My favorite parent blog Z Recommends recently posted an article that reminds us that we, as parents, make the final call about what toys are safe for our children. Mega, a brand of toys that include magnets, recently had another in a string of recalls. Though Mega continues to say their remaining toys are safe, magnets continue to prove themselves unsafe for young children to play with. The CPSC site has a great article explaining the risks.It is very sad, but we cannot trust that businesses have only our children's safety in mind. They have a commitment to their bottom line, and this creates a constant battle between inexpensive and safe toys. Many times these goals do not align and the company has to make decisions that result in risking the safety of our children.
Remember, a toy that has not been recalled is not necessarily safe. Use your best judgement when buying toys for your children, and do not assume a company has your child's best interest in mind.
For information about recalls, you can go to the government's recall reporting site or Healthy Toys.org.
1 comment:
I am the web mistress's husband and I want to add that this post is very sad but also very true. I myself love magnets and have even conducted graduate engineering research with them. However my collection of rare earth magnets stays safely in my office. Injuries can range from pinched fingers to severe intestinal trauma if swallowed.
Magnets are very cool but have no place in a home with small children.
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