Is there any hope for the next generation?

[faxittome]

I was just looking for a playhouse for DD and came across this. It has left me raging. www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Boys-Garage-Playhouse/dp/B001BX00LY?extid=google_product_extensions

In John Lewis the other day I was horrified to see that the toddler books were divided into 'girls' and 'boys' (obviously the boys' section had all the exciting, adventure-based, transport-related books, and the girls' section had princessy pink stuff).

What hope is there when this is what we're up against?

Dd1 was seriously into pink but now aged 10 is a real tomboy who although proud of her femininity has strong opinions about the sort of girl she wants to be - not one with fake tan and dyed blonde hair covered in caked on make up like some girls in her class. She totally believes she can do anything. There is hope even when they go through a pink princess stage.

My dd 'got' pink too. I think it is hard to resist the pressure even if your parents think it is a load of tomyrot. However she grew out of it fairly fast, as most little girls do (mainly because it is very associated with little girls, so as soon as they want to be sophisticated they drop pink and pretty quite fast). Now she is old enough to think for herself (or be brainwashed by me, take your pick [grin[) I'm not so worried any more.

I think one of the sad side effects of all this crap is that children are no longer expected to apply their own imaginations to products. Why does a tent have to be labelled a garage? Why not buy a tent that the children can turn into whatever they want (I bet this is really hard to do). Oh and in general pink books are indeed utter rubbish. Why people buy them is beyond me as bad books are painful to read and good books are such a pleasure.