Is my 6 year old strange?

You have a dh and mil problem...

It is good to encourage nurturing types of role play. Otherwise how will boys grow up to naturally take on roles like parenting and housework.

My son's were never integrated in dolls, but looked after their cuddly toys in similar ways. They had a dolls buggy to take them around, and used to make slings too. They loved their play kitchen and baking with me,.and that interest in cooking has remained now older.

Give it a rest with 'that generation ' crap!
Her mil could be in her 40s or 50s. I'm in my late 60s and don't think like that.
I think it's more of a mil problem. She obviously has stereotypes about what boys should and shouldn't do. I would ignore her.

I used to cut the heads of my Barbies, does this make me a serial killer? Or was I just kidding around?

At a certain age I started to say 'You know some people might day pink is for girls which is very silly, but would it bother you?' I hated saying it but felt it was a preparation of sorts. He always replied 'No I don't care' and that was that. He's a sporty, v masculine teen now and still wears his pink! As many do (popular team strip!).
Great response OP. I said the same to my friend who was worrying about kitchen for a 2yo!! She said her husband might not like it.. I said why has he never made dinner? (He regularly cooks). Point was taken. Kitchen was bought.

My boys all had a mixture. From kitchens, dolls and prams to train sets and building sets. Your relative is the weirdo.

Ofcourse its not an issue but I dont think it's just her generation as I've met many people male and female who think the same(your husband may secretly agree due to his comments)
I was an early years teacher and i once had a parent approach me and told me to stop his son playing with dolls and pushchairs. He must have been observing us on the playground . I asked why ( i knew exactly what his thinking was) and he said he 'didn't want him turning out like 'that'!'. I replied 'what ? Like you? Being a dad?' He spluttered a bit and i was sure he was going to say 'im not gay!!' but I pointed out that hes copying what he sees around him and dad always brought him to nursery with baby brother in his pushchair.

Absolutely nothing wrong or weird at all! My DS loved princess dresses and sparkly shoes until he was about 7, then out of nowhere became OBSESSED with football. They just are who they are!

my brother stole my babies and put the inwith the gijes he had,he is the best dad and granddad.single parent too
also when was 3 would run naked down thestreet giggling and he knew i was the that had to chase him

Ignore! Your response was perfect. My DS at that age liked pink and green, dresses and dinosaurs and was obsessed with soft toys. Few years later he likes rainbows, Hot Wheels, Sonic and says his soft toys are his children. They get put to bed, he changes their nappies and cuddles them.
He’s just his very own person!

You might have a future chef or line cook in the making.

Lots of men enjoy cooking. Your MIL is weird and has some sexist stereotypes. Same with your husband, ew.

On another note - your DH sounds like a complete dick and I would be very concerned about what kind of toxic masculinity he’s planning to infiltrate your son with in the future

I have a girl who likes to play with typical ‘boy’ things…my parents think it’s quirky and cute BUT I know my Dad would grumble if she was a boy playing with ‘girly’ things. It’s just some people who are stuck in that way of thinking. It sucks.

of course your son is not strange. Men cook right?? Why is a kitchen a girls toy? I’d be delighted if he was my son, he sounds great. I’m sorry that your MIL is a bit of a prick - but that’s her problem. And if your son asks about why she’s saying these things….just tell him that she has silly ideas about stuff but to not ever let that change him.

Some of my older relatives are sadly very old-fashioned and rigid with their beliefs, I just ignore it and tell myself it’s their problem not mine.

My youngest son at 5 had a bright pink toy stroller he used to push teddies around in, a toy washing machine that he loved, a toy hoover he ‘hoovered’ with virtually every day (actually it did collect some fluff so this was quite useful) and lots of toy kitchen things and a toy cooker and food he would serve to us.

These were all things he chose himself, whereas his brothers were obsessive about toy cars (hot wheels!) in which he had no interest.

More than 10 years on that younger son is now mad about cars (real ones) and his eldest brother refuses to learn to drive but enjoys making cakes.

Your son is perfectly normal! And your MIL was cruel and silly. Please don’t let her make you self conscious about your dear boy who sounds really lovely.

Also tell your husband to get a grip! Kids have different interests at different stages. Your son won’t be playing with a toy kitchen at 11 - any more than my youngest at that age was still wheeling his pink stroller about. (A very entertaining image given by that stage he was really into football.)

Your son will quite naturally become interested over time in a whole range of things. Trying to direct his interests now, to ‘nip in the bud’ the games he likes playing, just out of some really old fashioned & restrictive idea about what is suitable for a boy, will just upset him & be completely pointless.

Does your DH have sisters? Our 6 year old loves to play with his sister’s dolls when she’s not there.

Just tell her that he wants to be like Gordon Ramsey when he's older as he likes to play with kitchens too (then teach him some swear words to yell as he's cooking). That should shut her up.

I would be concerned about the sexism and homophobia from your DH and the idea that you’re somehow to blame for the normal development of your child. Did you know your DH had those kinds of views?

Does your DH never cook? Did he never push his son in a pram or change a nappy?

I have a DS and a DD, they both played with everything. Dolls, trains, dressing up, kitchens, swords etc

They both grew up to be perfectly “normal”.

Lots of wee boys would come to play at our house with the dolls, prams and kitchens, especially if they didn’t have those things at home.

Not strange at all. My son used to have a wee shopping bag when he was around that age.

My son loved his baby doll. Carried it everywhere in a sling and was so kind and loving toward it. He also loved playing kitchens and pretend cooking.

he’s an adult now and a budding chef. And has always been a gorgeous, kind soul.

There is nothing wrong with children playing with toys. I would tell her to keep her opinions to herself x

Perfectly normal from someone who has a six year old boy. There’s nothing strange about it.

My son is the same age and asks for his nails painted, likes to play cafe and role play being a baby etc. He used to have a baby before it randomly creeped him out. His favourite colours are sparkly and loves rainbows. I think its normal 6 year old behaviour, boy or girl. They're still so young it really hadn't crossed my mind there's something off with him. I think you should ignore such comments, you know in your heart there's nothing strange about your child so tell her to stick it next time

No, your mil is