tumbles.of.fun

As the holidays get closer I'm sure most of you have last year's slew of toy recalls on your mind.

Mattel, one of the world's biggest toy importing companies, came under a lot of scrunity last August when they issued a massive toy recall. That November, Mattel promised to uphold their "rigorous standards" in the future to ensure the safety of their products.

In 2008 they've only had to recall one toy. I think this shows that they've been true to their word and have done their best to uphold their safety standards since last year's recall.

I'm sure some parents aren't as optimistic as me and would probably like to avoid these toys altogether. But let's be realistic. First of all, Mattel isn't the only toy company with recalls, and the recall of certain toys doesn't mean that all of their toys are unsafe. And really, our kids are going to want Barbies and Matchbox Cars and Batman action figures this holiday season.

So as a parent what can you do? Stay informed. The CPSC has a great Web site that allows you to search for toys that have been recalled. You can also check a toy's Web site for updated recall information. Mattel's site has information on the latest recalls including helpful pictures. And be sure to shop from reputable online retailers like CSN Stores.

With a little research, parents can rest easy this holiday season, and kids can get the toys they want!