Toys with tiny batteries - AIBU and WWYD

[SilverBirchTree]

My PIL keep giving my six month old son toys and books with those tiny disc batteries in them. I think it’s kind of a ‘in’ joke in their house to give us noisy toys because when they hand the gift over they laugh about how annoying it will be for me to hear them.

I don’t mind the noise but my GP gave me material about how dangerous the batteries are and basically scared the daylights out of me. I also recently completed a 1st aid course where the former paramedic instructor kept saying those little batteries should be banned.

I don’t want the worry of it, and so I would rather simply not have battery operated toys and books in the house.

AIBU? Is this totally precious of me?

And WWYD in terms of PIL? Do I tell them ‘no batteries’ or keep accepting the toys and ‘misplacing’ the gifts?

They visit twice a week so they will eventually notice if their gifts are never about.

Aren't the batteries under screwed in covers? If not, then I agree with you. If they are, unless your child is dexterous enough to use a screwdriver, you are probably ok.

Can your child get to the batteries? I agree with the pp; unless your child is handier with a screwdriver than mine I think you’re worrying over nothing here.

I take a call on how secure they look and throw and cheaply dodgy ones in the bin.

They are generally pretty dodgy looking. They aren’t recognisable brands like mattel that probably have some quality control and a reputation to lose.

You are right to be cautious, the damage these batteries can do is horrendous. But if they are securely placed I wouldn't worry too much, it's not practical to ban everything with them in, as they are everywhere. Anything you need a screw to get to should be safe.
Most of the horrific accidents have been from spare batteries been left lying around, not from the batteries falling out.

Take batteries out. Bin batteries. Baby plays with mute toy. Baby doesn't know difference. Quiet house. Happy life.

Are the batteries screwed in? I've never seen a child's toy where they're not tbh.

Britbat, that’s a good idea 💡

Can batteries go in the bin though?

But yes, happy with a battery free toy. I just can’t seem to relax knowing there is a little disc battery in the toy box, even if it is secured by screws.

So the batteries are screwed in then. I think you're being a bit precious then, 6 month olds can't work screwdrivers.

Kaytee, they are screwed in but generally dodgily made. One was a singing alphabet book that was missing pages H-K and had things like an elephant picture on the ‘T’ page. I didn’t have a huge amount of confidence in their quality control and that’s got me thinking about all the others. 😟

But I take the point that I am being precious about the well made ones that are securely screwed in.

Maybe not a blanket ban on battery toys, just the dodgy ones.

Where are they buying the toys from?
If the problem is the quality of the toys rather than secure batteries then ywnbu to bin them, just say they fell apart.
My ds was given some truly awful soft toys as a baby that were made of cheap, nasty, plastic fleece with loose plastic bits etc, I binned them all.

an elephant picture on the ‘T’ page

Trunk! 😂

Batteries are ridiculous and unnecessary in most toys. I usually strip the batteries out and let the child have the toy. Where is this dodgy shite coming from though? You could tell the grandparents to make sure toys have CE mark.

I don’t know where they get them from, but they are like the stuff you see in those little bargain £ shops.

@SecretBun

Haha maybe! Can you explain a Monkey picture for ‘P’? 😂

Unfortunately the CE mark is no guarantee of safety. Many cheap imported items just have the CE stamped on routinely without any regard to testing or quality control. There is little enforcement.

Haha maybe! Can you explain a Monkey picture for ‘P’? 😂

Peanuts?? 😂

Pygmy Marmoset Op? 😁

It's not a safety issue on our house, it's a sanity issue... singing talking toys are so fucking annoying

I’d not risk it, especially if the toys are badly made. My bf’s DH is an anaesthetist and he and the surgeon he was working with were unable to save a small child who had swallowed a disc battery. They were both really heartbroken that whatever they tried wasn’t enough. If you can’t remove the batteries I’d not give ds the toys. After hearing this horrible news it’s no way worth it.

Haha! My best guess was potassium because the monkey has a banana 🍌

Primate

Is the P maybe an upside down b for banana?

Yanbu.

I wouldn't risk it. I would throw them out. So what if your inlaws are offended? You can just say they broke because they're cheap