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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Toy featuring disabled child

139 replies

CliveH27 · 09/05/2012 22:18

I have just had an almighty row with my wife over this subject, and would be grateful for opinions please. Bear in mind that my wife comes from a country where disabled people are only just starting to be accepted into mainstream society. She has lived in the UK for 8 years, and we have a three year-old daughter.

The row erupted earlier today when my mother bought something for our daughter. It was a set of figurines (my daughter loves making up stories), and one of the figurines is in a wheelchair. As far as I am concerned, this is perfectly normal, but my wife has been unable to accept it. Although she accepts that our daughter will mix with a full spectrum of children as she goes through school, and claims she will have no difficulty with that, she looks upon these figurines as having been made for disabled children to play with, whereas I see them as being for all children to play with, partly as a way of helping them understand that children with disabilities are part of mainstream society.
Is there anyone on this list who can help me understand my wife's way of thinking?

OP posts:
2shoes · 09/05/2012 22:38

StealthPolarBear ahh but a toy can get a school bus and have a free car.
tell me more about this bus please

StealthPolarBear · 09/05/2012 22:39

I'm going to end up getting the bus ot for a play aren't I?? :)

WorraLiberty · 09/05/2012 22:40

Stealth I hope she didn't take up any buggy spaces?? Shock

Buggies should always take priority over wheelchair spaces

I read that on a thread once too Hmm

StealthPolarBear · 09/05/2012 22:40

I think it's ELC (except it can't be as none of the bits have dropped off) or maybe Fisher Price. Or maybe HppyLand - they look like HL figures. Erm...it looks like a bus. Has an obvious driver and passengers who I believe are all kids. It makes an annoying noise when you press on the driver's head. It has been annoying me since 2007 :o

amistillsexy · 09/05/2012 22:40

Wondering if the wheelchair using doll had better be kept out of the toy box. She/He really doesn't fit in there. We need to build a 'special' toy box for him/her and others like her/him.

StealthPolarBear · 09/05/2012 22:41

My stop sign is RRR RRR RRED!

2shoes · 09/05/2012 22:41

budgies always take priority
I was once at the rehab place and they have these toys that if you take their clothes of you can see all their insides. wonder what Clives wife would have thought

thatisall · 09/05/2012 22:43

I've never seen a toy with a disabled person. My dd is 9 now so maybe they came after she left her toddler years? I think its quite cool. What country is she from??

2shoes · 09/05/2012 22:44

they are very expensive

WorraLiberty · 09/05/2012 22:45

I've seen one...a South Park toy called Timmy I think?

StealthPolarBear · 09/05/2012 22:46

lol at budgies
Have another wine dear :o

wigglesrock · 09/05/2012 22:47

Its Fisher Price, I had almost forgotten about the stop sign being rrrrr red until dd3 discovered the bus and figures at my mums last week.

2shoes · 09/05/2012 22:47

I do think people talk bollocks.
toys with disabilities have been around for years,

zzzzz · 09/05/2012 22:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ABatInBunkFive · 09/05/2012 22:49

2shoes - what's very expensive?

buses
dolls
or budgies?

2shoes · 09/05/2012 22:49

or your mother doesn't like your wife.............

ABatInBunkFive · 09/05/2012 22:49
Grin
greenplastictrees · 09/05/2012 22:50

Can you point out to your wife that the toy represents society and has all sorts of people represented - disabled, able bodied, etc... How would she feel if there was a toy made of a child of a different race or someone who was supposed to represent a person from another country, your wives country perhaps (not sure what country this is) and other people felt that their child shouldn't play with it because of the differences?! Both are prejudiced and wrong but the later might put it into a context she can relate to better.

5madthings · 09/05/2012 22:50

we have a toy bus that comes with a little wheelchair for one of the people to go in and the door folds down and becomes a ramp for wheelchair access Grin its little tykes or our one is anyway :)

i think we have a few as i am sure some of the playmobile figures have wheelchairs etc. they are just toys that represent life, i am not sure what the issue is your wife is having?

2shoes · 09/05/2012 22:50

ABatInBunkFive
Budgies that have dolls in wheel chairs with 2 shoes are very expensive

ABatInBunkFive · 09/05/2012 22:51

yy - To the toys being round for years, i had the figure in the wheel chair that seems to be in every hospital play room, nothing moved on it, cast plastic, i think there was one with it's arm in a slig too. no wonder though those figures we indistructible!

BulletProofMum · 09/05/2012 22:51

Stealth. I have the bus - its a yellow school bus. Mine doesn't make any noise though.

Omg - I have a mute bus. Is that a disability?

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 09/05/2012 22:52

I think it may have done stealth Blush

Anyways op, have you considered leaving the bastard ??

5madthings · 09/05/2012 22:52

www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Tikes-Toddle-Tots-School/dp/B00000ISMO here this is the one we have a yellow bus with a wheelchair and a red stop sign! :)

StealthPolarBear · 09/05/2012 22:52

no ours is definiely red - don't think it's little tykes, could be wrong.
I need quicky witty retorts please for the next time my mum comments