While working at Safe Kids, regardless of whether we have children or not, we develop a parents’ radar for ways kids are vulnerable to injury. I am no different. Earlier this summer, I visited my family in Santa Cruz, California, and spent a lot of time watching my then 8-year-old nephew, Logan, play baseball with his team, the Mets.

When I’m not working at Safe Kids, I spend most of my time coaching a club field hockey team with girls ages 12-19. This is an elite club that was created for the best players from northern Virginia to come together, play in tournaments and hopefully get recruited to play in college. They are incredible athletes and have an inspiring passion for the game.

I knew I was in for it when the latrine caught on fire in the middle of the night.

Does it ever seem like Washington isn’t listening to us? Well, recently the Senate Appropriations Committee sent a message that they were hearing us.