Would you let your daughter play with Barbies?

Adanessa · August 2012

For those of you with little girls, are you going to let them play with Barbies? I've been thinking about this a lot, along with other toys, books and entertainment that I'm going to allow in my house.

mama&baby · August 2012

Estwd2:
Here's my criteria for toys: DD has shown an interest in it and/or picked it out herself, I can afford it, and its not objectionable/offensive in any way. If Barbie looks like a hooker, I'll try to steer her in a different direction. But if it's something like teacher Barbie, I don't see a problem.

Yes I agree with this and I don't have a DD yet. I played with Barbies all the time as a kid, so if DD wants to play, as long as it's not "strung out on cocaine Barbie" then I'm good

sap05e · August 2012

Sure. Playing with dolls and stimulating her imagination is better than parking her in front of the tv. Whatever Barbie she wants is fine by me. I played with them and gave each one their own personality (and haircut).

Adanessa · August 2012

Maybe I'm too strict but I don't like Barbie. I had like 20 of them as a kid... I will probably let her have one or two with positive roles, but I think they just lack diversity in race and culture. Barbie has some pretty shallow and stereotypical images. Women don't always realistically dress in tight pink clothing and heels while working and are not always stick thin. Self esteem issues and modesty are also big factors in why I don't like Barbie... I think part of the problem for me, looking back at my childhood, was the fact that I had some 20 white and blonde barbie's, and one African American barbie that we got way later on. Nobody wanted to play with her because she was "different" my littler sister even called her ugly because her hair was curly and her skin was dark... which makes me sad (I'm not racist at all btw). That's not Barbie's fault, but I just want my daughter to be open minded about the world. I feel like a lot of American kids are very ignorant of other cultures. I know I was, I was never exposed to anything else as a child. It just got me thinking about the types of entertainment and toys we will be buying for her and the values they encourage.

Don't even get me started on Bratz or Monster high dolls... those will not be in my house, ever.

valerieanne9015 · August 2012

Adanessa:

Maybe I'm too strict but I don't like Barbie. I had like 20 of them as a kid... I will probably let her have one or two with positive roles, but I think they just lack diversity in race and culture. Barbie has some pretty shallow and stereotypical images. Women don't always realistically dress in tight pink clothing and heels while working and are not always stick thin. Self esteem issues and modesty are also big factors in why I don't like Barbie... I think part of the problem for me, looking back at my childhood, was the fact that I had some 20 white and blonde barbie's, and one African American barbie that we got way later on. Nobody wanted to play with her because she was "different" my littler sister even called her ugly because her hair was curly and her skin was dark... which makes me sad (I'm not racist at all btw). That's not Barbie's fault, but I just want my daughter to be open minded about the world. I feel like a lot of American kids are very ignorant of other cultures. I know I was, I was never exposed to anything else as a child. It just got me thinking about the types of entertainment and toys we will be buying for her and the values they encourage.

Don't even get me started on Bratz or Monster high dolls... those will not be in my house, ever.

This. Those are horendous!!

As far as Barbies, I will probably go the route my parents took. I won't buy her the Barbie, but if she gets one as a gift, I won't take it away. We had tons of Barbies as a kid, but only because friends and family bought them for us as bday and Christmas gifts. I am not opposed to Barbie, necessarily, but I think it's an endless cycle of buyin accessories for her and it's all over priced!

RedCamaro · August 2012

Yes, I will and I do. I played with Barbies and I'm not messed up because of it.

skipperkelly · August 2012

It's just barbie. I don't see anything wrong with her. I played with her and I turned out alright.

mben1119 · August 2012

I will, if I ever have a daughter. I played with Barbies for a long time, and my mom just made sure she reinforced that most women don't look like her.

gracefulruby33 · August 2012

mama&baby:

Estwd2:
Here's my criteria for toys: DD has shown an interest in it and/or picked it out herself, I can afford it, and its not objectionable/offensive in any way. If Barbie looks like a hooker, I'll try to steer her in a different direction. But if it's something like teacher Barbie, I don't see a problem.

I agree with this and I don't have a DD yet. I played with Barbies all the time as a kid, so if DD wants to play, as long as it's not "strung out on cocaine Barbie" then I'm good

All of this. I loved Barbies!

lkm2006 · August 2012

I dont really have a problem with barbies, even though I much prefer the ones I had when growing up. They has normal clothes and didn't always look like a stripper. I wouldn't allow the bratz dolls.. I can't stand those.

knottie198f1ac43570b6c2 · August 2012

skipperkelly:
It's just barbie. I don't see anything wrong with her. I played with her and I turned out alright.

This. I also agree about not letting any of those evil little bratz in the house.

lemonJAM · August 2012

Adanessa:
Maybe I'm too strict but I don't like Barbie. I had like 20 of them as a kid... I will probably let her have one or two with positive roles, but I think they just lack diversity in race and culture. Barbie has some pretty shallow and stereotypical images. Women don't always realistically dress in tight pink clothing and heels while working and are not always stick thin. Self esteem issues and modesty are also big factors in why I don't like Barbie... I think part of the problem for me, looking back at my childhood, was the fact that I had some 20 white and blonde barbie's, and one African American barbie that we got way later on. Nobody wanted to play with her because she was "different" my littler sister even called her ugly because her hair was curly and her skin was dark... which makes me sad (I'm not racist at all btw). That's not Barbie's fault, but I just want my daughter to be open minded about the world. I feel like a lot of American kids are very ignorant of other cultures. I know I was, I was never exposed to anything else as a child. It just got me thinking about the types of entertainment and toys we will be buying for her and the values they encourage.
Don't even get me started on Bratz or Monster high dolls... those will not be in my house, ever.

I 100% agree. DD has other dolls, so she's not wanting for dolls to dress up, take care of, and otherwise use her imagination with.

I do realize it's just a doll, but it represents a larger problem IMO. If she plays with them at other kids' houses, that's fine though. We just won't have them at home.

purple4u · August 2012

Sure if I had a daughter and she wanted a Barbie I would get it. Heck if my son wants to play with dolls I would let him.

mama&baby · August 2012

purple4u:
Sure if I had a daughter and she wanted a Barbie I would get it. Heck if my son wants to play with dolls I would let him.

LOL I told DH that Gi-Joe is pretty much the same thing as Ken but more buff and he got all defensive that I compared him to a "barbie doll"

mbgreenwalt · August 2012

Yes, she has a Barbie and Ken currently. My sister and I played with Barbies all the time. Most of my favorite childhood memories include Barbie. Once I started to care about my body image I wasn't playing with Barbie anymore so I don't even think I made the correlation.

P.S. My Barbie left Ken for a GI Joe. He was way more buff.

Kaeldrasmommy · August 2012

mabenner1:
I will, if I ever have a daughter. I played with Barbies for a long time, and my mom just made sure she reinforced that most women don't look like her.

This. My body issues didn't come from barbie. And lol at the strung out on cocaine barbie. My dad always used to tell me that he was going to buy me 'crack ho' barbie for my collection once I was older. I've collected barbies since I was 5.

authorofdreamz · August 2012

If she wants to. I never wanted to play with Barbies and liked to destroy my sisters but I don't have a problem with them, I just preferred cars and trucks. They way I feel about Barbie is that it is just a doll, my daughter will have plenty of diverse and positive realistic women role-models that are real live human beings that I don't think she is going to be basing these things off of a plastic doll. I probably wouldn't get her a Ken doll though, he creeps me out.

maedamalu · August 2012

Of course! If she is interested in playing with them, why not? I had such a great time, my mom even made clothes for my Barbies!

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