Is my 6 year old strange?

Probably- most six year olds are 😂.

Seriously though, my 38 year old, and 25 year old sons both played with kitchens, toy Hoovers, dolls… all the stuff grown men do once they’re independent/have families.

Why these are still seen as girls’ toys is beyond me- it’s not the 1950s anymore!

My background was in early years though in a social services setting, where multiple children had moderate or language delay. The toys used in those therapy sessions were in the majority "girls toys" simply as they fostered language and comprehension. That's not to say "boys toys" weren't used they just lend themselves generally to other areas of development, broadly speaking.
I went on to have 3 sons, two being identical twins. One of whom is gay. All 3 would play with both "girls and boys toys"

I would be more concerned with your DH attitudes, however both adults are making very damaging, comments to your son.

It's a generational thing. I remember being at school and being told off for playing with toys from the boys corner. I had to go to the girls corner or the mixed corner. I remember thinking that it was werid?! I badly wanted to touch this toy and thought it unfair that I couldn't! My parents thought it werid my kids had "boys" toys and my nephew had a doll with pram, just ignore her!

I wouldn't ignore her, but I would gently challenge whenever she says something. "Your views are very old fashioned. Boys and girls can play with whichever toys they like."

My brother had a rubber doll that he took everywhere with him, for years. He's now happily married with a son of his own.
Let your boy play with whatever he likes.

It's just old fashioned ignorance. Don't let her upset you - tell her how ridiculous and outdated her attitude is. Your son is fine, all my boys had dolls, buggies and kitchens to play with when they were small. It's perfectly normal!

Your MIL is the strange one. At 5 and 6 my DS wanted an Elsa doll for his birthday which he got. He also loved make up and Barbie. I loved playing with him then but unfortunately he’s more into his PS5 these days …..

DS had a pink play kitchen because it was the only one i could find reasonably cheaply. Didn't lead to him being gay or a good cook.

This is completely fine. I have a DD and a DS and they shared most of their toys when they were little. They both made things out of Lego, climbed trees and made rockets with their science play set. They also both played in the toy kitchen, pushed dolls in prams and wore Disney Princess dresses and shoes.

They’re young adults now. One of them is gay and the other is straight and that has nothing to do with what they played with as children.

Yes, I'd be tempted to ask your DH why he thinks it's so bad for a boy to be interested in things that are associated with girls. Is there something shameful and lesser about being female or liking things associated with women and girls?

Personally I think all 6 year olds are rather strange 😂 in a cute way.

But she’s obviously inferring he’s feminine and that’s something wrong. Shes old fashioned and sexist. Tell her she’s funny for thinking men are so pathetic they can’t cook or look after their own babies.

Did you check that she didn't say anything like that in front of him? And make it clear that she mustn't?

And which generation would that be? 50s, 70s, 90s ? 🙄

Next time your MIL says something, show her this:

(give it two seconds for the image to get approved…)

That’s generalising a bit. I’d say gendered toys and clothes are much more extreme now than in the 80s say and there are so many younger people, including the OP’s husband who have a big problem with kids playing with the “wrong” toys.

Wouldn’t bat an eyelid at home playing with babies etc. no one does when girls play with cars or play football. It’s madness

My 7yo DS wears a skirt to school. No trouble from any of the other kids. The parents however…

(he is just more comfortable in it and his dad is Scottish so he feels like he’s wearing a kilt)

Are gay men generally more caring fathers and more into cooking than straight men? Genuine question, because I've never heard of that stereotype before!

Children who are very gender non conforming are more likely to turn out to be gay in later life.

My eldest son was very like yours and came out as gay at 14. Nobody was particularly surprised.

The question is - if your son DOES turn out to be gay later so what? Is it going to bother his father and his grandmother? Because those attitudes need to be explored and squashed now.

Ps you need to track down Sean Lock’s little ditty and hum it to yourself when MIL starts giving you grief…

“When Johnny grows up he’ll be a soldier,
When Jimmy grows up he’ll be a sailer,
When Timmy grows up he’ll be a tailor,
And all the girls will be wives!
Washing up and cooking dinner, Washing up and cooking dinner, Washing up and cooking dinner,
Wives, Wives, Wives!!!”

FBoys have ALWAYS enjoyed dolls - Toy Soldiers and Action Man are fundamentally dolls.

My ds grew up with his big sister’s toys so he always adored his inherited pink baby doll (who got renamed Lucas somewhere in the mix!).

Now he is 7 he has sadly decided he doesn’t like “girl toys” and denies that he ever did. I find it sad that now it’s all cars and light sabers and Minecraft.

On a quiet Sunday recently when I was feeling very poorly, he gently retired to his play corner and cooked me up a meal of plastic food on his toy barbecue set, got out his pink Doc McStuffins doctors kit, and looked after me.

I hope my sweet gentle boy stays in there somewhere, and that he will grow into an emotionally intelligent adult who doesn’t think we should be watching out for “warning signs of gayness” when kids are aged 6! Good grief 😂

Both DS’s had a doll, pushchair, kitchen set up complete with ironing board and cleaning equipment! I mean it didn’t help encourage either to do any cleaning or ironing as they got older but it didn’t do either any harm! Eldest is now an adult with 2 DC of his own.

Nothing strange about him at all - and not all people of that generation think it strange (I'm late 60s).

Sorry but I’d be furious at my DH for saying that. The homophobia and sexism is clear. What a shit role model for your son.

My friend played with dolls when he was little and he is married with kids and has a phd. He’s fine. If he was gay he would also be fine.

MIL is absolutely the strange one here!!