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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to hide dd(5) Barbie birthday present.?

53 replies

bobdog · 26/04/2010 20:34

AIBU to hide the Barbie doll that DD, now 5, was given by a friend on her birthday?
After the party DD unwrapped her presents looked at it but was distracted and did n't even take it out of the box. She asked today about the 'doll' but did n't pursue it.

She does n't have any Barbie/fashion dolls yet.

OP posts:
kitsmummy · 26/04/2010 20:36

why on earth would you want to do that?

Hulababy · 26/04/2010 20:37

Why do you want to hide it?
Why do you feel your DD should not play with a barbie (or similar) type doll?
Do you believe it will cause her some "harm" in some way or affect the way she develops and grows up?

I don't get the anti-Barbie group. Can you tell? lol.

Now Bratz.......

bruffin · 26/04/2010 20:38

I don't get the anti barbie/bratz either, it;s insecure parenting!

Hobnobfanatic · 26/04/2010 20:46

BObdog - I've banned Barbies/Bratz etc, and DD has accepted that from tiny. If someone who doesn't know us well gives her one as a pressie, she hands it over for us to bin! It's up to you and whatever makes you comfortable. For me, they are not a positive image of womanhood and I'd prefer them not to be in DD's life. I can't protect her from all the horrible images of women on front covers in the newsagent shelves, btu I can control this small part.

Up to you!

florenceuk · 26/04/2010 20:47

DD has been given a number of barbies - they seem to be most useful when other little girls come to play. Other than undressing it, losing her clothes and drawing pen on Barbie's face, she plays most with her soft toys or (as in this morning) post-it notes, shells, playmobil - whatever comes to hand. Personally I'd chill out but if you feel strongly just hide it!

Bluebell99 · 26/04/2010 20:49

Yes I think so but then my dd was given a load of bratz by her cousin. I personally don't find barbie offensive. My dd is 8 now and her favourite fashion dolls atm are moxie dolls, but she has hsm dolls too, as well as lots of other toys, including more traditional ones. I really wouldn't hide barbie, surely she is going to mix with children playing with barbie and other fashion dolls. An early memory of mine, is being left out because I didn't have a barbie!

weloveyoumisshannigan · 26/04/2010 20:50

My 4yo has barbies. She is overly interested in fashion but my 6yo is overly interested in animals and I wouldn't hide his animal birthday presents. I want her to be able to play with toys she enjoys without patronising her interests or ridiculing her for being 'too girly'. I don't think that barbie is a negative influence. She is a doll, she can be whatever you want. Thats the point of dolls that aren't baby dolls.

Saying that I do 'regift' things that I think my dcs won't play with if they haven't noticed that they have got them and if they get anything I hate, such as something really noisy of something that is 4ft high and falls over every 15 seconds then I don't go out my way to direct the dcs towards them or fix them if they are 'broken'.

larks35 · 26/04/2010 21:06

I think you should let your DD have her barbie/pink phase TBH. My DNiece went through a pink and barbie phase from quite young (3ish). My DB was so pee'd off with it but his DW felt that she should be allowed to get on with it and over it (she was so right).

DNiece is now 11 and not at all barbified. I think she caught on that the whole barbie thing was not really approved of but not villified either. She got bored of it TBH, and of the friends that went overboard with it.

Don't make a big deal out it, let her have it, play with it, cut all it's hair off and get bored with it

Original poster
bobdog · 26/04/2010 21:20

Thanks everyone, I would n't have bought it but then thats the good thing about friends presents, you try other stuff. Felt a bit uneasy with it but you can't live in a bubble.

Am slightly concerned that it was very expensive, it's in a slightly battered box so I hope it was a regift. [New to present buying with school friends, we gave this friend colouring pens & books which was I thought a step up from the home made play doh I naively gave to someone else a few years ago]

OP posts:
pointydog · 26/04/2010 21:27

oh let her have it. Don;t ban it, just talk about it

SlartyBartFast · 26/04/2010 21:28

cannot understand this anti barbie feeling myself.
i think it was a veyr kind gift and there is no escaping the lure of barbie

onebadbaby · 26/04/2010 21:31

A Barbie doll alone won't negatively affect your dds view of women. My dd has Barbies but she also has lots of other good quality toys which are non gender specific to provide her with a balanced view.

EldonAve · 26/04/2010 21:31

At least it was a size you could hide - DD has been given a 3ft tall one

hellymelly · 26/04/2010 21:32

I haven't banned Barbies,I loved mine as a little girl,i only had the one as they were more expensive then,Sindy was the thing...But I did consider hidning the Bratz dolls my mother bought the girls for Christmas.Luckily DD1 didn't like hers and DD2 liked it for a day and then forgot about it.They are gruesome.

AntoinetteOuradi · 26/04/2010 21:34

Let her have it!!!!! Don't bother talking about it, either. Too worthy for words. Let her have fun with it. Barbies are great.

My DD has/had Barbies, and has now decided she loathes anythin pink, including Barbie. She has just started playing football after school, and loves it. I let her get on with the Barbie and Bratz thing, and am now letting her get on with football. Barbie hasn't polluted her mind for all eternity (or mine, either - I had loads of them when I was a child).

Shaz10 · 26/04/2010 21:34

My Sindys - I never had Barbies - got short haircuts and dye jobs with shoe polish. I also pierced her ears with drawing pins. And gave her tattoos. And dressed her up in my brother's Action Man clothes. She looked cool.

TheYearOfTheCat · 26/04/2010 21:49

My 4 yo loves her Barbies - and I think they are more anatomically correct these days than they used to be (smaller breasts, shorter legs, larger waists).

I can't bring myself to like Bratz though. (Although DD has some).

We also have some of the Barbie movies, and I actually think that some of them challenge gender stereotypes - my DD has decided she wants to be a muskateer!

chandellina · 26/04/2010 22:10

my instinct would be to "lose" it, but maybe it could actually act as a preemptive sexist doll by serving as a reason against buying bratz or such-like.

piscesmoon · 26/04/2010 22:15

I don't understand why you want to lose it-they love playing with them at that age.(if you wait they will be too old).

Original poster
bobdog · 27/04/2010 09:45

She found it this morning by her bed, she is very pleased and I'm not as upset by it as I thought. It's lovely to see her growing up and yes it turns out all her friends have got one etc.

I'll try and find some science/engineering accessories to go with the high heels

OP posts:
ChippingIn · 27/04/2010 12:06

Barbie can be a lot of fun and if you get a couple more barbies and some Kens it's great. Evesdropping Accidentally overhearing the conversations ... worth every penny!!

You can get a lot of great barbie clothes/stuff on Ebay...

Bratz - no way, no how.... tarty little madams!!

YarninMonkey · 27/04/2010 12:24

I was a complete barbie freak when i was a child (and sindy and pippa). My DD now 8 went through "a phase" of barbie and brats and now detests anything pink and girly. She loves sport and animals and most of her barbies where vets / came with dogs etc. I say let her get on with it, but tis up to you.

Mouseface · 27/04/2010 12:25

DD was given a Bratz for her 8th birthday, I swear to god this doll was styled on some sort of street walker.

It looked like it should've been named Miss Whiplash instead of Jessica or whatever its name was!

It did do magic though, it managed to disappear, all by itself!

bruffin · 27/04/2010 12:39

My DD had barbie and bratz and now only wears black skinny jeans and a hoody. They are only a doll, it's ridiculous control freakery to ban them.

Hai1988 · 27/04/2010 12:46

Am I the only one who doesn't understand this ???

What's the problem with Barbie's I played with them and if I have a daughter one day then, if she wants one I will get her one.

Can some1 please in-lighten me of the problem

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