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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to get daughter a LOL ball for xmas

57 replies

Mummyof287 · 02/12/2022 08:23

DD is 5yo.We have been battling against the whole LOL phenomenon for awhile now...although it was only brief mentions of it until she started school last year, but now she keeps getting excited by seeing anything to do with it in the shops and probably hearing/seeing others with LOL merchandise/toys at school.
I am generally not a 'follower' type of parent and I will stand my ground with things like having her own ipad, sleepovers and ear piercing (personal preferance) but I'm always abit on the fence with toys and some of the tv programmes too (she does watch some cbeebies stuff such as Dog Squad and Bluey, but also likes the youtube/netflix trashy american stuff 🙈)

LOL just seems so 'grown up' and if I'm honest 'sexualised' which I know DD won't get at her age, but my parents were careful what I was exposed to and it maintained my innocence and stopped me growing up too fast, which I want for her too, although I think sometimes they went abit far and I ended up being the 'odd one out' which i DON'T want for DD.
It's such a difficult balance!

She keeps asking for an LOL ball for Xmas.DH isn't too keen on the brand concept in general either, but thinks having the ball won't cause any negative influence.I'm not keen as I would rather keep her away from the whole thing, as i worry then she will want more LOL related stuff too.Also they're so expensive for not alot!

Usually we pretty much get her what she asks for (whilst not spending crazy money) but I'm unsure what to do here...

OP posts:
SeenAndNot · 02/12/2022 08:26

DD begged for one of the mega sets that cost £100 for Christmas last year. I could see it was plastic tatt. I got her one of the cheap basic one for her birthday and she never played with it. So glad I put my foot down on the £100 dire tatt.

get her a basic one and focus gifts spending on something more robust. Also ban the tv channel milkshake. Don’t let her see the ads.

thehorsehasnowbolted · 02/12/2022 08:28

YANBU OP

funtycucker · 02/12/2022 08:29

You need to let other parents know you don't want her playing with them then as they may buy them as presents for birthday parties as it's the most popular suggestion in my dad's class

funtycucker · 02/12/2022 08:29

DD not dad

Maray1967 · 02/12/2022 08:30

Years ago we got the set top box thing to get C Beebies - as I’d had enough of milkshake ads.
Try to find another way of letting her watch a bit of tv without the ads.

MamaFirst · 02/12/2022 08:31

I really hate the LOL plastic tat and veered strongly away from it until dd got over it. Maybe try introducing her to Polly Pocket or Hatchimals

jellybeanteaparty · 02/12/2022 08:42

It is a very difficult one to balance. I would get one thing in the range carefully chosen but make sure you have other exciting presents that she can play with. I think restricting it totally will make it more desirable. One year a branded bag at £120 was the thing all DD friends were getting - we got a pencilcase and a keyring in the same make which meant she didn't feel odd.

blue12345 · 02/12/2022 08:47

My issue with the LOL was with the big ball of plastic that they unwrap. It seems to be the thing they get most excited about and they then discard the doll itself!

So I went on EBay and bought a big bundle of LOL dolls and put them in a cute pink box with LOL stickers on it. She loved it and I got to only give her the cute LOLs and not the teenage LOLs which are very sexualised.

purpleme12 · 02/12/2022 08:53

The lol surprise dolls in a ball I don't think are bad.
They're the cheaper ones.
Mine has asked for an lol omg doll for Christmas (the Barbie sized ones) she's not specified which one but I'm steering away from the more 'grown up' ones - if you Google you might see what I mean.
Mine is 9 so older.
None of our lol surprise dolls are of concern though.

Mapletreelane · 02/12/2022 08:54

My very sensible and mature 13 year old DD loved LOL and we got one of the big balls years ago. She loved it. Yes it was plastic overpriced tat but it's what she wanted from Santa and just helped make her Christmas special. She was laughing about it recently (and slightly horrified) as now she realises it is overpriced plastic tat and so not what she is into now (sustainable fashion, crystals and loads of real plants).

Maybe you are slightly over thinking it. If you have the money then make her Christmas. The chances are one LOL ball is not going to shape her but her memories of magical Christmases will have an impact.

Rainlady · 02/12/2022 08:57

jellybeanteaparty · 02/12/2022 08:42

It is a very difficult one to balance. I would get one thing in the range carefully chosen but make sure you have other exciting presents that she can play with. I think restricting it totally will make it more desirable. One year a branded bag at £120 was the thing all DD friends were getting - we got a pencilcase and a keyring in the same make which meant she didn't feel odd.

