To feel sorry for this boy and silently judge his parent?

[RachelWatts]

Little boy aged about 6 or 7, desperately wanted to play a particular game on the WII. His dad wouldn't let him because the main character in the game was a princess so it was therefore a girl's game.

His dad gave him a proper telling off about it.

I used to get infuriated when McDonalds would have a hot wheels/princess toy in their happy meal and we would get asked "is it for a boy or a girl?" or the server would presume that because I had my 2 sons with me that they wanted the car.

I actually wrote and complained once and they replied about 2 months later to say they couldn't understand my complaint as the current toy wasn't hot wheels/princess.

I heard my neighbour yell at her boy for trying to play with a doll the other week. People are ridiculous

Although on a positive, DH's niece is so into Spider-Man that on her birthday she wore her Spider-Man costume and made herself a matching bear at Build-a-Bear. And her mum is super into gender stereotypes. So maybe there is some hope!

Owl that annoys the crap out of me too! When the drive through woman asked me if I had girls or boys I did challenge her and said they'd decide on the toy choice. bloody kids still chose hello kitty

All very odd. Don't some parents remember what its like being little and having your heart set on something, and not getting it?

Someone recently told me that after their little girls birthday all the 'unsuitable' presents were being squirrelled away. By this they meant anything pinky, sparkly, princess or Disney. I used to do that same with Moonsand but that was to preserve my rugs and my own sanity.

Now, I wasn't into dolls as a child, but I'm sure I was a girly girl (wasn't into pink but this was the 70s and I'm not sure anything existed that wasn't orange or brown). My sister was a tomboy (action men, toy helicopters, cars, cowboys, space etc) and our parents bought us what we liked - not what they thought we should like.

This gives me the rage! My DS (3) has a wooden kitchen with play food and pans, ect, a vacume and play jewellry like necklaces that he loves to wear.
He also has train sets, cars and Lego.

My dsdad doesn't like it but one of DSs favorite games at the moment is pretending he's a ballerina

I couldn't care less, as long as he's happy he can play whatever he likes (except serial killers...I draw the line at that )

my ds decided he wanted a girl doll for his 5th birthday as he already had a boy doll. DH found one of about the same size and now looks through charity shops to find clothing for the dolls (both came naked and ds likes dressing them).

Both my sons have build a bears af whatever they chose and DS loved wearing a dress as a pre schooler - even now when asked if he wants an elsa dress hes saying no, but i think secretly may want one

I have had mums at work not wanting their toddler boys wear fairy wings buzz lightvyear costumes are fine though, although one of the boys was a real rebel and had the buzz costume on with some princess play shoes

Stbx is like this with both boys. He told them they could choose a toy for their birthdays and then wouldn't let our 5yo choose the princess toy he wanted. We got into a huge argument over it. Just so frustrating.

For Christmas ds2 (5yo) wants superhero mashers and a frozen (elsa) dress. Stbx will go nuclear but I don't care. Am planning on getting it anyway.

Ooops - thanks, squeezy !

For the posters who've commented on my post re genders of avatars, non of ourWii games have only male avatars (the exception being the Spongebob game).

But they are all fairly gender-neutral. Except of course for the Disney Princesses games (enjoyed by my elder boy until he was about 8/9) and a horsey one (still enjoyed by my younger boy at 7). Why should it be assumed that only girls want sparkly Disney adventures or a virtual pony to groom and ride?

I'm not bothered by my boys using female avatars, but some daft people are, so why not include a male avatar?

our son once had his fingernails painted at playgroup and some other kids mocked him :(

but there's a boy about 6 or 7 at swim class who wears a girls'bikini. Pretty and pink. Good for him and his parents I say, even if you do blink the first time you see it.

I've got 3 ds and they've all had, over the years, kitchen centres, toy hoovers, washing machines etc., and loved playing with them. They've also had footballs, tool sets and cars. And guess what? Any girls they've had over, have enjoyed playing with those, too. And they don't even have to be pink!

YANBU

I would have said to him it to be so stupid. Judging silently achieves nothing. Speaking out against ridiculous sexism is surely preferable?

I definitely would have been quite vocal about challenging something like that. Gender 'typed' toys have become more and more prevalent since I was a child (70's) and it's very sad to believe restricting a child's imagination is good for them.

Hate it when people could speak up but don't. If he hadn't let the kid play a game because the character was black/Asian/Jewish, would the op also have "silently judged"? Where does silent judging get anyone?

This sort of thing is so annoying. I volunteer doing face painting and a little girl wanted to be a bat (the face painting is animal themed) her parents said she should go for something 'pretty' instead so she was a butterfly. Why on earth couldn't she have been a bat? Ridiculous.

I once saw a mum telling her son he couldn't have strawberry flavoured toothpaste as it was pink & 'pink is for girls'!!!!!!!!

Since when have only girls been able to have strawberries!?!

Makes you wonder what 'boys' toothpaste would taste of. Worms? Mud? Tractor oil?

Seriously, people kick off over toothpaste packaging?? Ds2 has ninja turtles on his current toothpaste, however, he's already asked to have the hello kitty tube for next time (which is fine by me as long as he's brushing his teeth!!).

YANBU. My son and niece are the same age (3). When they see each other on a weekend, the first thing they do is check out the other toys that the other one has brought with them. Its new, exciting and something different regardless of whatever "gender" the toys are for. Its sad to tell a child off for taking an interest in something

When I was expecting, lots of DH family said they hoped we were having a boy, as girls only like dolls and pink stuff! I had to say it was very short sighted to just assume that. As a kid I was into lego, space, football, tennis stuff, only ever had 2 dolls in my life. DSis on the other hand, had everything pink and cute and glittery. Which just goes to show it has nothing to do with how you are brought up, you are what you are and that should be celebrated and encouraged.

How many boys could be missing out on developing and utilising their skills and talents in caring roles, teaching, catering or any other "assumed feminine roles" for example? The same can be said of girls missing out, especially when the media is full of "role models" prancing about practically naked.

My ds has always loved having his nails painted.
He loves being "princess peaches" when we play mario, and goes through phases of wanting to be mummy (which involves wearing my clothes!!)
I don't care, his dad does a bit but would never think of banning anything!

One of my DSs favourite toys was an iron and an ironing board which an elderly aunt of mine bought for DD.

The fixation with ironing did not last into adulthood though, he now pays someone to iron is work shirts!