Please remind me why I'm not letting my daughters have Barbies

[plantsitter]

They really, really want them and it's so difficult to stand firm... Please give me some arguments to keep me (not them!) convinced.

Thanks in advance!

People always say toys have no effect on children depite all evidence to the contrary. She's a horrible role model. I think we've all decided shed "not that bad" because of Bratz and some of the more horrible dolls seeming so much worse. Women and girls are affected by magazines and advertising and barbie dolls and self esteem is affected. If we weren't advertisers would probably not waste billions of pounds telling us we aren't good enough and what perfect "should" like if we wouldn't be affected by it.

A psychology experiment was done in the U.K. in 2006 by psychology professors Helga Dittmar from the University of Sussex, Suzanne Ive from the University of Sussex, and Emma Halliwell of the University of the West of England. Their findings from their experiment have been published in Developmental Psychology in 2006. Their study is also a part of the American Psychological Association her in the U.S. Their experiment is called “Does Barbie Make Girls Want to Be Thin? The Effect of Experimental Exposure to Images of Dolls on the Body Image of 5- to 8-Year-Old Girls.”

In their experiment “a total of 162 girls, from ages 5 to age 8, were exposed to images of either Barbie Dolls, Emme dolls (U.S. size 16), or no dolls (baseline control) and then completed assessments of body image." The professors discovered that those exposed to Barbie doll images produced “lower self-esteem and a greater desire for a thinner body shape than in the other exposed conditions.” Although, the oldest girls did not have an immediate negative impact from the Barbie doll images. The study concluded that “these findings imply that, even if dolls cease to function as aspirational role models for older girls, early exposure to dolls epitomizing an unrealistically thin body ideal may damage girls’ body image, which would contribute to an increased risk of disordered eating and weight cycling."

Anyway OP if you want a really fucking good reason and the reason Barbie will never make an appearance in my house it's because in America we have a magazine called "Sports Illustrated". Now basically it shows male sports celebrities except for the annual "swimsuit issue" (though they don't even always wear that much) where they get models and occasional women in sports to get their kit off.

Guess who made the cover last year?????
www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/02/18/move-over-barbie-the-sports-illustrated-swimsuit-issue-is-here/

Also they used the hashtag of #unapologetic

second mightygirl FB page

ethel "To give your eldest something to go to therapy about when you give in and let subsequent children have them"

lolololololol

DD1 = 0
DD2 = 5. FIVE.

TBF I always said I wouldn't buy them (or a bunch of other stuff) but have never tried to dictate what relatives can/can't buy and DD2 asked for them from a lot of people. Still. Made me laugh

DD1 also got lots of wholesome story books with excellent female role models. DD2 gets sparkle fairy pixie love-glitter non-adventures for pretty girls...

I just think they look too freaky to have in the house, I'd feel less queasy looking at a zombie doll or something than at those weird parodies of human beings where they're supposed to look pretty but are in fact hideously deformed.

I wouldn't buy them new myself as I wouldn't want my money going to the people who produce them. I'd let a child have a second hand one though I suppose if they were really desperate for one, although then of course all the accessories would have to come second hand too.

You can look like Barbie, you can wear pink sparkley things and you can still be a feminist.

Stop being so controlling and let them have barbies.

No you can't really look like Barbie, her proportions are not those of a human being, that's kind of the point. Of course you can wear what you want and still be a feminist, no one is saying you can't!

I had a ballerina sindy and wanted ballet lessons something I didn't get. I walk around a bit like an elepant.

I also have a regular conversation with people about the gift they always wanted as a child and never got ...Mine was a baby alive.. I look after babies/ toddlers for a living

My daughter has a couple of 'barbie like' disney princess dolls. Yes they are stereotypically girls toys (she is 4). She really wanted them, and having allowed my boys to have a train set populated by Thomas the Tank engine engines which is what they desperately wanted at the same age, it seemed unfair to make a judgement that she couldn't have the toys she wanted 'on principle' when I hadn't made that same judgement against the boys' toys 'on principle'. She has the train set, cars etc her brothers used to play with as well, but most of her play is with the 'princesses' or baby dolls. Her brother, BTW, had a baby doll which was his favourite toy and was carried everywhere at one time. He still keeps the baby on his bed now, he's 7.

You know, I don't even think little girls focus on how Barbie looks. They're also used to pink talking dogs and ponies that turn into girls with ears and tails. They're brighter than we think and don't take everything at face value.

My own DDs both had them, they do kickboxing, dd1 to a national gold medal level, dd2 plays for our local professional football teams girls team, I don't think it's made them have a stereotyped view of femininity in any way.

I had Barbies. I grew up to be a feminist with a great career, a higher income than my husband and a good body image. Barbies are ridiculous but it's only a doll. I think parental influence is more important.

