Because statistics make me feel better

469 children aged 1 to 14 died in Canada in 2009.

28 of them were homicides.

However, homicide is only the 5th leading cause of death in those aged 1 to 14.

Five times as many died of accidents; car crashes, falls, burns.

Four times as many died of cancer; mostly leukemia and cancer of the brain or central nervous system.

More than twice as many died of congenital abnormalities.

One more died of influenza or pneumonia.

Almost as many died of heart disease or suicide.


I guess my point is that if you want to protect your children, it's the annoying, every-day things you have to be aware of - like using a car seat correctly, and turning the handles of your pots to the back of the stove.  Because those happen singly, our limited human brains don't calculate the risks effectively.