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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To NOT want my daughter to have BRATZ doll given to her for her 6th birthday

95 replies

chocolatekimmy · 16/05/2007 13:29

She was given a Bratz Spring Break doll on Satuday but I don't want her to have it. A few people had asked for ideas for presents and I said anything girly but not Bratz or make up please. That was fine but another friend wouldn't have known about my concerns - hence the doll.

What gets me is that on the back it says

"FLIRTY FUN! Heads turn as you cruise the sand in the newest beachwear - its soft sweet and irresistible"

I just don't think its appropriate for a 6 year old at all - its all to do with the sexualising of young children. I don't even want to explain what the word flirty means. Needless to say the outfit is tarty, a see through mesh belt - I mean skirt - and tiny boob tube type thing. I also don't want to get into the detail of why I don't want her to have it.

I am thinking of offering her £10 in exchange so she can go and choose something else herself - what would you do?

Lastly, what if the mum asks me or her if she liked her present?

OP posts:
morningpaper · 16/05/2007 13:31

Unless the parent had actually GIVEN it to her there and then, I would just shove it in a charity box

Unless she is likely to ask your DD - in which case I would give it to her

wouldn't bother with money for an alternative

TooTicky · 16/05/2007 13:32

Yuck yuck yuck. They are made in an appalling factory too. Offer her the money. Be politely evasive with the other mother if necessary - or be honset if you're feeling political

Boredveryverybored · 16/05/2007 13:33

Not unreasonable. My dd got a bratz doll for her 6th birthday a few months ago, I sold it on ebay and gave her the mony to buy something new.
Ours came from a family member we see very rarely, and was infact not even there to give it to her herself so I didn't have to worry about being asked about it.
If she asks I think I'd just say dd doesnt really like bratz so we swapped for something she really wanted I hope thats ok.
No point in lying I think, kids will always grass you up anyway

Pamina · 16/05/2007 13:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hulababy · 16/05/2007 13:35

I don't like Bratz; think they are horrid things. However as it was apresent I woud not remove it from my DD, and DD would send a thank you letter as normal. Chances are it will end up at the bottom of the Barbie type pile anyway and not be used that much.

MrsApron · 16/05/2007 13:36

I totally agree. Ditch it. Just smile and nod re present not worth making a fuss over.

My 3 yes 3 year old was given one for her birthday, the sleepover one with make up.

Given I might add by my BIl/SIl. The ones with a 9 year old who is not allowed bratz.

I cannot decide what to think about it at the moment I am ignoring it. Oh and the Brataz thing left the house with my sister to give to her friends little girl who is allowed such horrible things.

Chandra · 16/05/2007 13:37

My only concern about forbiding the toy would be that she would grow more interested in them. I wouldn't make a big deal of it TBH, I guess I would allow her to play with it asn as soon as the interest diminishes (between 45 minutews and a week) I would make it disapear.

Itsthawooluff · 16/05/2007 13:37

Oh Lor, please don't get me started on this one. Last time I had a rant on MN about sexualising of children, via "Pl*bo" stationery at WH Smiths, some twonk thought it was hilarious to replace the MN shop with pictures of naked ladies .

I hate Bratz dolls and all they stand for with a vengeance, but wouldn't make a big thing out of it with my dd, in case it somehow got mentioned to the donor. Yes, I really am so English I get twisted with potential embarassment in situations like this.

We just "lost" the Bratz doll, when we went out somewhere......... horrible, devious bag that I am.

binkleandflip · 16/05/2007 13:38

I dont like bratz at all - my five year old daughter has been bought bits and bobs of bratz for christmas and new year (despite my loud musings that it was tatt) and so I wouldnt take them off her but when she's lost interest (about a week later!!) they would be put in a drawer of binbag. Was most cross with my dh for buying her a bratz dvd as a treat - as if he didn't know I hate them - he was sent back to the shop with it!

Itsthawooluff · 16/05/2007 13:39

Blast - forgor about the double star meaning bold - s/be Pl*oy" with a ayb in the middle.

mrsflowerpot · 16/05/2007 13:40

Break it or lose it. Works every time.

lolamummy · 16/05/2007 13:40

My dd was given Bratz for her 5th birthday by my dsis who otherwise objects to girls/boys toys. I let her play with it (well it was opened there and then ) and eventually it'll find it's way to the charity shop/bottom of the bin.

hatwoman · 16/05/2007 13:41

I don;t get why anyone would buy one as a present. unless you're a total eejit you'd know that a substantial number of people find them revolting. so why - regardless of what you ourself think - would you take the risk? I was quite annoyed when dd got lip gloss for her 4th birthday. isn't it obvioulsy something that I might object to? can people really not find unobjectionable presents? If she hasn't got it/played with it I'd buy it off her. If she has I'd probably loose it in the bottom of my wardrobe in a few weeks time...

Itsthawooluff · 16/05/2007 13:43

Wonder where all these lost / charity shopped / dumped dolls end up? Some kind of Bratz elephants graveyard? Where their permanently overmade up faces and perky bosomed bodies never molder but are preserved in plastic hell

lolamummy · 16/05/2007 13:45

My dd got a lot of makeup for her last birthday. I do wonder at people who buy makeup for a 5/6 year old .

binkleandflip · 16/05/2007 13:47

Just been sorting a bag for the charity shop - can you BELIEVE I was actually too embarrassed to put dd's bubble-blowing bratz doll abomination in their and binned it instead! Did not want the nice ladies at sue ryders associating me with such an item!!

Itsthawooluff · 16/05/2007 13:48

Votive offerings to Barclaya - the goddess of shopping and shoes ?

LittleMouseWithCLogsOn · 16/05/2007 13:48

YABU

foxybrown · 16/05/2007 13:49

Things in our house have a tendancy to mysteriously disappear after a week or so...

fennel · 16/05/2007 13:51

I used to remove presents I thought were unsuitable but since the dds were about 5 I haven't as they'd notice and mind. It can be the sort of thing children remember for decades "My mother threw away all my birthday presents" etc.

dd2 got loads of Make up/Nail party/Bedroom party crap for her 5th birthday. We let her keep it, but after a few months I removed it and threw it away then, she hasn't noticed.

horrifiedmum · 16/05/2007 13:55

LittleMouseWithCLogsOn - Oh my god, how can marketing/manufacturing aimed to sexualise young girls be reasonable?

LIZS · 16/05/2007 14:00

I've trained dd to think Bratz are ugly !!! No way would she want to keep it.

WigWamBam · 16/05/2007 14:01

Because the child doesn't know that adults think it sexualises them, that's why. The child just thinks it's a funky doll, one that all her friends play with. Six year olds neither know nor care that real women don't look like this. They just like playing with dolls.

Little girls don't look at their toys the same way that adults do. We know that they're selling an unattainable image; 6 year olds don't - and by the time they work it out, they're too old for dolls.

It'll end up stripped of it's clothes and dumped in a drawer somewhere anyway.

Hulababy · 16/05/2007 14:02

TBH I don't think one Bratz doll in the house is going to cause your DD any issues. I don't like them. I don't encourage them. I would never buy one. But to ban them entirely I think might be making more out of it than there really is.

Hulababy · 16/05/2007 14:03

WWW: "It'll end up stripped of it's clothes and dumped in a drawer somewhere anyway. "

Oh I so agree. I spend ages every so often redressing DD's dolls, only for them to all be undressed again after the next play. Grrr!