To think that 9 isn't too old to be playing with dolls?

[Dresses123]

I'd absolutely love to know if I'm being unreasonable. My daughter is 9, she likes her dolls still, it's not an issue. However, DM thinks I should slowly discourage her from playing with them. What do you think? I think 9 is still young, she has no interest in electronics, just her dolls, which I'd much rather!

Totally fine. I have 10 year old twins and they still play with dolls and teddies.

I don't think there is anything wrong with that at all, I know several children around this age and one or two slightly older that still love to play with dolls and still insist on taking them everywhere with them

Your right to let your DD decide what she's interested in.

They change a lot in the last year of Primary, to when they start High School.

There are a lot of girls that still have dolls etc around, at 11/12.

Then they suddenly want their room re-decorated, because everything around them is too 'babyish'.

Absolutely fine and I actually think older children should be encouraged to play with toys. We seems to live in this weird society today where many people are losing touch with what is age appropriate and it's as though people are in a terrible hurry for their young children to become mini teenagers...

Ignore DM. Nothing wrong with your DD still playing with dolls.

Perfectly fine. They grow up too quick

Not at all, kids should be kids as long as possible (well, within reason ) I was definitely still playing with barbies at that age. Her tastes will naturally change through the teen years.

Ignore her, my ten year old still plays with dolls. You can see it fading in the sense that she would never ask for them or but new ones but will happily play with what she has.

I played with barbies till I was old enough too, not sure what she I was but old enough that they were hidden and only taken out in secret, 13/14 maybe

No definitely not too old. I say just enjoy it while it lasts

She'll stop when shes ready, in the meantime let her play with what she wants! (Well not plastic explosive or guns etc.. within reason)..

36 years old, I still 'play with dolls' (ok, I make felted sculptures, and customise MLP and Breyer horses)...

I'm 29 and still play with dolls If there's an age limit I didn't get the memo

She's got the rest of her life to be a grown up, let her enjoy her dolls as long as she wishes, childhood is too short as it is

How very sad that anyone would think that a little girl of 9 years old is too old to play with dolls! Childhood is short enough as it is; let's not make it even shorter!

Incidentally, I was 8 when I was given my first "teenage doll" for Christmas. It was a Tammy doll. Anyone remember those? At age 12 I bought myself a Tressy doll with my birthday money and I loved designing and making clothes for her until I was about 15!

9? Throw all the dolls out immediately and buy her some 4 inch heels and 20 Marlboro ;)

My 11 yr old still does and I suspect would for longer into the future, were she not so worried her friends will find out and mock her.

My 9 year old DD was playing with dolls last night. It wouldn't enter my head that there was anything odd about it!!!

I played with mine until about 13, so probably later than average by the 90s. It waa just one of the things I did when I was in the house which was most of the time due to living in the opposite direction to school friends and having no outdoor space other than our garden. I didn't advertise it to people, but there were no negative consequences to it.

Why rush to turn young girls into teenagers/ women for the sake of it? Play is very important to children and they need it longer than society expects it to before it's considered "childish".

There's nothing wrong with it at all! Yanbu

Why on earth would you discourage her? Your DM is being very silly.

My MIL still has about 20 dolls and she's 66

My friend and I used to take our dolls out in prams until we were at least 11 (simpler times!) She will grow out of dolls naturally when she's ready.

Definitely not too old I played with dolls until I was 14

Not too old and maybe she just likes dolls, lots of adults do.

If my 12 year can still play with lego, your 9 year old can still play with dolls!

Not too old, they grow out of it in their own time. We had a pile of old baby annabelles and pushchairs in the playroom and at the last sleepover dd's friends (11 yrs old) dug them out and were charging about with them, then settled down on sofa bed with a doll each. I thought it was lovely and they obviously did too.

I played with them until around 12 - my parents couldn't afford Barbie's et al till I was around 9 so when I did get them I was so thrilled