I must have been nine or ten; I remember being almost as amazed that I won the auction for the pocket knife as I was that my mother let me bid on it. That was, however, the first of many knives and other weapons I owned -- a few of which my mother knew about and many which she didn't. Apparently, Angelina Jolie had a similar experience.

According to the Perez Hilton website, Angelina told W Magazine that her mother took her shopping for a knife when she was eleven years old and she is now continuing the tradition -- she recently took her son Maddox knife-shopping. Maddox is a bit younger than both Angelina and I were; he is only seven.

I'm not sure seven is old enough to have a knife of one's own but given his mom's experience, I'll bet Maddox will learn to use it safely.

A group of teenage girls, fourteen and fifteen years old, had the brilliant idea of writing their mobile phone numbers on their backs with blue skin cream so that boys could see them when the girls were sunbathing. The girls were hoping to attract some attention, but admitted that they got some they weren't looking for. "An old guy tried to talk to me. He was trying to take pictures of us," said one fifteen-year-old.

Nikki Goldstein, author of Girlforce, thinks it's a bad idea. "They're in their bikinis, showing off their bodies, objectifying themselves in a way that is, to my mind, a bit trashy," she explained. "Really what they're saying is 'Dial me up for sex'." Child protection experts are warning other girls not to follow this example and Goldstein notes that "we'd never advise girls to broadcast their phone number on the internet or anywhere that could make them a target."

The girls themselves see it as just being a good bit of fun, especially since they're not planning on going any further than chatting. "We come for both the beach and the boys, but I'm taken, so it's all good," said one. Unfortunately, it's not always "all good" and not everyone at the beach is someone you want to have your phone number.

Thanks to Google's Street View, anyone with an Internet connection can virtually tour the streets of cities across the United States. The tool allows you to see 360° images of neighborhoods just as if you were driving down that very street. It's a unique way to get an up-close and personal look at places like Times Square in New York and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. But Street View also lets users get up-close and personal looks at homes, schools and playgrounds. And those views, says a children's advocacy group, put kids at risk.

Stop Internet Predators has asked Google to remove the city of Pittsburgh from Street View because they say that images showing kids, toys and family cars make it easier for pedophiles to find potential victims. A spokesperson for Google says they have a process in which users may request certain images be blurred or removed from Street View, but Stop Internet Predators executive Director Stacie Rumenap says that isn't good enough.

"We want parents to have the opportunity to safeguard their children and for them to have the level of privacy and security they deserve," she said. "Our children's safety should always be the No. 1 concern when allowing a new technology to come into our neighborhoods, and putting the burden on parents to opt out of the system seems unacceptable."

Although Rumenap acknowledges that there have been no crimes against children attributed to Street View, she still thinks it should go offline until all images that might identify where children live, study or play are removed. I am not sure how this could realistically be accomplished, but Rumenap's group is actively pursuing that goal in several other cities as well. I've never used Street View for anything other than wasting time online and wouldn't care one way or the other if it went away. But does showing actual images of schools, playgrounds and homes really put children at higher risk of being victimized? Or is this just pedophile paranoia?

The spanking debate has been duked out repeatedly and will probably continue to be waged so long as people keep having kids. There was the California lawmaker who tried to ban it, but it seems that folks around here see it overwhelmingly as discipline rather than abuse. Me, I'm against it, but that's mostly because I'm very anti-violence.

Cathy Sorbo, a Seattle, Washington stand-up comedienne and mother, is on the non-spanking side as well and has written a column for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on the matter after a woman was arrested for abandoning her newborn baby near a church in the middle of the night. More than just opposing spanking, Sorbo offers an alternative: tickling.

"You can carefully and skillfully overpower your child and inflict torture in a dominant fashion," she explains, "but instead of crying and fear, you will elicit shrieks of laughter." She notes, also, that there are disciplinary advantages too -- "you'll find your child to be more receptive to your concerns after you have both had a good giggle."

I don't know how effective a method of discipline tickling would turn out to be, but it sure seems a lot healthier and happier than spanking. As Sorbo says, "Laughter is healing. Spanking is not."

Many cities have alternative schools where kids who might otherwise drop out are given the opportunity to stay in school and graduate. These at-risk kids are often the victims of neglect or poverty and may have already found themselves on the wrong side of the law. But, according to a 2003 Chicago Public School District study, there is another group of at-risk kids who might benefit from an alternative school of their own: gay, lesbian and transgender teenagers.

Studies show that gay high school students are three times more likely to miss school because they feel unsafe. Because the stigma and fear of violence puts these kids at greater risk of dropping out altogether, the Chicago Public School District has proposed a school just for them. The School for Social Justice Pride would have a maximum enrollment of 600 students who would be admitted on a lottery basis. The school would have the same staffing and oversight as other schools, but would include lessons about sexual identity in literature and history as well as offering counseling.

"We want to create great new options for communities that have been traditionally underserved," said schools chief Arne Duncan. "If you look at national studies, you see gay and lesbian students with high dropout rates. . . . I think there is a niche there we need to fill."

