Harmy said:
I totally wouldn't buy my kid a toy that I thought was crap and I'd rather buy some toy that I thought had more value for the same prize, because I would think buying the crap toy is a waste of money, just like buying or renting the PT or Power Rangers, when there's hundreds (possibly thousands) of better movies to buy or rent.
Um, you realize that when boying toys for your kid, you buy them for... the kid, who generally cares more about the FUN he/she might gain from playing with the toy, not so much its "quality" and "how well it's made with the given budget", right? ... right?
I mean, I'm not saying you can't just like, "hey, let's buy this toy instead, it's much more fun and betterer!", and your kids like "heck yea dad, let's buy this one", or "no do not want" but then you come home and he's like "wow, you're the most awesomest dad ever!!" and you'll like to a Santa Christ laugh or something, since, you know, kids easily hop on stuff and forget about just as easily, but somehow inadvertedly, you come off as a giant snob when saying things like "I'm only going to buy quality toys for my quality son, for my hard-earned quality money!"
Talk about "serious business"...
I mean, you do realize that quality isn't by any means the only factor playing a role in why someone, be it adult or kid, takes an interest in a given product, right? Maybe it's what his friends are talking about, or is popular at the moment, and we wants to have a part in it? But can't borrow cause it's like a video game, or cos everyone's a meaniehead? Just because there's some better kids' cartoon / shoot them all flick out there, doesn't mean the kid or adult will necessarily switch their concrete interest from the "inferior" to the "superior", especially if that judgment is passed by someone else, like yourself, right?
I'll often watch some mediocre movie, or snippet, or music video, just to get a reference, or what everyone's talking about, and I'll derive enjoyment and be glad I've seen it either way - and I happen to be lucky to "be able to arrange it" for myself, knowing a couple online sites and being 21 and all, you know.
Why deny your kid that same privilege just because YOU think something is "worse"? You should really go back and read Zombie's posts again, I think you might understand a great many things after that :D