to not want to let my four year old DD have the Barbie she was given for her birthday?

[Nevertooearlyforcake]

We thought hidden it too quickly for it to have resonated on her consciousness but not so - many months after her birthday and suddenly she is making repeated demands for it. Think she's way too young - she doesn't, I do. AIBU?

I wasn't allowed them as a child and it was just another reason why I felt an uncomfortable outsider with my peers. I was only allowed toys that were educational - yawn.

How I envied my friends their polythene bags full of Cindy and Barbie clothes, some even had houses and horses to go with...If I have a girl I will take out shares :).

Why do people hate Barbies so much? She's got like a thousand careers vet, doctor, business something, ballet dancer, errrmmm princess, she has a wide and varied wardrboe, owns a sports car, a horse, her own private jet which turns into her own private yacht complete with disco, several assortments of castles....I kinda like the chick

My DD is 6, has outgrown them now, and thinks they are most uncool. I now wish she would still play with them, but these days its all DS games and the like.

Its a phase and before you know it, it won't be trendy anymore to play with them, and you'll be wishing they did.

I think children are into barbies so much younger these days. I didn't get my first barbie until I was about 6, and was still playing with them in my last year at primary school. Yet, more than one of DDs friends has sniffed at the fact she has still got them. She blames it on her little sister (3) who absolutely adores them.

YABU when she is grown up it may be unearthed from the back of a drawer as a sweet reminder of being a little girl.Its just a doll to dress up-so it has boobs and long legs-so what?

I still have my original Tressy doll - and I am 45 yrs old!!!! Don't see what the problem is with Barbie, I'm a childminder and the girls I've looked after in the past love dressing them up, using them for imaginative play, cutting their hair - it's a doll!

I have bought this one for DD for when she is a bit older!

www.net-a-porter.com/product/98190

I loved Barbie when I was younger and have already started collecting limited edition ones for her, I love that one because she has red hair like my DD!

My DD1 has a box full of Barbies and at 5 has already outgrown them. I don't think playing with them for those few months has really been any different than playing with her ponies or teddies.

It's just fun because it is a mini-person they can dress/undress make do things - for a bit.

I think YABU.

I found pretty much the same as OldJolyon, by the age of about 7 DD had pretty much moved on from Barbies, so 4 is not too young IMO. Let her play with it while she still wants to.

I remember DD had several and just used to act out stories with them, mostly undressed because she couldn't be bothered with the outfits. One day she had a heap of naked Barbies lolling about on the floor and told me that she was playing Malory Towers and the girls were all about to have a swim. Enid Blyton was probably spinning in her grave.

I think they are totally utterly hideous and have never, ever parted with a penny of my cash to buy the trash having not particularly wanted my dd to aspire to being a puppy pool trainer wtf or a tv chef etc etc etc etc.

However a friend bought my dd one as a joke as she knows my views and I let her have it partly out of interest to see her reaction and because it wasn't mine to take. Bratz would have been different as they are actually plastic hooker dolls so no way jose whatever. Bimbo anorexic Barbie is one thing but letting dd aspire to be a hooker is a whole different ball game.

Re said Barbie she played with her once I kid you not but she has my old Sindy collection(complete with orange tent oh yes) which she loves.

I've always bought my dc decent quality toys, they get way less than their friends because they cost more but they don't go into landfill a few months later and I honestly think they've got fussier hence the Barbie rejection.

Op my dd 5 has the black Corolle Les Cheries doll,fab chic clothes,limited pink. Hoping she'll get another for Xmas. They're a good alternative.

Those of you that had Sindy check this site out:-

www.sindy-collectables.com/index.cfm?articleid=1976

Those flares,those wheels,I want

That's what I call a fashion doll!!!!

Happy days

Oops!!!

Try this:-

www.sindy-collectables.com/index.cfm?articleid=1976

Soooo crap at links.

You need to scroll down.

Fab site you can click on any year and they have all the outfits,dolls etc.

I sadly spent an hour reliving happy Sindy memories,saw loads of stuff I yearned for but never had.

IMO YABU

It is a doll. Nothing more, nothing less. A doll will not harm your child!

It is only adults who seem to see Barbie and fashion dolls as more than what they actually are. Children see them as a plastic doll they can play with and dress up (or not.)

I've just given my DS my old barbie and Sindy (found in my mums loft). I did it without a thought(!) He just eyes them with suspicion. I paid them very little attention as a child.

Don't let her have it, set the thing on fire, or before you know it she will be saying "oh mummy i just love shopping" and twirling her hair.

Zukie I've still got that lamp,never knew it actually worked!!!!!!

What did you plug it into the plug is miniscule?

My mum would never let me have Barbie Dolls although I was allowed Sindy (I think because they were British and in those days more naturally shaped). However the first thing I did when old enough to go and spend birthday money in the shop was go and buy 2 Barbie dolls. Not having them just makes you want them even more.

My DD was obsessed with Barbies, and subsequently Bratz (which are far worse imo). She is now 14 and is in no way gender-stereotyped, nor girly and silly. She does want to be a vet though, which could have been influenced by the "pet doctor Barbie" that she had . Don't worry about it - she'll have far more influences in her life from her family/friends/school etc.

Hmmm all I have left of the bedroom things though is said lamp and the dressing table stool!!!! Think my mum had a bit of a clear out too as I know they were in mint condition.

To be honest dd plays mostly with the big orange tent,it's pure genius. You thread the poles in and it's a proper frame tent with a sleeping bag.

They don't make em like they used too.

DD has got a shite Polly Pocket stable thing that I don't see lasting longer than a year. 35 years that tent has lasted!!!!!!!

YABU, You don't have to buy her lots of Barbies but let her have this one.

Give her a Barbie - but make it more realistic:

Hangover Barbie chickencrap.com/c.php?c=3965

Baglady Barbie barby.bertisevil.tv/pages/bagladybarby.htm

and my favourite, Fat Barbie www.buzzfeed.com/ries/fat-barbie-6y

TBH I think forbidding your DC certain toys like this is wanky Modern-Parents-Out-Of-Viz territory. Dolls are just dolls: kids play with them in a variety of ways, and a kid who has lots of different toys and a reasonably thoughtful family background will not be harmed by getting to play with some or other hard-sell corporate crap, as much as the kid might be distressed by being the only one in the playground unable to join in the game.