I know that I've griped about this before. But, it's bugging me again since I've been trying to find something for Mikey for his birthday.
It's about toys and how their manufacturers have to make sure that you know that they are somehow, someway going to make your kid smarter.
Here's an example from the Fisher-Price website in regards to the Rock-A-Stack......
Developmental Benefits for Baby
Stimulating the Senses
- Bright colors, shiny reflections & swirling beads stimulate visual development.
- Hands-on activities strengthen baby’s sense of touch.
Developing Motor Skills
- Placing rings on post strengthens eye-hand coordination.
- Grasping & sorting rings develops fine motor skills.
- Enhances gross motor skills as baby bats and rocks the toy.
Encouraging Cognitive Abilities
- Fosters problem-solving skills as baby figures out which ring comes next.
- Helps baby learn to differentiate among colors and sizes of rings.
Really? Come on now.
I seriously doubt that Mikey and Katie are destined to be accepted into Ivy league schools because they played with a damn Rock-A-Stack. Do you know what Katie did with them? She threw them around like frisbees and sometimes tried to wear them as bracelets. Do you know what Mikey does with them? He tries to eat them like doughnuts.
Well, ladies and germs, I've found something even MORE ridiculous.
Food companies trying to make each and every food sound like it's healthy in some way.
Here are some examples from things I have around the house:
Honey Maid Graham Crackers - "Made with Real Honey and 5g. of Whole Grain"
Teddy Grahams - "A good source of Calcium, Iron, Zinc to Help Support Kids' Growth and Development"
Whole Grain Goldfish - "Natural. No artificial preservatives. 0g. Trans fat."
Wheat Thins - "With 11g. Whole Grain. No High Fructose Corn Syrup. Always toasted, never fried."
COME ON. Ugh.
There is all this talk nowadays of childhood obesity. This could be a contributing factor. Maybe.
Or maybe this could be....
Nearly 44,900 pacifiers were recalled after discovering that the pacifier does not meet federal safety standards. According to the CPSC, “The nipple can separate from the base easily, the pacifier handle is too long, the mouth guard is too small and there are no ventilation holes on the mouth guard. The pacifier could pose a choking and aspiration hazard to young children.”
The pacifiers have a ring-shaped handle with a round-shaped mouth guard. The word “Kariño” is printed on the handle side of the mouth guard, and “Mygra” is printed on one side of the handle. The pacifier’s nipple is filled with corn syrup.
The recalled baby pacifiers were sold at independent grocery stores across California and Texas from October 2009 to March 2010. The pacifiers sold for about 25 cents.
