parents

How Much HFCS Is In Ketchup?

How Much HFCS Is In Ketchup?

I was looking again at the quote from Con-Agra in regards to trace amounts of mercury found in HFCS-laced foods like ketchup, and the thing is, people don’t just eat ketchup. HFCS is everywhere.

Find If Your Kid's Toys Got Recalled

Find If Your Kid's Toys Got Recalled

Want to know if your kid’s toys got recalled? The Parents.com Toy and Product Recall finder shows you. Just enter the name, brand, or model number, or search by category. For this task, at least, it’s more More organized and prettier than Google.

PrettySinful Pledges To Stop Calling Children's Clothes "Sexy"

PrettySinful Pledges To Stop Calling Children's Clothes "Sexy"

Yesterday we told you about PrettySinful, a clothing maker on Amazon that was marketing its tween girl tights as being “sexy.” Tipster Jasmine also sent a complaint to PrettySinful. A customer service rep responded and pledged that they’ll be removing the word “sexy” from all their children’s clothes descriptions.

No Tween Girl Clothes Are "Sexy"

No Tween Girl Clothes Are "Sexy"

I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to market clothes to tween girls using the term “sexy.” Manufacturer “PrettySinful” has a different opinion, as seen in these “sexy” tights sold on Amazon, accompanied by a picture of a prepubescent girl. Perhaps the picture is in error because the rest of the clothier’s offerings are along the lines of crotchless bodystockings and various “do-me” adult party costumes. In any event, it’s gross and should be fixed.

Gamestop Ad Preys On Adolescent Fears

Gamestop Ad Preys On Adolescent Fears

What were you most afraid of in High School? Getting turned down by that Cheerleader at the prom? Arriving at school naked, just before the big test you never studied for? Or, was it Mom and Dad finding all of your nudie-mags whilst looking for gift ideas? Look inside to see which terror Gamestop chose to highlight in their latest ad campaign.

CPSC Issues Warning For Carter's Tagless Babyclothes Causing Rashes

CPSC Issues Warning For Carter's Tagless Babyclothes Causing Rashes

The CPSC has issued a warning about Carter’s “tagless” clothes causing rashes. The warning was made on Oct 24, Consumerist first told you about it on September 5th. Carter’s tagless clothes’ claim to fame is that instead of an irritating flappy label, they use a flat label embedded in these clothes. It’s this very label that’s causing the rashes. The warning only applies to the Carter’s Fall 2007 line which has a raised surface with a solid, instead of a stenciled, background.

Dress Your Daughter As Pirate Wench For Halloween

Dress Your Daughter As Pirate Wench For Halloween

“Gather any group of parents and you’ll quickly hear about how the choices of costumes have gone from witch and princess to sexy witch and pouty porn princess,” writes The Examiner in their roundup of sexually charged Halloween costumes marketed at tween and adolescent girls. Prudishness aside, I think I draw the line at a costume for young girls with the word “wench” in the title.

Carter's Tagless Baby Clothes Causing Rashes?

Carter's Tagless Baby Clothes Causing Rashes?

Parents are complaining online that Carter’s line of “tagless” baby clothes could be responsible for causing rashes and sores on babies. Instead of a traditional tag on the inside back of the shirt, a “tagless” has a solid silk-screen flat label. Carter’s is said to be aware of the problem and that it’s limited to their Fall 2007 line of tagless infant clothing. One blogger described the effect the shirt had on her daughter, writing, “Her back will turn very red and start oozing right where the tag (stamp) is in the back, the rash will appear as the exact size and shape of the stamp. The redness will then spread out from there.” Googling “carters tagless” reveals a number of parents complaining about the same issue. I smell class action lawsuit.

Duracell's New Ad: 'Oh No Your Kid Just Got Stolen!'

Duracell's New Ad: 'Oh No Your Kid Just Got Stolen!'

MSNBC’s Ads of the Weird blog is a little creeped out by Duracell’s new kidnapping commercial, and so are we. Making people feel bad about something is advertising’s job, we get that, but trying to scare parents into thinking their kid will be stolen from the playground by the classic man-in-a-van is going a little overboard. (Watch the commercial below.)

