Here’s a great idea for kids who can’t yet read numbers but really want a cell phone: the Nakamiki Children Phone. It has four pre-set speed dials, one on each of the teddy bear’s paw, and actually allows parents to tune in and listen to their child’s surroundings without alerting the child. It’s marketed for kids from 5-15, so I can understand the appeal of the parental monitoring, especially with teenagers, but I don’t think kids over 10 can be easily convinced to carry a teddy bear phone instead of a real cell phone.

However, it does seem great for younger kids. In addition to being easy to use and super cute, it has a toxin-free exterior, so it’s safe while providing safety. Pretty cool!

Pocahontas is a relatively new appointee to the Disney Princess pantheon, but she is one of my all-time favorites. And not just because I “am” Pocahontas, according to the “Which Disney Princess are You?” quiz. Pocahontas is also a favorite because she’s cool, smart, independent and conscientious, yet has some attitude and ingenuity. I am a little disappointed, though, that she doesn’t get as much attention or merchandising as other Disney Princesses. You’ll find Pocahontas on items that feature multiple Disney Princesses, but there aren’t very many exclusively Pocahontas items. I think it would be really cool if there was a Pocahontas backpack and tent set or a Pocahontas fishing pole or snowshoes or something like that, because Pocahontas is very outdoorsy, and it would be great if there were more outdoor toys that appeal to girls.

Here are some more links about Pocahontas the Disney Princess and Pocahontas the historical figure:

• Disney Archives: Pocahontas
• APVA: Pocahontas
• The Pocahontas Myth
• John Smith’s Letter to Queen Anne Regarding Pocahontas
• Virtual Jamestown: Pocahontas

I am getting ready to start my long weekend but I wanted to do a quick post to say Happy 4th of July! Hope you have a fantastic celebration and a great weekend! Here are a couple of firework safety tips to keep everyone healthy and happy:

Firework Safety for Kids

CPSC Presents Firework Safety

Fireworks Safety Month

Enjoy your weekend!  See you Monday!

A voluntary recall has been issued for Taggies Sleep ‘N Play Infant Garments because the snap closures pose a potential choking threat. Luckily no injuries were reported prior to this recall, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. The two Sleep ‘n Play styles affected in the recall were sold between June 2007 through May 2008 at places like Dillards and Nordstrom and have the code “RN #27829″ printed on the garment’s care label. The Taggies licensee who manufactured these styles, Rashti & Rashti, is offering a refund, so check out their website for details.

I have to commend Taggies for their quick action on this recall and their overall commitment to children’s safety. The website has a full page of safety information and resources, in addition to a link for recall information on the homepage. It gives me a lot more confidence in their pledge to provide safe baby products.

There have been a few other recent notable recalls that I haven’t had a chance to blog about, so please check out the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s June 2008 Recalls and Product Safety News when you have a chance. Here are some highlights:

eStyle Recalls Mini Chef Toy Kitchens Due to Choking and Tip-Over Hazards

Stanley Furniture Recalls Cribs Due to Entrapment Hazard

Nordstrom Recalls Girls’ Sandals Due to Choking Hazard

Children’s Merry-Go-Rounds Sold Exclusively at Toys R Us Recalled by Pacific Cycle Due to Fall Hazard

Simmons Kids Recalls Crib Mattresses Due to Entrapment Hazard

Snow White, like Cinderella, had a long and illustrious Disney career before becoming one of the 6 original Disney Princesses in 2000. I was never really into her because I have always had a weird issue with her dress (I think it’s that crazy collar), but millions of current and former little girls disagree with me on this point, so she remains a favorite Disney Princess. She so popular, in fact, that even Rachel Weisz wanted to be Snow White:

Disney Bridal also has a line of Snow White gowns for women who just can’t get enough Disney Princess action in their lives. None of these gowns suggest Snow White to me at all (or Disney for that matter), but if it works for some people, great. The girls’ dresses are super cute, but most little girls I know will call you on it if you try to tell them it’s a “Snow White” dress, so I’d recommend not even mentioning it to avoid tantrums.

The coolest thing about Snow White is that she (like Cinderella) was an environmentalist and animal rights supporter long before it was the trendy thing to do. Right on!

My apologies that it’s been so long since my last Disney Princess post. With all the news about recalls, BPA and The Baby Borrowers, I guess I got distracted. So anyway, let me resume the Disney Princess discussion with one of my all-time personal favorites, Cinderella. The movie Cinderella is a classic rags-to-riches tale, in which the long-suffering but hardworking and never-complaining girl is finally rewarded by marrying a prince and escaping her awful life. It’s also chock-full of catchy songs like Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, so it remains a perennial favorite that will undoubtedly be requested at some point by the little girls in your life. Cinderella is also a key part of most Disney Princess-branded merchandise like Disney Princess bedding, so you will most likely become very familiar with her face.

Like the other Disney Princesses, she has parental issues. Her mom died early on and her dad remarried a woman with two daughters from a previous marriage, which was fine and dandy until her dad died and her step-mother revealed her truly evil nature. Cinderella becomes a slave to the step-mother and step-sisters, basically confined to the house by the endless list of chores they set for her. Luckily, Cinderella doesn’t seem to be too effective of a housekeeper, or otherwise she may have exterminated the mice that later go on to help her land the prince. Instead, she talks to the mice and birds and other animals, which are pretty much her only friends.

