Mixed Messages

Hmmm...should a show that's been rated TV-14 have a toy line for children 10 years-old and up? Apparently, CSI has released a new line of toys. Click the link to see the CSI: Facial Reconstruction Kit, among others. The work of real-life lab technicians isn't necessarily more gruesome than that of police officers, doctors, and firefighters. And kids have emulated those occupations, well, since the jobs existed.

Stop to consider this, though: those occupations are also involved with prevention. My guess is a kid pretending to be a doctor is listening to a playmate's chest and telling them to breathe. Or asking them to drop trou in an effort to see what's happenin' down below. Not yelling, "GSW to the chest! Fire up the crash cart!"

CSI stands for Crime Scene Investigation, yeah? If an eleven-year-old is happily squishing clay around a plastic skull, trying to solve the make-believe mystery of who died and why, we're desensitizing the idea of murder. I'm not getting all Tipper Gore or put kids in an incubator to protect them from outside influences. The dissonance rankles me a little, is all.

If a kid under 14 shouldn't watch a show, he probably shouldn't play with the toy affiliated with it. So acknowledge they can handle the yick and let them watch the show, or don't market to the tweens if we think it's too much for them. My bias is for the latter, but I've been accused of being too strict with that stuff.

I Thought Toys Were Supposed to Inspire Children!

Last week I went shopping for birthday gifties for children (why are so many kids born in April/May/June)? Anyway, I was cruising up and down the aisles and I saw this:

Doesn't that kid look embarassed? Here's the description of the Pretend and Play Office Space per the manufacturer:

Everything kids need for a pretend day at the office fits inside an official-looking briefcase. The 74-piece set includes a planner, pretend stapler, cell phone with sound, ID badge and many other office essentials - even a stack of write and wipe paychecks and a refillable crayon "pen."

ID Badge? Stapler? PAYCHECKS?!? Listen, I'm all about realistic expectations. Not every child will grow up to be a ballerina or an astronaut or a super hero. But, to quote Gary from John Hughes' Weird Science:

"Why are you messing with the fantasy? We know about the reality. Don't ruin the fantasy, okay?"

This toy is geared toward 3 to 8 year-olds. What 3 year-old needs rewritable paychecks? Sheesh.