Originally Posted by Play Care:
Well, then 
For me it comes down to that lovely word LIABILITY. What I might do with my own kids (feed whole grapes or popcorn or hotdogs) is probably NOT something I'd do with dc kids. I am one who quarters grapes for all children under 5. In a perfect world I would love to sit and eat with then while modeling slow eating, reminding them to chew, etc. But in the real world, I'm cleaning up a spilled drink, helping someone pick their napkin back up, etc. etc. And I do understand that their are risks to everything in life, but this is one case where I can minimize the risk, easily.
I also make all the kids wear bike helmets on *any* toy that has wheels. By law here they have to for scooters and actual bikes, but I do it for hot wheels and the little tikes bikes/ride on toys too. Some parents have told me it's overkill, and we can't keep them in a bubble BUT I have had kids fall off those "little" toys and smack their noggins on the concrete
Thank goodness for helmets!
In my mind, they can bang their skulls on their parents watch
Fantastic post!
The liability issue alone is reason enough that no one should ever fear being pegged as "going overboard"......short of pureeing everything and wrapping each child in bubble wrap when they walk in the front door of course