We are the parents of 7 children, aged 14 to 26, and one daughter-in-law. Two dogs add to the family to complete the love and chaos of life. It is safe to say our life is anything but quiet and peaceful. It is also true to say we really would not want it any other way. We love the craziness of our life and consistently look for a way to leave the world a little better than we found it. Knowing our children, bringing them into the world definitely makes it a better place; we still want to do more and we want to accomplish this together.

Many days I would come home from work at the children’s hospital and share the pain and suffering I experienced due to a child being injured. Often these injuries were related to accidents that were preventable if people knew the risks. It seems that, too often, kids find ways to get hurt that their parents never expected. Since they did not expect the behavior, they were not prepared to protect their child from harm. The more we talked, the more we knew we had to try to find ways to help parents protect their children. As we brainstormed ideas, we realized that the best method would include fun and participation from not only the parents but also the children they love.

This explains, at least in part, the beginning of Kin-to-Kid Connection and our Child Safety Cards. We wanted something that would be educational, entertaining, and stimulating for conversation. How many of us played Go Fish!, Crazy Eights or War as a child? We loved it when our parents played with us. There was really nothing better except having your grandparents play, too. It is amazing the conversations that can happen when you are playing a card game and spending the time relaxed together. We researched child safety information that could have impact with a short statement. We engaged our neighbor who taught art lessons and friends to get art work developed by children to correspond with the information on the cards. We then added a dice alternative to allow the cards to be used as dice in places where dice are less user friendly or unsafe. For example, dice present a choking hazard for small children may try to eat them, and it is unsafe for children who are hospitalized to play with dice that have been accidentally dropped on the floor.

The Child Safety Cards are the first product we have designed. There are several other products and ideas we are working on, including a kit to teach up to fifty kids to wash their hands. As Kin-to-Kid grows, we hope to develop more ways for adults to connect and support the children they love. We will share our lives with you, and hopefully you will share yours with us. Together, we can begin to change the world we live in. Thanks for joining us on this journey.

– Rob and Terri Bogue

Email Terri at [email protected]