About a month ago my husband was playing around with one of our son's toys and realized it was censored. The toy in question is a Leap Frog brand caterpillar called an Alphabet Pal with letters on each of its twenty-six legs. Among the things you can do with the caterpillar are set it to play different kinds of music (each leg plays a different song) and say the letters on the legs. You can also set it to pronounce the sound the letter makes when it is spoken. So, if you hit the leg with the letter "B" on it, you hear "Buh." As a joke my husband tried to sound out a dirty word. The caterpillar denied him! Instead, if you, say, try to sound out "fff" then "ugh" you get a "heh heh, that tickles!" before the caterpillar will pronounce the "kuh."

Now, I can assume my kiddo isn't going to be using this caterpillar to sound out dirty words. Most children who are the age the caterpillar is designed for--between one and two years of age--don't even know what those are. But it still brings up an interesting point: Isn't that censorship? I mean, whoever designed this toy, which is a lot of fun and a great educational tool (it also says the colors of each letter on each leg in another setting), had to think that someone like my husband would try some funny business and came up with a plan to avoid the caterpillar saying bad things.

I'm starting to wonder if this was a one-time thing or if all toys of this nature are set to ensure they don't spell or say dirty words. Also, who decides such things? And does that person get to decide what constitutes a dirty word and what doesn't? At home with television and the Internet, for example, parents can set their own standards for what their children are allowed to watch and read or look at. The maker of this toy did that for us. Thoughts??? Should companies be censoring toys for us or are they doing the job of the parents?

Pic of caterpillar by j / f / photo.

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A while ago now I read an article, found here at Pop Sugar's LilSugar site, about Vespas for children. I didn't react to it right away because I wasn't sure I had an opinion on the subject. Still not sure that I do!

A Vespa, for those of you unfamiliar, is like a motorized bike. They run on gas and come with helmets and are in the same vein as motorcycles, only not as fast. They also tend to come in pastel colors and aren't ridden around on by Hell's Angels clad in black leather (most of the time). Vespas are great for city driving where they can get through narrow, crowded streets and the like. They are not designed for the highway.

Now the Vespa folks have come out with a mini-version for kids. At $450, the mini-Vespa ain't cheap. Sure, it's less expensive than a regular, adult-sized Vespa, but I don't think you could pull buying one for your kids and then riding it yourself. The minis really are smaller, designed for kids ages three to seven (not the kid in you).

Would you buy one of these for your child? Are they no harm, no foul and all in fun or are they unsafe and do they promote the possibility of them riding around on motorcycles when they're older (black leather optional)?

Hysterical pic of God creating a Vespa by giopuo.

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Would you use the new milk jug? Or, are you wedded to the cardboard cartons of what is soon to be the past? I remember when I was a kid and we got milk delivered to our house every week in a glass bottle. Nothing tasted more refreshing. By the time I was a teen those days were gone and we got cartons. Now, those cartons are being replaced by something less expensive to produce and more environmentally sound.

Sound good? It is. Still, the new concept has some consumers fuming, or at least perplexed. The problem with the new milk jug is that it SPILLS. Kids drink more milk than anybody, and this new design, being favored by places like Wal-Mart and Costco, which is becoming more available by the day, is not easy to use.

Kids have trouble pouring anyway, but the new milk jug, so foreign in its design to many, makes that simple task more manageable. Some sellers have taken it upon themselves to educate consumers on the how-to, to make pouring from the jug easier. Folks still are a little unnerved by the square shape of the jug--and they're not convinced the same old milk is in there. I had the same problem with Parmalat. Now I love it, but it was hard getting used to it at first.

What about you? Had any experience with the new milk? And???

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How many text messages do you send in a month -- five? fifty? What about your teenaged kids? More like 500? And you think that's a lot? Well let me tell you some thing... that's nothing. In fact fifteen-year-old Paige Horne does that in a day. Yep, she averages 15,000 text messages a month which works out to around 500 a day, every day.

She only knows this because the technician suggested that her heavy usage might be the reason her phone died when she took it in to be fixed. Naturally, in order to keep up that kind of traffic, she's a touch-textist: "I just don't look," she explained. "I guess I had the phone a long time and I just know where the buttons are and I just hit them."

And to make this even more impressive, the phone is turned off by 9pm on school nights -- there's no late night, under-the-covers texting for her. And if that isn't enough, she plays on her school volleyball and basketball teams and maintains a 3+ GPA. Personally, I don't get the whole texting thing, but as long as she is able to keep up her grades and all, I don't see a problem. I'm sure glad I'm not her thumbs, though!

