I don’t play video games for the most part. I’ve never owned a Nintendo. The last game I was really good at was the original Sonic the Hedgehog, and that was on my friend’s system back in 7th grade. I never wanted my kids to get hooked on video games either. I’ve seen too many spook stories and “Dr’s recommendations” stating that too much tv and gaming destroys a child’s attention span and imagination. Then along came the Wii. When the man of my house set out to buy it, I rolled my eyes, sighed a deep sigh, and ran a mental list of all the other things we could use that money for. Obviously, games were not on the top of my priority list. How was I to know I would LOVE this system??? Well, I do. It’s fun. It’s interactive. It’s certainly NOT the sit-on-your-bum-and-go-braindead kind of game I see too much. I threw my shoulder out while Wii bowling. My 2 sons got so exhausted Wii boxing that they took a nap. The girls got all the games down in minutes flat! The controls are easy. The games are extremely responsive to your actual motions. And best of all, they REQUIRE motion! They encourage teamwork and taking turns! And they wear my kids out! YAY! So now, as I’m planning out my christmas gift list, somehow Wii video games have topped the priority list!

~WC~

As you may recall, we reported on Mattel’s recall of thousands of toys made in China after discovering high levels of lead in the paint. Now according to this article on MSNBC it’s happening again! 16,000 toys recalled! I am starting to wonder whether these toy companies are taking the responsibility of quality testing imported products BEFORE allowing them to be shipped out to consumers and retail outlets? My mamma used to say an ounce of prevention beats a pound of regret. Where is the ownership? Where is the customer loyalty? Concern for the safety of children??? How do these products make it to store shelves or even into kids’ mouths before anyone knows something is wrong???  Wonder what Geoffrey thinks about that?!

Are your kids’ toys safe?

To find out if a product you own has been recalled, you can try searching the  Consumer Product Safety Commission’s database here.

Concerned parents and caregivers also can sign up to received an e-mail alert when a new product recall is made public. To sign up, click here.

To find out if a toy you own was part of the Mattel recall, and get information about obtaining a voucher for the cost of the product, click here.