SAFETY REMINDERS FOR GRANDPARENTS THIS SUMMER

Writer / Renee Oswalt, Childbirth Educator at IU Health West Hospital Photography Provided

With the summer finally here and kids out of school, grandkids have more time to spend with their grandparents. Though many activities are fun, there can also be potential dangers. With that being said, it is important to know what to look out for while watching your grandchildren this summer.

Car Seats

According to the Indiana State Police, in Indiana all children under the age of 8 must be properly restrained in a child safety seat or booster seat, according to the child restraint system manufacturer’s instructions. All car seats are different, so it is best to read the instruction manual and go to a local inspection station.

Medications

Make sure you know your grandchild’s medical history, so you know if they need to take any medications and in case the child experiences a medical emergency while in your care. If so, know how much and how frequently to provide the dose. Children aged 12 and under should not be given aspirin since it is connected to Reye syndrome, an illness that causes nausea, vomiting and behavioral changes, and also often requires treatment in a hospital. Medications should always be out of reach and out of sight of children, or stored in child-resistant containers. It is important to keep your purse or backpack away from grandchildren as well, because medications may be kept there.

Helmets

Whenever your grandkid is on a bike, skateboard, rip stick or other toy, make sure they are wearing a helmet to prevent serious injury. It is recommended that children use helmets while riding bicycles to reduce the likelihood of head trauma, including traumatic brain injury and related consequences. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is important for kids to wear helmets until they are at least 16 years old.

Water

Children are curious and drawn to water. Keep small children safe from any open water. Even a cooler with melted ice can be a hazard to a toddler.

Avoiding Small Objects

A good rule of thumb is that if it can go through a toilet paper roll, it is a choking hazard. Small button-shaped batteries, like those used for hearing aids, can cause severe damage if swallowed, inhaled or put up a child’s nose. These items can cause life-threatening chemical burns as well.

Backyards And Garages

Inspect your backyard for anything hazardous or poisonous. Keep the grandchildren out of the yard when you are mowing the lawn. Never let children ride on a lawnmower with you. Garages can have garden chemicals, auto products, pesticides and tools. Make sure to keep them in a locked cabinet and out of reach.

Writer / Claire-Anne Aikman Photography Provided

One of the questions I am frequently asked is: What can you tell me about home warranties?

A home warranty is like health insurance for your home’s working systems. It provides discounted repair costs and, depending on the coverage, replacement costs on the mechanical items in your home (furnace, air conditioning, water softener, etcetera). Some providers also cover appliances and even swimming pools.

Obtaining one is simple. Call a provider, discuss coverage needs and agree to a plan. The payment amount depends on the provider and the coverage, and it can be paid in one lump sum or monthly. When you have a repair need for an item covered in your plan, call your provider and they will arrange for a contractor to assess your situation. You pay a service fee for the call and, if a repair or replacement is needed, the warranty provider covers that according to the terms of the plan. It is indeed that simple.

Here is a tidbit that may surprise you: You can get a home warranty if you recently purchased your home or if you have lived in it for years. “The likelihood of failure of major home systems and/or appliances in a given year is 68%,” says Heather MacLaughlin with Choice Home Warranty. To me, those odds make sense to justify getting a little peace of mind. “It is important to know that warranties don’t cover known preexisting conditions, misuse or abuse of the covered systems or appliances,” MacLaughlin adds. So basically, keep up on maintenance.

For me personally, I have had coverage with various companies throughout my years of homeownership. They are not all the same, and I looked for the best option for me based on the coverage I wanted. Through the years my coverage has more than paid for itself and, given the rising costs of everything, this might be an avenue for you to explore that could save you a lot of money down the road.

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Amy Payne

For as far back as Jess Klatte can remember, baking has been in her blood. It was an activity she shared with her mom as she was growing up, and when she started a family, she began baking treats with her kiddos. Klatte would often share her decorated sugar cookies with friends like Katie Jacoboski, who encouraged her to sell her creations because they were so delicious. Four years ago Klatte launched an in-home business called Mama Bird Cookies. The name came from the fact that her oldest daughter’s nickname is Bird, and of course Klatte is the mama. The business was so popular that Klatte recruited Jacoboski, a music teacher at a local preschool, to help her so that they could expand their offering of goodies.

All the while, Klatte was still working full time as a social worker where she saw a lot of inequalities in the workplace, particularly in the population with intellectual and developmental disabilities. One day she was at a meeting for a young lady she supported, who desperately wanted to work as a barista for a commercial coffee chain. The manager told Klatte he would never hire the woman with developmental disabilities because she was too slow.

