Gifts for daughters dilemma

[JumpJockey]

I have 2 dds, nearly 5 and nearly 3, both of whom have their birthdays close to Christmas so this is a very current issue...

I am doing my best to avoid excessive pinkness, girly toys, being princesses etc, despite best efforts of MIL to send pink sparkly party dresses at all opportunities. Now that they're old enough to ask for what they want, there is a lot of "I would like a princess dress up set and a handbag and some more dollies".

Is it unfair of me to give them these toys, because a) I don't think they're very good for them when we could give them lego or something more neutral, and b) they play with lots of this sort of thing at nursery/ school anyway, and c) MIL will doubtless send loads of this crap sort of thing? Is it mean to refuse the toys they specifically ask for because they're blimming awful?

[WoTmania]

*selection

[JumpJockey]

Whoever said would I refuse a boy a pink pram, that's missing the point - it would be more relevant if I refused to buy a boy an action man with a gun, as that's what's marketed at boys and what they're "expected" to want, whetherthey do or not. DD1 said she wanted Minnie Mouse and Hello Kitty on her birthday cake - when I asked her what they actually do, she had no idea, had just seen them on other kids' lunch boxes, so even at 4 they are falling for all this marketing. It's not that she particularly likes MM or HK, she's just seen the advertising of the blasted stuff.

I do object to princess toys on the whole - when did a princess ever actually do anything? And likewise I won't be getting stuff like weapons, not because they're targeted at boys but because I don't want to be encouraging games that involve pretending to kill someone.

Sassh you're basically showing why I think it's important to counteract the whole "toys for girls" idea - why did you only play with meccano when nobody was looking? If you enjoyed it, why not just play with the stuff and that's that? If I only get them girly stuff, nobody else is going to give them train sets/lego/whatever, and they'll be missing out on the secret meccano as there are no boys in the house.

[DropYourSword]

But why ask them what they would like if you're going to overrule it anyway?

[APartridgeAmongThePigeons]

Right, but the problem isn't marketing more engineering toys for girls (complete with girly packaging) it's making the existing packaging gender neutral.

Yes, I agree that's annoying. But you are talking about someone trying to break in to a market where girls aren't being reached. It's business selling a product, with a good message but it's still not a charity devoted to ending gendered merchandising.

1. In other words, it's not Goldiblox the company's problem that the current makers of engineering toys aren't marketing to girls. And it's not something that they can or should have to correct. That's our jobs as parents an consumers to petition and boycott sexist advertising.

1. If Goldiblox were to create just another engineering toy that happened to be gender neutral I think it would still be naturally marketed at boys. The shops would place it with the other "boys toys". Girls would know it's not for them because they've already spent their formative years being told that unless it's pink it's not for them and that construction kits are for boys. And tbh it would probably be a harder sell when there are already so many well known construction toys brands out there.

1. Like I said I had the initial feeling as you but I actually think for children who are in to more "girly" colors this is probably a good thing. It uses their brain and really I think that's what matters. I certainly never stayed in the girl's section and I was consider a tom boy growing up but I realize that now a days it's much more difficult for young girl's to break out past the gendered bullshit. And if one day my daughter goes through a "girly" phase I'm much more likely to buy her a buy her a goldiblox set over a My Little Pony Doll.

As for this
A book series plus construction set starring Goldie, the girl inventor.


I read it differently than you. It could just as easily have been "Daniel the boy inventor/detective/wizard"

It's the emphasis on her being a child not that she has a vagina.

[JumpJockey]

DropYourSword it's not as if we've particularly had to ask what they want, I'm being bombarded with "It's Christmas/my birthday soon, I want xyz" - all I meant was that previously dd2 was too young to express opinions, and dd1 was fairly unmoved by advertising/ peer pressure, it's all changed since she started school though.

Example - dd1 has outgrown her kiddy bike, we were offered one that a good friend's daughter is too big for. She says I dn't like it it's grey (actually silver) and I only like pink. Do we say Oh ok I'll spend twice as much on a new pink bike, or do we say Actually it doesn't make any difference what colour it is, if we get this you can have other presents with the money saved on a second hand bike?

[Charcoalbriquettes]

Drop your sword. Do you really think it would be a good idea for the op to just assume that her kids want pink tat, not ever ask them, buy things they aren't interested in, and never ask what they are interested in?

You can only deny them what they want if you have asked them.... Who knows, they might say I want an abacus...


There are ways round things....
Dd wants a snow white dress up... Buy her a yellow skirt, white blouse and make a blue bodice for her... Thus avoiding the disneyfication and trip up frills.

Dd wants a handbag.... Buy a handy backpack so she can carry her own toys when she goes on a playdate.

[zatyaballerina]

Most children would prefer a brand new bike of their preferred colour to a second hand one in a colour they dislike that allows their parents to buy them extra presents they don't want.

Your children will rebel against you to become bimbos obsessed with pink and all the frilly things you hate if you continue trying to control their wants and likes. Make sure you have the boys style toys in the house, just don't give it to them as their presents unless it's in addition to what they want or it's something they've asked for.

[APartridgeAmongThePigeons]

Your children will rebel against you to become bimbos

[CaptChaos]

Do we say Oh ok I'll spend twice as much on a new pink bike, or do we say Actually it doesn't make any difference what colour it is, if we get this you can have other presents with the money saved on a second hand bike?

You get the second hand bike for them and, if after a while they are physically allergic to the colour, get spray paint.

If your MiL is determined to buy pink tat, then you have an opportunity to buy things that will hold their attention and last, like Meccano and Lego sets, books, the bike. Your DDs will be playing with and appreciating those toys long after the doll's hair has matted and the fake nail polish has hardened in the bottle.

