

Ever since I've become a Mother, my consumer experiences have reached a new level. Indeed the way I approach shopping itself has undergone a drastic change. Gone are the days of trying out something and trashing it, if it did not work out. Now trial and error is not an option - but word of mouth has reached iconic status. I am all ears when a mother tells me 'this really worked for my child'. Then I immediately jump onto the internet to get some background details about the product in question - and needless to say read a few reviews from parents while I'm at it.

Living in a western country with no help (read no one to help with the cooking, cleaning, shopping, driving etc as in India) the requirement of toys or rather baby entertainers has come up as a surprise to me. Back home, there are usually so many people around the kid that one doesnt really need the support of props. Here as a lone soldier in Switzerland I find myself propping my baby up on various 'entertainers' as I go about my duties as housecow - oops! - wife.

Which brings me to the topic of this post - child safety.

The many mothers I have interacted with are usually very savvy about the products available in the kiddie market. They know about the subtle differences between the Baby Bjorn and Ergo Carrier, the Maxi Cozy vs. Others, Bugaboo etc etc. Most of them do their research very very well - many relying on past experiences of friends and family. I had almost come to believe that anything recommended by more than two people was the best! And therefore I went in and purchased the following baby entertainers :

...Graco swing
...Bumbo baby sitter (!!!)
...Baby Bjorn 1-2-3 bouncer
...Disney Playmat

Now, the deal is this. The above mentioned items have served me well in keeping my lil one busy, however I've been noticing my kid slouch on the bumbo for a while - as in , she droops her head after about 10 minutes of sitting on the it. She is almost five months old, yet I had this feeling that I should not sit her upright for so long - so I got on to the net to check the recommended age for this sitter. According to the product website : Suggested Age (6 weeks to 14 months). At 6 weeks? Are they serious? More disturbingly I came across reports which suggested that many kids had had serious head injuries after falling from these sitters!! Agreed the parents had made serious mistakes while using the products (keeping it on a table top for instance), but how could I have assumed that anything without a seatbelt or tray could be safe even on the floor!!! Oh dear!

This is the second time I've been shocked by the possible repurcussions of using these toys . The previous time was when , I was contemplating buying an 'Exersaucer'. It had been highly recommended by people - " Great place to prop the kid when you go in for a bath!". For someone who knows how difficult it indeed is to accomplish such a basic daily chore - the Exersaucer sounded like a dream. Again, while researching the item on the net, all I came across was high praise for the product. That is until I generally typed in 'Exersaucer warnings' and got the following link : http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/108/4/1009 which talks about hip injuries possibly caused by the product.

These two experiences plus one where my baby's fingers almost got caught in the swing's tray lock have really made me think long and hard about the benefit of these so called baby sitters. We go on and on about Lead paint in toys when we have a million other things lying around which are more lethal, we spend thousands in baby-proofing the house with locks, gates and switch covers - and yet we leave our baby to sit on something which could cause grevious injury - all in the name of getting some work done.

Having said that, I dont think its possible to stop using these props altogether. However, being forewarned is being forearmed, as they say. So, I would suggest doing as much research as possible before buying a product - and if that seems obvious - as an addenda actively search for negatice reviews and health warnings, because most search resulrs show up only the postive reviews highest.

And most importantly read the fine print and use your mind - leaving a kid unattended on a table top is just asking for trouble.

आप सब को सादर प्रणाम

Namaste! I have no idea how the hindi transliteration button got on only for the header - but it does make me feel happy.

Especially since, I've re-positioned my blog as a consumer's perspective on marketing and research - and what better way to start than in the rashtra bhaasha?

The writing gig

It has been quite a while since I've tried getting my hands around the freelance writing gig. But either I'm looking in all the wrong places or I'm paranoid that much of the www is a scam. Have had two horrible experiences with websites which did'nt pay...

But there is actually one cool website which does help you make money from blogs. Its called bloggerwave and for some simple posts I DID get some funds transferred into my paypal account!

Check it out :

bloggerwave

Psycho testing for dummies!

Its been a very very long while since I last blogged. Consider new maternity blues to be the culprit. And before sleep deprivation eats up the rest of the blog, may I continue?

Over the past few weeks I have been entranced into the glowing new dance of social networking websites. Despite being in the same pyjama seats for the last two days I feel like I've walked into a party - and I'm not even actively 'networking'! I just wander into these little coves of information, which apparently people have laid bare just for my pleasure. So I know who is meeting whom for dinner, where and when; which long lost 'friend' of mine had a haircut yesterday; and which specimen from biology class has moved up on the food chain! Ha!! The voyeur in me is deeply satisfied.