While the idea seems to have plenty of support, it is not going over well with some gay rights advocates. They want to see schools focus on fostering acceptance, not segregation.

The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the matter on October 22nd and if passed, Chicago's first gay high school would open in 2009.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 330,000 Nerf N-Strike Recon Blasters due to faulty design. When firing the toy, the plunger on the blaster can pull the user's skin resulting in injury to the face, neck and/or chest. There have been 46 reports of children aged 4 to 12 who received bruises, abrasion, pinch marks, blood blisters and welts.

The recall involves the Nerf N-Strike Recon CS-6 Blasters for kids aged 6 and over. The toy is yellow with a black handle and orange plunger, trigger and reload clip. The word "NERF" can be found on both sides of the blaster in black lettering and the word "ARMED" is indented on the orange plunger. RECON CS-6 can be found on the gray cocking mechanism. The toy comes with five interchangeable parts including a shoulder stock, flip-up sight, barrel extension, quick re-load clip and dual-mode light beam. Model number 63552 and UPC codes 653569272021 and 653569311218 can be found on the packaging. Only blasters with an exposed orange plunger are included in this recall.

These were made in China for Hasbro Inc. and sold at Wal-Mart, Target, Toys "R" Us, discount stores and toy stores nationwide from November 2007 through August 2008 for about $20 each.

If you have one of the recalled toys, you should immediately take it away from your child and contact Hasbro for a free cylindrical cover to prevent injuries. For more information, contact Hasbro by calling (800) 245-0910 anytime or by visiting their Web site.

When my older daughter was five months old, she started rolling over in her crib at night. Only, instead of rolling over and snuggling in with that cute butt-in-the-air pose that all parents know and love, she'd roll over, then fall back to sleep ... face down in the mattress. I'd lie in my own bed, watching anxiously on the video monitor. My mind would tell me that she was fine, while my heart would fantasize about worst case scenarios until I had enough. I'd go in to gently turn her head to the side. She'd thank me by either waking up, furious, or by being back in the face down position by the time I hit my pillow. At her six month checkup, her doctor told me to leave her alone and let her sleep.

I've never met a new parent who didn't worry about SIDS, who didn't fret about sleep positions. But the same study that found that running a fan in baby's room may reduce the risk of SIDS also found that up to 26% of parents don't heed the advice that babies should sleep on their backs. Babies seem to sleep better on their bellies, so I'm guessing a large chunk of that percentage are parents off poor sleepers. Still, over one quarter of parents don't follow the single most important piece of advice when it comes to preventing SIDS? That's amazing to me

I had one child would only nap during the day if I put her on her side, so I can relate. But I was never brave enough to let them sleep on their bellies until they were old enough to get there themselves. What about you? Did you let your babies sleep on their bellies?

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 11,000 pairs of girls' sandals sold by Rack Room Shoes of Charlotte, North Carolina. The ornamental flowers on the sandals can detach and pose a choking hazard to young children.

The sandals are leather with attached leather flowers and were sold under the Kids Feet brand name. They are either all white or white with pink soles. They were sold in girls' sizes 5 through 12 at Rack Room Shoes stores nationwide from February 2008 through June 2008 for about $25 each.

If you have the recalled shoes, you are advised to immediately take them away from your child and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund or store credit. For more information, you can contact Rack Room Shoes by calling (866) 344-1213 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or by visiting their Web site.

Thinking of adding to your family zoo? If your kids are under 5, you might want to read this. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently sent out a warning to parents that certain pets and young children don't mix, especially exotic pets like hedgehogs, baby chicks, hamsters, lizards, and turtles.

The doctor's group is concerned because young children have undeveloped immune systems and many animals carry germs. In fact, they say, 11% of all salmonella cases involving young children are thought to stem from exposure to certain types of pets and other animals. And even when germs aren't a concern, biting is.

The best thing you can do as a parent and a pet owner is to do your research. Rather than caving in to a child's pleas or an animal's cuteness, make pet ownership a family decision that involves learning all about an animal before acquiring it. That way, you'll be sure to choose an animal that's appropriate for every member of the family, even the smallest.

A six-year-old girl in Bristow, Virginia is being hailed as 'amazing' for fighting off an intruder who jumped into the backseat of her mother's car while it was parked in the family's garage. The girl was strapped into the car alone while her mother dropped a note in a mailbox a few doors down. In the blink of an eye, a man ran into the garage, lowered the door and got into the back seat of the car with the little girl.

According to Sgt. Kim Chinn, the girl gets an A+ for remembering her stranger danger lesson. "The 6-year-old fought him," Sgt. Chinn said. "She screamed, she kicked, and she pinched him. And I just think that was amazing for a 6-year-old to think to do that. Screaming was fantastic; the other stuff, even better."

%Gallery-30776%

The girl's screams alerted her mother, who ran back into the garage in time to see the intruder flee the scene. News reports are referring to this guy as a would-be burglar, but I question why he got in the backseat with the girl if all he intended to do was steal. What was he after? Her lunch box?

