Toys that Kids Love.... and parents HATE.

#1. Goo, Gack, or Gobbledee - gook. Do you all know what I mean? My sister in law just got G a spiderman toy that comes with "web goo" to fling (yes, the kid is supposed to fling goo while playing with this toy) at a spinning bad guy. This stuff is nasty and when I was a kid they had a similar product called GAK. That stuff smelled TERRIBLE and was slimy and snotty as hell, but at least it stayed in one piece. This stuff is slimy, snotty and stringy. It gets everywhere, and when it dries it looks like a slug trail. Exactly like it, it's even kind of shiny like that. Yeah, the toy was on clearance and I know why. Kids love it though.

 

#2. Silly string. - not as bad as Goo, but still requires parental clean up when they are done playing with it. This stuff is way too tempting to shoot AT other children and pets and it runs out in about 30 seconds. Since a can can cost up to $6, there is definitely not enough bang for your buck. Again, kids love it.

 

#3. Guns. - I know that kids will pick up sticks that are bent at just the right angle and pretend they are guns or even just stick out there finger and thumb and make pew pew pew noises, but to actually BUY them guns? Especially guns that actually shoot balls, darts and pellets - I just can't stand it. Hate to say it, but kids looove guns.

 

#4. C/O silverlinings  'How about a drum set?   My sister offered to buy Meg a drum set becasue she loves drums ... I told her "over your dead body."'

 

#5. C/O rockhockermom 'LEGOS... very good for the imagination... very BBBAAAADDDD for the feet.'

 

#6. C/O katmandoo 'metal jacks from when we were little? Those things will go right through the toughest of foot soles!'

 

#7. C/O katmandoo 'Perler Beads? Awesome for a 9 year old girl, but not so good for cleaning up when you spill a bucket that holds 1000 of them!'

 

#8. TRANSFORMERS or any toy that transforms. The bigger they are the worse they are because it takes a rocket scientist to do it. I've seen adults work at these things like rubix cubes while the 3 year old bounces up and down in anticipation. The newer ones are even worse because peices literally fall off the thing while you are working on it and you have to follow a set of INSTRUCTIONS to turn the robot into the car/plan/helicopter or whatever.

 

Anyone want to add to this?