Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Lessons 4 Kids on "As Seen On T.V." Products

Children are the target audience for the "As Seen On T.V." products, all year long! The advertisements are played during their favorite shows, over and over. Since my kids believe almost everything they see and hear, they buy into every claim that talented marketing representatives make about the overpriced products, knowing that kids will ask their parents for every single fun thing they present.

"Slushy Magic" was on all three of my children's Christmas lists, two years in a row! I thought they would forget about it, but they have been reminded by the advertisements, again and again.

Well, my youngest son and I ventured into a discount store, looking for some birthday presents for his friend, and there was a display of "Slushy Magic" cups! My son can now read numbers, and said, "Mommy, look. These are only $5! Can we buy one, please?"

I have told my children numerous times, that these items don't always work like they do in the videos on television. That is often my reason for NOT buying them from the television ads, too.

Well, this time I decided that we would spend the $5, and try them out.

When my older two children got home from school, their little brother couldn't wait to show them the Slushy Magic cups we bought! We opened them up, and read the directions. The kids took turns washing their cups, and then put the "magic ice cubes" into the freezer. We waited, and waited, and they asked, and asked, how long before their slushies would be ready. I told them it would take 2 or 3 hours, according to the directions. They could have their slushies for dessert after dinner.

Macaroni & cheese, mandarin oranges, and milk make for a yummy dinner, that all three of my kids actually like. However, my five-year-old fights for control during almost every meal, so he didn't want to eat his mac & cheese. The older two finished their meal, and we pulled their magic ice cubes out of the freezer. They placed them in the cups, and I poured their choice of flavored drinks over the magic ice cubes. My daughter picked Dr. Pepper, and my son chose cranberry apple juice.

They complained that their hands were very cold while they shook their Slushy Magic up outside on the deck.



After three minutes of shaking their Slushy Magic cups, they came inside, and I used a spoon to pull out the magic cubes.



My daughter was really excited, because there were actually little slushy-like ice chips in her Dr. Pepper.
My son on the other hand, was extremely disappointed, because in his mind, the consistency should have been that of a Slurpee, and it was definitely not that frozen.

They still both enjoyed their treats! I was especially proud of my daughter for explaining to her brother that it still tasted good, because it was really cold, and you could drink it through the fun spoon/straw!


Where is my third child during all of this fun?
Funny you should ask...but he fought eating his macaroni and cheese, so he sat at the table, watching brother and sister have all the fun. His Slushy Magic experience will have to wait until another day, when he decides to eat without fighting the ritual of dinnertime.



The lesson in all of this: Not all claims presented in the "As Seen on T.V." product commercials are as good as they may seem!

My daughter and son agreed, "It's a really good thing you only spent $5 on these, Mom!"