Information about unsafe toys

With holiday season in full sales-display mode it’s time to really pay super attention to what you buy for your children – especially if buying toys.

22 toys were recalled in October – and with more and more hitting the stores form now until January sales time – I’m guessing more will be recalled – but you might already have bought them or are in a hurry and get caught up in the shiny pretty mode...and not the look at where it is made mode.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the recalls can be found here: http://www.cpsc.gov

Click on the tab for recall and product safety – you can then look by month or by products.....

You can also sign up for email recall notices at the site.

Also there is a toy recall site: http://toyinfo.org - but beware - it is a site of the Toy Industry Association.

I can’t tell you what to buy or not buy for your children – but please – place your child’s health above all else. Children do not care how much you buy them or what you pay for it – that’s all hype put out by the toy companies and the stores and why? They want you to go into debt before January 1 only because they ant to make tones of their yearly income before January 1.

Yes I am a cynic. But I am also a parent and a developmental psychologist and my goal as both is to have optimal development and that, to me, does not mean caving in to the ads. It means teaching children the difference between want and need – and that means you have to disagree with the TV programs that keep preaching to children to tell your parents you need...x,b,y,z,a,c,d,etc,etc.

But do remember you are the adult and you are in charge; your children and your wallet will be the happier.

Another toy recall alert!

Please read and check to see if you have Aqua Dots [US name] or Bindeez [Australian name] in your child's toy collection.

These are very dangerous as they contain a chemical that if swallowed converts into what is called the "date rape drug."

Full article HERE.


If I still had a child at home - I would not buy anything made in China - China does not inspect these nor it seems does the US and now Australia. The corporations and mr failure's cronies are happy to make money and wait to see if kids get sick or die!

Breast feeding

Go ahead and breast feed - it's the best food for a baby

From an op-ed in the L.A. Times ...

What science the Bush administration chooses to stifle or promote seems to be a matter of politics and economics. According to a recent story in the Washington Post, the multibillion-dollar baby formula industry pressured the Department of Health and Human Services to weaken a 2004 public-service campaign promoting breast-feeding -- and it worked, even though the science supported the other side.

Numerous studies suggest that breast milk protects infants from developing certain illnesses and that formula-feeding increases their health risks.

The ad campaign was designed to drive home that point. Now the health of millions of infants is at risk because mothers don't have the scientific knowledge the ads would have conveyed to make an informed choice between breast- or formula-feeding.

According to the Post, a recent report by an agency within the Health and Human Services Department makes the same point as the canceled ads but has also been downplayed by the government because of pressure from the formula industry.

Full article http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-op-orent30sep30,1,5921620.story

As a Developmental Psychologist who advocates "real" science and breast feeding for optimal development in infants - this is sickening!

Don't children count anymore? Rhetorical question - of course they don't...they don't vote!