Dangerous Messages

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Karyn Climans

Recently I received an email from someone who thought I’d be interested in reading and sharing her latest blog post with my readers. To be honest, I was shocked she assumed I would consider her blog deserving! Anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis or knows anything about my business is aware I’m passionate about helmet safety. In contrast, she implies helmets are unnecessary. Here is a quick synopsis of her article:

She feels today’s parents are overly protective. She uses the argument that if we survived childhood without these products/pampering etc., our kids will be just fine without them too. In particular, she lists the following 10 examples of how we are “bubble wrapping” our children:

  • Car Safety Belts
  • Safety Helmets
  • School Principals are no longer allowed to spank students. Her blog suggests stricter discipline in the schools taught students respect for teachers etc.
  • “Participation” trophies in sports aren’t allowing our children to understand the difference between winning and losing. (She might actually have a good point there.)
  • Kids are punished if they get in to fights. She advocates kids should settle their own disputes without parent interference even if this means settling their own arguments with their fists.
  • Parents are no longer able to hit their kids to teach them right and wrong. She seems to glorify the day when parents kept their children in line through force.
  • She claims kneepads, elbow pads and wrist guards are further examples of how we are overly protecting our kids.
  • Parents hover over their kids in the playgrounds etc. She feels parents are overly concerned about someone kidnapping their kid.
  • Teachers are afraid to fail kids who don’t meet the grade expectations. (Again, I think there is some validity to this point.)
  • Parents drive their children everywhere instead of letting them ride bikes to school or to a friend’s house for a play-date.

My response:

  • Should we stop telling our kids to use condoms as well because “safe sex” is being overly protective?
  • Should mothers leave their babies in their strollers outside in the fresh air outside the grocery store while they shop?
  • Should we allow cigarette manufacturers to promote smoking to young people again?
  • Are work place safety regulations overly protective and, therefore, they should be abolished?
  • Are we being overcautious when we screen all passengers before they board a flight?

I personally feel the message conveyed by the group of people who claim “if we survived as kids, then it’s good enough for our kids” is DANGEROUS. Hopefully we’ve learned a few things in the past 50 years and there’s no point in winding back the clock on progress. What do you think?

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Posted in Children, General, Parenting, Safety | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

Extreme Sports

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Karyn Climans

The death of Sarah Burke, Olympic gold medalist in freestyle skiing, shook up a lot of people. How could this have happened to such a talented young athlete who has done this trick over and over again?  The risk is always there for extreme sports athletes because they are constantly pushing the boundaries and Sarah knew it.

Sarah’s coach described her as an innovator. “She was always one to stand in the face of adversity and say, ‘Why not?’” said Peter Judge, head of a national freestyle group. “Innovators don’t accept limits and that is how the limits are breached.” Sarah lived for her sport even though the costs were great … over the years Sarah broke her back, ribs and nose as well as tore knee ligaments. Eventually she paid the biggest price with her life!

What frightens me about extreme sports are the people who participate without fully understanding the risks. Typically teenagers fall in this category. They often have the attitude “it won’t happen to me” so they’ll try moves they don’t have the training or skills to perform and the consequences are devastating! Last year, 5,600 Canadians were seriously hurt while playing winter sports (skiing and snowmobiling are the most dangerous). I’m not encouraging people to stop participating in these sports, in fact, I’m saying the opposite … keep yourself active all winter long BUT know your limits. Here are a few pointers for staying safe this winter:

  • If you haven’t been trained for a particular “trick”, please don’t attempt it without lessons from a qualified instructor.
  • When you’re tired after a day on the slopes, it’s probably best to call it a day instead of taking one more run.
  • If you’ve had a beer at lunch, please keep in mind you are more susceptible to injury.
  • As drivers, we’ve been taught to drive defensively (watching out for the other drivers on the road). The same applies to sports: keep an eye out for the other skiers etc. around you. You might not be the one to cause an accident but someone else might hit you.
  • The best protection you have against sports injuries is to wear the right equipment including a safety helmet.
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Posted in Brain Injuries, General, Safety, Teenagers | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

What’s Wrong With This Photo?

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Karyn Climans

What's missing in this photograph?

