Inlaws are giving my daughter a vacuum cleaner for Xmas. Grrr.

Why is no one bothering to RTFT?

This has all been covered.

uutiruc I am inclined to agree.

Seems to me that you are almost looking for a problem tbh. Are there previous issues with the inlaws? I think it is genuinely lovely that they are buying identical presents for their grandchildren, not looking for stereotypical boy/girl presents. Why do you have a problem with it, if they buy the same present for a boy and girl? There is blatantly no stereotyping.

I think as she is buying one for the grandson I would give her feminist kudos.

However if on Xmas day someone sees them pushing their hoovers and remarks "mummy's little helper" to her then looks at him and says "look he wants to know how it works. He's going to be an engineer!" then you'll have something to complain about!

Children like to push things. Lawn mower/vacuum/funny thing that blows bubbles that they will pretend is a vacuum even though you have never given them that impression

For the last 2.75 pages, I don't think anyone has had a problem, even the OP has said that she reacted first and then thought about it.

No need for bloody feminists, blowing things out of proportion now

I've bought one for 2.5yr old ds this year - he tries to 'help' every time dh or I hoover. Kids love housework, it's a good thing to encourage I think - as long as it isn't encouraged more in one sex than the other, there's no problem there.

I think it's great!

Everyone has to learn to Hoover, plus kids are fascinated by hoovers

My toddler was hoovering whilst wearing a princess dress this afternoon.

Evidently she's screwed when it comes to adult life choices

Maybe OP needs to take her feminist-goggles off, she seems to be seeing "sexism" where it doesn't exist

my nephew has a toy vacuum and he likes it, so what's the problem? Kids like playing with toy versions of things they see adults using

This is the novelty washing up brush my wonderful MIL bought me as a birthday gift. I always think of her fondly as I watch her son scrubbing the dishes with it.

They give vacuums to children regardless of sex. No problem. I hope they give them both toy drills next year.

I used to follow ddad around the garden with one at that age. In a toddlers head it's not limited to being what it is....

Well hello there, cary.

Do you often walk into places and tell people they are a bit shit five minutes after you've arrived?

How does that work out for you?

My DS would LOVE that - he likes to 'help' me clean/dust/hoover etc. Toddlers love to copy adults at that age.

As an aside, we received a Henry hoover from my MIL for xmas a few years ago. We had asked specifically for it and it's one of the best presents I've ever had. Used every day, works fantastically well and replaced a series of useless cheaper models that never did a reasonable job.

Aww ds1 loved his mini Dyson and cleaning trolley. He would follow behind helping me clean.

He 12 now and seems to of forgotten how a Hoover works

My mum got laughed at 25 years ago for buying my brother a dustpan and brush and an iron for Christmas. He treasured them for years........

Just get her a kitchen

I bought dd one last year she loves it.

I just bought Henry the Hoover for DS aged 3 for Xmas between that and the doll and buggy he got for his birthday he better turn out to be the most 50/50 partner in later years. He loves all that kind of stuff and it was his granny who suggested the Hoover since my nephew has one and loves it.

His daddy, obviously, not just any old daddy ^

I wouldn't worry, it sounds as though the title is, "Inlaws are giving their grandchildren a hoover for Christmas".

It's been a relief though, I thought you meant that your adult daughter's parent-in-laws were getting her a hoover for Christmas!

My ds got one off his grandparents at 18 months ish because he was obsessed with them. Two years on he still gets it out most evenings to do the vacuuming with a Daddy. Baby dd loves watching them and will no doubt want to join in.

I don't see that a toy which promotes a child doing any sort of role play is limiting at all, as long as all types of role play are available to both sexes.

I think it is important to fight the little battles of feminism when making choices for our children, but this isn't one of them.

Apart from anything else, you as the parent can choose the gifts you want to influence the majority of her world and play, really other things just add to the picture, they don't dominate it if you don't want them too.

In 4 years when she's buying her Lego Friends then you have my full support