Targeting moms

Sometimes I think the world is out to get moms. It seems like everywhere I turn there is some new warning, some new disease or some new fear that sends moms into new depths of worrying for their little ones.

Just recently, moms have been hit with BPA toxins in bottles, swine flu in schools and salmonella in peanut butter. It’s enough to drive a mom nuts, or at least to turn a mom into a cyberchondriac.

Now you may be thinking, “That’s not a real thing.” But I’m here to tell you that it is and that it’s very much like being a hypochondriac, only equipped with the miracle of WebMD and Google.

I first realized I had a problem when my husband read out loud my most recent Google searches. I hate to admit this, but here’s a sample of what we found: rash, torso rash, fever and rash, BPA, peanut butter recall, swine flu symptoms, raised rash, teething.

I am not proud of this.

But what’s a mom to do when every day the media is making a hoopla over some new disease or dangerous product?

Sometimes I really wonder if scientists and the media are sitting back and laughing at how scared they can make moms. For example, a story on MSNBC this week details the danger of bugs in beach sand that can give E.Coli to kids.

“Parents figure that as long as the kids are within sight, they’re safe. But a new study shows that some pretty nasty bugs may lurk in those glistening, gleaming grains,” the article says.

Seriously? What’s a mom supposed to do with that information? Never let her kids play in the sand again? Sit by the sand box biting her nails?

How do you handle all the media hype about safety threats for kids? Do you think it’s overkill?