Looks like Mattel is in Trouble......

Uh oh!! I love toys but I never knew they'd be in the news like this. Mattel has once again had another recall. Now when someone says " Mattel", I hope you aren't just thinking about Barbie. When someone says Mattel, you should also think about the View Master, Fisher-Price (all those infant toys you have around your house and buy for baby showers), Sesame Street Toys (all those Tickle Me Elmos), Dora, Uno, Hot Wheels, and See n Say, because they all fall under the Mattel Brand.

Yep, how many of you have Mattel toys in your home?? I have a bunch. I have a bunch of Dora items, have the latest View Masters (yes, that's plural), have the Elmo Says your Name toy, and I have some Hot Wheels. So what's a girl like me to do??

Mattel has recalled more than 10 million toys during the past 1-2 months. 10 million. Do you know how much 10 million is?? Its a lot. I don't get it, if you're making toys for babies and kids, wouldn't you always take the extra precaution to ensure that your products were safe?? Why is it that now they are taking the precautions to ensure that their products are safe?? Isn't that backwards thinking?? Isn't that what they should have always been doing all along????

Can you imagine taking a vaccination, and then 20 yrs later, the manufacturers tell you that the vaccination was altered . Well, I personally think that some vaccinations lead to autism, but that's another story for another time. I'm talking about toys.

Ok, let's look at the problem: Mattel makes their toys in China because its cheap to do so. Now they have had to recall 10 million toys. Is it good that Mattel did another recall after the first one? Yes.

Did the president, Bob Eckert, know another recall was coming? OF COURSE HE DID. But he covered himself after the first recall by saying , "Parents, if I come across any other problems with our toys, I will make sure we let you know." Then what happened- there was another recall soon after. Its all politics. That's all the President of Mattel is doing. This way he can say, " yes, we had another recall, but its okay because I promised all the parents in the world that I would inform them." So he comes across looking like a good guy even though any recall in any industry is not good. Its reverse psychology. Plain and simple. And I'm sure other toy companies, such as Hasbro and MGA Entertainment are probably going through their inventory to double check their supplies. I wouldn't be surprised if toy companies stop shipping toys out to retailers such as Wal-Mart and Toys R US until they are 100% sure that the toy is safe.

What do I think about the recall.? I think its awful for toy companies in general because now NO ONE will buy a toy that was made in China. When I buy a toy, I always look at the back of the box, to see who the company is and to check out their products online because I'm a toy geek. No one else ever did that. But now, everyone is turning that box over, to see where the toys are made. If they are made in China, the items goes back on the shelf and the parent continues to look for a toy that is made in the U.S. Lets just say that a lot of kids are going to be receiving books and clothing this holiday season. I expect Scholastic Books to do quite well this holiday season.

I think that the toy company that makes most of their products in non-Asian countries will make the most money this holiday season. Trust me. No parent will buy a Made in China toy for their child and noone will accept Made in China items as gifts for their children. First it was food, and now its toys. What next- medication, bottled water containers, contact lenses, what???

Does any one know what kind of paint is used for Etch A Sketch? Because that big red toy is either painted or a chunk of big red plastic. Who's going to check???

Look at this site: http://www.mattel.com/safety/us/