Things That Tick Me Off

This new mom finds it irritating that:

--the Environmental Working Group analyzed about 300 different sunscreen products recently and found that only 8 percent of those meet its health safety standards. Also, the FDA has yet to issue official health guidelines for sunscreens.

--two of the m0st relied-upon products for any parent--Tylenol and Motrin--were both recalled.

--it's virtually impossible to buy long-sleeved shirts for a young toddler at some of the most well-known baby and toddler clothing stores, as soon as spring rolls around (I won't name names, but any mom knows which stores these are). As a mom living in San Francisco, where summers can be infamously cold, I find this a bit ridiculous.

--It's been a challenge to say the least to find high-quality blankets and bedding for my young toddler without resorting to the purchase of an entire bedding ensemble.

--Most bedding ensembles for toddlers have ridiculous, commercialized themes--Batman or Toy Story or what have you. I just want a summer-weight, one-color, organic cotton fleece blanket, or a summer-weight comforter, and top-quality 100% cotton sheets that will fit in a crib. Damn it.

--I've also had trouble finding high-quality socks for my little guy. Okay, socks aren't the most important item of clothing; but if you have a little one who loves to pull his socks off, you think a lot about comfort.

--Oh, a big one: why are so many pajamas for toddlers, those cozy-looking footed pajamas, made of a horrible 100% polyester, or cotton/polyester blends? My son has sensitive skin and can't really tolerate anything but 100% cotton. I've spent a small fortune buying him organic cotton sleepwear.

--Why are European strollers so much better than American-made ones?

--Why are so many toys still made of soooo much plastic? Well, not just toys: baby bathtubs, booster chairs, etc.

--Why don't people mention to you when you're pregnant that you'll be tending to a sick toddler, on average, around one and a half weeks out of every month? Why are toddler-care issues so seldom discussed (while baby-related care issues are discussed ad infinitum)?

I'll stop there...those are just the issues that have had me fired up recently (i.e., I'm just getting started).