My 4-year old is already beginning to review magazines and yes, toy websites, looking for things she'd like to receive for Christmas. This year, Mommy and Daddy have the extra chore of searching though the recall lists to ensure we don't buy anything tainted with lead or some other chemical.
No, no. I am not a spreading fear to all the parents out there. However, you probably shouldn't assume that the stores are responsible enough to get recalled items off their shelves in a timely manner.
For a pretty solid guide on purchasing gifts for kids this holiday season, head over to Wise Bread where writer Julie Rains shares information from recalls to modifying unsafe toys that other may give to Little Johnny.
"If you happen to receive blatantly or potentially unsafe items as gifts and/or a toy is slightly different than what you expected based on its packaging, discard the obviously unsafe or modify the item to make it safe. For example, I have removed beads from a cloth book that was an infant gift. The beads were firmly attached (my tugging did not dislodge them) but I felt much more comfortable allowing my child to play with the book sans beads."Read on at In Search of Safety: A Mom's 8-Step Guide to Toy Selection and Everyday Use".
