The Letter I should Write

Dear Children's Products Manufacturer,

As a new parent I have made a few observations that would make your products more parent friendly. My suggestions are as follows:

1. Could you please allow a little extra space in your packaging of large items - i.e. baby swings, bouncers, etc. It seems unlikely that these products are ever going to return to their original packing state when my child is done using them. If this is not cost effective, a simply diagram of how to repack my product would be great - I would even be willing to spring for the cost of copying said instructions and adding to my warranty information.

2. When designing a baby crib, moving the mattress to a lower level should require no more than three steps. No parent has time to use the microscopic allen wrench to disassemble and reassemble the entire crib. And the allen wrench - really?

3. Toys requiring batteries should have a universal screw used to access the battery cavity. In one day I had to search for a screwdriver small enough to be used on eyeglasses, and another so large a dinosaur could have used it.

4. All toys should use the same type of battery. I don't care which size. I also don't care if you developed your own battery size and charge double. But for the sake of parents everywhere who are left with a screaming child and a toy that will not perform its function (hence quieting the screaming) please streamline the battery process for us all.

5. On a final battery note, I don't feel its too much to ask for the product requiring batteries to use an even number of batteries. Requiring 1 or 3 batteries when they come in packages of even numbers leaves a mess in my kitchen drawer - I feel silly keeping one battery in a large package, but taking it out means a battery is roaming free in my drawer and likely to get lost - and begging the question - is this battery new or old? Who has time to debate these mysteries of life?

Thank you,

Busy Mommy