Buddy, you make some good points, but I have a very low view of the "snoopy" and "barbie" rods that are sold as "kids tackle". They're not tackle, they're toys. I have no problem with anybody buying them as toys, but letting your kids fish with them is doing them a disservice. As fishing tackle, those things are beyond worthless. The reels are terrible so casting is a chore, and they're all under 4' so setting the hook is hard, too.
I was fishing a small urban pond a couple of years ago. As I fished, I noticed an older gentleman (the grandfather, I assumed) as he led several kids down to the water with some type of "snoopy" kids rod. I watched as the kids tried casting the rod. None of them could do it. Then, Gramps tried. He couldn't cast it, either. In the meantime, I caught and released 70 bluegills in an hour on a simple telescopic pole, fishing just 15 feet from shore.
To sum up, I believe in giving kids adult tackle that they can handle.