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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not buy ds the barbie doll he really wants for Chrismtas?

62 replies

lollipopshoes · 28/10/2010 11:32

Am a big fan of not gender stereotyping children, but I really don't want him to have a barbie.

It's not so much the doll-ness, more the barbie-ness that I object to...

OP posts:
YeahBut · 28/10/2010 11:34

If you're happy to buy him a doll, buy him the one he wants.

GoreRenewed · 28/10/2010 11:35

Hate Barbie I must admit but he'll grow out of it. My DD did in about 6m IIRC

2blessed2bstressed · 28/10/2010 11:35

That'd be my objection actually - regardless of child's gender....I just feckin hate Barbie

WhatsWrongWithYou · 28/10/2010 11:38

My DS (now 15) longed for a Barbie, partly because pink was his favourite colour. I still feel bad that I didn't let him get the 'caring' impulse out of his system, and by the time DD had hers he was no longer bothered.
He did have a little buggy though!

CuppaMouldyBatBallsBrothJanice · 28/10/2010 11:38

I much prefer Barbie to all the Tiny Tears/Bratz/Baby Born crap. At least Barbie has a career and interests.

minipie · 28/10/2010 11:40

If you had a DD and she wanted a Barbie, would you buy her one?

If so, then get one for your DS. If not, then don't.

rubyrubyruby · 28/10/2010 11:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

minipie · 28/10/2010 11:41

Forgot to say, I really wanted a Barbie at one stage and was never bought one. Then I was given one a little while later and never played with it. I do think they are a passing phase for most children.

emmab5 · 28/10/2010 11:43

I agree with Cuppa barbie much better than those awful Bratz dolls.
My DS plays with my DD's barbies, prams etc I think if it's something he really wants then why not?

You could always get him 'Ken' too :o

Original poster
lollipopshoes · 28/10/2010 11:43

minipie - I don't know. DD1 had barbies when she was smaller, but I didn't mind them then as much as I do now. It's never been an issue with dd2 because she hates even the idea of dolls of any kind.

I don't think I would want a dd of mine to have barbies, so I don't want ds to have one.

OP posts:
Gory09 · 28/10/2010 11:44

I changed my opinion of Barbie after seing "toy story3" she is my new hero!Smile

KurriKurri · 28/10/2010 11:46

Well although Barbie is ..um... very Barbieish, in her defence I would say she encourages pretend play, imaginary scenarios, imaginary dialogue etc., she's also good for dexterity as those outfits and shoes are a hell of a fiddle to get on and off.

I'd say it depends how old he is, my DD was given one at 3yrs, and although she was quite keen on it, she absent mindedly chewed its feet off, and it suffered a bad case of snapped neck when one of its bloody jumpers wouldn't go on.

Original poster
lollipopshoes · 28/10/2010 11:47

he's 5

If I get him one, am I giving him the idea that all women are supposed to be 8ft tall with ridiculously thin waists and perky breasts?

OP posts:
bruffin · 28/10/2010 11:48

DS's friend really wanted a barbie for christmas, his parents were reluctant to buy it, but a relative bought him the princess barbie and carriage, he was thrilled. He is just a very camp boy and when he came to play he and ds ended up in dds fairy costumes and he asked DS if he wanted to go for "style" or "fashion" when they raided DDs hair slides.

Have no problem with barbie or bratz, there dolls nothing else, not sure what harm they are supposed to do. DD 13 lives in jeans hoody and no makeup, so they obviously had very little influence over her.

bruffin · 28/10/2010 11:48

"there" should be "they are"

Gory09 · 28/10/2010 11:50

"If I get him one, am I giving him the idea that all women are supposed to be 8ft tall with ridiculously thin waists and perky breasts?"

Unless every woman arround you does as well look like that, I would assume that by the age of 5 most children regardless of gender, know that women come in defferent height and shape.Smile

narkypuffin · 28/10/2010 11:51

I was going to say buy him one. Then I googled "Dr. Barbie" thinking that that one might be a bit less tacky and vile.

It's not

I think the fuck-me shoes might cause Health and Safety concerns at Hasbro General Hospital.

Buy him a different doll.

Gory09 · 28/10/2010 11:52

ROFL @ pink doctor outfit!

Sarsaparilllla · 28/10/2010 11:52

Get him one, it won't hurt, my brother had one of those kitchen cafe things that are aimed at girls really and it's no big deal.

If you bought one for a girl would you worry you were encouraging unachievable body images in her? You could get him both a Barbie & a Ken?

I'd rather a child had a barbie than an action man tbh, playing about war always feels so wrong to me.

Psychommead · 28/10/2010 11:53

Hmmm, most children's toys are exaggerrations or misrepresentations. IMO children realise early on that real puppy dogs aren't exactly like their stuffed toy, that cars are not quite as flashy, trains don't normally have a funnel for the steam and catepillars aren't made of lots of segments of different colours and don't wear lots of pairs of shoes.

Original poster
lollipopshoes · 28/10/2010 11:54

yes, sarsparilla, that would be my worry, whether it was dd or ds we were talking about

OP posts:
Psychommead · 28/10/2010 11:54

That was to lollipopsoes. Sorrt, I must have typed waaaay to slow.

bruffin · 28/10/2010 11:55

sarsaparilla- there was research when DS was little that boys who are allowed to act out, guns ,wars etc are less aggressive because they have a release for their feelings.

A friends who only had girls, had some boys over to play found the boys using the girls toy hairdryer as a gun!

Maria2007loveshersleep · 28/10/2010 11:59

I would agree with whoever said (don't remember who)- if you would be happy buying a Barbie for your DD, then buy one for your DS. If you would unhappy buying a Barbie for your DD, then don't buy it for DS. Simple.

CerealOffender · 28/10/2010 12:05

get him one from a charity shop. they are always full of 'down on their luck and fairly naked barbie'