Creepy Toy

I posted this last year on another blog that I no longer use.

While sitting with my kids watching Nick Junior on a break from my household chores, I can't believe all the stupid toys and games that are being advertised. Every time a commercial comes on for a toy, they start jumping up and down saying that they want it. I guess that means that the commercial is doing its job and that their advertising dollars are paying off. But, it is not the kid that buys the toys so, if it doesn't win over the parents, no sale. I have not seen a toy commercial that made me want to run out and buy it.

One stupid toy in particular was a baby. I know, there are a plethora of toy babies on the market. Each one trying to be more life like or realistic. They have crawling babies, walking babies, talking babies, pooping babies, peeing babies. These concepts have been around for a while. But every year, they come out with a new twist to an old theme. I just saw a commercial for a baby that in addition to the standard functionality, the child could make the toy baby's bottom teeth grow and it included a teething ring. I know I am not a kid, but when I saw the teeth "grow", it looked really creepy. Not only that, I thought it was stupid. I would never buy something like that for my kids. I think that toy makers should leave more for the child's imagination than to provide everything.

When I was little, I remember my dad bringing home a box of broken cameras from his work. My younger brother and I had a great time with them. We used our imagination and pretended they were all sorts of things. These days, kids are not allowed to use there imagination.

Just an after thought: Isn't society giving our young girls mixed signals? On one hand, with these dolls that do everything, they are teaching them they should be moms and stay home and take care of babies. Then on the television, they are showing women out in the workforce away from the family. Don't get me wrong, I don't think there is anything wrong with women working. In fact, right now, my wife works and I stay home with the kids and at this moment, it is working for us.