To complain to ELC about the misogynist attitudes in Happyland?!?

[Bramshott]

DD2 was given a Happyland Rose Cottage for Christmas, which is great and she enjoys playing with. So far, so good. But I was at the packing which trumpets:
"Mr Barley teaches geography in Happyland"
and then
"Mrs Barley keeps the cottage tidy and clean"

Am I turning into a grumpy sod in my old age, or is this a really bad message to be sending out to young girls? Obviously DD2 can't read it, but DD1 (6) can.

I'm going to email them I think (quick, before you all tell me I am being unreasonable and need to get a life !)

christ cant you see this is not a WOHM / SAHM debate?

noone is saying there is anything wrong with individual choices just that one stereotype ONLY should not be rammed down kids throats.

Ooh, I've had a reply:
Dear Ms Ranty-lady-with-too-much-time-on-her-hands

Thank you for your recent email.
It's not our intention to promote stereotyping or sexism, especially to young, possibly impressionable children so I can only apologise that you feel this had been the case.
I have passed your email onto our buying team to review this at their next meeting.
Kind Regards
Ms Trying-not-to-chortle-lady
Early Learning Centre
Customer Services

Okay, case is closed for me - that's not a bad response and so I'm off to get a life!

LOL this thread is hilarious.
I really thought you were tongue in cheek at the misogynist bit but you really went ahead and emailed them
WOW
How on earth does that statement imply a hatred to women? Also how on earth are those two sentences ramming down stereotypes into our vulnerable children??
Now I hate the "pink pages and blue pages" of girls and boys toys in a catalogue as much as anyone else, but this all seems a little silly to me. Sure, the wording is a little clumsy and obvious - but it is only a statement on a bit of packaging. Nothing earth shattering.

This might not really be a WOHM/SAHM debate, but the thought that they are ramming it down throats and should have alternatives is nuts. It is like all the cute families in Sylvania with descriptions of all their jobs, hobbies etc. I wonder how you might have wished it worded?

Hmmm. Very bland isn't it? I know you said case closed but it would be interesting to reply saying that you'd like to see the minutes for that meeting.

I'd boycott elc but tbh the other toy shops are just as bad, if not worse.

I love the notion of 'possibly impressionable children'

Bless.

I really want to be at that next meeting. Maybe Mr Rose can be a home economics teacher and Mrs Rose can run a cottage industry from the loft conversion.

My husband is constantly asking what earth shattering issues I find so fascinating on this site. Maybe I should show him this thread!

I don't think you're being particularly unreasonable to feel pertubed by the gender stereotyping, but I think complaining about it is taking it a bit far. Surely we buy toys to meet the needs of our children, not buy an inappropriate toy and expect it to meet your needs. There are plenty of other toys (from the same range, even) that would not have had this gender role implication. Why did you not buy one of those instead?

Mr Camel builds towers for a living.
Alice the Camel keeps the apartment tidy and clean sluts about on Mumsnet, eating from a family bag of peanuts and hoping the kids don't wake up and spoil her fun.