Since When Does A Toy Raise My Kid?

[VaBusa]

I won't even link to one of the many articles out there, but if you haven't heard the news, some mom whined about a pink Fisher Price SUV that says something about "time for yogurt and a smoothie", and how this misrepresents all that her child could be. Her whining got to Fisher Price so much, they've apologized, said they could have done better, and it's caused an uproar.

I'm sorry, but as a Mom of 2 boys, I'll be damned if I would ever expect any toy manufacturer to determine my children's life goals, or even steer them at all. It's called PARENTING people, how about we all start doing it?! Wasn't this a controversy a few years back, when LEGO tried to make a set or two that they thought would appeal more to girls? Another uproar...how stupid have we become when we, as parents, find this is as the biggest struggle facing our children? Boy do we ever need a huge piece of humble pie...

My 16 year old son recently asked to buy GTA5; the year prior he'd asked me and I said no. A year later, I know he's already seen the game, seen enough videos of it from other gamers online, seen vids on YouTube, so I had an honest talk with him and his younger brother about what's IN the game that's not OK, the treatment of women, the killing, the simple fact that even I am OK watching the most violent movie with my teenagers and never think twice, but if there's a sex scene, we're all uncomfortable. Then I gave my OK to buy the game because I can't control what's being made or what my kids are exposed to, but I can control how I raise my kids and teach them expectations in life. It felt great to hear my oldest say "This is why I like talking to you Mom" so I think I'm doing something right.

I want so badly to tell this mom that thinks a pink Fisher Price SUV is the biggest problem for her child, take a look at how other kids are living right now around the world and THIS is your biggest issue? Raise your kid and stop expecting a toy to do it...

 

[mabupa]

I actually had to google "fisher price SUV yoga" to find the article you mentioned. First time I hear about this. I love kids and have always looked forward to finding a woman with values to form a family with, but the more I look at how f'ed up this world is, the more I ask my self, do I really want to bring a child to live in this dump of a world we live in. I'm to the point were I don't watch the news and try my best to avoid reading all the nonsense post on social media. My mom told me the other day that "I should keep up with things more and stop trying to live my life in a bubble and isolated from what goes around me". I told her I don't see the point to "intoxicate" myself/soul with all this nonsense. I'll just keep working, setting new goals and riding my busa. Maybe I'm part of the problem for not doing/saying something? I just feel like I'm one of them if I even waist my time engaging conversation to try and put some sense in their heads.

 

[twotonevert]

I had to play outside, and had a stick. How many kids play with a stick now days? A roll of caps if it was a good day. LOL
I am fortunate that all my kids are good kids. You have met most of them, all we can do is try the best we can with what we have and pray we raise them right based on our own upbringing.

 

[Mike Chambers]

I won't even link to one of the many articles out there, but if you haven't heard the news, some mom whined about a pink Fisher Price SUV that says something about "time for yogurt and a smoothie", and how this misrepresents all that her child could be. Her whining got to Fisher Price so much, they've apologized, said they could have done better, and it's caused an uproar.

I'm sorry, but as a Mom of 2 boys, I'll be damned if I would ever expect any toy manufacturer to determine my children's life goals, or even steer them at all. It's called PARENTING people, how about we all start doing it?! Wasn't this a controversy a few years back, when LEGO tried to make a set or two that they thought would appeal more to girls? Another uproar...how stupid have we become when we, as parents, find this is as the biggest struggle facing our children? Boy do we ever need a huge piece of humble pie...

My 16 year old son recently asked to buy GTA5; the year prior he'd asked me and I said no. A year later, I know he's already seen the game, seen enough videos of it from other gamers online, seen vids on YouTube, so I had an honest talk with him and his younger brother about what's IN the game that's not OK, the treatment of women, the killing, the simple fact that even I am OK watching the most violent movie with my teenagers and never think twice, but if there's a sex scene, we're all uncomfortable. Then I gave my OK to buy the game because I can't control what's being made or what my kids are exposed to, but I can control how I raise my kids and teach them expectations in life. It felt great to hear my oldest say "This is why I like talking to you Mom" so I think I'm doing something right.

I want so badly to tell this mom that thinks a pink Fisher Price SUV is the biggest problem for her child, take a look at how other kids are living right now around the world and THIS is your biggest issue? Raise your kid and stop expecting a toy to do it...

