My encounter with the Transformer company (Hasbro)

Bought a toy for my son. A transformer robot... He played with it for a few days and then went back to the packaging, pointed at the instructions and told me to follow the three steps printed there. I asked him how was he able to understand the instructions. He said he knew it before I bought him the toys. Saw the ad on iPad and hence he asked specifically for that toy to be bought for him.

Step one, download the app. Two, scan the logo on his physical toy. Three, start playing or something, can't remember.

I went there for the first time, downloaded it. And wondered if it was free. Apparently, it was. Later, I found out that there are in-app purchases that will costs money. You play the game and if you want extra power or weapons, you need to purchase them in the app.

I read somewhere for the first time, the number of gamers are now more than the number of people playing physical sports and games in the world!

You see, I bought him this toy because it is off the screen. I pay the company money for him to play his toy physically and the company is not satisfied. The wanted to have our kids hooked on the screen so they play video games of the toys they hold in their hands. And after some time, they will then pester their parents to buy another physical toy which they saw on screen. Then the packaging will have something that will direct them back to their iPad and the cycle goes on and on and on. The first thing my kid wanted the moment he woke up is iPad. The first thing he wanted the moment our car arrived home, he wanted the iPad! I am infuriated and outraged! Now, my rule is two 10 minute sessions of iPad a day, that's all. Even then I still think this is too much! How will they ever build their concentration skills when they are so distracted at such a young age???

This is more detrimental than opium (which was of course very very destructive) to 19th century China.

If we don't exercise our choices, the toy companies will have things their way. They will snatch our children from right under our noses. Turn left and right next time on a Saturday during the red traffic lights and you will see kids playing away with their iPad on their way to tuition or anywhere. Physically our kids are in the car, at home or in their bedrooms. Mentally, they are being enslaved They are enslaving these young innocent souls!!!!!

If we don't wake up now, they never will, until maybe they have their our kids. This zombification of our children must stop, as far as my family is concerned. Board games, physical sports, social interaction with our kids must happen instead of zombification. It's not easy I know, but then again, nothing is!

Hasbro (the company that owns Transformers), you ain't my bro. Your board games (like Guess Who?) are fine, other than that, just get out of my life!