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Original poster

If your primary aged son loves dolls...

6 replies

peskykiddds · 04/09/2023 13:42

... how does he feel about talking about / playing with them with other boys? DS is 7.5 and loves dolls of all kinds, including Barbies etc, but has a special love for his baby doll which he cares for as if it's his actual baby. I've noticed that while he's very comfortable taking the doll(s) out and about in public (e.g. taking baby out on the tube in a sling), if he knows he's going to see other children he tends to leave it at home. He does talk to the girls at school but I get the sense he's less comfortable talking to the boys or involving them in his play.

If your son is/was into dolls, how comfortable is/was he sharing with male friends? And how long did it last? It's very cute but I assume we probably don't have much longer left of this phase...

OP posts:
Wbeezer · 04/09/2023 15:08

DS3 dabbled in playing with dolls and liked his toy kitchen and pink teaset, however he did not draw attention to it amongst other boys when in primary school. He had hobbies deemed "girly" like horse riding that he did get a bit embarrassed about in High School and was the only boy in his art class. He's about to go to Art School to study fashion so he's sticking with gender non conforming choices and had grown to be proud of them, I think going against the boy norms has been quite character building although he had to put up with a few teenage idiots calling him gay ( and not in a positive way) despite him being ( so far, don't like to make assumptions) straight.

Original poster
peskykiddds · 04/09/2023 16:07

Wbeezer · 04/09/2023 15:08

DS3 dabbled in playing with dolls and liked his toy kitchen and pink teaset, however he did not draw attention to it amongst other boys when in primary school. He had hobbies deemed "girly" like horse riding that he did get a bit embarrassed about in High School and was the only boy in his art class. He's about to go to Art School to study fashion so he's sticking with gender non conforming choices and had grown to be proud of them, I think going against the boy norms has been quite character building although he had to put up with a few teenage idiots calling him gay ( and not in a positive way) despite him being ( so far, don't like to make assumptions) straight.

Thank you, that's really interesting that he's ended up studying fashion! May I ask if he's NT? My son is on a referral pathway for ASD and I've read/heard that it's more common for ND kids to have gender nonconfirming hobbies etc.

Interestingly he was playing with a male friend yesterday who he hadn't seen in ages but who is ND, and despite it having been years since they'd last played they got on so well - at first he didn't bring the doll out but got it out once he was clearly feeling more comfortable. I don't think he'd do that with a boy from school (he has friends but none particularly close, his current 'best' friend is a girl).

OP posts:
Lilyhatesjaz · 04/09/2023 16:55

Observing younger children playing with baby dolls when I worked in a nursery 3 and 4 year olds.
I would say that the children with a younger sibling at home were the most likely to play with the dolls regardless of whether they were girls or boys.

Original poster
peskykiddds · 04/09/2023 18:09

Lilyhatesjaz · 04/09/2023 16:55

Observing younger children playing with baby dolls when I worked in a nursery 3 and 4 year olds.
I would say that the children with a younger sibling at home were the most likely to play with the dolls regardless of whether they were girls or boys.

Interesting and makes sense! My son was playing with this doll in particular for a couple of years before he got a sibling but I suspect a lot of his play is related to having younger siblings.

OP posts:
Wbeezer · 04/09/2023 18:21

@peskykiddds He has an ADHD DX but is not medicated. He doesn't come across as socially odd just creative and has always had friends, but his older brother has an ASD DX and tbh there are a lot of people with ND traits in the extended family.

Original poster
peskykiddds · 04/09/2023 22:49

Wbeezer · 04/09/2023 18:21

@peskykiddds He has an ADHD DX but is not medicated. He doesn't come across as socially odd just creative and has always had friends, but his older brother has an ASD DX and tbh there are a lot of people with ND traits in the extended family.

Thanks and I hope the question wasn't too personal, I just wondered as I'd read about ND kids having more of a tendency towards gender noncomforming play. I'll be sad when this phase inevitably passes (unless of course in the future he becomes a paediatric nurse or doctor or nursery worker or teacher or, of course, dad!)

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