Toy Safety Month: US PIRG gets it RIGHT(2)

Megan Roth

Contributor

0 CommentsPrint ArticleSubscribe

Alright, per my previous article, I’m already responsible for the ‘fun kill.’ Surprisingly enough, I don’t really feel that bad about it…

In fact, I consider a follow-up to my not-so-optimistic article a grand idea. Aah, don’t hate…the folo may prove worth your while (considering approximately 3 billion toys are sold in the US each year and approximately 45 million have been recalled within the past two years alone).

When shopping for the tots, you should be aware of which toys have been recalled. I’m not saying to memorize the list (heck, who could? I think you’re more likely to remember the first 700 digits of pi than you are to remember this list); however, I do think it’s beneficial to be familiar with some of the more recent recalls.

You don’t even have to read the list - just browse through it. And if the previously linked list of recalls seems daunting (as it should be – it lists recalls dating back to 1975), check out the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissions toy hazard recall list as of July 2008).

I did so before shopping for my godchild and, though I didn’t remember many of the specific products that were recalled, I did remember the brands. And I was aware of what the recalls were concerning (choking hazards from small pieces, lead paint, etc).

We ended up settling on a mini basketball hoop type machine (like the ones you see in arcades). Granted, they may very well recall the product months down the road; however, for the time being it’s deemed as safe (obnoxious, but safe) and I did the best that I could to make sure I was buying something he would enjoy but that isn’t thought to jeopardize his health.

Another factor I considered was the physical aspect of the game. Last year we bought him a Leap-Frog Learning book, which is thought to stimulate the mind. I loved that idea but, being the cool godmother, I couldn’t give the same gift (or anything remotely similar) twice.

As if buying a completely different but equally cool gift isn’t hard enough, add to it the fact that he has basically everything a child could imagine (outside of a pony and a real sword). I would gladly buy him the pony (swords are dangerous, remember?!), but unfortunately my bank account is not without a limit; thus, shopping for the kid is somewhat difficult to buy for…

Sound familiar? Come on – admit it – we’ve all run into similar problems. It seems all kids these days have everything! Which makes safety the last thing we want to think about when gift shopping…

But just remember that little list (actually, you'll have to read two lists: the one to Santa and the recall list just to make sure there's no over-lap). I know, I know – it’s the holidays and everyone is rushed. There aren’t enough hours in the day to read the newspaper, let alone a product recall lists. But like I said earlier, it comes down to the safety of your children; and when an issue is as serious as that, there’s no excuse for not reading that list – make the time.