Hi – in something of a new departure – and definately a positive one – today’s post is a guest post – from Brittany Lyons on excessive UK laws surrounding children’s use of toys… Brittany aspires to be a psychology professor, but decided to take some time off from grad school to help people learn to navigate the academic lifestyle. She currently lives in Spokane, Washington, where she spends her time reading science fiction and walking her dog.
Are We Protecting Children too Much?
In a move that has been criticized as far too intrusive for many parents’ liking, a series of recent laws passed in the UK have effectively banned children from using party favors. While the safety of children is important, critics of the new laws feel that they are taking much of the fun out of children’s pastimes in exchange for a negligible improvement in safety. Some have even argued that the passage of these laws is just one more step toward the UK becoming a “nanny state,” where the government decides what is best for everyone—at the cost of their freedom.
According to a Telegraph article, the new laws were put into effect as part of the new EU “toy safety directive,” which cites balloons as enemy number one, arguing that children under eight years old can easily swallow them and choke to death. Balloons must now be packaged with a warning to parents about the possible choking hazard, essentially threatening that letting their kids help decorate might end any chances of them growing old enough to earn an online PhD. Additionally, whistle blowers are prohibited for those under 14, stuffed toys for toddlers must be made of washable material, and there is a limit on how loud toys or instruments may be.
Many experts feel as though these regulations hinder children’s abilities to play and learn, and don’t contribute much in the way of keeping them safe. Frank Furedi, a sociology professor at the University of Kent, argues that, “[t]oys and activities, such as blowing up balloons, are part and parcel of the type of children’s play that helps them become independent and self-reliant.” Even one member of the consumer safety committee for the EU, Paul Nuttall, has criticized the rules, saying safety laws that are this restrictive set a bad precedent.
Regulations concerning toys and other items are not a new idea. They were originally put into effect across Europe, including in the UK, in 1990. According to Toy Advice, they were updated again in 1995. Some toy regulations concern the use of chemicals, such as BPA, that have been found to be toxic, while other regulations are put into effect after a manufacturing defect in a toy or other item causes serious injury or death. As a result, many parents have come to rely on laws to determine whether or not a product is safe rather than extensively researching it themselves.
For many parents, however, this imposition is not acceptable. One of the strongest arguments that can be made against restrictive toy laws is that, under British law, parents are charged with protecting their children, and should therefore be responsible for what belongs to their children. This type of legislation seriously infringes on parents’ rights to raise their children as they see fit.
The bottom line is that such laws actually end up doing more harm than good. They make it difficult for children to learn from and enjoy favorite activities, and interfere with the parents’ ability to make their own decisions about how to raise their children. While these laws may have been intended to protect children, in reality they only hurt them.