The Difference Between Men and Boys is the Toys They Play With

Today we celebrated the kid's third birthday. That vegetable platter with the dip was great and, as usual, there was way too much cake left over. He is still at the stage where the birthday party is more for the adults (though we had several children there) than for the kids. Gives us a time to get together, shmooze, catch up on news, and eat from some good insert your favourite platter here and assorted chazer-rie. I have noticed that kids toys are different from when I was growing up (late 70s, early 80s). Back then, we were satisfied with your standard Hot Wheels vehicles, Tonka trucks, and the Fisher Price "dohickey board" to amuse babies. Nowadays, everything talks, plays music, and other assorted cool things. Talking about Fisher Price, it is generally acknowledged, at least by my friends who have kids, that their quality has gotten worse over the years. In some cases, their kids are using Fisher Price made 20 years ago, while the similar toy they got last year for their birthday is in the closet, all broken. This year's "cool toy"? Magnetic letters that stick to the fridge. These letters, however, can be taken off the fridge, inserted into a "device" which will then tell the kid all about the letter. You could also tell it was Canadian as it says the last letter of the alphabet is "Zed" (and the first letter was "eh"). The only annoying thing about the toy, and all toys that talk for that matter, is that kids will press the buttons over and over again. And over and over. And over and over. I also find it a bit disconcerting that a toy is telling my kids "I love you!". That should be our job.