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Original poster

dolls for boys.. does your son have one?

94 replies

treacletart · 04/04/2005 15:48

I recently bought a 2nd hand baby doll for my ds (21m) because he's developed a real fascination with babies and enjoyed playing with my friend's sons' doll.

We took it to Tescos with us this morning and it raised a few comments and even a laugh from an older boy. I'll probably dissuade him from letting his doll become a comfort toy because I'd hate for him to be teased about it, but is it really that strange for a boy to have a doll? Am I being overly PC? Isn't it perfectly normal and even important to foster his caring side? What do you think?

OP posts:
mumtochloe · 05/04/2005 15:04

Without sounding rude I am a little shocked. After all, the whole point of a toy is that it is fun for the child and hopefully educational too. DD has shown interest in cars and has a garage at home and I also do not feel this is wrong. Boys will grow up to be Dads after all with their own live babies to look after. I can understand the kids can be cruel comment because they can, but who gives these kids the opinion in the first place - kids are not born knowing sterotypes. Would you allow your sons to play with dolls in the privacy of your home Laneyday if this is what they want to do.

Gosh - never thought I was a liberal mum up until now!

tarantula · 05/04/2005 15:07

dss now 13 had a doll when little. It was a cabbage patch and was a boy. It had a pair of combat trousers and a red and black jumper (made by me) and lots of boys thought it was cool. Think boys should play with whatever they like.

dd on the other hand has got a stuffed toy axe (also made by me) I was going to make a doll but thought taht was a bit boring

tykeylady · 05/04/2005 15:07

I bought DS one when he was younger much to DH's alarm. He played with it a little but is now not interested in it at all.
I think it is fine for him to have a doll.

tarantula · 05/04/2005 15:15

Just remembered something too. Dss uncle did once make some comment about dss turning out to be 'a nancy boy' as he so charmingly phrased it if he played with dolls. I nearly ate him alive both for thinking taht there would be anything wrong with that and that playing with dolls would make any difference. I was so annoyed but he just grinned and said 'know just what to do to get you, dont I' gggggrrrrrrr hes such a wind up merchant.

laneydaye · 05/04/2005 16:03

imo... there is quite a difference between a cabbage patch kid and a boy walking around with a doll and pram set....

like i said before my ds plays with dolls (polly pocket i think) and i dont make a fuss about it, but the answer is no i personally wouldnt buy a doll for ds to play with even in the privacy of our own home...

Bozza · 05/04/2005 16:10

DS went through a phase of beign interested in dolls when DD was born. Knew DH wasn't really into buying him a doll so bought DD (then only a few months old so not interested) a my first baby annabel which DS used to play with, putting a blanket over it and telling us to be quiet etc. He's not really interested now but I think that reflects the changes in our real life baby - she's less like a doll now and more like an in-your-face-toy-pinching creature.

Easy · 05/04/2005 16:14

My ds played with dolls at the childminders house, and I don't mind at all. Now he's 5 1/2 he's mainly grown out of it.

I think if a boy want's to play with a doll sometimes there is no problem at all. After all, no one make a fuss about girls playing with a train set, do they?

Pinotmum · 05/04/2005 16:15

My ds is 2.6 yo and plays with his sister's dolls and pushes them around in a stroller. He has a couple of boy dolls of his own - rag doll types. I don't stop him playing with them as I can't see the harm.

nutcracker · 05/04/2005 16:16

My Ds loves playing with his sisters dolls, buggies, handbags, shoes, dresses etc. Dp does his nut but it doesn't bother me one bit.

Cha · 05/04/2005 16:16

My ds (19 months) has a buggy and a dolly and they are two of his favourite toys. That and his cars. Who cares what they play with as long as they are happy doing it? Boys will be Dads one day - are we saying that men should not care for and hold their own babies? Pur-lease.

huggybear · 05/04/2005 16:17

ds1 baths his 'babies' and its a great way of washing his hair with out him having a screaming fit!

wild · 05/04/2005 16:20

toy axe tarantula pmsl
whatever made you think of it

tarantula · 05/04/2005 16:24

Hi Wild We do Viking reenactmets and she needed an 'authentic' toy but thougth that a doll was a bit boring so made her an axe instead. She didnt get to play with it much as all the 'men' kept nicking it to playfight with

wild · 05/04/2005 16:28

oh, that makes more sense
I was intrigued!

tarantula · 05/04/2005 16:36

lol does sound a bit weird alright Just so used to it dont really think about how weird it sounds. Have got plans to make her a doll tho complete with helmet and knitted chain mail but havent got round to it yet.

tigermoth · 06/04/2005 08:25

what about little plastic toy soldiers? do they count as dolls? My son has dozens of them.

