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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to be upset at barbie?

176 replies

thatcrookedsmile · 14/04/2023 15:19

My daughter has just come in crying from yet another broken barbie.

This is because companies purposely make their products inferior to their older designs in order to ensure their product breaks or doesn't last. It's called planned obsolescence and its a bloody joke! when I was a child (90s-2000s) we used to be able to pop a barbie head back on. Now we can't because they've purposely changed the design to stop that, so you have to buy a replacement.

Well they've lost themselves a customer, after After years of buying barbie for my children and for other children as they are a good, sturdy toy, I'll have to stop. Despite her dirty face this barbie is only a couple of weeks old and the 5th since the last birthday (1.5 years ago) to snap, only to be binned.

I'm really annoyed, I've sent my first angry email.

OP posts:
Devoutspoken · 14/04/2023 16:12

Victim blaming somewhat, its not her fault

BellaJuno · 14/04/2023 16:13

Can you glue it back on then stick a turtle neck jumper on her?

35965a · 14/04/2023 16:13

My DD has had no issues with her Barbies and she and her brother aren’t exactly gentle with them.

PuffinsRocks · 14/04/2023 16:14

Barbie dolls are definitely not the same quality, you used to be able to bend their legs and some of their arms and now they are just rigid. How is she supposed to sit on a chair or drive a car? That said we've not lost any heads yet and I remember in the 90s when a head came off a doll you had to push them all the way down to the shoulders so the headless ones ended up with no neck or they'd just fall off again easily.

BellaJuno · 14/04/2023 16:15

I do agree though that toys are more breakable - we’ve still got my old Hungry Hippos game and it works perfectly well. But my nephew’s version broke within a few goes as the plastic was way more lightweight and brittle when gobbling those balls.

Lostinplaces · 14/04/2023 16:18

Victim blaming and a request for a trigger warning so far. Mumsnet at its finest. Anyone logged it with 101 yet?

Poppasocks · 14/04/2023 16:18

My DH has a phobia of dolls. DD1 (8) and DD2 (6) hide the heads under his pillow 😁😁😁

Arewehumanorarewecupboards · 14/04/2023 16:24

Surely you just make a neck brace? She goes to hospital and gets a bandage.

Planned adolescence? Do you mean that when a child is approaching adolescence that all of their toys fall apart?

Arewehumanorarewecupboards · 14/04/2023 16:24

Lostinplaces · 14/04/2023 16:18

Victim blaming and a request for a trigger warning so far. Mumsnet at its finest. Anyone logged it with 101 yet?

She needs to LTB

Arewehumanorarewecupboards · 14/04/2023 16:25

PuffinsRocks · 14/04/2023 16:14

Barbie dolls are definitely not the same quality, you used to be able to bend their legs and some of their arms and now they are just rigid. How is she supposed to sit on a chair or drive a car? That said we've not lost any heads yet and I remember in the 90s when a head came off a doll you had to push them all the way down to the shoulders so the headless ones ended up with no neck or they'd just fall off again easily.

She used to drive her old beetle with straight arms and legs. I was so confused when I started driving

iamnottoofatiamjusttooshort · 14/04/2023 16:25

That Barbie couldn't manage a massive salad now

denim1700 · 14/04/2023 16:27

Buy second-hand. Car boot sales. Good quality barbies where dozens can be bought for a tenner. Unless they are rare, limited edition versions in pristine boxed condition, old Barbies are usually pretty cheap. I don't recommend Ebay, where prices have gotten silly.

stbrandonsboat · 14/04/2023 16:30

I bought a vintage 1970s Sindy off ebay. There's Barbie's on there too and vintage outfits.

pishkashante · 14/04/2023 16:34

I'm afraid the life of a barbie doll went from years and years to less than a few months.

Barbie died due to living up to unrealistic body proportions, including an 18 inch waist. RIP Barbie. Stay happy in the Malibu Beach Dreamhouse in the sky.

FancyFanny · 14/04/2023 16:35

But the head just hasn't popped off that Barbie- she's completely snapped the neck. That has never happened to any of my dd's dolls!

BeardyButton · 14/04/2023 16:35

thatcrookedsmile · 14/04/2023 15:24

Because she's actually a 6ft 4 man who eats them for breakfast....

Show quote history

😂😂😂

CaveatmTOR · 14/04/2023 16:36

I grew up with the indestructible Barbies but they were ugly compared to the modern version. I still have mine somewhere but I was a much bigger Pippa fan. Dad made Pippa and her friends a flat out of a packing case and she had a Hygena QA kitchen. The 70's were something else!

Itakecreaminmycoffee · 14/04/2023 16:36

What about Sindy? Do they still make Sindy dolls?

I always preferred Sindy as a child as I thought she was a bit more”normal” looking with a chubby face!

Dullardmullard · 14/04/2023 16:39

Seriously you didn’t take the heads off the barbies

I did, my kids did, the grandkids do

I buy second hand toys these days plus a bit of superglue will fix that no problem

Needmorelego · 14/04/2023 16:41

@Itakecreaminmycoffee you can get Sindy exclusively in Argos and Sainsbury's.

HouseByTheSeaside · 14/04/2023 16:47

Aside from reinforcing a sexist stereotype & creating more plastic to damage our ecosystem, Barbies have made her cry. Maybe try a different toy?

Original poster
thatcrookedsmile · 14/04/2023 16:48

She doesn't play especially rough, she plays a lot nicer than I did as a child

OP posts:
horridjobescapee · 14/04/2023 16:50

I would've proof read that email before I sent it if I was you. Or asked for suggestions here.

Needmorelego · 14/04/2023 16:50

@HouseByTheSeaside "sexist stereotype" ?
You haven't looked at the huge collection of Barbie's of all shapes, sizes, colours, careers etc that are out there these days have you.

gwrachod · 14/04/2023 16:53

How about a Lottie doll? They're child dolls instead of being an adult woman and are a more realistic shape.

They pop back on. Or, at least I know their legs definitely do, DD was forever pulling them off, poor Lottie!

https://uk.lottie.com/

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