# Aquadots and other junk - why can't we say no?



## catherinevictoria (Sep 29, 2005)

This was at the bottom of a Washington Post article about the aqua dots recall (where children who ingested dozens of the dots became comatose etc.)

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy away from children and contact Spin Master to return for free replacement beads or a toy of equal value.

WHAT????? No, that's not a "remedy" The remedy is to tell China that we don't need their cheap crud. The remedy is to keep it all out of the hands of our children. My dh and I can't believe there is not more of a public outcry about all these recalls. I mean, there should be a boycott. These are childrens' toys we are talking about. I don't get it, I don't get it.

What would you want a toy of equal value? What a parent wants is the health of their child as it was before introducing the hazardous toy. And no, there is no remedy for that.

What's going on with this stuff, mamas? I'm not an activist, but where can we starts??

Catherine


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## VisionaryMom (Feb 20, 2007)

Though I was (still am in theory) commited to nothing MIC, when I see that it basically wipes out ALL toys near us, I want to cry. I don't know how we stop the stranglehold China has on manufacturing. People want cheaper stuff. Wages are stagnant. It's such a complex cycle!

We're really having to work hard to find toys for Christmas that aren't MIC and are remotely affordable. That's another reason people "can't say no."


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

What can we do?


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## VisionaryMom (Feb 20, 2007)

Well, if we borrowed from generations past, I suppose we would band together and march in front of the HQ of the companies. I just don't know that it would work unless you had thousands of mama (and papas) - and their babies - there. Hmm...that is an idea.


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## medaroge (Dec 21, 2004)

That IS an idea. I dont think it is just "alternative" parents who are outraged about this. I dont think it is even only parents who are outraged. We have been slowley getting rid of MIC toys and buying more natural imaganitive play based toys, but this christmas it will be one big swoop.


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## Beachlivnmom (Jun 3, 2006)

I have ben really thinking of this issue lately. i think it important to just stop buying products MIC. People are so consumed with quantity over quality now days. They would rather buy a bunch of inexpensive toys rather then a few safe better made toys.

It is so hard though. I have even found it hard to buy clothes. We can't afford to buy everything online so I have been just trying to pick items not MIC and I will do a small Christmas with quality toys.

Anyone have any more tips on not buying MIC stuff?


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

I buy toys online... as for clothes, I just buy used... Clothes made in the US are just SOO hard to find, and they are SO expensive... so I buy from the goodwill, salvation army, etc. That way, I figure at least I'm not supporting the chinese, and am actually supporting people in THIS country!! Plus, this way they are *not* new, and have thus already been through the wash and had (hopefully) at least some of the nasty chemicals and such washed off... or thats my theory anyways


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## delphiniumpansy (Mar 1, 2007)

We can take a cue from the organic farm industry. Organic foods are getting more and more popular because as they increase in popularity, corporate american takes notice and wants to participate in an opportunity to make a buck. With MIC toys, stop buying them and corporate America will notice. Write articles for journals and magazines. Talk to your moms groups. Talk to your PTA and teachers. As word spreads, corporate America will notice. Prices will increase for toys, as it does with organic foods compared to regular foods. People will stop buying hundreds of toys for their kids and go back to just buying a few. Kids will have to be more creative with the few toys they have. It is a cycle. Like a PP said, people want cheap stuff and they want a lot of it. You have to change the consumerist tendencies of Americans to really make a dent in this problem.


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## VisionaryMom (Feb 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *yellowpansy* 
Prices will increase for toys, as it does with organic foods compared to regular foods.

A bit OT, but I've actually noticed here that organic prices are beginning to resemble prices of non-organic goods since the grocery stores are beginning to carry their own brands. I'd still prefer to buy them from local farmers, but it's a start!

Also, I thought a lot about this yesterday. Hubby and I talked about it last night. I'll post more later today, but I do think a massive action is warranted.


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## kathirynne (Dec 29, 2004)

Why not just buy fewer toys (and less stuff in general)?

The recurrance of "de-cluttering challenge" threads in the Mindful Home Management forum would seem to indicate that we (generally speaking) have. too. much. stuff.


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## marybethorama (Jun 9, 2005)

I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

I think it can become an addiction. It's easy to get addicted to cheap crap. Of any kind really.

I'm as guilty as anyone else of buying MIC crap. Because it's so cheap it's easy to justify and it fulfills my thirst for new stuff. Which is silly really. But I got addicted to buying new stuff for my kids and then it was so cheap so why not. It's an endless circle.

FE I got a catalog from Oriental Trading company. I sat and looked at it and while I was tempted, I thought about it and realized that it's ALL crap that we don't need. All of it. Though I did buy something from them.







