Let’s fix this one at the source: Stop buying electronic books/toys for your kids/grandkids/nieces/nephews, et al; and get back to buying them books that they can actually read with someone, or that someone has to read to them. If you never bring a coin battery into the house in the first place, the crumb-cruncher will never get the chance to swallow it.
Same with the cheap electronic toys that are everywhere. A good set of wooden blocks in a variety of useful shapes and sizes is preferable to anything electronic in my view.
Lincoln Logs instead of LinkedIn...
> Let’s fix this one at the source: Stop buying electronic books/toys ...
Couldn’t agree with you more.
6 or 7 years back we received a Christmas card that played Jingle Bells using a button battery.
After Christmas my wife couldn’t bring herself to throw it away.
I wound up in a stack of old bills and papers.
A year after receiving the card, I was going through the stack of papers looking for a receipt (some product warranty problem). The battery and its electronics were found to have caught fire and then self extinguished for lack of oxygen (because it was in the stack of old bills).
These novelty items with the battery and playback recording are dangerous. If someone doesn’t get injured for ingesting them, they can also catch fire and burn your house down.
> Let’s fix this one at the source: Stop buying electronic books/toys ...
Couldn’t agree with you more.
6 or 7 years back we received a Christmas card that played Jingle Bells using a button battery.
After Christmas my wife couldn’t bring herself to throw it away.
It wound up in a stack of old bills and papers.
A year after receiving the card, I was going through the stack of papers looking for a receipt (some product warranty problem). The battery and its electronics were found to have caught fire and then self extinguished for lack of oxygen (because it was in the stack of old bills).
These novelty items with the battery and playback recording are dangerous. If someone doesn’t get injured for ingesting them, they can also catch fire and burn your house down.
I like the way you think, BC! I’m not a dad yet, but when I am, I will be reading to my kid every night from an actual book. These electronic books don’t strike me as being anything more than that first “taste” of eLife.
I grew up with Lincoln Logs, Legos, and the Encyclopedia Brittanica. Computers didn’t exist in current form until I was a teen. It was tree climbing, bike riding, and swimming for me!
Other than computers, my kids quickly get bored with electronic whizbangs and other pieces of plastic. The Wii is good, esp on days when the weather isn't conducive to outdoor play (video games AND exercise, I'm all for it!), but it's not like they agitate to play with it.
Blocks, Lincoln Logs, Legos, and Matchbox cars, though? They won't put them down and fight over who can play with what. I spent hours yesterday putting a train track together with my youngest, and rolling his cars around on it.
Bought my oldest a gyroscope (really, just a fancy top) to play with this weekend. He hasn't put it down since.
I agree...but you must get rid of the "TV" at the same time.
JMHO
FMCDH(BITS)
Nice idea but mnay other household items have these batteries too.My blod gluclose monitor uses one and I could not not have that in the house.Many of the small household clocks use button batteries.Best to just be aware of what hs them and not alow the child access to them alone.