My daughter returned from her dad’s with glitter in her hair and a rash on her arms, claiming they made slime. She later woke up screaming, her bedsheets sweat-soaked and stained with red spots, her rash worse. The ER suspected an allergy but couldn’t identify the cause. She admitted her dad, Aaron, left her with his friend Tim, not making slime. Furious, I confronted Aaron, who downplayed it, saying Tim was briefly there. Digging deeper, I found a flyer for Tim’s “Kids Creative Party” and online complaints about rashes from his events, mentioning toxic glitter adhesive.
I confronted Aaron, who admitted to sourcing unsafe supplies, thinking they were harmless. I reported Tim, providing evidence from photos and other parents. An investigation led to Tim’s arrest and Aaron’s reckless endangerment charge, resulting in supervised custody. My daughter’s rash faded, and we made safe slime at home, calling her nightmares “glitter dreams.” Aaron became more attentive, checking on her health and using safe crafts.
At a fundraiser, Dr. Lorna Patel invited me to speak at her nonprofit, which trains parents in child safety. Sharing my story led to a part-time role vetting kids’ businesses. My daughter grew confident, speaking up about unsafe situations. Trusting my gut protected her and inspired others.