“That was my light-bulb moment where I realized that there was an opportunity here to change our community,” says Klatte, who, along with Jacoboski, decided to open a bakery - one that would employ people with intellectual disabilities like autism, Down syndrome and ADHD, as well as physical disabilities. The pair worked with the architect to design the space, making sure the kitchen and display-case areas were big enough for wheelchair-bound people.

“Our mantra is, ‘Everyone is welcome at our table,’” Klatte says. “We wanted anyone, whether you worked here or came in as a customer, to feel welcome, so our tables and restrooms are ADA accessible.”

In January of 2023, Mama Bird Bakery opened in downtown Plainfield. Currently, Klatte and Jacoboski employ three part-time employees with disabilities.

“We like learning what all of our employees like to do,” Jacoboski says. “We try to figure out how to fit everyone in so that we’re helping them build skills.”

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Not surprisingly, all of their employees enjoy baking. Everyone gets a chance to be in the kitchen making cinnamon rolls, stirring up and rolling out cookie dough, and filling pop tarts and hand pies.

“Our employees are hands-on, doing it all with us, whether that’s baking, washing dishes, working the register or cleaning baseboards,” Jacoboski says.

One cool design element of the bakery is the big windows that allow a view into the kitchen, so that customers can feel a connection to the baking process.

“We have a table in front of one of the windows,” Klatte says. “Families with young kids love to sit there.”

Getting hired at Mama Bird Bakery has fulfilled a lifelong dream for 17-year-old Owen Carr, who will be a senior at Avon High School (AHS) this fall.

“I love it,” he says. “It’s really fun. I help prep cinnamon rolls, brownies and Danish, and help put items out on the counter. I also clean tables, prep muffin batter and peel potatoes.”

Carr’s baking skills really took off during the pandemic as he looked for ways to pass the time.

“I want to continue this for as long as I live,” Carr says.

His co-workers are also happy to be part of the team.

“I like working here because it gives me time to interact with other people,” says AHS graduate, Olivia Slavens, 20. “I like learning how to bake things too.”

Another AHS graduate, Jared Baker, has a favorite aspect of working at the bakeryperfecting his baking skills.

“I love to make red-velvet cookies and cinnamon rolls,” says Baker, 23. “I also like getting to see the customers and my bosses.”

Everyone seems equally thrilled to welcome Mama Bird Bakery to the community.

“A lot of people bring their laptops and work remotely,” Klatte says. “We also have afternoon groups of preschoolers come in with their parents. Friday mornings are especially busy because folks like to bring treats into the office. We definitely feel that we’re filling a niche that was missing.”

Mama Bird Bakery sells scones, muffins, pop tarts, hand pies, macarons, cinnamon rolls, cookies, brownies, breakfast pastries, Danish, blueberry shortbread bars, and coffee cake on weekends. They offer gluten-free and vegan options. They have partnered with Tinker Coffee Co. and make all their own syrups in-house, swapping them out seasonally. For instance, this past winter they had brownsugar cinnamon syrup.

“We try to do a good mix of savory and sweet options,” Klatte says.

When the bakery first opened, several of the parents of the special-needs employees told Klatte and Jacoboski that they never thought there would be a spot for their child to work in a public place with such dignity.

“That tugs at our heartstrings,” Jacoboski says. “Honestly we’re flabbergasted that these kinds of opportunities don’t exist elsewhere, for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be loved and supported in their work environment.”

Not only do Klatte and Jacoboski insist on paying their employees almost double minimum wage, but they also try to do something charitable once a month to support the community. For example, last June they baked rainbow heart cookies and donated proceeds from a big sale to the Indiana Youth Group for homeless LGBTQ+ youth. Last February they gave money to a Hendricks County family whose son was having open-heart surgery. In October, during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, they contributed to a Plainfield family who lost their little boy.

Family is extremely important to both women. Klatte and her husband, Steve, have six children, Raven, 18, Drew, 8, Keegan, 6, Luke, 4, Quinn, 2, and a new baby coming soon. Jacoboski and her husband, Josh, have four children, Molly, 15, Claire, 13, Rose, 12, and Tommy, 7.

“Big or small, we want to be a part of people’s lives here in Hendricks County,” Klatte says.

Mama Bird Bakery is located at 234 East Main Street, Suite 103 in Plainfield. For more information, call 317-441-6413 or visit mamabirdbakery.com.