Making Frequent Toy Recalls a Thing of the Past

Is it just me or are there more product recalls than there used to be?  Or am I just noticing them more because my family might be personally affected?

The Mattel recalls were a big wake-up call to the safety of things that seemed so harmless and innocent can be dangerous.  We actually had two of the products on the initial recall list (an Elmo sprinkler and figurine).  Since then, it seems like every week, there's another recall -- either toy, meat, pet food, etc.

I found myself in a 99 cent store the other day for the first time in a long time. I used to LOVE these stores, but as I roamed the aisles, I had to think twice about getting anything for Anya because if it only cost 99 cents, then it had to be manufactured cheaply and with such little regard for the safety of the end user.  So I left empty-handed. 

I've been leaving many stores empty-handed and not just these schlock-stores.  I wandered the toy aisles of toy stores looking for safe toys and ended up leaving stressed out.  I like to buy a few hundred dollars of toys for disadvantaged kids every holiday season and of course, I try to stretch that money, so I buy less expensive toys.  Last year, I really cleaned up in the generic toy aisle at Target -- we filled two shopping carts for $500.  But this year, knowing what I know, how can I subject any child to questionable toys? 

It becomes an ethical issue. I can afford to spend more money on toys that I know aren't made in China or have been certified not to contain lead and other toxic byproducts.  This year, Anya is getting toys from Melissa & Doug and HABA, which cost more, but at least I know they don't have lead in them.  But parents with little money to spend on gifts may do what I did in the generic toy aisle -- go for the inexpensive stuff to stretch their dollars so their kids can have a happy Christmas.  (And yes, you cynics out there will say that you don't need to have toys to have a happy Christmas, but you try telling that to a 7 year old!)  The sad thing, though, is that even a parent dropping more cash on what they assume would be a safe product, like from Fisher-Price or Learning Curve (which makes the Thomas toys) can end up losing out because it's these so-called trust-worthy brands that are being recalled!

So what are we supposed to do?  Every parent should sign up for the Consumer Product Safety Commissions recall alerts. And hopefully, in the near future, the toy industry will stop pinching pennies at the expense of children's health.

-- Danielle Friedland is author of Celebrity Baby Blog

 See more of my contributions at the Code Orange site.