Sos Roofline Article Central

I went shopping for new toys for my 2 year old granddaughters the other day and was absolutely appalled by the selection of unhealthy toddler toys readily available for our children. I was so troubled by the vast selection of unhealthy baby toys I felt I needed to vent here, both for myself and for those of you who want to leave comments at the end of the column.

It's regretful enough that we adults are bombarded on a daily basis with sly marketing tactics meant to brainwash and instigate hyper-consumerist tendencies, but some of the ploys intended to hook toddlers through their toys is just plain wrong! We as adults can at the very least spot the rouse. We may still succumb, but we have the decision making skills and (for the most part) the intelligence to decipher when we are being catered to for our betterment or our impediment. Our kids simply don't have that facility; which is why it is up to us to cut out the damaging baby toys.

One glaring violator was the McDonald's McKids toy line. Within the french fry and burger casings, the backpack, and the kitchen structure were several dozen mini milkshakes, burgers, fries, and cookies. I shouldn't blame the McDonald's corporation for attempting to make a profit and let's be honest, they would not sell these toys if people didn't buy them; but we have to realize that this is how our children distinguish the brand and affiliate the golden arches with enjoyment at a very young age. This sort of brand recognition marketing will retain the obesity rate at a steady incline until we as role models stand up and take matters into our own hands and begin saying no to unhealthy child's toys.

I also saw a donut shop toy set...yup, donuts. Let's face it, any child who knows custard filled donuts and iced mocha before they even see the inside of the store is destined for cavities and diabetes... and that's the most positive scenario.

Like I said, I can't blame these billion dollar corporations for doing what they do best. We already know what they're all about. We know that for the most part they are cold, methodical, profit machines that will do whatever is necessary to ensure their fiscal well-being. Establishing unhealthy habits in our children only helps their future bottom line.

It is up to us to educate our children so that these marketing firms that are successfully initiating brand recognition at such an early age do not continue to feed the unhealthy baby habits that feed into the childhood obesity epidemic through unhealthy toys for our children and babies. They will continue to make and market these toys to our kids, but we need to remember that the power is always in our hands to say NO!

We can stop purchasing these unhealthy toys for our children and help our toddlers form healthy habits; or we can continue down the same path. Let our kids be influenced by people who don't care about them or their well-being. Allow them to be yet another unhealthy statistics in a growing unhealthy society. Or we can do what is right rather than what is easy. We can value our children by valuing what we buy for them. We can keep our honor by giving our kids a fighting chance against the illness and dysfunction both instigated and ignored by the fast food industry. Either way, it all begins by what we choose to surround our children with.

The Lil' Shopper Play Set: A Look At Healthy Propensity Instilling Toys For Our Children
Before I came across the Lil' Shopper Play Set I was shocked at some of the baby toys I saw. I am a firm believer that healthy habits start at a young age, and one of the best ways to stress these healthy habits are through the toys we buy for our baby.

Sale On Legos - Castle Lego
In this short article, you will find useful information about Lego toys, and how to find sale on Legos. You often can buy Lego sets on line for less. And shipping is free.

Strawberry Shortcake Dolls - What Makes Them Sustain Their Success After All This Time?
Strawberry Shortcake dolls are very popular with kids and grown ups alike. This lovable character was originally created for greeting cards but has since become a very well known TV character.

Get Your Angry Birds Toys For Sale
Unless you've been living on cloud cuckoo land you can't fail but to have noticed that the Angry Birds are dominating news in so many ways at the moment - but where do you find the angry birds toys for sale?

Piggy Banks For Adults - Today Grown Ups Can Enjoy Saving Money And Rediscover Their Own Early Years
Piggy banks for adults can come in many different shapes and sizes and will allow you to rediscover the joys of saving up money for that special gift or prize instead of using credit to buy it.

Dolls Don't Get Any More Cute Than These Baby Born And They Come In A Range Of Styles To Match Every Budget
If you are in the market for newborn dolls this Christmas, check out the range called Baby Born. These cute and realistic baby dolls have been around for quite a few years yet they remain as popular as ever.

Lalaloopsy Dolls Head The List Of Most Popular Children's Gifts Again In 2011
The Lalaloopsy Doll was the best selling dolls range in the Christmas 2010 shopping frenzy and continues to be one of the hot toys in 2011 as well.