A Salty Lesson

We have been to the beach multiple times this summer. The kids love to make their own mud, so I thought it might be useful to prefill a water bottle with sea water so that they could play while I set up the blankets. Unfortunately, the bottle fell out of the beach bag and into the trunk. Of course, I had forgotten about it. I was so thirsty yesterday that I just took a guzzle and sprayed it right out, not realizing it was: (1) an opened bottle and (2) sea water not spring water. It was a great teaching moment for my preschooler, though!

The lessons to be learned here: (1) not all clear fluids are water, (2) parents should not refill bottles with any substance without labeling them (if the substance is toxic, please keep out of reach of children), and (3) remind your children to check with an adult before putting anything in their mouth. I was quick to drink sea water from an unsuspecting water bottle, but imagine your little one taking a mouthful of chlorine or some other cleaning liquid, especially if it's colorful and has a sweet smell! Just as a reminder, the Poison Control Center's number is 1-800-222-1222.