Posted on 10/24/2009 6:33:04 AM PDT by My Favorite Headache
Disney's Sorry It Couldn't Make Your Kid Smarter
Blame Disney for your kid's poor test scores.
The giant entertainment conglomerate Friday said it will offer refunds on its "Baby Einstein" serious of videos, conceding in a lawsuit that the video exercises didn't increase infants' intelligence despite claims it would.
Lawyers threatened Disney last year that it would sue unless Disney offered a full refund -- $15.99 per video -- to customers who wished to cash in on their "Baby Einstein" stash, the New York Times reported Friday.
Customers can get a discount coupon, exchange the video for a different title, or get the cash back if they redeem the refund until March 10.
"Baby Einstein" owns about 90 percent of the baby media market and its products in about $200 million in profits per year, according to the Times. About one-third of all American babies had at least one video from the chain.
Disney removed the label "educational" from the videos' marketing in 2006, giving in to public interest groups who appealed the Federal Trade Commission about the lack of results from the videos.
Disney's lawyers wouldn't dish about the decision.
And, yes, that typo is in the article at the link!
How about buyer beware?
Don’t consumers have any responsibility anymore?
I know, I just saw that! Proofreading please!
The only thing Einstein about these things is that it encouraged parents to treat their children like science experiments. You love and accept your kids unconditionally and celebrate their unique gifts. This played up to yuppies who were insecure/competitive about their progeny and how they would measure up to their friends’ children.
Kids don’t need tv at that age anyway.
Why not read to them and take the TV out of the house instead? Baby Einstein always seemed absurd to me too—and like a giant enabler of lazy parents.
“Don’t consumers have any responsibility anymore?”
Of course, but if a company “promises” it’s product will do something and it doesn’t that company has a responsibility as well. It’s a two way street.
What classical music will do is be PLEASING to the child.
Rap and other unnatural beats is not good for your brain.
Full Disclosure: John Dalton (early chemisty) learned to read Ancient Greek at the age of 3. No Disney required.
Cheers!
Proofreading is of no avail when literacy (or the lack thereof) is the problem.
How about buyer beware?
Don’t consumers have any responsibility anymore?
WHAT?
INDIVIDUAL RESPONISBILTY?
WHAT COUNTRY ARE YOU FROM?
LOL!
Stupid people will buy this to make their kids SMARTER than they are.
We did buy five of them, years ago. We bought them to introduce CLASSICAL MUSIC and it was SOOTHING - NOT to make them “smart”.
I think the DVD’s are nice and calming, and my 5 year old daughter still likes watching Baby Bach when she’s sick. During one of Bush’s state of the union speeches, the woman who started this company was highlighted as a success story. I can’t believe people thought showing these to their kids would up their IQ’s.
They made guarantees. Once you assure results it’s a whole new ball game.
Imagine, your kids will be able to interact with ILLEGAL kids from Mexico! WOW!!!
Parents, please turn off the T.V.. Interact directly with them as INDIVIDUALS. LOVE YOUR KIDS. YOU spend time with them. The years go so fast! Yes, there are days you go crazy but later, you will savor the memories of the better days. Parents, PLEASE, raise your own kids. Don't have Dora raise them. Don't let Dora be your baby sitter or Baby Einstein. Kids need YOU! They crave YOUR attention. Build that BOND with your own kids.
I was given a set of these when my daughter was born a few years back. I avoided them with my son. I found them to be seriously boring and served no purpose other than putting her to sleep quickly. No educational value at all. To me, the only purpose it served for parents was for them to go take a shower for 20 mins and keep the child kinda occupied for a bit.
Did you ever see the “So Smart” series?
It was before Baby Einstein with the same idea, classical music, lots of shapes and primary colors.
My daughter liked them but my Sixteen year old niece was mesmerized by them. I think the Yuppies liked them for the same reason she did. Anything was good when you were stoned.
We got the Baby Can Read series that you see the info-mercial’s on television for. Let me tell you...the results from those discs, books, and cards are nothing short of astounding. INCREDIBLE would still be an underestimation for them. If anyone is looking for a great educational gift for their kids...Baby Can Read. Amazing.
Those genetics are stubborn things, aren’t they?
See, that’s the problem right there. They were marketed as educational for the longest time. When all is said and done in the end you could accomplish the same thing with a dvd from Mannheim Steamroller or some Windham Hill collection.
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