[DropYourSword]

Charcoal Of course I don't think it's a good idea for the OP to assume her children want pink tat. And I didn't ask my question in an aggressive manner,I apologise if it came across that way. But genuinely, why ask them what they want and then when they tell you, decide that you don't want them to have it anyway. I really don't believe in asking a question you're not prepared to hear the answer to.

[DropYourSword]

Ooooh, could I just recommended though as an awesome toy I loved to pay with as a child ) although I dint know if it's available any more) ... it was called TapTap. It had a corkboard, hammer, loads of colored shapes and tacks. You would create a picture by tapping tacks through the holes in the colored pieces. Ok, doesn't sound great here maybe, but I spent many a happy hour playing with my tap tap (and spirograph) without a hint of the dreaded pink!

[EdithWeston]

Small children have only a limited view of all the possibilities that the world can offer them. They will ask, probably, for more things similar to or the same as they've seen and liked.

I think it's the parents job to provide more opportunities and ideas. And giving different types of toys, kits and dress up clothes is a way of doing that. Now, if you try to give them something similar to an item they have previously tried and rejected, then you're just going to frustrate and disappoint them. But if you go for something new and different, it's potentially exciting.

No child should be limited to 'only glittery' or 'only action'.

[Idespair]

Let them have the pink shite from mil or whoever. Get them some other toys so they have a choice of what to play with. They'll probably choose the pink stuff - my dd picked this up from nursery aged 3. But pink will be uncool when they are a little older and you can charity shop the lot.

However I personally think that making an issue of not having pink will be remembered far more than a passing pink phase. Additionally, you are the role model, the real live person they watch every day. So re the pink and body image, it's far better for them to see you go out makeup free / in casual comfortable clothes at the weekend, not spending hours and £££ preening etc. this sends a far stronger message than banning princess stuff - much to difficult a message for a 3yo or 5yo to decipher. All they will think is that you are meaner than their friends' parents.

[Idespair]

Tap tap and Spirograph are both still around.

[DropYourSword]

I might have to treat a child myself to one for Christmas!

[YoniMatopoeia]

Just to add goldiblox are massively overpriced in this country where I have seen them for sale... Compare to the US price.

[ErrolTheDragon]

As I've got a 14 yo whose favourite subject is electronics, I'll pass on my two pennyworth.

Firstly, if you're being bombarded with requests, ok if they've arisen from nursery/school that's hard to manage but if any of it's from TV advertising then that's something to try to avoid. If they're watching without a parent, try to stick to the non-ad ones (or dvds); if you're there you can -laugh like a drain at-- gently steer them away from crappier choices.

Secondly, if you've asked them what they want, do get some of it (or suggest to MIL so she gets the right sparkly shit instead of random sparkly shit).

Thirdly, get them some other stuff *as well. It's not an either/or.

Fourthly, don't forget that a lot of play doesn't need much bought stuff - awesome constructions at a young age need large cardboard boxes and a helpful parent. Or the opportunity to build a den or hunt bugs etc.

Finally, who says princesses don't do anything? Find books/films where they don't just sit around; if they like you to play with them you can steer the role play. As soon as they're old enough you can get them doing real stuff - the 'dressing up' phase is short, so let them enjoy it. Ditto the dolls - the main thing is that its not to the exclusion of other activities.

About the bike, I'd be inclined to accept the silver one but then let your DD choose bell, streamers, stickers etc to customise it.

[SPsWouldCatFishNev]

This is an issue I only see on MN.

You ask children what they want for Xmas, they say and then you say well no because you don't want to.

Some girls like pink shit amd some boys like blue shit. Whats the issue?

If my son asked for only stereotypical boy things then that's what he would get.

Its a non issue to me

[JumpJockey]

I don't ban pink from the house, for those who seem to be characterising me as Millie Tant! and in fact bought DD1 Hello Kitty PJs recently as a reward, as that's what she specifically pleaded for. And we have given them several dolls, a buggy etc.

Errol has pretty much nailed it. We don't watch commercial tv with the kids anyway, just Beebies/ CBBC so at least avoid the worst of that. And I do pass on the more egregious sparkly requests to MIL/other family members. That way they do get some sparkly stuff, and we give them other stuff. Will take a look at A Mighty Girl again for more active princesses...

That TapTap thing looks great, btw - thanks!

[ErrolTheDragon]

One reason the issue arises is because 'blue shit' tends to be less shitty than 'pink shit'.

[JumpJockey]

update for anyone who is interested in the tap tap art thing - I discovered something almost identical in this shop www.tigerstores.co.uk/ for £6, it looks fab :) thanks very much for the suggestion!

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

I think loving sparkles is part of being 3.
DS just went skippy with joy in the Christmas shop at sll the glitter and lights; he chose a sequinned bird tree dec and a golden sequinned glittery nest of eggs. He then came home and put on his lurex dragon cape, my silver sandals and his favourite red undies and a wizard star wand and said he was a butterfly fairy dragon who laid golden eggs .

[TheRaniOfYawn]

I agree. I asked DS (4) the other day what sort of pants he would like and he requested pink with fairies in a sparkly winter wonderland.

[Ragwort]

I agree with you - I have a DS but there are loads of things I just would not consider buying for him - Action Man/gun etc etc. Even if certain toys are not 'sexist', if I don't feel they are appropriate I would just not buy them. Eg; when he started asking for an X box or whatever the latest gadget was & I didn't feel it was appropriate I would just say 'no'.

As a parent we have the right to make those decisions, not just give into all their demanding or marketing/peer pressure.

[ErrolTheDragon]

TrucksAndDinosaurs - fabulous, perhaps you should change your name to ButterflyFairyDragon?