I hate Baby Einstein. Hate, hate, hate. The concept seems okay, what was the original premise, classical music for kids? Right? I'm all for that, though mine are REALLY into Blackmore's Night recently (and yes, we were also voted Weirdest Family on the Block, why do you ask?), but it's the unabashed, shameless, pervasive marketing of toys as panaceas and as magical ways to make your kid smarter (when all you really have to do is play with them) that feels like fingernails on the chalkboard to me.
Which is why I have semi-secret glee over the news that these stupid blocks have been recalled.
The blue ones have lead paint. On them. Where your baby would likely be sucking, mouthing, touching (and then fingers go...to the mouth). However, the recall only extends to the Baby Einstein Discover & Play Color Blocks, Model 30726 and Model 30881, with date codes of GE7, GF7, and GG7. Where are the date codes, you ask? The model number and date code are printed on the labels affixed to the green-colored block. That is, if you haven't done like I do and ripped that label right off that green block, because labels are so damn irritating.
Nor do you still have the box, unless you're really that anally organized (or lazy) in which case I'm not sure I want to know you.
If it helps, the blocks were sold at various retailers and specialty stores
nationwide from June 2007 through September 2007 for between $10 and
$13.
If you have these blocks, throw away that blue sucker and contact Kids II, the manufacturer, to ream out their ass for holding us hostage and throwing off the entire world's economy with their shoddy practices in countries that apparently don't have our safety as a priority and is this a conspiracy or what and then ask politely for a new blue block. And I'll bet they'll give you one.
