Dear Mr./Ms. Toy Manufacturer...
Dear Mr./Ms. Toy Manufacturer:
As new toys (specifically those of the battery-operated nature) enter our home this holiday season, I can't help but wonder a simple little question. Why is it, dear toy manufacturer, that the default volume on said toys must be at decibels significantly louder than any reasonably sane parent would allow in their home? Kids don't know that after they press the on button, they must immediately turn the volume down. They don't care about the volume being too high or even notice. It's the parents - especially those who have younger children that are trying to nap - that must drop everything, frantically run over to the toy and press that little down arrow button repeatedly, trying to get the volume to a level that doesn't promote hearing loss. It can get rather exhausting.
Please consider redesigning your toys so that when they are turned on, they are at a reasonable volume that one may turn up if one so chooses - not at a volume that makes a parent want to throw the toy out the window. (Did I say that??)
Happy Holidays.
Sincerely,
A mom experiencing hearing loss in her right ear
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Yes, I may be exaggerating a bit, but c'mon - am I the only one who feels this way? Why are toys designed this way? Why can't they start out at a low volume? Seriously, it makes so much more sense. The manufacturer should want the parent to like the toy, not want to throw it into the trash compactor. ;)
All right. I'm spent. :oP
Hope your Christmases were merry and no one suffered undue hearing loss. Cheers!
posted by Crunchy Domestic Goddess @ 8:27 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
I'd like to complain about the over abundance of tape and wires on toys. You have to have a degree in engineering to open the stupid things. We were lucky to have escaped without a single noise making toy! Yay, us! We did, however, get Seren a violin. I guess it could be worse. ;)
I so agree with you as well with the twisty ties on everything you buy.
UGH
If you throw the toy out the window, you'll have to buy a new toy. More toys purchased equals more money for the manufacturer. :)
Tiffiny - Ah yes - another good complaint.
How fun about the violin! :) Is she going to start lessons?
Camille - True dat. Jody had to use scissors to get a few of the toys out of their packages due to all the crazy twist ties.
VV - Ah-ha! Now I understand. Sneaky.
Clear mailing tape is my best friend. And sometimes, duct tape works well, too!
Seriously, two of Adam's new toys are so annoying, but he does like them, so I just put a couple of layers of the packing tape on and, voila! - the noise is much, much easier to bear. :)
I mean to say that I put the tape over the speakers of the toy...not the children, LOL!
That's a great idea Steph - must implement it!
It's a shame that this Mummy just keeps forgetting to buy replacement batteries for some of those toys. *innocent look*
I have heard of one ingenious Dad who took some of them apart and inserted a resistor in the noise bit in order to tone the things down.
At least yours have volume buttons! None of ours seem to be turn-down-able.
Steph - LOL about explaining that it's for the toys, not the kids. I thought maybe you put duct tape over your own ears. ;) J/K Seriously though, that's a good idea. Thx for sharing it.
Penny - I've been known to do that (forget to buy batteries) before myself as well. hee, hee.
Purple Kangaroo - I feel your pain. We have some toys that are that way as well. I should be happy that some of ours have volume control. Maybe you should try the tape trick that Steph suggested. :)
It's so true. I have been wanting to write a few letters about the volume b/c some of them are rediculous and clearly not safe for little ears. Fortunately most of my family knows are hatred for toys that make any kind of sound and we only received a few that got accidentally left at Grandma's ;)
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