Atlanta Baby & Child Photographer Blog | Angela Calderon

It’s hard to know what is safe for our kids these days with all of the toy recalls.  Check out this press release from Toys R Us today.  They are A-Ok in my book and I’ll be heading to TRU soon because Santa needs to shop early this year   My little one is in a Hello Kitty phase and all we hear about is kitty this and kitty that.  It’s really cute!  My son likes Star Wars stuff and dirt.  Dirt is free!

P.S. – TGIF!!!!!

A Message From Gerald L. Storch,
Chairman and CEO, Toys“R”Us, Inc. 

Dear Valued Guest,

As we prepare to kick off the holiday shopping season, we know that the important issue of toy safety is on the minds of many parents. I wanted to take a moment today to reiterate to you our uncompromising commitment to the safety of the children and families we serve and to share with you some of the steps Toys“R”Us has taken in recent months to enhance our already high safety standards:

• While we have always mandated that our manufacturers extensively test products for a variety of hazards, earlier this year, Toys“R”Us engaged Bureau Veritas, a respected world leader in independent testing, to re-test products right off our store shelves. We have alerted our manufacturers that we will report any safety violations we may find to the proper authorities. In addition, we have advised our manufacturers that they must now increase the frequency of testing for each shipment of toys sent to Toys“R”Us stores. Our message is clear: there is simply no place for unsafe toys on our store shelves. Failure to meet our safety requirements has consequences – up to and including termination of our business relationship.
• We believe that when a product is recalled, the most important thing is to get that product out of children’s hands. To that end, we have instituted a “no quibble” policy when it comes to toy recalls. This means Toys“R”Us will take back recalled product whether it was purchased at Toys“R”Us or not – with or without a receipt.
• We are working in partnership with federal legislators to advocate for more funding and staffing for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the government regulator responsible for toys. We are also advocating for the introduction of production code stamping of products, so retailers and consumers can easily identify specific items should they be recalled.

As the toy authority, Toys“R”Us carries the broadest assortment of toys from 30 countries, including the United States. Whatever your gift needs this holiday season, our toy-trained staff can help you find the best gift for the child on your list. I encourage you to visit our Safety website, www.Toysrus.com/Safety, which we have updated to include helpful tips for safe toy shopping during the holiday season

As a company committed to children and families, we understand the trust you place in us to make sure the toys on our store shelves are safe. And, as a parent myself, I want you to know that our entire organization continues to work vigilantly on your behalf to ensure this is the safest of holiday seasons.

With Best Wishes to You and Your Loved Ones on behalf of the Toys“R”Us, Inc. Family,

Gerald L. Storch
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Toys“R”Us, Inc.

Remember when you were little and relatives would send you $1 for each year old that you were.  Third birthday = $3, Tenth Birthday = $10, etc.  That was one of the best things about turning a year older is that you got an extra dollar in your birthday cards.

I feel a contest coming on….  SO! In honor of my 34th Birthday on Monday (oh boy how in the world did that happen), I’m giving you my birthday $34.  Yep, that’s right!  So here are the rules.

Contest entries are due no later than 11:59pm on Sunday, November 11, 2007.

What you gotta do: Tell me what you would do with your $34 if you won.  How easy is that!?  Also send me a photo of yourself and don’t give me any of this, I hate having my photo taken.  Come on, how often does someone give you something as fabulous as $34?

Email your entries to me, lots of things you can do with $34… buy one gallon of gas , a bag full of stuff at the 99 cents store.  Tell me your plans, I’ll pick the winner and you’ll get the cash to make your dreams come true!