Fake coins and fake jewels for a pirate treasure. While I could have found other sources I don't mind as much. I see them as "art/craft" supplies. They do carry a few (very few) items that fit into that category IMO. Though one could live without them very easily.

It's hard to stop buying that stuff, it really is. I recently succumbed to some MIC doll clothes. Even though it's easy to make them from scraps of fabric and I actually do. I find it relaxing. But it was ONLY a dollar. Never mind the real cost of transportation and the fact that the manufacturing cost must be so artificially low to sell it for a dollar.

I think there is some place for mass-market toys. We adore Playmobil and Lego FE. Also Hot Wheels and Rescue Heroes. I wouldn't want to give those up but I could live with fewer choices/higher prices. As much as we love Hot Wheels cars the majority of the playsets are crap IMO. It really would be worth paying more for fewer sets.


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## marybethorama (Jun 9, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kathirynne* 
Why not just buy fewer toys (and less stuff in general)?

The recurrance of "de-cluttering challenge" threads in the Mindful Home Management forum would seem to indicate that we (generally speaking) have. too. much. stuff.

Oh yeah. That's us.

We really DON'T need it all. Also like I said in my other post, a lot of toys can be made without that much effort.


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## VisionaryMom (Feb 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kathirynne* 
Why not just buy fewer toys (and less stuff in general)?

I think that's the answer in many cases, but I still think there needs to be accountability from Mattel, etc. I don't want to avoid every toy company with products in the stores just because they don't want to use quality parts.


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## Dabble (Jun 14, 2007)

I agree that we have too much stuff in general. It makes you kind of crazy sometimes to think that parents would demand a "replacement" for a toy that could have killed their child. I wouldn't want anything that company made, ever again!


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## Tilia (Nov 18, 2006)

I think people are starting to take notice. Even my 80 year old Grandma is boycotting China. All she does is watch the news all day, so she hears about MIC all the time. She doesn't know what to buy the great grandkids for Christmas because you can't buy American in stores.

It is getting so terrible. Even this past weekend, I was looking at the store ads in the paper. The aquadots were in the Wal-Mart ad. The recalls are happening so quickly and frequently that you just can't keep up. The only solution is to stop buying MIC. I really believe that mainstream toy buyers are starting to see that.

One good result is everyone ends up with less toys. You can't replace all the crap with quality stuff as quickly. I think kids play with more toys when they have less mess to look at on their toy shelves. Its definetly true for my DD.

I've been boycotting MIC since the beginning of 2007, but it all started because I wanted high quality or momma made stuff, not the recalls. I talk about it with anyone who will listen. I think that is one of the best ways to spread the word.


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## kathirynne (Dec 29, 2004)

My 13-year-old son asked me the other day if I thought the Chinese manufacturers were purposely poisioning exports to the United States, "you know, mum, like when the United States government tried to kill off all the Native Americans with smallpox-infested blankets..."

I didn't know what to tell him. Any thoughts?


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## cloudswinger (Jan 24, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kathirynne* 
My 13-year-old son asked me the other day if I thought the Chinese manufacturers were purposely poisioning exports to the United States, "you know, mum, like when the United States government tried to kill off all the Native Americans with smallpox-infested blankets..."

I didn't know what to tell him. Any thoughts?

I think it's not true. The desire for mass quantities of cheaper things is what's killing us. From what I read about the aquadots thing, somewhere somebody substituted one non-toxic chemical for a much cheaper chemical in the coating of the dots. Like the non-toxic chemical cost $9000 while the cheaper chemical was $1000 for a barrel or whatever the quantity was. Somebody pocketed the difference. And lead is very cheap compared to other metals.


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## mommymarliah (Jun 29, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kathirynne* 
My 13-year-old son asked me the other day if I thought the Chinese manufacturers were purposely poisioning exports to the United States, "you know, mum, like when the United States government tried to kill off all the Native Americans with smallpox-infested blankets..."

I didn't know what to tell him. Any thoughts?

I think your son may be on to something. At least thats my own personal belief.

I also believe the FDA is trying to control population with the poisonous vaccines and killer drugs they pawn off on people.


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## NeivaKai (May 12, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kathirynne* 
My 13-year-old son asked me the other day if I thought the Chinese manufacturers were purposely poisioning exports to the United States, "you know, mum, like when the United States government tried to kill off all the Native Americans with smallpox-infested blankets..."

I didn't know what to tell him. Any thoughts?

I don't think it is purposeful, as in there is a conspiriacy within China to poison our kids...I think it is really our own greed contributing to our demise. We really don't need more stuff, our society is now centered on consumerism, and I am not sure how we will extract ourselves from the cycle of want-buy-throw away. But it has to be done, one day at a time. I am making all my presents for christmas this year/giving experiences/contributing to non-profits, what are YOU doing?


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