The Fate of My Daughter's Toy Box

I realize that it must be very difficult to work for a toy company in this age of technological advance. Kids these days want new games for their Wii or X-Box, apps for their phones, software to edit photos and videos, and ipods and mp3 players. Who, above the age of 2, really wants toys any more?  I'm sure that toy makers have a huge challenge in designing toys that will appeal to kids, and even then, only a very few will stand the test of time.

For example, Lincoln Logs have been popular for years and years. And why not? Who wouldn't want to build their very own log cabin from logs named after a great president? And if Mom and Dad splurged, why your cabin could also have little plastic evergreen trees, feeding troughs and animals all around it. Come on- that's a good time.  Or who doesn't enjoy the building creativity awarded by a good old box of Legos? You can build ANYTHING with a Lego set, even though I never felt as if the sets furbished enough sets of wheels to really create the utopian Lego society I envisioned. That's okay because, still? Hours of fun. And who could forget that sweet set of plastic half-pipes and tunnels you had to construct just right so that when you dropped the marble down it rolled throughout obstacles and over paths to come out victoriously at the bottom?! Everyone cheered when that marble emerged- after all it had been through. And you could build and rebuild for ever! Fun! Fun! Fun!

Yes, some toys, no matter how many Wiis or ipods or apps in all the world, some toys will stand the test of time.

But this?

This is a barbie who is a movie star and is also secretly a fairy princess.

What?

How....?
I mean, why...?
I mean, who in their right mind...?

This barbie will stand no test. IF she is purchased at all, her weird fairy princess wings will fall off, her movie star glam will fade (come on, beauty does not last forever) and she will most likely be replaced next year by the Barbie who is a movie star, fairy princess, mermaid, circus clown and devoted tax payer.

Toy makers- I know its tough out there, but this is unacceptable. Is this what my daughter has to look forward to in years to come? Is this what her toy box is to be stocked with? Say it ain't so. You simply must do better than this.