Too much PC political correctness. Those who sell bubble wrap must be making a fortune

 

[TheJwexperience]

I immediately think of people that sue for spilled hot coffee and how we have safe spaces and trophies for everyone...we are circling the drain as a nation.

 

[VaBusa]

I love kids and have always looked forward to finding a woman with values to form a family with, but the more I look at how f'ed up this world is, the more I ask my self, do I really want to bring a child to live in this dump of a world we live in.

I hate to say it, but I think the human race if we keep pandering to the lowest common denominator. I hate that you feel like you do, but I completely get it. My oldest says too often "A meteor can't hit the earth soon enough..." and I chuckle at his cynicism at just 16, but he sees it already. He's me, so early in life, then I do my best to reel him in a bit and point out the good, because there is good.

But damn, there is so much dumb too...it's unreal.

 

[Mike Chambers]

I hate to say it, but I think the human race if we keep pandering to the lowest common denominator. I hate that you feel like you do, but I completely get it. My oldest says too often "A meteor can't hit the earth soon enough..." and I chuckle at his cynicism at just 16, but he sees it already. He's me, so early in life, then I do my best to reel him in a bit and point out the good, because there is good.

But damn, there is so much dumb too...it's unreal.

I often talk to freinds who are teachers who are sick of being threatened and sworn at by kids who believe they are I invincible thanks to numb-nuts politicians who decided that smacking misbehaving kids was not acceptable. Now we have young adults who have no understanding of consequences

 

[Mike Chambers]

I hate to say it, but I think the human race if we keep pandering to the lowest common denominator. I hate that you feel like you do, but I completely get it. My oldest says too often "A meteor can't hit the earth soon enough..." and I chuckle at his cynicism at just 16, but he sees it already. He's me, so early in life, then I do my best to reel him in a bit and point out the good, because there is good.

But damn, there is so much dumb too...it's unreal.

Alas both cockroaches and politicians tend to survive

 

[fallenarch]

Well I don't have any kids but I've raised 4 dogs, which pretty much makes me an expert right? Anyway, I believe that you only have a few years as a parent to imprint on a kid the values that will help them become good people. By the time they go to school or start watching TV they are in the whirlwind of a society gone mad, and that will pull them this way and that. Most people are sheeple, living their lives snuggled up in the herd afraid of being different, getting noticed by the wolf. The best thing you can give your children is to have courage. Courage to follow their voice, to be different and unsafe. To believe what their heart tells them. To take risks. People fear failure so much that they lose their hunger for success.

 

[mabupa]

I, like your son, keep asking myself how much longer we have before this world we know collapses. Im older than your son(turning 31 in December), but I don't remember my mom ever having to worry that much about us growing up and I was raised in a "rough" neiborhood in a 3rd world country. I remember coming home to have lunch, do my homework and then going outside to play baseball until the street lights came on. I do agree with you about being a lot of good out there too and that's what I try concentrate on, but sometimes is hard to look around and not wonder what is wrong with people. I guess all we can do is make sure we do the right thing as an individual and pray to the lord for mercy. More often than not I find myself saying "all this needs to happen according to his word".
As far as having kids, I would love to and if it's in god's plans, I will. I do have a niece that has lived with me since born and will be 5 soon. I love her to death and It's scary to think of her growing up in this mess with my 2 other nephews, but like another member said, all we can do is try our best to raise them right and pray that they stay in the right path.

I hate to say it, but I think the human race if we keep pandering to the lowest common denominator. I hate that you feel like you do, but I completely get it. My oldest says too often "A meteor can't hit the earth soon enough..." and I chuckle at his cynicism at just 16, but he sees it already. He's me, so early in life, then I do my best to reel him in a bit and point out the good, because there is good.

But damn, there is so much dumb too...it's unreal.

 

[VaBusa]

I, like your son, keep asking myself how much longer we have before this world we know collapses. Im older than your son(turning 31 in December), but I don't remember my mom ever having to worry that much about us growing up and I was raised in a "rough" neiborhood in a 3rd world country. I remember coming home to have lunch, do my homework and then going outside to play baseball until the street lights came on. I do agree with you about being a lot of good out there too and that's what I try concentrate on, but sometimes is hard to look around and not wonder what is wrong with people. I guess all we can do is make sure we do the right thing as an individual and pray to the lord for mercy. More often than not I find myself saying "all this needs to happen according to his word".
As far as having kids, I would love to and if it's in god's plans, I will. I do have a niece that has lived with me since born and will be 5 soon. I love her to death and It's scary to think of her growing up in this mess with my 2 other nephews, but like another member said, all we can do is try our best to raise them right and pray that they stay in the right path.

