Lead paint. The tasty treat your kids love to eat. Mmm-mmmm.

I am being deluged with Google searches regarding Melissa & Doug wooden toys and their lead paint content. I hear ya, folks. These toy recalls are ridiculous.

Just to follow-up on my previous post "To Do: Stop Poisoning My Kids" (which I thought was hilarious, by the way-- who doesn't love Tommy Boy?), I called Melissa & Doug again today to double check the status of their claims that their toys genuinely are lead-free. Doing it for you because I love you. Well, and because people are starting to link to me about it and I don't want to go to misinformation prison.

According to the Melissa & Doug representative I spoke with today, Melissa & Doug continue to stand behind their testing procedures and assure their customers that their products are lead paint free. No lead paint in their toys.

Lip-smacking good news for you parents of teething toddlers out there.

The rep stated several times that they continue to test their products as they have been for the last 20 years, which is through multiple stages of testing, both in China and once the products arrive back in the United States. Once again, no lead paint.

Lead paint: bad. Melissa & Doug: good. Velveteen Mind: not responsible... therefore, I encourage you to give ole Melissa & Doug a call at their toll free number and pester them with as many questions as you can muster. Try to trip them up. Remind them that you know where they live. Ask them for yourself about that damn lead paint and what the hell is going on in China.

Until then, that's all for my public service announcement for this week. Ooh wait, no, one more thing: I wrote on my Twitter yesterday that I was trying to figure out what my 3 year old having green poop meant. Yep, totally embracing the mommy blogger thing. Well, apparently certain food dyes can do it, particularly blue and purple. On the menu yesterday: blue Go-gurts.

So let's recap:

Lead paint:  bad.
Melissa & Doug:  good.
Velveteen Mind:  not responsible.
Blue Go-gurts:  green poop makers.

Enjoy. Oh, and call Melissa & Doug at 800-284-3948

original post, links, photos at:

http://www.velveteenmind.com/velveteenmind/2007/08/melissa-doug-le.html