Random lashing out.

Dan · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 6:59 pm Post subject: Random lashing out.

So, I'm looking for a cash register photo reference and I see this.

For some reason it gets under my skin immediately. Who would buy this for their children? What kind of message does it send? Shouldn't you want them to aspire to better things then jockeying a cash register? I mean, sure, play is play, but how a child plays does have an impact on their development. I don't think I've ever been so angered by toys before, but the idea of setting children up for a life at the lowest levels of corporate subservience irks me greatly. Meh. I'm done now Thanks fore listening.
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James · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:46 pm Post subject: DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who's first job was Senior Marketing Adviser or something along those lines... I used to play with all kinds of guns, bikes, legos, knives, transformers, and other various things that had no influence what so ever on that I am perusing as a career. I was a casher at a couple of my jobs, but you gotta start at the bottom and work your way up. Though I plan on only giving my kids legos, cars, and constructive things to develop their minds... It does not hurt to let kids play with a cash register. It may even teach them valuable things like money management, accounting, and social skills. Personally I wish that someone would have helped me to better manage my money... Now as an adult I have to learn it the hard way... At least the kid is learning something useful. Oh well... I have said enough for now.
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jynexia · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:12 pm Post subject:

I agree with James. I think the point of a toy cash register is to teach kids math. Counting money is proven to be the most productive way for a child to learn fractions and simple math. What irks me is how greed and money hungry that kid looks. Spoiled and Rich are fun but not a good way for a kid to be. That picture should show the girl sharing her money with her friends...now that is a good lesson for kids.
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Dan · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:49 pm Post subject:

Let's be a little less subtle then shall we...

Yes, this is a Macdonald's playset, with play credcards and a visor and headset. Yes this is real. Tell me you think this is okay.

To break down the arguments here. First of All, yes, you do have to start at the bottom, but that doesn't mean that then bottom has to be encouraged. Second, the toys that you played may not have had a direct influance on your chosen field, but they did play a part in shaping your personality and the toys that you mentioned where more open ended and not indicative of a single job. With a gun you could be a cop, or a criminal, or a cowboy. You can build TONS of things with legos as well as improve your sense of spatial relationships. Transformers are pure fantasy. But, behind a register all you are is a cashier.
Third, it doesn't teach kids math, because it's a working calculator. I have no trouble giving kinds play money, that will help them learn things.
Fourth, it doesn't teach kids money management. It doesn't teach them how to budget properly or prioritize spending. What it does teach them is Cash Handling, the skill of physically handling money in a way keeps profit losing errors down to a minimum.
_________________
Mercy is the mark of a great man.
*stab*
I guess I'm just a good man.
*stab*
Well, I'm alright.
-Malcom Reynolds "Serenity"

James · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:54 am Post subject: ha

All I can say is I hate those fucktards behind the register that cannot count... You all know the ones that I am talking about... The ones that is you owe them $11.26 and you had them $21.26... They look at you like they destroyed their day because to made them think. In my mind I think that I want a solid $10 dollar bill back, but to them you just confused them.... I see that shit all the time. And don't hate on Mc Donalds... My lady speaks English pretty well because she worked there for a year. She did not know that much English... but a few months behind the Drive through register and she speaks a lot better than many people that have been here for more than 10 years. Sorry Dan, you know me... I just love to argue Razz

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trebuchet · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:00 am Post subject:

Dan, I think you're missing the point of a playset. A playset allows children to explore their fantasies. Some kids like to bake, others like to "build" things with their plastic hammers - it's all in the realm of fantasy, you know, like role-playing. Just because a kid wants to play at being a cashier doesn't mean they're going to grow up to be cashier. They may very well end up being one but I think there are other major factors to consider before we start jumping to wild conclusions like, "That kid had a cashier playset so now she's a cashier." Does owning a toy gun push a child towards violence later on in their development? How about a violent video game? You're on a very slippery slope here.

