To think that little girls may also like cockroaches?

[DrSeuss]

A local party provider does animal encounter parties. They offer a girls' package, (guinea pigs, hedgehogs, gerbils, rabbits, chinchillas) and a boys' party, (cockroaches, bull frogs, tarantulas, scorpions.)

Eh? Did I miss the parenting memo that says that cute and fluffy is for girls, more hard core animals are for boys? How will girls ever learn not to scream at spiders if they only get to view and touch rabbits?!

Blimey!

More ridiculous stereotyping. Did you feed back to them?

No, but I will not be booking!

YANBU and I would be asking the party provider why they think this is acceptable.

My friend once refused to invite my dd to her ds's party (they were good friends!) on the grounds that he was having a football party and "it was only for boys; football is for boys". She didn't even bother to make something up about space/numbers.

My DD would be very disappointed with the "girls" animals! How sad we still encounter this sort of stereotyping in 2014!

Yes, that's another point. My daughter has seen rabbits, guinea pigs and gerbils many times. No interesting animals, plus gender stereotypes. Think we'll get a bouncy castle instead!

Is is ridiculous! Surely it would be better to have a "soft and fluffy" and a "creepy crawly" option.

Now, would that be a blue bouncy castle, or a pink one .

Gender stereotyping is awful. At nearly 7, dd1 just has friends: not boy friends, not girl friends, just friends. She loves kicking a ball about just as much as she loves playing with dollies.

Why on earth would you not feed back to them?

Coming here for a grumble with like minded souls won't change anything if we don't bother to let the provider know what we think.

Ok,mozne, I will email them. I will let you know what they say.

Very sad. I do agree with them having two different packages by the by- but why must they be called girls and boys instead of "fluffies" and "nasties" or whatevs.

Ridiculous!!

Have emailed.

Reminds me of the time DD was invited to a superheroes and princesses party. She was the only female superhero.

Post their details, I'll email too!

How daft! This kind of thing really annoys me, but as I have boys in the reverse. The fact that people find it odd if they like pink, or want to push a pram when they are toddlers.

I think a 'creepy-crawly' and a 'fluffy' or whatever is fine, but the gender stereotyping is awful. However YABU to think anybody could like cockroaches . Horrible things. (Mind you my two (girl and boy) did think they were brilliant when then were younger)

Stupid stereotyping but I must admit the cockroaches would put me off, then again my Dbro screeches more seeing bugs! I had no idea anyone liked roaches shudders

My DS would like the fluffies! He was also the only mer-boy at a recent mermaids and pirates party ( his choice)

I can't see either package holding children's attention for more than 5 minutes anyway.

Kids see rabbits and hamsters all the time.

Bit boring really.

My dd had a miniature pony party, the boys LOVED dressing up the ponies and playing the games as much as the girls. They were even playing with the my little pony toys indoors at lunch. Some of my dd's male friends would much prefer a bunny to a cockroach, and one of her female friends is obsessed with insects, especially snails!

Crazy - I loved creepy crawlies as a girl, volunteered to have a snake round me in front of half the school and have held a tarantula as an adult.

How stupid imagines DP screaming and getting stuck in the doorway if he walked into the boys party

I'll be interested to see if they reply. It's just ridiculous to stereotype in this way.

Also - if you want the cockroach party for your little girl I doubt they will refuse the booking just because you're not booking for a boy!!

DP works at a zoo and is often involved with children parties, behind the scenes torus for schools and animal encounters/be a zookeeper days. Interestingly, he finds girls are more likely to want to hold cockroaches as well as the African land snails and stick insects, millipedes too, and boys are more likely to want to handle the snakes or the tarantula. It doesn't mean anything at all, I was always the one who loved creepy crawlies (we have a scorp and two tarantulas now, although they aren't the most exciting of pets).