Starbucks, I've Changed My Mind!

If you have been keeping up with my posts, you have seen the blog about Starbucks Recalls Children's Plastic Cups. Since I had one of the "hazardous" little cups, I had decided to return it to Starbucks...if nothing else, for a free cup of coffee. Then I began thinking. When I was a little kid there were not as many recalls. Mostly, they recalled stuff if it created an immediate threat of DEATH. If it could just harm you...well...that is what seperates the men from the boys.

Then, my son started asking for his favorite cup (which I had obviously confiscated per the recall). But how could I resist those pouting, big, brown eyes? What could possibly happen to him? According to Starbucks, he could drop the cup, break the little face off of it and scratch himself. Oh NO! If scratching himself was something that would damage him for life, I better put one of those gigantic, plastic bubbles on order and put him in it immediately. We would never be able to play in the back yard, playground or...anywhere again if an abrasion and laceration we something that would damage a child for life (side note: if you want to hear some funny stories about growing up 30years ago...see The Ice Cream Truck Diaries). The worst thing quoted by Starbucks was children taking the little broken pieces and choking on them. My son chokes on candy and bananas sometimes. Does this mean Chaquita and Hershey's need to put all their stuff on recall? If I'm not close enough to supervise my child when he drops a cup, breaking it and then thinking "wow, these tiny little pieces would sure be tasty...I'm going to put them in my mouth!" Then, please slap me.

When I was little, fast food joints would give out GLASS, cups with Star Wars pictures on them. My mom didn't ask for a lawsuit or recall when I dropped it in the sink and cut my hand on the glass. Have we become so protective of our children that we are afraid that anything and everything could possibly cause harm and therefore we need to monitor even the air they breath to make sure there are no germs in it? We feel compelled to slather them in that antimicrobial goo to make sure there are no germs on their hands. We don't want little boys to play like little boys and with little boy toys, because SOMETHING might hurt them. Something MIGHT break. How on earth are kids going to learn how to negotiate a brutal world if we protect them from EVERY scrape, bruise, bonk, cut and microbe. How are kids going to learn how to negotiate life, if they see parents freaking out about every little thing and walking around in fear 24/7.

Seems like I would better serve my son, by getting down on the floor and playing with him, supervising him, befriending him, modeling smart choices and loving him...not turning his favorite cup in for a free cup of coffee because it MIGHT hurt him. I want my son to learn how to negotiate life...not put him in a plastic bubble.

Starbucks, we're keeping our cup! Thanks for a great lesson in life.