Parents Call For Moratorium On Toy Ads
Advertisers Refuse But Offer to Fund Stem Cell Research Designed To Help Parents Grow New Set of Balls
The Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood decided to get an early start on the holidays by writing letters to advertisers instead of Santa. The group says roughly 1,400 of its members and supporters have contacted leading toy companies to urge them to cut back on their ads in these tough economic times.
“Unfortunately, I will not be able to purchase many of the toys that my sons have asked for,” wrote Todd Helmkamp of Hudson, Indiana, “By bombarding them with advertisements … you are placing parents like me in the unenviable position of having to tell our children that we can’t afford the toys you promote.”
“And by ‘parents like me,’ I mean someone who who can’t stand up to a six-year-old and who would really like to delegate all their parental responsibilities to a third party.”
Helmkamp, a former castrato, pointed out that he expects schools to provide discipline and sex education for his kids, fast-food companies to regulate what his kids eat and General Motors to provide lifetime employment after his kids drop out of community college.
“Basically, I view my role as a parent as just to provide them with a place to crash until they’re old enough to live in public housing,” added Todd.
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“You owe me…”
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Photo credit: EveryStockPhoto.com
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