Every time I read or hear about a child abduction, I shudder and think of the time when I nearly "lost" my oldest child in a store. I had a crazed panic, and when I found him (he was hiding in clothes, thinking it was funny), I felt for the first time how quickly things can go wrong with kids in your care. Trust me, it hasn't happened again!

My neck of the woods (Texas) is currently under a Level Orange action alert, and Red is possible over the next week. What does that mean, exactly? For parents and child care providers, the ozone information and alert system is important information to use in determining whether kids--especially those with respiratory weaknesses--are safe outdoors.