Don't control what your children have access to soontobesix?

Riiiight. Seems completely reasonable.

Yes. As armani says it's parental influence that is important I. Raiding well rounded, balanced girls.

I have low self esteem and body image as my mother was constantly crapping on about weight, yoyo dieting and criticizing my appearance. Looks rather than the person were all important to her. I didn't have a Barbie or any other doll until an aunt felt sorry for me and bought me one when I was around 7 or so. A little rag doll that I loved. Parents are what fuck you up, not a plastic doll

My DDs have Barbies and Bratz and Monster High dolls. Most were given to them by other people but they are the toys that get played with most, with Lego (NOT "Friends") a close second. If there was a more realistically-proportioned doll out there, I would buy an armful. But there isn't. So my girls play with Barbies and their skinny, big-headed associates. I think the media does a lot more damage than plastic dolls. I talk to my DDs a lot about body image and how looks really don't matter in the bigger picture of their skills and talents. I hope that I can instil some self-confidence in them despite the world (not so much Barbie) telling them that their looks are all that matter.

Sindies used to have slightly more realistic proportions, iirc, OP. Not sure if that's still true.

Captchaos that isn't what I said. I don't let my dc play with knives I control what they play with when it matters.
But when it comes to toys let them decide for themselves.

It is exactly what you said!

Controlling things that might influence your child's choices is our job as parents.

I think there is a major difference between controlling your children's exposure to cultural norms and controlling your children's exposure to physical hazards at a young age.

No I said stop being so controlling. Obviously I meant stop being so controlling regarding the barbie doll issue, not that you should never make decisions on behalf of your child.

Yes chaos but if a barbie doll influences your child your overall parenting is poor.

You know, I don't even think little girls focus on how Barbie looks

Yes chaos but if a barbie doll influences your child your overall parenting is poor.

A psychology experiment was done in the U.K. in 2006 by psychology professors Helga Dittmar from the University of Sussex, Suzanne Ive from the University of Sussex, and Emma Halliwell of the University of the West of England. Their findings from their experiment have been published in Developmental Psychology in 2006. Their study is also a part of the American Psychological Association her in the U.S. Their experiment is called “Does Barbie Make Girls Want to Be Thin? The Effect of Experimental Exposure to Images of Dolls on the Body Image of 5- to 8-Year-Old Girls.”

In their experiment “a total of 162 girls, from ages 5 to age 8, were exposed to images of either Barbie Dolls, Emme dolls (U.S. size 16), or no dolls (baseline control) and then completed assessments of body image." The professors discovered that those exposed to Barbie doll images produced “lower self-esteem and a greater desire for a thinner body shape than in the other exposed conditions.” Although, the oldest girls did not have an immediate negative impact from the Barbie doll images. The study concluded that “these findings imply that, even if dolls cease to function as aspirational role models for older girls, early exposure to dolls epitomizing an unrealistically thin body ideal may damage girls’ body image, which would contribute to an increased risk of disordered eating and weight cycling."

It's well known that grown adult women are influenced by magazines and the media and how it portrays unreal ideals of women via photoshop.

Why they fuck do you think children would be less influenced? Sorry, but you are deluded if you think parents are your child's only influence and giving yourself way too much credit and importance. The fact that your children want a Barbie Doll or a Loom Band or Moshi Monster is due to advertising unless you as a parent are personally forcing these things on your children??

Seriously think it through, there is a reason billions of pounds are spent on advertising and it is because humans are very easily influenced.

Not always, my dd watches no adverts and she found a huge pile of barbies at her expensive nursery (attached to an all girls school), I couldn't get her away from the class for ages that day. Barbie has sparkly clothes and sometimes kids are just drawn to it. I had a terrible time as a teenager with eating, self esteem etc but it was definitely to do with lack of any positive reinforcement at home and a hyper critical mother rather than my barbie/sindy collection. I allowed someone to get her one for Christmas and she still thanks Father Christmas for it, in September...I do agree about education, constant vigilance on the statements they make about women and themselves is needed. I wish she loved trains but she just doesn't. She does like dinosaurs at least :)

They just get played with like any other doll/toy/teddy/plastic unicorn in our house, they are no more realistic than My Little Pony. However the way they are played with might make a difference, if they are just used as characters for general make believe then fine, but if the sole focus is on dressing them, doing their hair, letting them go shopping then that's not so great. Having said that I spent many hours doing the hair of my Pippa dolls (equally unrealistic IIRC) and haven't got self image issues.

Let Toys Be Toys is a good resource too, and set up by MNers. FWIW although I hate Barbie I wasn't allowed them as a child and it only made me crave them more. I allow DD to have them but make sure they're balanced with better toys, and use them as a basis for discussion on body image etc.