There’s something missing in this photograph? Even though the kids are obviously happy and it’s great to see them outdoors and playing with their friends, the photo represents an accident waiting to happen. Why? Because the kids are not wearing safety helmets. Unfortunately this is typically the norm. Even though helmets are now fairly common on ski slopes, bike trails and skating rinks, the use of them on tobogganing hills is almost non-existent!

One of my favourite winter sports as a child was tobogganing. Racing to the top of the snowy hill and then rocketing down at full speed was exhilarating! Of course, tobogganing was even more thrilling when we build ramps and became airborne. But this sport can be dangerous. Did you know there are more head injuries tobogganing than there are while skiing and snowboarding? Today, tobogganing accidents are far too common.

Here are the facts: Statistics show that every year in Ontario at least one person dies from tobogganing.

The last study done for the Canadian Hospitals Injury and Reporting Program measured sledding accidents between November 1994 and April 1995.

It discovered a surprising total of 806 accidents across the country that year, with the vast majority happening to those between the ages of 10 and 14 years old. More than half of all the injuries reported were boys.

Most of the mishaps (nearly 60 percent) occurred in parks, while just a few took place in backyards, schools, or public places like roads or footpaths.

What were the most common injuries and how did they happen?

According to Health Canada, the breakdown reads this way:

40.1%: Fell to the ground while sliding

32.6%: Collided with an obstacle (tree, rock, wall, snow bank etc.)

15.3%: Hit another person

7.3%: Getting body part stuck in sled

2.4%: Sliding into street/river

1%: Injured while pulling or carrying toboggan

I am certainly not advocating for an end to tobogganing. In fact, I still think it’s one of the most affordable and fun outdoor family activities. What I am trying to encourage is:

  • Parents please assess the area before your child starts tobogganing. Are there any trees, fences or snowmaking equipment (usually found on ski slopes) that could cause serious injuries if your child hit them?
  • Encourage children to wait their turn before heading down the slope.
  • Insist that kids walk back up the tobogganing run along the sides of the hill NOT in the middle of the run.
  • Most importantly, please make sure your child is wearing a skate, ski or snowboard helmet. Unfortunately, bike helmets will not properly protect your child’s head in a tobogganing accident.

Do you have any further recommendations to help ensure the safety of our children? I’d love your feedback!

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Posted in Brain Injuries, Children, Family, General, Mothers Against Naked Riding Campaign, Parenting, Safety | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Believe It Or Not!

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Karyn Climans

Believe it or not, there is an annual “World Naked Bike Ride” in Toronto and I have the images to prove it! Please beware: these photos are not for the faint of heart.

Please don’t confuse the above event with the new Tail Wags “Mothers Against Naked Riding” (M.A.N.R.) campaign. If people want to ride around the streets of Toronto on their bikes without any clothes on, that’s their business. Personally I can’t imagine how anyone survives sitting in a bike seat without any shorts on. I barely survive an hour-long spinning class even when I’m wearing my padded bike shorts. But to each his own!

The M.A.N.R. campaign is aimed at encouraging more people to wear their safety helmets and I’m pleased to report the participants in the Naked Bike Ride WERE wearing bike helmets!

Do you and your children wear safety helmets when biking, skating, skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing? Are you a passionate believer in helmet safety? If yes, please join our M.A.N.R. campaign by:

  • Sharing on Twitter why helmet safety is important to you (hashtag #StopNakedRiding).
  • “Like” the Tail Wags Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tailwagshelmetcovers.
  • Tell your friends about the M.A.N.R. campaign and ask them to join you in supporting this important cause.

Together we can help keep all of our children safe!

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Posted in Funny, General, Mothers Against Naked Riding Campaign, Safety | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Secret is Out!

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Karyn Climans

FINALLY I can talk about the Tail Wags Helmet Covers’ Dragons Den episode that aired last night. The segment was taped on Easter Sunday (April 24th, 2011) so that’s a long time to keep a secret. If you watched last night’s show, you’ll know Tail Wags was offered and accepted an offer from Bruce Croxon and Jim Treliving (Boston Pizza) for an investment of $100,000 in exchange for 30% of the Tail Wags business. But, of course, all deals are subject to due diligence and final approval by both teams. The advantage of the long wait is I’ve had over 8 months to consider whether I really want to give up 30% of my business. I’ve put my heart and soul as well as my personal finances in to the business in order to grow Tail Wags to where it is today. Although I haven’t made a final decision, I’m leaning away from accepting the Dragons Den deal and instead I’m considering alternative sources of financing that don’t require giving up a share of my business.

