To feel less than thrilled about pink mega bloks

[TeacupTempest]

that MIL has bought for DD 1st birthday?

I love my MIL. She is a star.
I also realise that many girls love pink.


I had just hoped to avoid the pinkification of my baby for a bit longer.

Surely normal mega bloks are gender less?

[MrsCantSayAnything]

I can see some might do that Tethers...just as some parents would still discourage their DS from choosing "girls toys" but eventually it would even out as things became less about separating things.

[MrsCantSayAnything]

Oh I know Bastard I know.

Sorry Curious for being rude. I do think it's best to read a thread fully and then respond accordingly.

[tethersend]

You see, I disagree with that, Mrs- I don't think it would even out without a 'push'- otherwise the parents are going to ensure that the divide remains, even if its impact is softened. Which, IMO, isn't bloody good enough

[MrsCantSayAnything]

It's getting a push already but these things take a long time.

[tethersend]

Is it?

Because most campaigns I see against the genderisation of toys are stigmatising pink and doing all the things I have described.

[MrsCantSayAnything]

It's not only the organised campaigns that make waves Tethers...parents do...even ones not involved in campaigns. We're the ones who buy or don't buy.

[fishcalledwonder]

I think it will continue as so many parents embrace it. As someone said upthread, if people didn't want them, pink toys wouldn't be made.

As a mother of a DD, I do not want any limits placed on her because she is a girl. She is currently only 1 so I can ensure she has access to all types of toys, pink pretty ones included. At this point, pink blocks would do no harm.

As soon as other influences creep in, I will be fighting against the narrow view of what it means to be a girl that is thrust at little girls from all angles. Yes she may 'choose' the pink, princessy path, but I feel that girls are being pushed down that path rather than choosing it for themselves.

[tethersend]

But even parents aren't impervious to the strong societal influences.

[CanonFodder]

YANBU, it never fails to strike me as completely ridiculous that everything a girl touches these days has to be pink. My DD is 7 and we have had to go out of our way to find things that are girly but not fuschia, in your face pukey pink OR sweet and sickly baby girl pink. DD hates the colour, as do I these days, mostly because of it's pigeonholing of females and because it is absolutely bloody everywhere!

[CanonFodder]

And the worst offenders have to be ELC. I just don't get why kids toys can't just be bright, funky colours, which could include pink, but not the pink overkill they currently are!

[MrsCantSayAnything]

Look Harrods open gender neutral toy dept

Ha! Good on them! Now when Tesco see fit to do the bloody same we'll be on the way.

[fishcalledwonder]

Don't fancy a trip to Knightsbridge every time I want to buy DD toys!

[MrsCantSayAnything]

Well I know. But it's a start.

[Portofino]

I am completely with Tethers on this one. Dd is asking for the Lego Friends stuff for Xmas, the marketing off which in France and Belgium is much more "ooh look they have invented Lego for girls" a good point made by Belgo when I was bemoaning the cost of the advent calendars the other day.
However she also want a chemistry set.

[Portofino]

I love the 1976 Argos calendar - it's like my childhood in a catalogue