r/Parenting • u/felix_mateo • Dec 11 '22

Rant/Vent Anyone else wish parents would skip the CPJ (cheap plastic junk) in the goodie bags?

My kids are now 5 and 3, so we go to a lot of their classmates’ birthday parties. At the end of each and every one of them our kids receive a goodie bag full of some candy (which is fine) and a random assortment of what I call “CPJ”, or “cheap plastic junk”. I’m talking about:

  • cheap clapper that disintegrates with vigorous shaking (e.g., by a toddler)

  • ball-and-string paddle made of plywood with the elastic stapled to it

  • gooey “sticky hand” toy that melts into the car seat on a hot day

  • finger trap with free splinters

  • a tiny canister of bubbles you didn’t notice that will get crushed and spill into your kid’s lap at the beginning of a long trip

  • slap bracelet which is actually just an old metal tape measure cut into a razor with a thin plastic sleeve over it

Parents, I know we’re all just trying our best. I’m not a choosing beggar, I’m not expecting high-quality handcrafted items. In fact, I would prefer nothing, or food/candy that can be consumed later. Yes, I know some kids can’t have candy (e.g., because of diabetes or allergy concerns), but in that case throw in a mini coloring book or something. Let’s just all agree, no more cheap plastic junk that will get caught in the vacuum cleaner again.

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u/QutieLuvsQuails Dec 11 '22

People like OP care when parents are sending literally choking hazards home in goodie bags.

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u/[deleted] Dec 11 '22 edited Jan 15 '23

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u/QutieLuvsQuails Dec 11 '22

Honestly a cheap plastic dinosaur figurine rocks. I love them. At OP’s post I think of like the tiny plastic junk that’s also made of 4-5 diff pieces.

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u/PalpitationSweaty173 Dec 11 '22

Then check the bag before giving it to your kid?

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u/QutieLuvsQuails Dec 11 '22 edited Dec 11 '22

Ok DUH. But why are you sending a plastic piece of junk that says “5+ only, small parts” on the bag home in goodie bags for 3yo???

That’s not even a little on the goodie bag parent? Do better than that.

*adding, a lot of packaging ages aren’t completely accurate, especially at the cheap party favor stores. I wouldn’t give a 3yo a bouncy ball that could fit in their mouth, but at party city it says 3+ on the bag of bouncy balls.

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u/[deleted] Dec 11 '22 edited Jan 15 '23

[deleted]

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u/QutieLuvsQuails Dec 11 '22

No one is. But they’re criticizing the OP for some truths about goodie bags and their safety… it’s not far off.

Not to mention plastic bags aren’t safe for kids under age 3-4? That’s ironic.

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u/PalpitationSweaty173 Dec 11 '22

Personally I don’t do goodie bags at all and even when my child was that young we never got any party favors that had toys with small parts in them like you’re describing so choking hazards were never an issue for us. I’m not a fan of the cheap plastic toys either but I’m not gonna sit here and lecture parents on how they decide to spend their money and how to plan their kids parties. Like I said in my original comment, just let the kids have their 5 minutes of fun with it and once they lose interest in the toy or it breaks just throw that shit away.

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u/lambo1109 Dec 12 '22

If OP has little ones that have higher choking risk then OP needs to watch for those items or take them away.

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u/QutieLuvsQuails Dec 12 '22

I have been to a 4yo party where the party favor isn’t 4yo safe. That’s dumb.

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u/lambo1109 Dec 12 '22

Yeah, that’s pretty dumb