Target To 80-Year-Old: Yeah, We Sold You The Wrong Watch Battery, But We Won't Take It Back

Target To 80-Year-Old: Yeah, We Sold You The Wrong Watch Battery, But We Won't Take It Back

My mother in law, recently went to Target to get a battery installed for her watch. The watch was a common Timex model and the associate told her that she would have to buy the battery first. So she purchased that battery, and the associate attempted to install it in the watch. The battery did not fit the watch, so the associate said “sorry, we don’t have the right battery” and then refused to take the battery back and refund her money. She was told they don’t take back opened battery packages.

../../../..//2008/05/05/amazon-launched-a-new-bpa-free/

Amazon launched a new “BPA-free” baby supply shop (BPA is a chemical found in some plastic bottles that may cause cancer). The only problem was that not all of the bottles were BPA-free. [Z Recommends]

Mother's Blog Spawns Investigation Into Unsafe Car Seats

Mother's Blog Spawns Investigation Into Unsafe Car Seats

When mother Debbie rented a car from Advantage Rent-A-Car she was surprised to have to paw through rows of shoddy, dirty, car seats, some missing parts, to find one that worked. When she complained to the manager, he insisted that the car seats were thoroughly cleaned and inspected after each use. Her blog post about the issue caught the eye of the local news station, who did an investigative report on the matter. Following the report, Advantage-Rent-A-Car conducted a company-wide inspection and cleanout of its seats, and instituted new policies to make sure they rent only clean and safe car seats. ” This was a huge change for the company and a fantastic and very satisfying result from my perspective,” writes Debbie. Inside, her 10 tips for working with a local news team to resolve your consumer complaint.

Toy Maker Reluctantly Agrees To Recall Leadly "Jammin Jenna" Dolls

Toy Maker Reluctantly Agrees To Recall Leadly "Jammin Jenna" Dolls

A toy-maker who refused to issue a recall for its lead-tainted toys has reversed its position. TY made some “Jammin Jenna” dolls with that were found to have more lead than 600 parts per million Illinois state limit. In response to recall requests, TY said it didn’t have to because they said federal law supersedes state law. However, the state AG and federal CPSC responded that states are allowed to adopt more restrictive laws in the absence of federal regulation. TY will pull the Jammin Jena dolls and replace their leadly shiny red vinyl shoes with cloth ones.

Toy Makers Refuse To Recall Leaded Toys

Several toy makers are refusing to issue recalls for their toys, even though tests have proved they contain over 500 times the legal limit for lead. One says that it’s leadly charm bracelets are not toys and therefore not subject to toy rules. Ty, which famously makes Beanie Babies, is refusing to pull “Jammin’ Jenna,” because while state law bans vinyl toys with more lead than 600 parts per million limit, the federal law doesn’t – an argument that won’t go over well with the attorney general’s office, or parents.

Say Goodbye To Your Free Student Checking Account

Say Goodbye To Your Free Student Checking Account

Banks love graduation almost as much as parents. You’re finally on your own, able to afford food, rent, and beer, so why shouldn’t the banks—the kind, selfless banks that let you save while you slaved for knowledge—now sink their teeth into your anorexic accounts for a hearty bite of their own? FiLife compiled an excellent list of bank policies so students know how their institution plans to celebrate their impending graduation.

9 Children Hospitalized After Eating GHB-Filled Aqua Dots

9 Children Hospitalized After Eating GHB-Filled Aqua Dots

The CPSC says 9 children have been hospitalized after eating Aqua Dots beads. The craft toy contains a glue that breaks down in party drug GHB when ingested. The toy was made by a Chinese factory, whose license was suspended following the recall. Reportedly, the toxic glue cost 1/3 less than the glue they were supposed to use.

Strict Curfews Snap Shut On Teen Mallrats

Strict Curfews Snap Shut On Teen Mallrats

A Cleveland mall is enacting a tough teen curfew: no teens without adult accompaniment after 2:30 pm, 7 days a week. While anti-teen curfews are nothing new, the mall’s is the only one to be in effect every single day. According to the mall, packs of unruly teenagers spending little money are driving away legitimate paying shoppers. Apparently this is part of a national trend to keep teens out of malls. Basically, we don’t want teens congregating anywhere in public. It’s best they stick to the rickety barn, the derelict mine shaft, and the defunct mill.

../../../..//2007/10/04/dont-buy-grades-from-your/

Don’t buy grades from your kids, cautions Kiplinger—it’s a slippery slope, and confuses the issue, which should be about achievement and investing in the future rather than turning eduction into a Rewards Program that will eventually run dry or lose its appeal. [Kiplinger]