Pester power: my 4 yo really wants Barbie, what to do?

[Greythorne]

i know it's not the most taxing question on the feminism board, but how would you handle this?

DD1 has never had Barbie, although various Polly Pockets and Strawberry Shortcake dolls have made their way into our house :)

I just feel so strongly that Barbie is a terrible representation of the female body, i.e. She's completely out of proportion, her hips are impossibly thin, her waist ridiculous etc. And that's before we start on the predominantly pink outfits, the emphasis on appearance etc.

I know children enjoy role playing via dolls and recognise the developmental need to play house, play parent, play at setting up a little imaginary world. And so I have steered DD1 towards.....Sylvanian Families, which, while heavy on gender clichés feature animals rather than fetishised female forms.

But of course all her friends have Barbie. And Barbie is everywhere.

Just one more instance to chalk up to be being "well-intentioned but (perceived by child as) evil mummy?

Agree with ninedragons.

I think you need to embrace Barbie- denying her will only make her yearn more- get a Ken as well- we have hours of fun subjecting him to constant ridicule and submissive activities at the hands of his 25 Barbie girlfriends, in a barbie world where women rule and men are mere accessories. I can't see the problem with it!

I had a barbie, but only so I had a rider for my barbie horses, and someone to drive the horse box I built from Lego with it's motor operated ramp.... She also built the stables and manège I had. I didn't have a ken, thought he was a bit of a drip frankly but my barbie rocked.....

Apologies for not reading all comments, stumbled upon late.
Golly don't people get riled easily. I think these chat pages are for friendly advise.....not sure about conspiracy theories..
I totally get what OP means esp. with first DD when you think all things will affect her outcome. Many things do influence but I think if she is allowed a Barbie if that is what she really wants, alongside an environment of thinking, clever, achieving females she'll be absolutely fine no worries at all. I don't think it likely she'll look at your world then at Barbie world and then decide - 'no that's the life for me!!'

We have a passed on Barbie doll and accessories (many!) and DD's seem to view our Barbie as a figure of fun and it's often referred to naturally as the silly ditsy one (we have a sindy passed down via my mum - she is the clever one) but it's all very light hearted. Playful parenting 101. I agree with the branding issues but don't burden my kids with all that. DD's don't want to be a bit like Barbie even if they do like pink at the mo.

Buy her the Barbie I can Be... Computer Engineer. I have one, she's fab!

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0042ESG9W/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=A1F8YGP86NG3IP

I think barbie is slighty better her waist isnt so tiny , I used to get my dd barbies she had vet barbie which she played with the animal hospital sets she had , also she loved the pretty dresses i never got them with skimpy outfits either , barbie has had a varied career shes been a teacher airhostess vet etc etc , I think if girls want to play with dolls they should be allowed , banning them imo is going to make them taboo , I also have an older dd who would rather cut her arm off that look at a babrbie , as a mum of teens i do not think barbie has done my 13 yr old anyharm ,

I finally caved in and brought DD one, reluctantly, for her 4th birthday 3 weeks ago (a mixed race ballerina barbie).

DD was delighted.

I am now delighted that A) I'm not being pestered for bloody Barbie, and B) Barbie is rarely played with or mentioned except to play 'dance' every now & again.

My 3 yr old dd has two barbies that were given to her as a gift. Her favourite game is to fight them, they row over which one is called Barbie! She is drawn to the dolls house full of barbies with missing limbs in my local chemist. I don't see the big problem with them really, they are only dolls. I had a few when I as a child and I didn't have any lasting damage done to me as a result. By the time I was 10 or 11 I was no longer interested in them.