Chewing on Lego
Categories: Health & safety, Eating & nutrition, Toys & games
There's a reason the Lego company offers up the larger Duplo building blocks for younger kids -- children under the age of three or four are likely to put their toys in their mouth and the smaller Lego bricks are a definite choking hazard. So you teach your kids not to put their toys in their mouth and especially not their older sibling's Lego bricks, right? And then, some bright boy comes up with this genius idea: Lego-shaped fruit snacks.Yes, you read that right, Lego bricks that are supposed to be put in one's mouth. Now if that's not a mixed message, I don't know what is: Here, kid, pop this colorful square with knobs on top in your mouth -- hey, don't put that colorful square with knobs on top in your mouth! As Gabe from the Penny Arcade webcomic explained it, "I just spent the first three years of my sons life trying to get him not to eat blocks, and now you're telling him they taste like f#$%ing strawberries. I can only assume that their next product is fruit flavored thumbtacks."
And lest you think this some sort of hoax, it is indeed a real product with eighty calories per serving and no trans fats. Mind you, we won't be bringing these home from the grocery store any time soon; we have enough trouble with my son Jared putting things in his mouth as it is.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
kelly jeanie 6-22-2008 @ 4:06PM
I guess it depends on the kid. We've had these once or twice and Owen never had a problem figuring out the difference. They're a lot smaller than regular Legos, fully solid (not hollow), and are squishy and obviously food. However, Owen stopped putting any and all things in his mouth a long time ago, so I suppose it depends on the kid.
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Derek 6-22-2008 @ 8:35PM
God forbid someone error on the side of personal responsibility and simply not purchase the item if it's going to cause a problem.
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Jenni 6-22-2008 @ 9:09PM
I'm with Derek on this, you don't like 'em, don't by 'em. You have a choice as a consumer and no one is forcing you to buy anything you don't want...even those pesky children...you can say no to them! Really! Try it!
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Monica 6-23-2008 @ 8:53AM
Mind you, we won't be bringing these home from the grocery store any time soon;
I think Roger made it pretty clear that he was NOT buy them for his son. What about pointing out the idiocy of a products design AND stating his intention to not purchase it deserves such snark?
Companies get feedback from a variety of places, and pointing out their mistakes is one way of ensuring that they consider different things when designing the next product.
Jenni 6-23-2008 @ 10:35AM
"Companies get feedback from a variety of places, and pointing out their mistakes is one way of ensuring that they consider different things when designing the next product"
One form of feedback is simply not buying them. If this product sits on the shelf, then it is obviously something that isn't going to sell; message sent. As a consumer, I don't see this as a mistake. I would probably by them myself if I saw them in the store, except that I don't typically go down the isle this would be on.
Emily 6-23-2008 @ 9:56AM
Monica, I think people are more responding to Roger's typical viewpoint than to this post specifically. It is pretty well known that Roger is one of the more liberal bloggers on ParentDish, and the typical liberal would be advocating for government involvement, not personal responsibility. After all, who will protect all of those poor children with stupid parents!?! Better pass a law.
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