At some point, the King announces he wants to find a bride for his son the Prince, and so there is going to be a big ball at which all the eligible young bachelorettes in the kingdom can meet said prince. Cinderella of course wants to go but her stepmother wants one of her biological daughters to marry the prince, so they sabotage Cinderella’s dress before heading to the ball. But Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother appears, and with the help of the animals, essentially offsets any of the sabotage, ensuring that Cinderella finally connects with Prince Charming and eventually lives “happily ever after”.

I like Cinderella because I like the underlying message that hard work eventually gets recognized and rewarded, but I am not sure that marrying out of the situation is really a reward. It seems in some ways like a lateral move to me, simply because in either case, there are probably many restrictions about what she can do with her life. But as a metaphoric reward, I guess it will do.

Anyway, the next Disney Princess up for discussion is Snow White, so stay tuned!

I have to admit I am little shocked to see all the news about The Baby Borrowers. Opinions of the show vary wildly, but there is no doubt it is getting a lot of attention. Here’s a rundown of the sometimes pun-infused headlines:

• guardian.co.uk: Baby Borrowers: US version a hit
• The New York Times: Baby on Board for NBC
• Variety: Solid bow for ‘Baby Borrowers’
• Boston Herald.com: Teens say ‘Baby’ barely delivers
• Washington Post: A Case of Stolen Formula: ‘Baby Borrowers’ Follows The Reality Show Playbook
• Media Life: NBC’s ‘Baby Borrowers’ debut delivers
• The Boston Globe: There’s much to cry about in NBC’s ‘Baby Borrowers’

It’s definitely controversial. But if this show saves a few people from having to buy a Pack ‘n Play as a high school graduation gift, it can’t be all bad.

I caught the premier of The Baby Borrowers last night and I really enjoyed it. It put my mind at ease to see how on top of things the baby’s parents are, and to see them step in and talk to the teenage Baby Borrowers, because frankly, some of those teenagers are really immature for their age. I was actually surprised by the way some of them carried on, like the attitude Alicea took when baby Carson’s mom came in to give some much-needed instruction. News flash, Alicea - it’s not your baby, you aren’t entitled to that attitude. I LOVE that she decides she needs to be the one to get a job because she can’t handle Carson’s mom’s “attitude.” Good lord that girl is in for the shock of her life. Because now she will still have to deal with Carson, and the next kid, and the kid after that, in addition to now being the primary breadwinner - with a minimum wage job. Have fun with that, Alicea.

Kelly is another story altogether. It’s like putting on the pregnant belly suit that she has to wear for all of one day somehow infuses her with a mega-dose of pregnancy hormones that turn her into a blubbering mess. Either that or she is cripplingly insecure. Jezebel has a great clip of the meltdown; perhaps someone else can make more sense of it than I can. Her poor boyfriend certainly can’t.

Some concerns have been raised over whether or not The Baby Borrowers will really reach the audience it can most benefit, namely teenagers and young adults, but I don’t know if I necessarily agree. True, the televised version is not as “slick” as many teens are used to, but I think the clips making it online will get decent viewing from that demographic.

There are also some bitterly negative assessments of The Baby Borrowers, but I think they are a bit overblown, as I have said before. I started babysitting officially at age 13, sometimes for 12 hour clips, and was doing shorter stints from age 12. The girls in The Baby Sitter’s Club books are 11-12 years old. This is not unheard of in the world, because maturity is not dependent on age. It’s based on experience and an evolving sense of personal responsibility. What I think The Baby Borrowers really reveals is that some members of the MySpace/YouTube generation have never been put into roles of increasing responsibility in their lives, and that is what they are so mis-informed when it comes to understanding the responsibilities of parenthood and adult life. The girls on The Baby Borrowers break down under the slightest stress of things like having to wear a pregnancy suit because they have never learned that responsibility means sometimes having to suck it up and do something you’d rather not do because it needs to be done. But hopefully that is one lesson they will learn by the end of this season.

It’s tough to be a baby these days. Toxic toys, poison plastic baby bottles, and now, killer cribs. If you bought a crib by Jardine at Toys “R” Us or Babies “R” Us between 2002 and now, call 800-646-4106 or visit jardinecribrecall.com to get a voucher for a new crib. The problem with the Jardine cribs is that the wooden slats can break and babies can get stuck in the spaces, creating a very dangerous situation. The cribs are being pulled as a “precautionary” step after last year’s massive recall of Simplicity cribs.

Apparently this photo debuted on the Internet a year or so ago, but I am so fascinated by this baby stroller that I feel it warrants another post. It’s completely homemade by one really devoted Star Wars fan and father, so don’t get too excited about rushing out to buy one. The dad, Rick Russo, was kind enough to run through the construction process in this interview on Thingamababy if you are feeling ambitious enough to tackle a project like this. Although, I bet that kid will be getting too big for that stroller soon, so maybe the Mr. Russo can be talked into selling it?