Goodwill. Bad Toys.
Goodwill is no longer accepting toys. Here's the story. Why? Because so many are tainted with lead. Goodwill is looking out for children. And keeping the lawyers at bay, I assume. Maybe it's time to make our fortune opening a poison toy recycling center? I'm on it, "Welcome to the Island of Mismade Toys." Walmart made a bundle. Mattel? Never happier. Our slightly dim, lead poisoned kids? Not so much.
Goodwill is no longer accepting toys. Here's the story. Why? Because so many are tainted with lead. Goodwill is looking out for children. And keeping the lawyers at bay, I assume. Maybe it's time to make our fortune opening a poison toy recycling center? I'm on it, "Welcome to the Island of Mismade Toys." Walmart made a bundle. Mattel? Never happier. Our slightly dim, lead poisoned kids? Not so much.
And Ruprecht the Monkey Boy over yonder (look to the right.) That's Steve Martin from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Ruprecht was supposed to be an adult with an off kilter child's mind, posing as such to bilk wealthy women out of their fortunes. I can't say, "Oklahoma!" without thinking of Ruprecht. And Mark and I often utter the words, "May I take your trident sir?" from that very silly scene. I love Steve Martin. Have you read his new book? It's on my "must buy" list (hint hint, family!)
5 comments:
Thank God my kids are older now and mostly into LEGO!
Just donated some really old toys of the kids. That fisher-price drum and some plastic maracas. Were they putting lead in the toys back then? Or was that back when it was cool for manufacturers to give a sh*t about child safety?
Probably that was when the toys were made in America. And safe. When WalMart started demanded the lowest possible prices and squeezing vendors to death production moved overseas and they cut so many corners their flow charts look like snowflakes....
Vermont Country Store tests all their painted toys independently. You can't get a dollhouse for $3.95 there, but your kick CAN lick the door.
Ho Ho Ho!
In case anyone else is looking for non-china toys. I've tracked down some brands that have mostly European manufacturing:
Playmobil (playsets of all types), Bruder (trucks), Ravensburger (board games), Quercetti (instruments and other young toys -- great for young child's fine motor), Moon Sand (great sensory, sand is made in Sweden but the sandbox -- which you can toss -- is made in China), coloring books (not the ones with stickers, typically those are made in China), Crayola crayons and most other products, Kathy Kruse dolls (Germany), many LEGO sets (check the box), IKEA has a bunch of stuffed animals made elsewhere from China (plush was a toughie).
The boycott is on at our house!
Thanks, Nettie!!
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