There are days when I'm terrified for my sons and the world they're growing up in. I hate that our schools aren't safe, that you can't drive down the road without someone thinking it's OK to rage as a normal course of action, that so many will whip out a cell phone to record someone's suffering over helping them first, that "being a viral video" and getting the most "likes" is how you become popular now, and where parents are be concerned over what message a toy sends their child when life lessons begin with parents, not a toy. There are days when I look around me and wonder what's happened to common sense. We seem to make issues out of things that aren't even remotely important, usually to take the blame off of our inability to use our brain, and of course in order to set up that potential lawsuit because that's become the lazy way to exist.

 

[captain]

When I hear these types of comments from folks I often wonder if they think they are automatically limited to what they buy... The key, dont buy the toy, go buy your kid something you think they can expand to.. Maybe a telescope or something not so childish.

 

[TallTom]

I immediately think of people that sue for spilled hot coffee

I don't want to thread jack here, but I do want to comment on this part as I used to feel this way about it as well. Until one time when I was dating an attorney. I asked her specifically about how they could ever take a case like this. Which proved to enlighten me a lot. They actually used this case as part of law school in her class.

Here is what we the people don't know about this. McDonalds was sued because they were serving coffee that was something like 185 degrees rather than the normal Hot of something like 120 degrees. This was hot enough to cause 3rd degree burns if spilled. So they argue that McD was negligent in stating that it wasn't in fact HOT as we come to know coffee, but scalding hot as in you can get 3rd degree burns if you spill it hot. If I go to 5 places and the coffee is 130 degrees hot, I should expect McD's to be the same hot.

I began to feel differently about that case after I learned what we don't get to hear.

However, I don't think she should have gotten the 2.6M she got awarded. That part is crazy. But certainly McD's I feel caused harm by serving coffee so hot that it is a possible disfiguring event if spilled on you.

As the world going down the drain. not the world, just the U.S. We are killing ourselves here.

 

[TheJwexperience]

Maybe it wasn't the best example, but again, this is probably why I subscribe to survival of the fittest.
I don't drink coffee but when I get a hot chocolate, I can FEEL that the cup is hot and I TRY to sip SLOWLY, because I KNOW it's hot. If I realize it's too hot at that point, I put it down, back away slowly and come back a few minutes later.
How many people drank scalding hot coffee from McDonald's before they adjusted the temp and how many were burned? I would guess millons safely drank their coffee.
Nothing wrong with thinning the heard a little and having more freedoms in my opinion.

 

[fallenarch]

There is actually even more to that story. The McD's did not adjust the machines properly and in accordance to their own procedures (which stated "failure to properly adjust temp may cause serious burns"). Several people were burned (apparently not as seriously) by the coffee and the manager did not fix the coffee machine. The machines now have a temp limiter on them so if it is serving coffee it cannot get too hot. This according to a McD's manager I used to work for many moons ago......

 

[mabupa]

I don't want to thread jack here, but I do want to comment on this part as I used to feel this way about it as well. Until one time when I was dating an attorney. I asked her specifically about how they could ever take a case like this. Which proved to enlighten me a lot. They actually used this case as part of law school in her class.

Here is what we the people don't know about this. McDonalds was sued because they were serving coffee that was something like 185 degrees rather than the normal Hot of something like 120 degrees. This was hot enough to cause 3rd degree burns if spilled. So they argue that McD was negligent in stating that it wasn't in fact HOT as we come to know coffee, but scalding hot as in you can get 3rd degree burns if you spill it hot. If I go to 5 places and the coffee is 130 degrees hot, I should expect McD's to be the same hot.

I began to feel differently about that case after I learned what we don't get to hear.

However, I don't think she should have gotten the 2.6M she got awarded. That part is crazy. But certainly McD's I feel caused harm by serving coffee so hot that it is a possible disfiguring event if spilled on you.

As the world going down the drain. not the world, just the U.S. We are killing ourselves here.

