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Strollerderby
TV Products for Gullible Parents?
I admit I’ve been on a horrible, rotten, no-good As-Seen-On-TV kick recently, searching for the next miracle product to do more stuff in half the time. Deep down, I know most of these things won’t work, but I can’t help thinking the Slap Chop would make family dinner prep so much easier.
So I find myself drawn to Bendaroos, a children’s craft … thing. Check out the infomercial below. They are sticks coated in “magical wax” and can be shaped and formed into all manner of crazy creations. And then they can be bent back for use later! Plus, there’s no messy clean up!
See? Sucker. I’m even reciting commercial lines now.
I’m just about to pull the trigger on these things — I bet my kid would just love making stuff with these — but the rational part of me wants to know: Do they really work? Or are they just the next TV swindle? Have you tried them? Do they work?
And while we’re at it, are there other TV products just perfect for kids? And their mildly gullible parents?
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5 Comments
Jennifer commented on Jan 07 10 at 1:00 amThese are the same thing as Wiki Sticks, which some restaurants give out instead of crayons. My kids (1 and 3) love them. We make all kinds of things. I even keep a set in the diaper bag now for on-the-go entertainment.
Chips O'Toole commented on Jan 07 10 at 1:25 amwe got some of those, a 12 pack or something, when we went to a restaurant as the kid diversion toy. They amused me briefly, anyway. So test drive them, go to a Grand Lux (or maybe even Cheesecake Factory) and try them. of course, you might pay more for the meal than you would on just buying the product…
Anon commented on Jan 07 10 at 6:29 amBendaroos work for the price. If your child is in elementary school chances are they have used Wiki Stix or Bendaroos in a center activity.
diera commented on Jan 07 10 at 8:17 amWe’ve gotten them at restaurants too, or a different but similar product called Wiki Sticks. They’re basically at about the same fun level as pipe cleaners, with the advantages that a) they don’t have a wire in the middle so no chance of injury for even little kids and b) they sort of stick together, although maybe not as well as in the ad. They’re reasonably fun, although I wouldn’t characterize them as life-changing.
sarah commented on Jan 07 10 at 12:19 pmIf you get them, DON’T get them by calling the number. My sister did and she was in an endless phone chain of attempted up-sales. You can get them at stores like Michael’s crafts, and there you can get them with a 50% coupon. Wiki Sticks are pretty much the same thing.
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