Kids' Toys

I hate it when I sit down and have an idea for a blog all worked out in my head....including a catchy title and some real zingers....and then can't remember a damn word of it.

I had two posts already started in my head and can't remember for the life of me what they are.

So I'll write about something else that is bothering me. All these recalls on kids' toys.

I understand the AquaDots. Afterall, I don't want anything in my home that is a play toy for the kids, that can turn into a date rape drug if ingested. However, breaking the news to my very sensitive and passionate 5 year old that the *only* thing that he has continually asked for for Christmas, he can't have, wasn't that fun.

I understand all the recalls of Chinese toys for lead paint. I mean who wants something harmful in their children's toys that you don't know about?

But, I feel that some of the recalls and warning labels are just getting ridiculous. They are now recalling a storage rack from Walmart. This is just one example. A little boy died. It is absolutely, positively tragic that he died because this fell on top of him. But, where does the parents' responsibility start and the manufacturer's responsibility end? I have heard most of my life not to climb on that, it'll fall over and smoosh you. Don't use the drawers as steps to get up higher, it'll smoosh you. Why isn't common sense used in these circumstances?

As my kids were starting to pull up on things, and eventually climb, we either fastened things to the walls or made sure we were on the kids like glue. Or just didn't let them into areas where they could pull things down on top of themselves. I understand that it was technically marketed for a child's room, but common sense tells me that it's lightweight and a prime target for being pulled on with all those wooden dowels. So it could very likely tip over onto an infant. Why is it the responsibility of the manufacturer to tell you that it could tip over?

It goes for other things as well. I see things recalled all the time, or warnings added, for things that I shake my head and think "why the hell would anyone do that ANYWAYS?" Case in point, McDonald's coffee that has to have a warning now that it's hot due to a lawsuit from a lady who got burned. It's COFFEE. It's supposed to be hot!!

I hate this societal thought that everyone else is responsible for one person's complete lack of common sense. When my son at age 16 months ate Ben-Gay because I was in a different room and he found some (I didn't even know we had that!) , I didn't run right out and sue Ben-Gay makers for allowing something harmful for children to be in my bathroom. I stepped up to the plate, accepted responsibility for my own stupid actions, and made sure that I went back home after an ER trip and anything and everything that I may have not known that I had was put up out of reach or thrown in the trash. It's my responsibility to take care of my children.