Tom,
I don't know your background and how many countries you've been to, but I can tell you one thing about your last statement, even though the United States is looking rough right now, it only takes a trip to certain countries to realize/appreciate how good we have it here compared to other places. I do understand the frustration of a lot of people born and raised in this country because they see how much their country has changed in the last 20 or 30 years. I didn't have the privilege of living in the USA that long ago to compare how it was then and how it is now, but it's still better than other places. We all know it could be better and there is a lot of things I hate ( insurance prices, how much I get taxed being single with no kids), but as a now US citizen, I have two choice,1)learn to live with it or 2)shut up and go back home. Second one is not really and option since my parents and grandmother spent 18 years submitting paperwork -and spending a money for me and my siblings to get our green cards and be able to legally move to the states so that I could have the chance to live the American dream. No one told me about the taxes and the 1000 hours of OT I would end up working annually

 

[Mike Chambers]

There are days when I'm terrified for my sons and the world they're growing up in. I hate that our schools aren't safe, that you can't drive down the road without someone thinking it's OK to rage as a normal course of action, that so many will whip out a cell phone to record someone's suffering over helping them first, that "being a viral video" and getting the most "likes" is how you become popular now, and where parents are be concerned over what message a toy sends their child when life lessons begin with parents, not a toy. There are days when I look around me and wonder what's happened to common sense. We seem to make issues out of things that aren't even remotely important, usually to take the blame off of our inability to use our brain, and of course in order to set up that potential lawsuit because that's become the lazy way to exist.

All we can hope is that as parents , we give them the common sense wisdom to all ways ask questions if they have doubts , to know making mistakes is natural but to learn from them and to trust them to make the right choice in life and respect others as they would expect others to trust them . respect authority even if you don't agree with it , if someone angers you , remember KARMA.

 

[TheJwexperience]

Ugh...

 

[VaBusa]

The problem was cited by TallTom in the sheer amount this woman received, and the doors it opened to continual greed Americans seem to have when they lawyer up. Now the more frivolous the lawsuits have become the norm, and I feel compelled to remind my kids that I expect for them to just be smart, and NEVER blame their stupidity on anyone else. It's not the store's fault that you were texting and slipped on spaghetti sauce or a crinkle in the rug, how about you actually watch where you're going? I'm sick of every one of US paying for every day people just doing dumb things. Lawsuits are the go-to now, hoping for the big payout. It's made it so legitimate complaints against manufacturers and even individuals are cast aside and don't catch the headlines. Look at how long it takes anyone to prove your water supply is being poisoned, yet McDonald's coffee is really really hot, here's your multi-million dollar settlement.

There's something very wrong with our system.

BTW, in case you didn't know, RedBull does not give you wings, and there was a lawsuit about that too.....

http://www.businessinsider.com/red-bull-settles-false-advertising-lawsuit-for-13-million-2014-10

 

[mabupa]

The problem was cited by TallTom in the sheer amount this woman received, and the doors it opened to continual greed Americans seem to have when they lawyer up. Now the more frivolous the lawsuits have become the norm, and I feel compelled to remind my kids that I expect for them to just be smart, and NEVER blame their stupidity on anyone else. It's not the store's fault that you were texting and slipped on spaghetti sauce or a crinkle in the rug, how about you actually watch where you're going? I'm sick of every one of US paying for every day people just doing dumb things. Lawsuits are the go-to now, hoping for the big payout. It's made it so legitimate complaints against manufacturers and even individuals are cast aside and don't catch the headlines. Look at how long it takes anyone to prove your water supply is being poisoned, yet McDonald's coffee is really really hot, here's your multi-million dollar settlement.

There's something very wrong with our system.

BTW, in case you didn't know, RedBull does not give you wings, and there was a lawsuit about that too.....

http://www.businessinsider.com/red-bull-settles-false-advertising-lawsuit-for-13-million-2014-10

You got to be kidding!!! I dad no idea Red Bull was dealing with that. I've never even tried their drinks, but come on.........
I'll tell you this though, if (God forbid) you find yourself in a wreck or something of the like and is not your fault, lawyer up and settle it or they'll come and sue you. My aunt and husband were hit by a man that ran a red light and hit their car on the passenger door were she was sitting.the accident totaled their car and put my aunt In the hospital with cracked ribs and all. The husband said he wasn't going to be like one of "those" people trying to make easy money with lawsuits. 2 months later they are contacted by the other guys rep. Telling them they are being sued. Now, they have all the police report and witness accounts, but it gives you an idea how this country and lawyers operate.