But what has held my attention more than these guilty treats are the links that these websites lead to. Without so much as a think before a blink (sorry my test on job fit said I could be a poet!!!) I get myriad psychological profiles set before my feet - and to think people pay for this!

Consider this :
- I am part L D Vinci , part some artist I never heard of (ok, Ansel Adams!)
- If I was at Hogwarts - I would be in Ravenclaw ( anything but Slytherin!)
- I am Desperate Housewife Lynette Scavo
- I am right brained
- I have 82% chance of being a multimillionaire ( please note 'multi')
- I am Jerry Seinfeld
- I am Ross Geller ( Question : Is Jerry = Ross? - go figure )

I would be super delighted by these quizes if I had not ...
a) been left legged in the visual art department,
b) got the lowest paying job in the HISTORY of my 'professional' institute
c) found Elaine superbly hilarious and swell girlfriend material ( if you see what I mean - I AM NOT SEINFELD!!!)

The other thing about these quizes is that they are super quick - so you can well do your comprehensive personality inventory in 30 minutes flat. What a shame that I spent hours and hours on those scrupulously validated and impeccably reliable tests in Psychology lab!

Now the thing is, I realise that these tests are not meant to be scientific, they are meant to be fun. But honestly, atleast make some sense - I distinctly remember recording my living habitat as a 'pigsty' and I still came up Seinfeld!

What am I exactly ranting about - the easiness of these tests, dummy! They are so easy on the palate that they are irresistible. You dont have to answer a never ending series of repetitive questions to get a vague reply at the end. These things are quick and have a ready result at the end! But what these tests have in terms of charm they lack in terms of credibility.Ofcourse, I do not opine that facebook ( or the test creators) spend incredible sums of money to accredit their tests. Hell - I do not opine that at all - I'd rather be Jerry than Kramer anyday.

What I am looking at is the lessons in these tests for Market Researchers - that poor 5-point scale beaten lot. The facebook model of fast food testing is such a departure from unending rating scales. Would be great if the modern day MR questionnaire was also as short , sweet and snazzy!

What say you?

UP main hai DUM!! :))

This is one election result I just cannot help but guffawing over. Ms.Mayawati's charm seems to have worked more than the baritone of the Big B himself!! And one prophecy the superstar might have unwittingly made has come true, I'm sure much to his own surprise - that UP main hai dum! Ofcouse the resounding BSP victory proves beyond doubt that the people of UP have spoken - without mincing words or making rhymes!

And where did the Bentley gifting ever ubiquitous but thoroughly dubious Amar Singh dissappear? According to the TOI - His Man Friday Amar Singh, who used to accompany him everywhere, was not present having gone "underground" in the national capital. A double guffaw to that!!! I wish him a pleasant stay wherever he is - for a nice long time - maybe till Abhi-Ash's kids get married. Wotsay?

Brings me to another point - the main point - too much publicity is not necessarily such a great thing - it is actually bad. And especially if you are intent on using and reusing the only apparent 'superstar' of our time. In all fairness poor AB and his baby - what credibility do they have in the arena of politics? Dont they earn their dough mouthing pre-written lines? Which is what Amit-ji was doing when he made those adverts for Samajwadi Party I guess. I mean - how much of a UP-ite is he actually? Are you kidding - khaike paan and Allahbad are all just part of the rustic Big B (who wears Reid and Taylor) folklore. Anyone been to Sherwood college in Nainital - where AB made his stage debut with Shakespeare?

Hmm.. and in developing news - and thats my triple guffaw for the evening - the election results prompt a destruction of paper spree in the housing and urban development department in Lucknow (check out here). Wow! Spring cleaning , eh? Or is that the third angle of the dubious brigade covering tracks - heard of a certain Mr.Sahara Pranam? Hic..hic..Im so sick..!!

That leaves Mr.Mulayam's 'Reliance' left on very few ol' buddies looks like. So all poor he can do is to come out and blame the Election Commission of running a paralel government (?) and people not understanding his policies. Boohoohoo! Grow up man - people dont understand or not understand - they like or dislike. And what they dislike - they throw out!!

And that is that!And like I said cheers to the people of UP for exercising their right to democracy.

PS - I have ABSOLUTELY no political affiliations - none the least in BSP for sure!! This is just a neutral and over-exposed viewer's point of view!

The Curse of Eva

Tomorrow morning, approximately 40 million French people will decide the outcome of the ultimate duel (for anywhere in the world!) – the one fought between a man and a woman! As Segolene Royale and Nicolas Sarkozy fight their way to the finish line, there is a surging outburst of apprehension and confusion – at least among the more informed spectators. The underlying question – “Can she beat a man?” or more likely “Can she be a man?”