Bridge financing for large orders is often required by small businesses. There is a minimum 6-month delay between the production of the inventory (as well as the purchasing of fabric, packaging etc) and payment by the large retailers.

For the retailers who have been selling Tail Wags for years and love the quality and amazing service we offer, please don’t be concerned. I PROMISE to continue offering a 100% Canadian-made product of the best quality possible. My “boutique” product line will remain the same. The designs offered to Canadian Tire are “basic”, in other words, they do not have the elaborate embellishments of the boutique line (for example, there will be no hand-sewn googly eyes).

It’s a win-win situation because Tail Wags will now be available to the mass market at a lower price point and the boutique line will continue to provide customers with the designs they LOVE. Another way of explaining the change is there will be 2 different choices when selecting a Tail Wags … Hyundai versus Cadillac.

Thank you so much to all of the Tail Wags customers and supporters who have helped my business grow in to the success story it is today!

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Posted in Entrepreneur, General, Small Businesses | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Helmet Safety Controversy

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Karyn Climans

I’ve never shied away from controversy, in fact, I welcome open discussions. It’s healthy to listen to differing opinions because no one has all of the right answers (especially me)! I was pleased to receive the following comment on my blog site in response to my blog post introducing our “Mothers Against Naked Riding” campaign. Although I don’t agree with Elle’s concerns, I know there are people in the world who are not convinced helmets save lives. Here’s what Elle wrote:

Seems rather odd to start a campaign based on such a weak scientific background. There is no conclusive evidence from anywhere in the world that bicycle helmets or other safety helmets have reduced head injury rates. If your agenda is scaring people off of bicycles and having society suffer from the subsequent – and massive – rise in lifestyle illnesses and obesity, then why don’t you just say it?

Worried safety nannies with no respect for science or public health and who refuse to make an effort to look at science and consequences are a mockery. Let me guess… you’re funded by the helmet industry, right?

Here was my response:

Dear Elle,
Thank you for your comments in response to our helmet safety campaign. There are plenty of facts to justify the need to wear safety helmets while biking, skating, skiing, snowboarding, and tobogganing. Of course, it would be monotonous to fill a social media campaign with endless statistical data. Clearly the intention of our campaign is not to scare people off of bikes. In fact, we are encouraging more people to ride their bikes and, in general, maintain a healthy & active lifestyle … while, at the same time, wearing a safety helmet.
Please rest assured that the helmet industry is NOT involved in our campaign in any respect. We are simply a group of concerned moms who want to encourage kids and adults to “Play It Safe”!

The above comment is only one of many left by my readers in response to the blog post about our MANR campaign. To be honest, I’m shocked at how many people still debate the need to wear a safety helmet. Where do you stand on the issue of helmet safety? Please feel free to share your ideas and beliefs.

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Posted in Blogging, General, Mothers Against Naked Riding Campaign, Safety, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

“Mothers Against Naked Riding” Campaign

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Karyn Climans

It’s official … we’ve launched our new Tail Wags Helmet Safety Campaign: Mothers Against Naked Riding (M.A.N.R.). Some of you may be asking what this campaign has to offer YOU. My goal for the campaign is to encourage more people to wear their safety helmets when participating in sporting activities. The bottom line is … helmets save lives! Now more than ever, helmet safety has become a major social issue in the world. There are countless headlines (many tragic) that reinforce the need for people to protect their brains. From the NHL to the NFL and even the local news, people are suffering serious injuries because of damage to their heads. Our campaign is designed to spread the news that wearing a helmet may save your life and it can also be FUN. Below is a list of some of the benefits the “Mothers Against Naked Riding” campaign will deliver:

  • Give tips for making helmet-wearing FUN.
  • Offer helmet safety information.
  • Post updates regarding changes to helmet safety laws.
  • Promote helmet safety by playing an advocacy role.
  • Provide a site for moms to share their stories and passion with respect to helmet safety.

