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DEL.ICIO.USParents cautious about made-in China toys
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dorinda Legg wrapped up her Christmas shopping Wednesday at the Toys”R” Us in Duluth.
“My son wants Pokemon,” said Legg, who teaches dance at The Studio in Lilburn. “I think it’s made in Japan.”
We chatted in the store parking lot. I wasn’t allowed to talk to shoppers inside the big-box retailer. So I approached customers as they left the store to get some sense of the concern about toys made in China.
This Asian giant, which manufactures about 80 percent of the toys sold in the United States, has had a series of safety scares. In mid-August, Mattel recalled nearly 1 million Chinese-made toys that were coated with toxic paint.
Of course, not all toxic toys come from China. And there’s bilateral blame to share. China doesn’t design toys. U.S. toy makers do. Most recalls in the last 20 years were due to design problems, according to an article in USA Today.
No matter how hard you try to focus on the reason for the season, most kids equate Christmas to gifts. Toys. And when it comes to toys, buying American is tough. Only about 10 percent are actually made in America.
What’s a parent to do”
Well, Akila Nasarajan of Lawrenceville opted for educational presents. Board games, paint sets and such for Nina, 5, and Natasha, 12. Nothing with small parts.
“A lot of parents don’t know what’s going on because they don’t ever read the newspapers,” she told me. “Clark Howard has a section on his Web site devoted to [recalled toys]. They still sell them on eBay. People buy them because they are cheaper.”
Connie Garman of Alpharetta came to Duluth in search of a board game - “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?”
“I got the last one!” beamed Garman, who bought it for Merisa, her 12-year-old daughter.
This Alpharetta mom thinks parents are especially concerned about Chinese-made toys if they have small kids.
“They put things in their mouths,” she said.
Wal-Mart wouldn’t let the Badie Tour set up in any of its local stores, but a company spokeswoman told me about the “Toy Safety Net Program.” It requires toy suppliers to provide testing documentation for toys on shelves and en route to stores. Wal-Mart also hires independent laboratories to conduct an additional 200 tests a day, focusing on toys for kids up to age 3. Results are shared with the industry.
“It’s just more help for China,” said Jami Lamontagne.
Legg, the dance instructor, said many of the parents of the 100 or so kids she teaches have talked about an “anti-China Christmas.”
“Especially those with little ones,” she said.
She bought the Pokemon toy for Andrew, her 9-year-old son.
Before I left Toys “R” Us, I went inside to check out the Pokemon selection. All the items I saw carried the same label:
“Made in China.”
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail: rbadie@ajc.com. �
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By Deck T. Halls
December 20, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this
Not worried at all - I just bought a “Rudolph The Lead-Nosed Reindeer” for my kid.
By Common Sense
December 20, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this
I think America needs to wake up and retake pride in our products. All our companies care about these days is saving money. They don’t give a hoot about good quality or American labor. They don’t care about the unregulated factories in Asia where substances like lead can easily get insided a product and then harm the person that opens the box in America. The government needs to wake up and step up to this outsourcing problem and place restrictions on outsourcing companies. I salute companies like New Balance for keeping their factories in the U.S. They’re proud to stamp “Made in the U.S.A.” on their products. I think other companies who outsource for cheap labor and sweat shops in third world countires need to follow New Balance’s example. Shame on outsourcers!!!!
By Atlanta mom
December 20, 2007 12:32 PM | Link to this
All parents should sign up for the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s [listserv] (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx) regarding recalled products. They will send you an email whenever there is a recall, with a photo and description of the item.
By Dave
December 20, 2007 7:44 PM | Link to this
Try Buying Toys and Clothes Made in the USA whenever you can. The demand for American Made Products is growing. Ask your local stores to stock Made in America and Buy American Made to keep the trend going. Merry Christmas!
By Mark Chipkin
December 25, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this
Rick, This is a never forgotten gift for a Valentine for adults and kids that are young at heart. Thank you, Mark Chipkin Mark Chipkin Educational Project Director TickleMe Plant® Company Inc. Eden Farm 60 Hurds Corner Road Pawling, N.Y. 12564 [www.ticklemeplant.com] ticklemeplants@aol.com Phone 845-350-4800 FAX 845-350-4800
Ever Grow The Plant That MOVES When You Tickle It? Now you and your family can grow your own TickleMe Plants™! I have been growing TickleMe Plants™ with my sixth grade students and family for over 30 years. Imagine the amazement of your friends, family or students when your living TickleMe Plant™ closes its leaves and lowers its branches as you tickle it.
Materials: • TickleMe Plant™ Seeds • Flower pot or cup with hole on the bottom • Soil Directions: 1. The day before you plant your seeds, soak them in warm water overnight. 2. Fill a flower pot or cup ¾ of the way with soil.
3. Plant three to five seeds by covering them with 1/8 inch of soil. 4. Water your seeds gently. 5. Place your newly planted seeds in a room that receives bright light or sunlight for part of the day. 6. Temperatures in the room should be above 70 degrees. 7. Water before the soil dries out. 8. That’s it! Your plants will begin to grow in less than a week. The first two leaves will not be ticklish. In about three weeks, the second set of TickleMe Plant™ leaves will appear and they will move when you tickle them. TickleMe Plants™ are best grown as house plants and can even be placed in a bright location outside during the warmer months. They are frost sensitive, so be sure to bring them inside before the cold weather arrives. The sensitive plant seeds of the TickleMe Plant grow to produce beautiful pink cotton puff ball flowers. TickleMe Plants™ can live for a year or more and grow to about one foot plus in height.
Native to Brazil, TickleMe Plants can be found growing wild there and in other tropical areas. The scientific name for the TickleMe Plant™ is Mimosa pudica. It also has been called shy grass, sensitive plant and other names throughout the world. To learn about the natural history of the TickleMe Plant™ go to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_plant]
Don’t be surprised if you find yourself and your children developing a greater sensitivity to plants. When my students first tickle their plants, they often scream “It’s ALIVE!” Even students that are sometimes hard to motivate, can’t wait to take home their pet TickleMe Plant™ to show off to their friends and family. I grew my first TickleMe Plant™ when I was 9 years old and I never looked at plants in the same way again, nor have I ever forgotten the experience. Neither will you! To learn more about growing TickleMe Plants™ or to order seeds go to [www.TickleMePlant.com] Seed packets start at $4.95, Growing Kits and TickleMe Plant Greenhouses with mini flower pots available. TickleMe Plants can be found online, in science catalogs, at science museums, botanical gardens and toy and gift stores.
Mark Chipkin is a middle school Science Teacher and an Educational Project Director for the TickleMe Plant™ Company. He has sent hundreds of students home with their own Pet TickleMe Plants™.