- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Success after IF
JillRock96
member
What do you think about American Girl dolls?
JillRock96
member
Not a judgment post, I'm really curious.
I never had them growing up (we couldn't afford them). My SILs were REALLY into them, and now one of my neices (6 years old) is very into them. MIL gets the catalogs, and Ava loves to look at them. We walked through Water Tower Place downtown on Sunday, and Ava was in AWE of them. I was in awe of the price tag. But her birthday/Christmas is coming soon, and I know some (including MIL) see it as a special rite of passage.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: What do you think about American Girl dolls?
ETA: I've never looked at their prices...so I'm off to check them now!
To be honest...they creep me out! Three of my nieces loved them and my MIL teases me about getting one for Emily!
I told her that if she wants to spend that much on a doll, I would prefer a My Twinn doll that looks like Em and we can get hearing aids for it like Em has!
Married 8.13.2005, M/C 12/8/06- 5 weeks, M/C 2/27/07- 7 weeks, M/C w/ D&C 8/10/09-6.5 weeks *Charles Lawrence born 5/2/08 @ 3:14am, 7lb 8oz, 20.5 inches. Clomid, Crinone and baby aspirin. *Alexandra Claire born 9/14/10 @ 9:52am 6lb 14oz, 20.5 inches. Femara, Crinone and baby aspirin.
TTC #1- unexplained...lost left ovary 4/07 IUI #1 2/10/09-BFN IUI #2 3/5/09-BFN IVF # 1-BFP
TTC#2- FET 4/7/11 BFP, Natural mc 5/5/11 IVF#2 ER 9/13/11, ET 9/16/11, Beta #1 9/27/11 BFP 254 Beta #2 9/30/11 793 -Twins!
My nieces went crazy over them, I even had a neice who was in the fashion show and was dressed up and made to look like a doll. My 2 neices in MI take a trip to chicago every year for the experience.
I assume since I am such a sucker the girls will have dolls if that's what they want:) This momma does not know how to say no:)
Savannah
Callista
Baby Trail Blog
"Someday we will look at our babies and know it will be worth it. If it was easy, we would not have had our babies, the babies we were meant to have." From Amy052006
Ditto this! And it really isn't a "doll". It is more like an action figure!
My girls are younger then yours but they got Bitty Twins for their first birthday. They don't really play with them yet but I have a feeling they will enjoy them more when they are older. I probably wouldn't have bought them myself since I am cheap and AG is an expensive obsession!
My nieces love AG and they each have several dolls and Bitty Babies. SIL is loaded though...lol!
After 7 years trying to concieve, 3 failed IUIs and 2 failed IVFs, my third IVF was a success!
My Christmas baby turned into a turkey bird! Dillon Richard was born at 34 weeks, 5 days on November 28, 2009 after 10 weeks on bedrest for preeclampsia.
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v705/arriinthere/PJ/?action=view
Price tag? OUCH!!!
What I love about them?
The diversity of the girls
The correlation of the dolls to books, stories and reading.
For the girls in my life (BFF's daughter, nieces) who are into them I love that I can always get an outfit or book(s) for gifts and know that it will re-ignite that spark of imagination that keeps them getting mileage out of an expensive toy.
Much better than insanely expensive toys that get played with for a week and then sat in a corner but I'm glad I'm not the one making the up front investment of the doll itself.
The stories are wholesome and empowering and I love that the whole franchise encourages reading because I'm a crazy book nerd.
Total score: 6 pregnancies, 5 losses, 2 amazing blessings that I'm thankful for every single day.
I never had one growing up either cause they were too spendy. But I remember pouring over the magazines and dreaming of having one someday. I spent a lot of time with those mags.
I'm sure if my girls really want them later on they'll probably end up with one. Maybe as a joint gift with the grandmas or something like that.
How much are they these days?
This is true...I loved reading my "Meet Molly" books.
TTC #1- unexplained...lost left ovary 4/07 IUI #1 2/10/09-BFN IUI #2 3/5/09-BFN IVF # 1-BFP
TTC#2- FET 4/7/11 BFP, Natural mc 5/5/11 IVF#2 ER 9/13/11, ET 9/16/11, Beta #1 9/27/11 BFP 254 Beta #2 9/30/11 793 -Twins!
Thanks for sharing this. I knew there were books, but I don't know anything about the stories. I kind of thought the books were just an accessory that "went along" with each doll. Knowing that reading the stories is a big part of having a doll makes me much more willing to get the girls into the whole phenomenon.
The doll itself is $100. Each outfit is about $30 (though you can get "knock-off" outfits all over the place). Plus there are the books, furniture, actual girl clothes to match the doll's outfit, etc. etc.