Having said that, I do believe that that McDonald's playset is pure marketing genius. Is it wrong? Yes. But it's still genius.
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jynexia · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:43 am Post subject:

I hate McDonalds for that. I hope that comes with a free video of the documentary Super Size Me.
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I need to go to my Happy place, but I accidentally blew it up, so now I have to find a new one... Sad

Sadsiren · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:29 am Post subject:

I remember when I was young, there was a neighbor across the way who had 2 young sons. Sometimes my sister and I went over to play with them, and they had a toy shop, with a register just like the first picture you posted. I don't think playing with it did any harm. It was kinda like we were running our own shop, you know? I know drive-thru isn't what came to mind when we played.

Children will want whatever toys appeal to them, and that can be from whatever they observe around them, from television, places they go, anything. The parent will buy or not buy, but usually if they do buy, it's cause the child has shown some interest in it. If the child wants to pretend to run a drive through, is that so horrible?

I'm sure none of us wanted to do that once we were of age and mind to start working, but many of us do suffer 'entry level' work because that's the way things are now, not because we played pretend drive-thrus or shops.

Dave · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 9:40 am Post subject:

I remember growing up, the "normal" (dumb) kids were encouraged to play with the McDonalds playset and the "gifted" (smart) kids were encouraged to play with legos, blocks, play tools, etc. Me, I was happy with a notebook and a pencil.

By the way, I'm not making this up. My first to third grade teachers really seemed to be prepping kids for a life in the bottom tier, only really pushing the kids who showed some spark towards something beyond grunt work.

I don't think it's really the toys as so much how one gets encouraged to act at an early age. If a little kid is told he's dumb enough times, he'll believe, and it'll affect his actions, even if he could very well be the next Einstein.

BTW: If I'm not making sense it's 'cause I'm too damn tired and I shouldn't be up.
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Mike · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:29 am Post subject:

I wanted a toy cash register when I was a kid.

Heartbreakshow · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject:

I think that a toy cash register is ok, but the McDonald's one has no excuse, although on their part it is (as Trebuchet has said) pure marketing genius. The fact is most children love McDonalds, and when a child goes to the toy store with their mother and they see a McDonald's playset, they're most likey gonna want it. What annoys me about the product is that this teaches nothing about health! McDonalds is possibly one of the most unhealthy food chains around. At least just a toy cash register doesn't include plasitc versions of greasy disgusting fatty foods that McDonalds has.
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Parsifal · Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:36 pm Post subject:

These are the same kids who get "Lunchables" shoveled into their mouths and packed into their bags because they're "tasty and convenient", nevermind how totally unhealthy and expensive they are in comparison to just buying the meat slices and cheese and making the equivalents.
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jynexia · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject:

What most parents don't have time for parenting let alone good parenting. (Hence why most people shouldn't be parents...not that the kids don't turn out okay regardless).
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I need to go to my Happy place, but I accidentally blew it up, so now I have to find a new one... Sad

Parsifal · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject:

But with the kids who do turn out okay they tend to come into/out of their teens as adults, in which case you have to sometimes break out a crowbar and Fun crashkit to give them some sort of secondary childhood/sense of humor.
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Zeke · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 6:44 pm Post subject:

Seriously I skipped about half the posts and went straight to post a comment of my own here. You want to talk education to today's youth you gotta argue with me. First off I could give a shit about what toys a child plays with when growing up, that has absolutely NOTHING to do with how a person will act when they grow older. The PARENT must step in and teach their child, bottom line. You want to see what happens when you get raised by a TV or no one? I have to look no further than the students I see every day here at this job. It sickens me and saddens me to the point where I see how humanity is slowing regressing in intelligence, logic and common fucking sense. How is it that common sense is so uncommon among the youth today? Anyone have a reason why we are raising our youth to be complete consumers? I see 10 year olds with cell phones when their parents don't have one. How does that make ANY sense at all? People are just fucking dumb and it's not getting any better.
Have a nice day! Very Happy

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