Breaking News: Some toys made in China are being recalled for containing lead paint!
Wait, what? You already knew about that? That’s so weird because the New York Times only ran a story on it yesterday.
Oh wait, I knew what I wanted to say. Let me start over.
Breaking News: I’m quoted in an article in the New York Times about toys in China being recalled for lead paint!
Not because I’m an expert–more like because I’m your average dolt who thinks that if you buy toys with a European brand name that they must be made in Europe. Duh.
It’s a nice piece about how confused we all are about this stuff, and possibly the first time ever I haven’t been misquoted. And savvy blog readers will recognize quotes from fellow online navel-gazers, Danielle of Food Momiac, Beth of Silicon Valley Moms and Tech Mamas, and a photo of the elusive Greg from Daddy Types who knows exactly which toys are made in Europe because he’s a big old know-it-all that way. Also AJ of Thingamamababy is in a related piece talking about testing his own lead, dammit.
The craziest thing is that we spent more than an hour in the toy aisles of Target and couldn’t find one toy that wasn’t made in China. Not a single one. One more reason to shop indie perhaps?
And no, I didn’t buy Thalia that pink plastic Barbie guitar she’s looking at in the picture. But I did buy her the made-in-China horse. I’m a pushover.
19 shards of brilliance… read them below or add one
I was just about to pick up the phone to call you—I opened up the Business Section of the Boston Globe today and started reading an article titled: “Parents toy-shopping with added caution” and was amazed to read Thalia and your names! You are so quotable. I love this one: “I was holding out hope that something called ‘Lincoln’ would be American”.
Breaking news: Your kid looks so cute in the paper. Oh I bet you already knew that.My nieces are getting books and DVD’s for Christmas. Seriously, their mom is saying that even Santa is going on a toy strike. They may get scooters or soccer balls or something.
I was excited to see the names of so many people I “know” in the article! And, come on — what harm can a pink plastic Barbie guitar do?
I have to admit that I like to see Thalia checking out a Barbie guitar. It shows that even she’s not immune to the lure of pink plastic.
A made in china horse is the only kind of horse that’s going to be in our budget for a very long time. Plus, they don’t stink up the place.
Congrats on the quotables!NYT is Big Pimpin’, baby!
Pundit Mom – I suppose it depends on which song she’s playing. I hear “Barbie Girl” played backwards says <> Malibu Skipper is the Devil.<>
Congrats on getting quoted in NYT. That’s awesome!
Oh my God, how cool is Thalia, in the NYT at age 2?!
NYT – wow! I’ve decided that not buying toys from China would be akin to becoming one of those Gap Moms who also doesn’t let her kids watch TV or eat junk food, so my idea is just to make sure that the kids don’t eat their toys. It’s easier.
That’s so impressive. NYT!Sad part is I don’t think we’ve seen the last of these recalls. For now, I’ve started to check http://www.leadtoyrecalls.com just about every day to see the (bad) news.
Hey, I am famous for saying that the secondary market for toys is “trashed”. But really, I do have a garage full of toys that were waiting to be sold or donated… Those darn recalls ruined my garage sale!!Thalia looked adorable, made me want to buy that pink plastic Barbie Guitar.
I had been all secretly patting myself on the back for my reluctance to buy my son toys with licensed characters on them, because this meant we had nothing in the house that was part of the Fisher Price lead paint recall.Then Target recalled its gardening toys, which of course, we do have.*sigh*
P.S. I loved the Lincoln logs comment, too.
Jaelithe! I swear we almost got those gardening tools. When I was in target with the reporter, I picked them up and thought they looked so cute. And so…so…harmless. Sigh.
Congrats! It’s great to see blog parents quoted in the NYT. Actually, it makes me feel the NYT has a good connection with what is going on in parenting. And the article is right on.
I guess we’re going to have to handcraft our own toys out of trees that fell over due to storms (no logging) but don’t have any parasites in them. This is going to take a while. Splinter city. Oh yeah, and make dyes out of vegetables that I grown in the backyard, as soon as I get around to digging a garden.
Great quotes and photo!
I saw the article and spent the whole day pointing it out to everyone, “I know Liz! She’s amazing and so smart and …” Everyone I work with was ready to duct tape my mouth shut.
Wow. That’s a lot of words on your blog. My favorite was “port”.