Big W shoppers upset over 'confronting' new body bag toy for kids
The controversial toy has riled up some parents who say it's 'in bad taste' and argue it's not appropriate for kids.
A new children's toy sold at Big W resembling a corpse in a body bag has caused a stir among some parents who say the horror-themed Deddy Bears are "confronting" and inappropriate for kids.
The range includes eight zombie-like characters each wrapped in a black bag featuring their very own autopsy report detailing their bizarre causes of death, ranging from a wooden stake through the heart to an ominous virus.
The soft toys have attracted criticism from outraged Aussie parents who say they are "a bit much", however many argue that the "world's gone soft" and fail to see see the issue.
'A bit much'
The unique playthings can now be found in the novelty toys category of the Big W website, but not all parents are on board with the concept. One concerned shopper said she felt "disturbed" when discovering them online while browsing for toddler and preschool toys. "Includes body bag and autopsy report," she noted on Facebook. "But don't worry, they're also super soft. I like to say that I'm pretty progressive and fairly tolerant, but I feel this is a bit much."
While some parents echoed the woman's worries — calling the toys "the stuff nightmares are made of", and arguing that the themes are in "bad taste" and entirely "unnecessary for children" — others were more open to the concept. In fact, the prevailing sentiment was that the unconventional collectables are "cute" and would probably be well-received by kids, particularly around Halloween.
Gone soft?
A number of people who responded to the social media post argued that today's society has become excessively sensitive and too quick to label things as unsuitable for children. "This is what's wrong with the world," voiced one parent, adding, "Too many upset so easily and think everything is inappropriate."
"This generation is in huge trouble with all these namby-pamby, precious parents," agreed another Big W shopper, while another added: "World's gone soft."
A spokesperson for the company told Yahoo News that Big W offers "customers a wide range of products for holidays and celebrations throughout the year". "The Deddy Bears are a new product that have been added to our early Halloween range, intended for an older audience. This product is only available for a limited time and will sell out soon," they added.
Confronting for young minds
Child psychologist Deidre Brandner explained to Yahoo News that despite the popularity of such toys among teenagers, there is a risk of toys with dark and eerie themes inadvertently crossing the line. This can result in young children encountering ideas and concepts that surpass their cognitive and emotional development.
"Toys are meant to nurture, allow for exploration and understanding. It can be very confronting for children when toys they love become infused with a sinister element," she explained. "Toys that take inspiration from horror films take away the notion that they're designed solely for children."
Choose wisely
Ms Brandner emphasised the importance of evaluating a toy's purpose before introducing it to a child. She noted terms such as "autopsy", "body bag" and "zombie virus" are far from the ordinary vocabulary of young minds.
"Play is such an important part of our children's psychological, social and cognitive development," she stressed. "It seems such a waste of money and investment to have a toy that does not provide any educational or nurturing advantage. At some point we need to decide where the line is drawn and allow children to have their childhood."
"Cute cartoon creatures that just pretend to be scary and grossly graphic zombies that are shedding body parts are very different things," she concluded.
Impact on child anxiety
Supporting Ms Brandner's viewpoint, Justin Khoury, CEO of Unbound Minds Psychology, agreed that in light of the increasing prevalence of anxiety among children, these macabre toys might inflict more harm than good.
"These types of toys are often deeply confronting to younger children, particularly when they have had very little exposure to the concepts of morbidity and death or are suffering from pre-existing concerns such as anxiety. It's important to note that anxiety in children is surging in Australia, with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reporting that 6.9 per cent of children now suffer from an anxiety concern."
Mr Khoury went on to say while death is part of the human experience, it's important to discuss the concept of mortality with children in a safe, controlled and open environment where they can ask questions and appropriately process their emotions.
"Unexpectedly encountering the concepts of being burned alive or succumbing to flesh rot by reading a mock autopsy report in the toy section of a discount department store is not conducive to the healthy emotional development of a young child," he said.
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