by A ‘scarred’ funeral director talks about the toy she will never allow her kids to play with, and now her eye-opening TikTok is going viral.
Mortician and mother @lovee.miss.lauren garnered over 5.7 million views, 722,000 likes and 10,000 comments when she uploaded the timely commercial to her account.
Now, much like TikTok, which went viral for revealing what can happen if you sleep with your bedroom door closed, Lauren’s video sends shivers down the spines of parents around the world.
“I practically grew up in a funeral home, and as many funeral homes will say, the hardest thing we ever have to deal with is the death of a child,” Lauren explained.
“When you become a parent, you find yourself extra protective of your children because you know what can happen in the blink of an eye.”
In her TikTok — and a rapidly growing follow-up video — Lauren lists the following toys as off-limits in her home:
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water pearls
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Everything with cord
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chains for teething
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balloons
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skipping ropes
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button batteries
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trampolines
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toys with magnets
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Fidget spinner
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hammocks
The American Academy of Pediatrics supports Lauren’s warnings. According to its website, water-absorbing gel beads can grow up to 200 times larger when they hit water, causing dangerous blockages that X-rays may not detect if swallowed or placed in the ears.
Toys with loose strings, ropes, ribbons, or cords — especially if the cords are longer than 12 inches, such as pull toys or skipping ropes — can pose a dangerous strangulation hazard to children.
Bite chains, which can cause choking or strangulation, should never be worn by young children. Instead, parents should massage their children’s gums or give them hard rubber teethers that are not frozen.
Button batteries — found in items such as music cards, toys, remote controls, thermometers, hearing aids, calculators, bathroom scales, key chains, cameras, and Christmas decorations — can cause serious injury or death if swallowed.
The AAP has long discouraged the use of trampolines because serious injury can occur even when padding and fencing are in place.
Magnets, if swallowed, can pinch tissue between them, resulting in potentially fatal injuries.
Fidget spinners, whether plastic or metal, often contain small parts and/or batteries that can pose a choking hazard.
Hammocks, whether intended for toddlers or toys, can twist around little ones’ necks, which can lead to strangulation.
Lauren isn’t the only TikToker urging parents to remove dangerous toys from their homes. Reese’s Purpose took to the web in 2020 to warn parents about deadly button batteries, and That Water Bead Lady has been working hard to educate families about the dangers of water beads since 2017.
“I can’t imagine what you saw”
Thousands of TikTokers reacted to Lauren’s PSAs and shared their own scary experiences.
“I’m an ER nurse and I have the saddest history with button batteries. People must keep these away from children and pets! So sad,” wrote one user.
“Answering 911 calls all day made me the same way! So many things can hurt little ones!” said another.
“As a former hospital chaplain…YUP,” agreed one user.
“I can see how valid all of this is. I can’t imagine what you saw 🥺,” said one user.
“This video can save so many lives. thank you for making our babies aware of this❤️🩹,” wrote another user.
Parents wondering if their children’s toys are safe or looking for possible Christmas gifts this holiday season can contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website or HealthyChildren.org.
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The post-mortician mom reveals the toys she’ll never allow her kids: ‘Call me the Grinch’ appeared first on In The Know.
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