He plays with his toy soldiers, tanks, barricades etc in much the same way I played with my tiny dolls and dolls house furniture.

He loves setting up little scenes, making extra props out of cushions, blankets, boxes etc and and talks to his soldiers while he is doing it. Woe betide anyone who touches them before the game is finished.

snafu · 06/04/2005 08:41

So I assume your dh/dp has never walked around with your ds in a buggy either, laney?

I don't think there's anything wrong with it. ds doesn't have a 'dolly' as such but he does have a soft Noddy toy whom he cuddles and takes for walks, etc. It wouldn't bother me in the slightest if he got attached to a really 'girly' toy. He loves to hoover and dust, wear my shoes and carry my handbag, after all!

tarantula · 06/04/2005 08:52

A HENDBAUG!!!!! (Ala whatseranme form the importance of being Ernest)

lol lets take this one a bit further then and say should boys be allowed to carry handbags??? Lots of little girls do after all. Dss loved to look after my handbag (when I carried one which isnt that often, only if I have no pockets). Mind you I think it was something to do with the fact that it was a sheep backpack and very cuddly . Baaaaarnaby si still in the cupbard somewhere come to think of it must root him out sometime for dd.

scoot · 06/04/2005 09:57

i have ds (12mnt)loves wearing my lipstick. my partner doesn't agree. Its just a phase my nephews went through it. In fact so did my partner when he was little, he loved dolls also used to pinch his sisters. he wouldn't admit it to you though. He probably defined macho! on another note my daughter played with cars climbed trees and dug for worms. now she is the princess of all things Bratz. don't worry

fisil · 06/04/2005 11:48

ds has one of my old handbags, and loves it. One of his favourite games is to pack his handbag with toys, get out his dolly pushchair, put on a hat and grab an umbrella and any adult shoes, and "go to work." He's immitating Daddy, although I admit that Daddy takes a masculine black rucksack to work rather than a handbag, and doesn't generally wear a hat or carry an umbrella, but he does push a pushchair. And when ds comes back we ask him what he did at work and he says "play with cars, meet people, play with pooter, go in lift, go on train, drink coffee," so he's got Daddy sussed!

oatcake · 06/04/2005 12:28

haven't we had a conversation like this recently, regarding toy pushchairs for boys?

My ds wants the front door, which we are redecorating, to be his favourite colour of pink! He loves pushchairs and parading around, naked, in my heels (have to hide them as I'm worried he'll break his neck going up and down the spiral staircase...). I bought him a doll when he was younger and he wasn't interested.

If he likes the doll and wants it as his comfy, that's lovely! And doesn't mean he'll grow up homosexual just because he likes dolls!

Mind you, having just come back from seeing friends, she told me that her dd had just been to see 'cinderella on ice' with her male best friend who enjoys dressing up in snow white / cinderella / princess costumes from woolies and has been doing so since he was 3 (he's now almost 7). For some reason, I find that a bit strange...

Jimjams · 06/04/2005 14:23

tinky winky has a handbag.

FairyMum · 06/04/2005 14:31

I bought a doll for DS1, but he broke her head and laughed. He is very caring towards his teddies and other soft toys. He loves going to bed with his cars too. I was determined to be very pc and give my ds a doll and my dd a car, but it seems almost genetic how ds liked cars,rockets etc and dd wanted dolls and everything pink and glittery.

soapbox · 06/04/2005 14:36

TBH I view my DS's power rangers ninja turtles etc etc as dolls for boys. Afterall the difference between those and barbie/polly pocket is essentially just the clothes they are wearing!

On that basis I think boys do play with dolls a lot and that the clothes they wear are just as gender specific as barbies and polly pockets are!

At your DSs age I would have no problem giving him a doll with girls clothes on but as he gets older you may find he gravitates more to clothes that are those of his own gender.

Nemo1977 · 06/04/2005 15:07

my ds is 17mths and has 2 dolls and a buggy for them..dh hates but ds loves it. Often 'cares' for the babba etc. sooo cute