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Welcome to Tried and True, a monthly feature where cool products are put through the ringer -- from our family to yours.

Let's travel back to an extremely different time in my life, say, three years ago. Three years ago, I was prancing around town in my J. Crew suits and pointy-toed flats, working a great job and living it up. Between social engagements, I would hop on over to the gym for a quick kickboxing or Yoga class. I had all the time in the world to focus on being physically fit, with complete flexibility of my schedule.

Fast forward to the present. The suits are packed away in the closet (but the shoes remain, God as my witness) and the gym membership has been canceled. My schedule, like many stay/work-at-home-parents, now revolves around a child, which leaves about NO time for myself. At this stage in the game, being the sole caregiver for a toddler during the hours of 9am to 6pm puts a tiny damper on the whole getting fit dynamic.

Going to the gym? Not feasible. Running with a jogging stroller while a toddler protests at ear-shattering levels? Yeah, right. Sneaking out of the house while your child naps? Hello, CHILD SERVICES.

Sure, exercise DVDs are a great at-home option, but what happens if the motivation starts to wane? Who's going to notice if you sit down during the workout? Is the instructor going to motivate you personally? "Hey! You in the juice-stained shirt, get off your butt!" Unfortunately, I think not.

What's a parent to do?

Enter the Wii Fit. Your virtual personal trainer.

Surprise, surprise, teens aren't paying any attention to laws barring them from using cellphones while driving. According to a survey released Monday, in fact, cellphone usage actually went up slightly after North Carolina enacted such a law in 2006. In the months leading up to the ban, researchers observed eleven percent of teen drivers using their cellphones as they left school. Five months later, the number was almost twelve percent.

"Cellphone bans for teen drivers are difficult to enforce," says Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety who conducted the survey. "Drivers with phones to their ears aren't hard to spot, but it's nearly impossible for police officers to see hands-free devices or correctly guess how old drivers are."

There needs to be a better way to enforce these bans or else they really don't do much good. I'm not sure what the answer is. We've got a similar law taking effect next month and I suspect kids will ignore it and keep on talking and texting while they drive.

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Item: PortaMEe Hip Carrier
Price: $179
Why we love it: This carrier is cool, hip, and most importantly allows daddy to do the heavy lifting.
Where to buy it: Giggle

This stylish baby carrier combines the best of slings and front carriers, but with a longer life for parents on-the-go. Including an adjustable, gel-padded shoulder strap, lumbar support, cell phone pocket, water bottle holder and wallet compartment, this carrier is the tops. Suitable for children ages 5 months to 3 years.

Item: The Sanctuary Charging Station
Price: $129.95
Why we love it: Say goodbye to messy, tangled cords. This charging station will reduce a father's clutter. (If only it could make dirty socks disappear.)
Where to buy it: Red Envelope

Compatible with over 1,500 devices, this universal charging station allows up to 12 devices to charge at the same time. GENIUS. Also included is a reversible, fabric-finished tray that will catch all of the whatnot coming from his pockets at the end of the day. Measures 9"x9"x1 3/4".

Item: Digital Brag Book
Price: $120
Why we love it: A sleek and modern way for a father to show off his most prized possessions.
Where to buy it: Red Envelope

With room for 2000 photos, this digital brag book boasts an abundance of memories for such a small package. A compact aluminum case opens to reveal a 3 1/2" LCD screen for slideshows any time.

Item: Voyager Speaking Language Translator
Price: $250
Why we love it: Every traveling father should know how to say, "Where can I find a gift for my wife?" in Japanese. Right?
Where to buy it: Neiman Marcus

This handheld device packs quite a punch. Containing the Oxford dictionary in 20 languages with the ability to translate and speak 40,000 words and 46,000 phrases, the traveling man in your life won't be at a loss for words at any point in the near future. (Wait, is that a good thing?)

No, this isn't something out of a circus side show. An eight-year-old girl from Indiana swallowed a combined total of 30 magnets and steel balls from a toy. The toys parts tore her intestines and doctors are saying she is lucky to be alive. Haley Lents told the Early Show anchors she swallowed ten magnets and 20 steel balls because they looked like CANDY. She spent two weeks in the hospital after being taken to the emergency room where doctors discovered eight bullet-like holes in her intestines. Even scarier for parents is the mom and dad say they were both in the same room with Haley when she consumed the parts!