Talking to your kids about what to do should a stranger approach can be a scary thing. Scary for you because the idea that someone would want to harm your child is at the top of the list of Very Bad Things that could happen in life. Scary for your child because it makes the world seem like a big, unfriendly place where horrible strangers are out to get them. Unfortunately, sometimes the world is a big, unfriendly place. But this story proves that those stranger danger lessons are important and that being small doesn't have to mean being powerless.

This week there was frost on the ground and the sky was strewn with wind-tattered clouds, V's of honking geese, and the last wayward monarchs heading toward . At recess the kids would pause for a second, mid soccer game, to look up at the sky and yell LOOK! LOOK! Their faces full of wonder and glee.

It was the kind of weather that called us outdoors every day for an extra mid-morning recess.

Even though I'm theoretically sacrificing academic time by heading outdoors for a handful of minutes with my class, I find I mostly gain time because the children are less restless and more willing to settle down with a good chapter book or a math activity when their bodies have had some time to run outdoors. But I also like going outdoors with them because it gives me a chance to watch them interacting together in an unstructured way.

I keep noticing how uncertain they are in their play together without an adult intervening for them whenever something doesn't go their way.

I know. I've probably exhausted you with my posts about play and children, but it's my obsession. I can't let it go.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 12,000 Children's Ball and Heart Necklaces and Portable CD and MP3 Players due to excessive levels of lead in the paint.

The recall involves three different items: a Ball and Heart necklace with pink beads of varying sizes and a pink heart in the center; a Portable CD Player with flowers and dots in blue and pink; and a pink MP3 player with purple, green, yellow and read hearts as well as a light blue one with a monkey's face on the front. Photos of all the recalled items can be found here.

These were made in China and imported by Tween Brands Inc., of New Albany, Ohio. They were sold exclusively at Limited Too and Justice retail stores nationwide, the Limited Too catazine (catalog), and on the Limited Too Website from May 2007 through August 2008. The Ball and Heart Necklace sold for about $8, the Portable CD Players sold for about $25, and the MP3 Players sold for about $55.

If you have one of the recalled items, you should immediately take it away from your child and return it to any Limited Too or Justice store for a full refund and a coupon for a 15% discount off a future purchase.

For more information, contact Tween Brands by calling (800) 934-4497 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or by visiting either the Limited Too or Shop Justice Website.

All I can say is that I'm sure glad they didn't have this system when I was a teenager. Ford is introducing a system that allows parents to control a vehicle's maximum speed, limit the radio volume, and even ensure that seatbelts are worn. All of this is part of a system called MyKey that will initially be standard on the 2010 Ford Focus due out next year and on other vehicles in the future.

The system comes with up to eight keys, each of which can have its own settings. Parents control the system with a master key. "Teens are probably the riskiest drivers," said Sue Cischke, group vice president of sustainability, environment and safety engineering at Ford. "MyKey helps parents encourage their teens to drive safely." More like forces them to drive, well, safer, anyway. Take the seatbelts, for example. Not only is the car more annoying in reminding occupants to buckle up, but the stereo won't come on until everyone's belted in.

As a teen, I don't think I would have liked this system but, as a parent, I am definitely intrigued. This seems a lot simpler than following them around all the time.

The number one recommendation for avoiding sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS is to have babies sleep on their backs. In addition, get a firm mattress and avoid soft bedding. According to new research coming from doctors at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, there's an additional measure you can take: turn on a fan.

This does not replace the existing recommendations, of course, but adds to them. "If parents want to take an extra measure, they should consider using a fan," says Dr. De-Kun Li, the lead researcher in the study. Dr. Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist, found that using a fan reduced the incidence of SIDS by 72%. If the temperature in the baby's room was sixty-nine degrees or higher, the fan helped even more -- cutting the risk by 94% versus not using a fan.

It seems to me that putting a fan on is a simple enough thing to do and if it makes that big a difference, I can't see any reason not to. I think we'll be running out for a fan this weekend for sure.

Three years ago, Lindsay Burke didn't know about abusive relationships and it cost her her life. She was killed by her boyfriend who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Lindsay Burke may not have recognized the signs or known what to do, but other teens will, thanks to a new law that bears her name.

The Lindsay Ann Burke Act requires that the topic of dating violence be a part of the health courses in all public middle and high schools. "You teach sex ed, you teach `don't do drugs,' you teach `don't drink,' you should also be teaching `don't be a victim of domestic violence,'" said Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch who helped get the act passed by the legislature.

"If this could happen to her, this could happen to anyone," said Lindsay's mother, Ann Burke. Burke and her husband, Chris, started the campaign to pass the new law. Texas also has a requirement to include awareness of dating violence and several other states encourage it, but Rhode Island's law goes the furthest, requiring the subject be taught annually from seventh grade through twelfth.

Personally, I can't imagine anyone who wants to be considered human hurting another, especially one they care about, but I know it happens. I'd also like to think my kids will be strong enough -- physically and mentally -- to not permit such treatment. I also know, however, that strength is worthless without training, so I'm all in favor of this. I hope that when my kids get to middle school, this will be a part of their classes too.