Subject:
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Re: Juniorization -- too simple even for kids?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Sat, 11 Dec 1999 09:27:06 GMT
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Viewed:
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628 times
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Hi, Mike,
Let's skip to the end of your post first...
Mike Poindexter wrote:
> > John J. Ladasky Jr., Ph.D.
> > Department of Structural Biology
> > Stanford University Medical Center
> > Stanford, CA 94305
>
> Not to sound condescening, but somebody with a Ph.D. should be able to figure
> this out.
>
> Mike Poindexter
>
> I have a B.S. and I use it every day. :-)
Ouch! Is that any way to talk to a guy to whom you're simultaneously
trying to sell 48 black 2 X 3 inverse 33-degree slopes? 8^)
I'll have to say that I get this a lot. "You have an advanced degree,
therefore how could you possibly be so dense as to disagree with my
point of view, which is so obviously correct..."
O.K., on to the discussion at hand. I'm going to rearrange some of your remarks.
> I feel you are in err a bit on the idea of age recommendations for toys. It
> seems as though I see this happen with everyone.
>
> "It says 5-7 on the box. Our child is almost 4, but he is really bright."
>
> The age recommendations are for safety, not how smart the kid is. That is
> why they have big fat duplo, then still big primo and you have to wait until
> you are old enough not to place friction pegs in your mouth before you are
> ready for technic.
I must respectfully disagree. The standard warning that I see on kid's
toys reads: "warning - choking hazard - small parts - ages 0-3," or
something like that. And from my own experience with my son, I would
say that this warning is on the mark. Kids under three years of age are
likely to stick things in their mouths.
> The facts are such: Your kid was putting small bricks in his mouth. You were
> worried he would swallow them, cool pieces not withstanding. I don't think
> you told him, "Spit out that Spyrius minifig! Here, eat 1x1 bricks."
It's not as if a kid gradually weans him/herself from large objects to
small! Once the light goes on that toys are not to be chewed, it goes
on. He chose to put a few relatively small things in his mouth... but
once I stopped him, he didn't move on to even smaller objects.
What does Lego do to differentiate between standard-scale sets that they
think are appropriate for age five, and sets for age seven, and Technic?
The 1 X 1 plate or minifig tool that comes in a Town Jr. set is every
bit as small as the smallest Technic element.
My wife the teacher says that no five year-old is still chewing on toys,
and even thumb-suckers are done at that age.
I think that, past Duplo, it's a question of challenge to the intellect
and motor skills, period -- and that it is possible that Lego has
underestimated the level of challenge that a young kid actually wants.
[snip]
> > The Duplo hasn't been out of its box since the day the "hard Legos"
> > arrived. I'm ready to send it to the attic. (Actually, strike that --
> > since it's nominally compatible with standard Lego, maybe I can use it
> > for something???)
>
> Yuck! You would use those bricks that are contaminated with baby spit and
> dried snot? Run them through the washing machine first...
My kid never attempted to put Duplo in his mouth -- they're way too BIG!
And he wasn't much of a drooler either. Some kids are, others aren't.
> > Our entire collection, up until this year, consisted of standard-scale
> > Lego purchased prior to 1983. The new sets that I have purchased this
> > year are all System, ages 7-12. So I don't have any of the "juniorized"
> > parts that people complain about in the new sets.
> >
> > My kid doesn't seem to need them. Is he just a really special 3 1/2
> > year-old, or are juniorized parts totally unnecessary?
>
> I have seen everyone talk about how smart their kid is. No offense, but I
> have not seen a parent say, "This says 5-7. Billy is 9 1/2, but he is kind of
> dumb, so this will work."
I'm not trying to toot my kid's horn. My dad takes care of that. 8^)
I was wondering whether other parents out there might have had similar experiences.
> You
> didn't want him to eat Lego. And here it is how soon after and you think that
> juniorization is unneccesary? Small bricks are OK for kids?
It has been six months. Once he got past the oral stage, I didn't see
any further danger to him. I am still worried that he will LOSE parts
that are smaller than the opening to his mouth, but not swallow or
inhale them.
> When your kid gets a set of bricks in his 2-3 age group
Point of information: 3-4 age group. If/when you become a parent, you
will learn how much happens in that year.
> and it has a bunch of
> small pieces he swallows, chokes on and dies, what then? Do you say, "Gee, he
> wasn't so bright after all?" No, you sue Lego for not making certain that
> their toys were safe for that age group. Then you go out and ignore the
> safety warnings for any other kids you buy toys for.
That's a little harsh. Sue my favorite toy company? My wife and I
decided to let him have the Legos. I supervised him at first, and as a
consequence of me making it an issue he learned not to mouth his toys.
All of them. Nothing that happens is anyone's fault but ours. And
since the choking warnings are directed at kids younger than my son, we
wouldn't have a leg to stand on in court.
--
John J. Ladasky Jr., Ph.D.
Department of Structural Biology
Stanford University Medical Center
Stanford, CA 94305
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Juniorization -- too simple even for kids?
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| (...) That seems backwards. It seems like you'd have *more* of a leg to stand on, because the warning *should* have addressed your child, and didn't. Then again, I've heard that people shouldn't post "Beware of Dog" signs in their yard, because if (...) (24 years ago, 14-Dec-99, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Juniorization -- too simple even for kids?
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| John, I feel you are in err a bit on the idea of age recommendations for toys. It seems as though I see this happen with everyone. "It says 5-7 on the box. Our child is almost 4, but he is really bright." The agre recommendations are for safety, not (...) (24 years ago, 10-Dec-99, to lugnet.general)
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