Funny you mention this. I had a friend with 3 older girls come over to my house the other day. She asked me if I had heard of AM and told me to just stay away from them if I can. Lol, she lives in a 900k house and said she doesnt even like to spend all that money. None of her girls ever wanted them.
I guess I will see what happens, but def won't be getting the catalogs or talking about them with my girls. I guess, if they are like Ava, and see them in a shop, that will be a different story - but as of now, I am going to try and avoid them.
I was a huge barbie fan, so I am hoping my girls follow in my footsteps as they are much cheaper and I still have all my old barbie stuff!
I was too old for AMG dolls. Heck, I was too old for a Cabbage Patch Kid. I do like the tie to the books and to history. My younger cousins were seriously into them and I went with two of them to the AMG store in NYC a few years ago at Christmastime. It was INSANE!
If we're lucky enough to have a second child and if it is a girl I wouldn't hesitate - other than $$$ - to get her one. And I'd even brave the NYC store again to do the tea there or other things - the beauty salon was cute.
I'm far from an expert but I think that every girl has an entire book series associated with it/her.
My BFF's daughter has the Native American girl and all of the stories are not only fun for her to read but are also teaching her a lot about early American history, another culture and what it was like to be a female in another culture and another time.
They're all about GIRL POWER!!!!
hee hee
Seriously though... with so many media messages starting even as early as Disney princesses giving them images of women as insanely skinny and waiting for a man to rescue her I love that these books kinda do the opposite.
Total score: 6 pregnancies, 5 losses, 2 amazing blessings that I'm thankful for every single day.
I am too old to have had one when I was young (ouch!), but my sister had a couple - one of the girls (Addie, I think?) and a Bitty Baby. My mom cannot wait to get N a Bitty Baby and all the crap that comes with it.
I would way, way, way rather have N into AGD stuff than Barbie. And I honestly don't mind the higher price tag if it's for a gift. I'd prefer one nicer, high-quality gift to a bunch of plastic stuff, you know?
My only concern with them is the compulsion to buy more and more stuff and only wanting AGD "official" accessories. I think my mom would knit doll clothes and I know DH could make some doll furniture, so N would have to be okay with that!
TTC since 11/05...ectopic pg 4/08...early m/c 6/09...BFP 10/5/09!
Nora B...June 15, 2010...8lbs, 8oz...Med-free birth!
TTC #2 since 7/11...cycle #3 of Clomid + IUI = BFP
Malcolm...September 21, 2012...8lbs, 6oz...Another med-free birth!
Every "named" AG has a book. But there's a whole series of just pretty dolls. And almost all the girls I know want the pretty dolls, not the Mollys. KWIM?
I think it's fun. But they are expensive. And I'm not sure I want to buy a toy that becomes a constant add-on expense, as AGD seem to be. At the same time, if Andrea wants one because she wants one (not because every girl in school has one) I'd consider it. My co-worker made a bargain with her 8 year old that she could get one if she got straight As last year in the Spring and she did. I think that's a reasonable deal.
After two losses, third time was a charm.
pm me for blog link
$100 for a doll?! Okay if Ava got an AMG doll whether from me and DH or from Grandparents, and spent that kind of money, you better believe that it would be a "for show only" doll and may even be put into a doll case on a shelf. I would make sure that she understands that. Why? you ask
My mom got my niece (age 6 at the time) an AMG. Where is this doll now? Um naked under her bed and all dirty.
Um, no sorry if anyone is going to be spending $$$ on a doll for my child, she will take care of it and I mean AMAZING care. Hence the "for show only" doll. She can mess with Barbies or Cabbage Patch Kids or whatever dolls, but not AMG dolls.
Just playing devil's advocate here --
I absolutely understand not letting it get trashed, but why even buy it if it is going to be for show only?
I agree with you. No way will I spend hundreds of dollars on an AG doll. But if Ava wants one, she will have to earn it or save for them. That is ridiculous to spend that much money on a doll.
I see what you're saying. I guess I'm just picturing Ava's room of the future and a shelf with "for show" dolls on it. I had one of those. Also, I would feel terrible if someone (my parents let's say) spent $100 on a doll and she didn't take care of it. So now that I think about it, I would probably reiterate to her that she would need to take special care of her AG doll (no taking to school or dragging through the mud outside) and no drawing all over it (like to put on pretend make-up). I have a few years yet before I need to think about that stuff though.
I did not have them as kid but I think they came out when I was about 5ish so maybe my mother didn't know about them at that point. My sisters had them thought (they are 6 and 8 years older than me) and loved them. They still have them too.
Jordana has the there bitty baby twin dolls which are adorable. My mom got it for her last year so she has a "Jordana" and "Preston" doll. My mom is planning on getting her American girl doll this year for xmas.
