Tuesday, September 30, 2014

As leaves begin to turn and pumpkin patches spring up on every corner, it is a clear sign the holidays are approaching—and with them, the annual predictions of toys that will be ‘hot’ this season.
 

But full-time Mommy April McCormick, who blogs on parenting for first-time Moms and Dads, suggests (with tongue only slightly in cheek) that certain types of toys should be strictly avoided if you wish to maintain a peaceful household:

Toys that make annoying noises—Kids love them, but the police car or fire truck that belts out screeching sirens on command may have a hidden agenda designed to send parents to the loony bin.

Toys with sensors that go off when you walk by—Try sneaking out of your child’s room after a marathon effort to get him to sleep when some watchful robot in the corner of the room senses your footsteps and bleeps him back into wakefulness.

Toys with teeny tiny parts—If they don’t end up in your child’s mouth or in the dog’s mouth, they will surely turn up to inflict mighty pain every time you step on them barefoot.

Toys that are part of a set or collection—Warning: you will then have to buy every style, color and special release in the collection and then look out for the next hot set of collectibles.

Ride-on toys your kid can’t manage alone—Do not buy a trike or bike until she’s old enough to ride it on her own. Otherwise, you risk major back pain from leaning over for hours at a time until she is able to master it.

Children’s books you do not love—Better pick one you won’t tire of. If it becomes his favorite, you will be asked to read it a minimum of 10,000 times.

Toys that require assembly of more than three parts—(Think Barbie’s Dream House and related.) Three pages of instructions you can’t make sense of is enough to drive you to drink. Sometimes the empty carton the thing came in is more fun than the toy, anyway.

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