rantings and ravings
Jul. 29th, 2006 11:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mamajoanStill in lieu of the long-overdue update, a brief rant: Isaac got for his birthday a set of 50 nice wooden blocks with letters on them. This past couple of weeks we just finally took them out, and now he is totally into making words with the letters. This, of course, is great! However, the problem is that the letter distribution is wack. At first, all I noticed was that there was only one A -- which is a problem when trying to spell Isaac's name, or "mama" or "grandma," etc.
So today, after Sally took Isaac away, I finally got a chance to line up all the blocks and see the situation.
Of the letters A through J, we have one of each. Of the letters K through Z, we have two of each. Then we have five blocks representing the numbers 0 through 9 (two numbers on each block), and then there's a block with plus and minus signs, a block with times (x) and divided-by signs, and a block with an equal sign (which Isaac calls eleven :) ) and a question mark.
This of course means that we have two Qs, two Xs, and two Zs ... but only one A, E, and I. *headdesk*
I know you'll be shocked to learn that the box the blocks came in says "Made in China." Yeah. Here's a hint, toy-making companies: if you're going to outsource your learning-to-read toys to a country where they don't speak English, you might want to give them some freaking guidance. ARRRGGGHHHH.
I have been googling the company that makes these blocks, with no luck yet. The box says "produced for the Target Corporation" but I don't find these blocks on target.com either. I may wind up looking for an 800-number for Target and just calling them. (I shall also ask the person who gave them to us to confirm that he did indeed get them at Target.) I'm sorry, but this is just bullshit. Two Xs and only one E?!?! WTF!!!!!!!
OK, that rant turned out not so brief after all. *blush*
On the positive side, Isaac is now very good at looking through all 50 blocks and pulling out the I, the A, the C, one of the Ss, and lining them up properly to spell ISAC. I am very proud. (But we have GOT to get us another A soon, before he too deeply internalizes the notion that that's really how you spell his name!!!!!!!!!!!)
So today, after Sally took Isaac away, I finally got a chance to line up all the blocks and see the situation.
Of the letters A through J, we have one of each. Of the letters K through Z, we have two of each. Then we have five blocks representing the numbers 0 through 9 (two numbers on each block), and then there's a block with plus and minus signs, a block with times (x) and divided-by signs, and a block with an equal sign (which Isaac calls eleven :) ) and a question mark.
This of course means that we have two Qs, two Xs, and two Zs ... but only one A, E, and I. *headdesk*
I know you'll be shocked to learn that the box the blocks came in says "Made in China." Yeah. Here's a hint, toy-making companies: if you're going to outsource your learning-to-read toys to a country where they don't speak English, you might want to give them some freaking guidance. ARRRGGGHHHH.
I have been googling the company that makes these blocks, with no luck yet. The box says "produced for the Target Corporation" but I don't find these blocks on target.com either. I may wind up looking for an 800-number for Target and just calling them. (I shall also ask the person who gave them to us to confirm that he did indeed get them at Target.) I'm sorry, but this is just bullshit. Two Xs and only one E?!?! WTF!!!!!!!
OK, that rant turned out not so brief after all. *blush*
On the positive side, Isaac is now very good at looking through all 50 blocks and pulling out the I, the A, the C, one of the Ss, and lining them up properly to spell ISAC. I am very proud. (But we have GOT to get us another A soon, before he too deeply internalizes the notion that that's really how you spell his name!!!!!!!!!!!)