LOVE them. When DD is a little older we will take her to NYC and go to the American girl store and have lunch there and make it a special day.
Ditto this! My aunt gave Elizabeth a Bitty Baby for her first birthday. She didn't start playing with it until she was about 18 months or so, but now she loves that thing.
For her second birthday, my aunt gave her an outfit for the doll and some feeding toys. My aunt had two boys, so this is her way of getting to buy girly things!
If E ever wants an AG doll, I'll probably do what my parents sometimes did when I wanted a more expensive toy. They'd pay for half if I raised/saved for my half.
My older daughter loves them. She has 7 big dolls, bitty twins and a bitty baby. It really does promote reading, the outfits, accessories and furniture are all from the books so she loves finding them in the book and learning about how they historical characters lived. Her second grade teacher actually read the Kit series to them and taught them about the depression.
yes they are made in china but its pretty hard to find things that are not these days. They are way better quality than alot of her other toys and they will still be in great shape for her sister. It has also been a great lesson in responsibility and taking care of her things. She knows they are expensive and special so she doesnt trash them. I have to admit that we have spent alot of money on AG stuff but it was pretty much all for birthdays and holidays anyway.
I had AG dolls growing up and I loved them. They were great for imaginative play, my friend and I created "nannies" to watch them while we were at school as well as all kinds of other creative stories.
They also got me into reading I loved reading the books and then reading the history section in the back and learning about the time period. I credit these books w/ my love of history :-)
The first doll was a gift and the 2nd I saved Bday money and Christmas money and part of allowance for a year to buy myself. I still have both of them at my mom's house and I can't wait for DD to play w/ them.
I know my MIL is dying to buy one for DD (she had 2 boys) so I'm sure DD will get one of her own sooner than later.
My daughter has one of the Itty Bitty AG dolls that was a gift to her from my SIL when she was one or so. I'm not sure if it's an AG thing or not but she LOVES that doll and it has much less going on (story, outfit options, etc) than the real AG dolls with the $100 price tag. C's cousins have several AG dolls and I know they're into them so I would imagine when C is older, if she wants one, she would probably get one too. That said, I think she's still a little young for one of the bigger ones --to really appreciate the story as well as make the cost a little more palatable to me.
I have to admit I don't fully get the AG obsession. I went to the store in NYC once to return a gift we had received for C (a 2nd Itty Bitty doll) and that place was bananas!
I had Molly and her entire series of books, she was the WWII girl. I really enjoyed reading about another generation but wouldn't have just picked up a regular book about it.. I still have her and she's in perfect condition. I also had a bitty baby but don't have her anymore. I'm not opposed to the idea (although DH may be to the price). We didn't have tons of money growing up but my parents were frugal and managed their money well so we always had a great christmas and birthday.
Now I believe the ones that you get to look like you don't necessarily have the stories attached to them like the historical ones. I'm sure I'll be all about it now that I'm having a girl. Maybe a big 5th birthday trip to Chicago or something like that.
TTC #2 with PCOS since September 2009
BFP, Femara 7.5mg, Ovidrel, IUI. Beta #1 17dpIUI -495 Beta #2 19dpIUI-1031
Lovebugs2012
My Blog
I think they are adorable! I was too old for them, but my younger sister was really into the books. She was never into dolls though, but if she was I am sure my parents would have bought her one.
I have been waiting ever since to have someone to buy them for. I considered getting one of the babies for DS when I was pregnant, but he didn't seem that interested so I didn't want to spend so much if he wasn't going to play with it.
I had one when I was a little girl (Samantha). I was older and understood both the expense of the doll (so I cherished it) and the history (I devoured the books and history of the Victorian period because of it).
I think that it can be a very nice gift and can be appreciated by a child as young as Ava. My niece has a bitty baby and she really loves it. I think it can certainly get excessive with the accessories, but she doesn't need all of that to play with her baby doll.
I would get my daughter one when I think she is old enough to understand that this is not a doll to be tossed around and is to be cherished and loved.
I must admit to liking the historical ones because I am a major history geek. I don't quite get the ones that are just like ordinary dolls, that isn't how they started out.
Anyway, I am super jealous of those of you young enough to have had these yourself. I was around 15 when these first came out.
Kelly, Mom to Christopher Shannon 9.27.06, Catherine Quinn 2.24.09, Trey Barton lost on 12.28.09, Therese Barton lost on 6.10.10, Joseph Sullivan 7.23.11, and our latest, Victoria Maren 11.15.12
Secondary infertility success with IVF, then two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 10 weeks, then success with IUI and then just pure, crazy luck. Expecting our fifth in May as the result of a FET.
This Cluttered Life