What kids' bag is £120?!

VisitingThem · 02/12/2022 09:03

It seems to be cool on Mumsnet to hate Cbeebies, but lets face it channels like Milkshake are purely there to sell adverts and thus toys.

Littleguggi · 02/12/2022 09:09

I could have been you writing this thread a year ago, my DD then 5 was asking non stop for LOL plus she played with them at playdates so couldn't see why we wouldn't get her one. Anyway she ended up getting given one last Christmas and her collection has slowly expanded since. I did find them weird at first but they are actually quite cute. I always think the more you deprive someone of something, the more they desire it and why ruin your relationship over a toy.

Relocatiorelocation · 02/12/2022 09:11

LOL's are absolute tatt, but if that's what she really wants why won't you jostled her have one? Get the baby ball, they tend to be baby lols and just wear swim suits. Seems bit mean to me. My daughter has loads and hasn't become over sexualised by them.

bookworm14 · 02/12/2022 09:13

I am as feminist as they come, but I have no particular issue with LOLs. DD has loads and plays with them a lot, but never in a ‘sexualised’ way - they generally go camping! 😄 I can absolutely see the appeal - there are loads to collect, you can swap the clothes etc. Your choice obviously, but I wouldn’t worry about getting her a LOL if it’s something she really wants.

MissMaple82 · 02/12/2022 09:17

You sound a joy!

Catcharolo · 02/12/2022 09:19

If it’s just the ball thing for a tenner, get it. She probably won’t play much with it and they make quite good bath toys as they change colour and squirt water

Flamingogirl08 · 02/12/2022 09:23

I mean they're plastic rubbish but there's no harm in her having one. Those little surprise balls aren't too expensive and it sounds like she really wants it. I'd just buy her it, I think maybe you're over thinking it

honeylulu · 02/12/2022 09:25

They are a "must have" item for many little girls.

My daughter is 8 and this is the first Christmas for a few years they haven't been on her list. My only real objection was that they are so expensive for some tiny bits of plastic! Quite ugly too.
My daughter and her friends saw them as collectibles rather than toys. Part of the thrill with the ball ones is you don't know which one it will be. They're dressed up and accessorised and on display but not really played with.

The "sexualised" nature of them goes over their heads as barbie did with mine at that age. I'm one of the most ardent feminists I know so playing with barbies didn't do me any harm. There are pet versions and baby versions too which bypass that issue if you're worried.

DorritLittle · 02/12/2022 09:31

I got DD a small one. She was over the moon. You are overthinking it, IMO. Your DD is five and you are already planning to curb all the things she will love!

Lookthereisarobin · 02/12/2022 09:35

My DD (7) loves LOL and has quite a few bits. I noticed with the last LOL ball she got that they had made the ball out of card now instead of plastic, perhaps trying to cut down on plastic. Not sure if that's relevant or affects the decision in any way but I was quite pleased to see they had done that

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 02/12/2022 09:37

My Gdd1 was wild for a ‘teenage’ LOL last birthday - she was 7. Dd was extremely anti, overpriced tat, so much plastic, etc., urged me to find a 2nd hand one if I really had to.
But I still got her a new one, in a box - I wanted her to be delighted on her birthday, and she was.
AFAIK she’s lost interest now (that was in April) but TBH I don’t care. To me, presents for Christmas and birthdays are about making their eyes light up.
So I’d get it, OP.

WaddleAway · 02/12/2022 09:38

I think they’re hideous things but my DD’s love them and actually play with them a lot, so I’d rather buy them than something I like but that they won’t actually play with. They like putting them in the bath and ‘teaching them to swim’ and play schools etc with them.

casiopeena · 02/12/2022 09:39

My mum was like you with regards to plastic tat. I still remember how sad I was that she wouldn't let me have the my little ponies that everyone else had.

I agree now I'm a parent, they are terrible for the environment (LOLs seem especially bad for this) and weird for small girls but they love them so I think occasionally you should let go of your principles and give your daughter what she wants.

I have drawn the line at massive plastic dolls houses though

Comedycook · 02/12/2022 09:40

My dd had a very brief obsession with lol stuff... until I bought her one. Opening it was the only bit she enjoyed to be honest. The doll got lost under the sofa and I binned it. She never noticed and didn't ask for one again. I'm not a big fan of them but if I was you I would probably get her one...stuff like this means a lot when you're a kid.