A major feature of the campaign is our “Stop Naked Riding” video. Hope you like it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF-FfYKrgGk

We’ve also created a video to encourage others to join the M.A.N.R. campaign: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf0jWjweeUM

Do you have additional suggestions? Please send me your ideas of what you’d like the campaign to do and represent. After all, I am only one voice amongst many. Collectively (as a group) we have more power, influence, and ideas that will help ensure our children are safe!

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Posted in General, Mothers Against Naked Riding Campaign, Safety, Social Media | Tagged , , , | 28 Comments

Dragon’s Den Part 2

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Karyn Climans

Tail Wags Helmet Covers will be appearing for a 2nd time on the hit CBC TV show, The Dragon’s Den, on Wednesday, January 11th at 8 pm. Although I can’t tell you the outcome of our 2nd pitch because I’ve signed a confidentiality agreement, I promise the episode will be an interesting one!

Here are a few tidbits of information to wet your appetites before our airdate:

  • Kevin O’Leary is wearing the Red Devil helmet cover. Couldn’t think of a more appropriate look for him!
  • Arlene Dickinson has some wonderful news to share with all Canadians.
  • As a previous Tail Wags customer, Robert Herjavec raves about the quality and creativity of the Tail Wags products and our wonderful customer service. He purchased 20 Shark helmet covers for his “Ride To Conquer Cancer” cycling team.
  • As soon as the cameras were switched off, Arlene asked me the name of the designer of the red suit I wore during the TV taping. For the record, the designer, Ross Mayer, is Canadian and he has made most of the suits I’ve worn during various TV appearances.
  • Bruce Croxon is even cuter in person than he is on TV. He’s got the most gorgeous head of dark curls.
  • Jim looks proudly Canadian in his Mighty Moose helmet cover!

As soon as the show airs on January 11th, I’ll be able to share even more Dragon’s Den gossip with you. So stay tuned to my blog site for more details!

By the way, the Dragon’s Den’s Executive Producer called me in the Spring. She asked me if I was interested in re-pitching to the Dragons. Of course I was keen … you can’t beat the publicity of a national TV audience.

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Posted in Entrepreneur, General, Marketing, Small Businesses | Tagged , , | 20 Comments

Small Business & New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Karyn Climans

According to an article in the Huffington Post, 57% of small businesses plan to expand their marketing efforts this year in order to attract more customers. Furthermore, 67% of small businesses are optimistic that increased marketing will lead to business growth in 2012 despite the current economic climate. The question that comes to mind when I read the above is “what type of marketing will be the most effective”?

It’s easy to spend lots of money on marketing. There are plenty of firms claiming their services will generate increased sales. I receive at least a dozen emails every week (often more) from companies promoting web optimization services, offering advertising space with their online or magazine publications, promising celebrity endorsements if you participate in their gifting programs etc. and I’ve certainly tried more than my share of these programs. Some have been effective but, to be honest, the best returns on my investments (both time and money) have consistently been via the various social media sites (Facebook, twitter and my blog site). Why? Social media allows business owners the unique opportunity to engage with customers on a more personal basis. It’s not the hard sell approach of traditional marketing because consumers are generally tired of being bombarded with advertising. Social media is about establishing a “relationship” with people. Most of the people I talk to on Facebook, twitter and my blog site are other moms and women entrepreneurs. This makes sense because it’s the group with which I identify most easily.

Will Tail Wags Helmet Covers be increasing its marketing efforts this year? Absolutely! In this economy, you can’t just sit and wait for customers to find you. Reaching out and connecting with people is key to the success of any business. Tail Wags preferred marketing venue in 2012 will continue to be social media. Watch for information regarding an exciting new campaign being launched by Tail Wags in the coming weeks!

Do you own a business and are you planning to spend more time and money this year on marketing? As a consumer, how do you feel about businesses that pitch their products via the social media sites?

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Posted in Entrepreneur, General, Marketing, Small Businesses, Social Media | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Kids Mimic Our Behaviour

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Karyn Climans

Progress has been made over the past few years. Increasingly kids are wearing safety helmets while skating, skiing and snowboarding and lives are being saved. But we can do better! There are still far too many preventable head injuries being sustained while tobogganing, biking, rollerblading, and skateboarding. Parents … It’s up to you to make sure your children are wearing helmets when active in the above sports. Remember a child’s best role model is you! If you want him to wear a helmet, you should wear one too. PLAY IT SAFE!

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Posted in Family, General, Safety | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments