Toys made in China..grumble...
Yesterday, I went on a quick run ($100 dollars later) to Toys R Us with my mother. We picked up a few "essentials" for T.D. and friends. One plastic table, four chairs, an entire dinner set, and a bike later we strode into the house only to be asked by my father,"Were those toys made in China?"
Sigh...
How sick am I of thinking of this stuff? Very. I am relieved that we live in a newish house that has no lead paint. I "trust" that my local water company isn't lying to me about what is really in our water. I try my damnedest to keep our house free of toxic cleaners, preservatives, and all manner of bad things. Is it too much to ask that I not have to be so vigilant about toys? Toys are supposed to be fun, not arbiters of death or illness.
Sometimes, I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks in such a vicious circle. Is it safe? Is it safe?! I thought that T.D.'s Avent bottles being made in England would be safe. Now maybe not so much. I know that as a child reared in the 70's and 80's we drove around sans seat belts in the back seat of our parents cars. We rode without helmets on our bikes enjoying long distance forays through our towns. Sure, we had the razor blade candy scare and Webster asked us to run and tell, but somehow I don't think our parents were consumed with the thoughts of toxic cleaners, polycarbonate baby bottles, and lead coated toys.
While I try to do the best for my daughter and our family in general I sometimes find myself wondering, is this new circle of thinking another version of extreme parenting? I guess only if I'm paranoid. Which yes, I am.
Anyone want to lend me $100 so I can go buy glassware vs. Tupperware storage containers? My families veggie wheat lasagna needs to be stored.
So true! I am afraid to buyt anything for the kids these days.
ReplyDeleteI know, I just went on a rant about SAMs Club and Wal Mart. I love this place and they are the cause of a lot of this stuff being produced in countries with lower standards to sell mass quantities at cheaper prices. I am responsible for all of the child care centers (health) in my city, we have over 900 that are registered/licensed. How in the world am I supposed to protect all these kids? Not to mention Botulism in our Chili...etc. Yes, I think crazy thoughts all the time too. How did we manage to survive all those "scares, no child seat car rides, live in lead painted houses, and also not strangle on our cribs with the bars too far apart"? I guess we can drive ourselves crazy or we can just do the best we can. I am trying to look at where products are made, but we do live in a country that relies on imported products. I would hope that maybe our Government would up the standards, yeah right. There is an election luming. Maybe we do have a voice. I hear ya loud and clear.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing any of us survived isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI too was a child reared in the 70s and 80s.
We made models out of toilet roll tubes and egg boxes.
We shared drinks with our friends and clambered through dirt and dust during woodland adventures without worrying about germs and disease.
I think generally, if we're sensible, our kids will survive too.
But it's so hard when there's so much information and scaremongering out there.
Don't get me wrong, information is good, but it is creating a generation of paranoid parents in some ways.
Great post.