We've all heard parents complain that nothing gets their kids up in the morning, so none of us were surprised by the report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission which reports that regular smoke alarms do not always wake kids under the age of 16. Sleep specialists say that 19 out of 20 children will actually sleep through a fire alarm of 120 decibels. Figure that's like being in the front row of a Metallica concert.

But the good news is that they did discover that children in a deep sleep are far more apt to wake -up if they hear a familiar voice, i.e., that of a parent. Hence, the development of the Vocal Smoke Alarm from KidSmart. A built-in microphone means you can record a personalized message which can be used to wake kids but also provide them other information, for instance: "Johnny, get your butt out of bed and meet us outside, by the oak tree!"

On sale at for $29.90 at Solutions.