Hello Kitty Phone Makes Parents Mad

Comment Retail Service will be releasing Sanrio’s Hello Kitty phone in Britain and Ireland this July (it is already available elsewhere). Sanrio claims that the phone is being marketed to women in their 20’s and 30’s and is priced for adults at $599. Parent advocacy groups think that girls as young as 6 are being targeted for this product and call it “irresponsible” marketing on Comment Retail Service and Sanrio’s part. Read more here…

I say, we live in a free market economy, and thank goodness that we do. Sanrio can produce Hello Kitty toilet paper dispensers for all I care if they think they can turn a buck. (They do sell toilet paper dispensers, by the way, if you want one.) Parents can choose to buy them or not. That is the beauty of freedom.

Sadly, what I think its behind the objection is that parents don’t want to have to say “No”. Well parents, just say no (or, yes, whatever you think is best). You are the parent in your house, not a tiny, white, pretend kitten. If your 6-year-old gets $3/week for allowance, tell her she can save up her allowance to buy the phone. She will have enough money to buy it in 2.3 years. If she follows through, what a great lesson in money management! If she falls on the floor in a heap of tantrum and tears start singing “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”. What a great lesson in you-can’t-always-get-what-you-want. That’s life. That’s parenthood. It isn’t worth forming advocacy groups over. Surely there is a child advocacy group more worthy of our time and efforts.