A Mommy Story

You’ve probably seen news about the Fisher-Price recall by now, but I feel the need to post about it to continue to get the word out. 1.5 million toys are being recalled due to high levels of lead in the paint, including many Dora and Sesame Street toys. And just like many of the recalls in the past year (Thomas toys, pet food…), these toys were made in China.

Now, I have nothing against China itself. My in-laws have been there many times and the pictures are stunning. My almost sister-in-law (you two are getting married at some point, right?) is Chinese. My cousin adopted a beautiful little girl from China. I love Chinese food.

My problem lies in China’s manufacturing methods of cutting corners in production and their lax safety concerns. Mattel claims that the paint used was not approved by them, and they don’t know why the Chinese manufacturer chose to use this paint without notifying them. My guess would be it kept costs down. What’s a little more lead, right?

Probably 70% of toys you see in your average Toys ‘R Us are made in China. And I’d also add that 69% of toys you see in Toys ‘R Us are probably nothing more than cheap plastic junk. Yes, we do have some of that cheap plastic junk in our house, and truthfully I’m getting sick of it. It breaks easily, it clutters up the house, and those with electronics are often loud and obnoxious. Now some may be toxic to children as well.

I looked over the list, and we don’t own any of the recalled items. We rarely buy toys like that, and haven’t purchased any since these recalled toys were put on the shelves. Thankfully, Cordy’s favorite toys don’t need character branding or loud music to entertain her: large dice, wooden blocks, play silks, wooden puzzles, our piano, poker chips (to count), and Legos. All made in the US or Germany.

Many of the cheap plastic toys we own are gifts from others instead of toys that we actively chose for her. Given the choice, I’d rather buy a play silk or wooden toy, even if it is a little more expensive, rather than some plastic toy that may break after a week, and may be recalled for a number of reasons. Plus, we don’t need more plastic clogging up landfills when these toys break.

So seeing this recall gives me one more reason to avoid plastic toys, especially those from China. I won’t say I’m banning plastic toys entirely from my house, because I know that’s practically impossible. Both girls will receive toys from friends and family, and it would be rude to refuse a gift. We may also give in to the longings of a toddler who really wants some Dora doll or Elmo guitar on rare occasions. But I won’t be actively looking for toys like that, either, and I will pay attention to recalls.

To see the entire list of Fisher Price toys that were recalled, check out the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.