This story sort of reminds me of that Curious George story wherein George eats the puzzle piece and has to go to the hospital to have it removed. That story was sweet and a little sad but had a happy ending. And it was just a STORY. This poor girl, whose father is confused because he claims she is too smart to do anything like that, is lucky to still be with us after undertaking such a task.

Mega Brands, who make the Magnetix toy, have issued a statement but not accepted responsibility. Haley's father noted however that the new version does not contain magnetic parts that can be swallowed, and does not feel the company has done enough to warn parents of the real dangers of toys with magnetic parts. It's not clear from the article whether the toy was considered age-appropriate for an eight-year-old.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 152,000 "Sky Champion" Wireless Indoor Helicopters due to a fire hazard. The rechargeable battery can ignite, causing the whole thing to become a flaming fireball zooming around your living room.

The "Sky Champion" indoor helicopter comes with a transmitter that controls and recharges the helicopter. It is made of foam and plastic and measures about 7" by 3". The transmitter measures about 6" by 4". You will find ""BH26047" printed on the tail of the recalled helicopters and "WIC 551777" and the UPC code 630990006005 printed on the packaging.

The helicopters were made in China and imported by Tradewinds International Enterprises Inc., of San Francisco, Calif. They were sold exclusively at Walgreen's stores nationwide from June 2007 through November 2007 for about $20.

If you have one, you should immediately stop playing with it and contact Tradewinds for a full refund. Don't take it back to Walgreen's as they will not accept returns or issue refunds for the helicopter.

For more information, contact Tradewinds toll free at (888) 583-4908 anytime or send an email to returncoptersl@aol.com.

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In addition to cookouts and sun tans, summer generally means some sort of travel. And whether you're taking plane, train, or automobile, there's nothing worse than scouring the depths of your purse to find something entertaining for bored kids.

The gadget gurus at Engadget have discovered five great products to keep your child too busy to even THINK about kicking the seat in front of them repeatedly. For three hours. Nonstop. While humming.

1. The old stand-by: a travel DVD player (don't forget a set of headphones!)
2. Hooked-on-Phonics Touch Screen Learner: great way to keep those developing reading skills sharp over the break!
3. Small Worlds Preschool Laptop: might even help keep their sticky little fingers off your Mac or PC!
4. Tiny Love Wonder Wheel: this toy for very young children is for car trips only as a "repetitive noise" is involved.
5. Tomy's Gearation: kids of all ages will enjoy creating a working mechanism with the magnet-backed gears that attach to the magnetic board.

Any of these suggestions are more fun than my standby: having the kids McGuyver something with an old cough drop, a hair band and assorted grocery receipts and should help get you arrival at your final destination with minimal passenger meltdowns.

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Well, can you at least spell better than one? Here's a good way to find out. MSN Encarta, one of my favorite sites for educational diversions (if there can be such a thing) is offering a spelling test for you to find out. Encarta is a great escape that also lets you know how much you may or may not remember from your school days (you know, way back when?).

There are only ten questions. To some that may mean a lot of pressure and to others not so much. I remember when I lost a spelling contest. I was actually in the 4th grade, not even the 8th, and was one of only two competitors left. I misspelled "diá," the Spanish word for "day" because I misplaced the accent mark.

I guess spelling is ultimately not just about words, but about attention to detail. It also proves you can't trust any of the English-language rules about letters coming before or after each other, silent letters and all that other stuff that befuddles us as we make our way through school.

So, how did I do on the quiz? I'll be honest. I got them all right, but I had a little help from my husband on one of them!

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Are they funny? Are they creepy? Are they a little bit of both? Yeah--that last one. Pictures of manbabies have surfaced on the web, and they're a hit. Ah, what will they think of next?

This is the kind of thing that, when I see it, gives me a chuckle but also lets me know I have too much free internet surfing time on my hands. Still, these pics are pretty funny and perhaps worth a look. The idea is to take a picture of a man and his baby and switch their heads. The head of the baby is made bigger and the head of the man is made smaller to match the body sizes of both. Weird but true!

PopSugar was the first I've seen to get hold of the photos, which you can check out in a slideshow here. Want to get in on the action? All you have to do is provide your own family photo. While this seems more appropriate for Father's Day than the impending Mother's Day holiday, I thought it best to alert you to this site for your viewing enjoyment asap. ENJOY! Or, should I say, "Manjoy?"

And, yes, that is a normal picture of a man and his baby. You'll have to check out the ManBabies website if you want the real thing.

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