As a casual spectator far removed from the actual dust and grime of the activity, I have noted an immense change in the kind of commentary which has emerged in the media, after the selection of the two final candidates. Earlier too, Nicolas and Royale were the two clear favorites. People had put their money on seeing these two slug it out in the final contest. It was a beautiful match of contrasts, if nothing else. Not just the conservative vs. other ideologies. Even physically, Sarkozy was the man on the go. Friends of the interior minister claimed to have seen rushes of ruthless ambition as early as college. Cameras focused on his restless feet as he made impassioned speeches with the confidence of a ruthless go-getter. The perfect contrast was Royale, her imagery – that of a beautiful woman, with passion in her eyes and the gentlest demeanor that an artist would so savor. Almost waif like gentleness and the mother’s sensitivity were what I’m afraid her campaign managers focused on. I’ve heard (not seen!) that pictures of her holding her first baby were widely circulated in the media in the initial days of the campaign.

Sarkozy ofcourse had to make it to the final round – what with his staunch following and strong ideologies. Royale’s ‘first woman premier’ strategy also seemed to have worked for starters. But now, in the last few weeks before the final showdown – the picture has slowly withered from that of a battle of equals to being a woman struggling to make her presence felt in the arena of men. Or at least that is what the media would have us believe.

There has been harsh criticism of Royale’s soft stand and her non-aggressive posture! A snap poll that a TV station did showed junta who clearly said that her telling Sarkozy not to be aggressive with her was demeaning of a possible Premier. Maybe the French prefer their Premier’s to have boxing gloves on. Fair enough, but why is requesting a colleague not to be aggressive, wrong – if he indeed is being aggressive – why does the other person come out short just because he/she wants to have a reasonable discussion. Why is being polite not sane? Imagine a diplomatic event which could just turn out to be a slug fest if both parties just decide to be aggressive. Maybe, it is true that most diplomatic events are just that, but to a sane mind it would appear that a more reasonable discussion is more likely to yield a more actionable outcome. But then, that is just me. And bottom line – Royale took the beating for being less aggressive in the national debate. While Sarkozy widened his already strong lead, Royale jumped from ‘woman’ to ‘weak woman’. Interestingly enough, elsewhere in the world, Hillary Clinton also it seems proved her ‘woman’ streak – by being very postured and prepared at the first democratic candidates debate. More and more I as a detached audience, get the feeling that for these women the biggest challenge is not anything related to what they say or do – rather it is to prove that they can be worthy of a so-called man’s job! In fact they need to prove ‘How much of a man they are’ are each step. No wonder Condoleeza Rice lost oodles of her stern guy charm when she declared that she won’t mind getting married!

And back in France, the last interview that I heard – of a male political advisor to the current Chirac government – was no less shocking. He justified Sarkozy’s tough stance during the recent Paris riots in one sentence, “It is far easier to be a family or health minister than an interior minister!” Incidentally Royale has held those far easier posts!

Again as I watch this interesting turn of events where Sarkozy struts about like he’s already won, and Royale’s feathers look wet and ruffled I cannot but help correlate many of these observations with what I have noticed so many times in the Indian corporate world. How many of us have heard the mutterings every time a woman leaves early to attend her child’s PTA meeting. No matter that she is far more efficient in her deliverables. If a man comes in at 10, goes out to smoke (or indeed to have a beer!) every 1-1.5 hours and then ‘works’ till 10 – he is a workaholic. But a woman who comes in at 9.00 and sits at her desk till 6.30 (except for lunch hour) and then leaves – she is well – a woman!!! Alright, these may seem like two very stereotypical and extreme cases but what I am trying to say is that, for most women in the corporate world too – the threat is to have every action analyzed in the context of their gender. Most women try to actively fight against these perceptions – time and again trying to prove that they can be a ‘Man’ when it comes to work. In an interview, soon after becoming Pepsico Chief Indra Nooyi willingly declared that she wears suits to work – she wants to be detached from her identity of a woman when at work. It helps too I guess that she wears her hair short. No – I do admire the lady a lot – but one winces each time she has to say that she had to go out and ‘travel’ like a man in her initial days. And why does it have to be defined ‘like a man’?

So is a woman’s worth always on the scale of ‘man’? Hmmm…that unfortunately seems to be the answer that I have got. And needless to say I am definitely waiting for the day when they tell a man to - be a woman!

Master Seek..

This is another cool website - www.masterseek.com for the desk 'researcher' types. It has a comprehensive list of companies worldwide which have been categorised according to industry type. Can mainly be used when you are looking for business adresses, contact , details and product portfolios - saves the trouble of going through numerous local yellow pages (even if it online!!!)