Waiting For Barbie
The newest obsession in our home is: Barbie.
I am not sure if Barbie looks fun, if other kids play with her, or if its because I said she couldn't have Barbie's until she was 8...but it seems like that is all I hear about.
The Barbie phenomenon began many months ago. In fact it got so bad that I finally told her she could have Barbie's when she is older like Mariah. I made it a little more definite when I put an age on it. Gracie can now play with Barbie when she is 8. (Mariah is 10, and I think that is a little too long to wait.)
Now, this is not over image issues, although I am not a fan of her non-existent waist and perfect looks. But, I am a believer in kids take away from things what YOU put in them. If I tell her Barbie is a bad role model, then she will believe it. If I believe Barbie is a toy (which I do), then it will simply be a toy.
No, my reasons are a little more simplistic. She is already growing up plenty fast. Now it is My Little Pony, next Barbie....then what? I don't want her to be one of these kids that is in to bad music and MP3 players and inappropriate clothing by the time she is 9!!! When I was a kid, we played with dolls and Barbie's until we were like 12. That's one of my biggest problems with kids and parents today---they are helping them grow up at an alarming rate. There is so little time to be a kid and develop an imagination and innocence. I refuse to help aid in my daughter becoming a tween or whatever it is called--before her time.
So, no Barbie's until she is 8. And, until then I guess I will have to endure all of the talk about Barbie, and the weird conversations about how much longer until she is big enough to play with them.
In the meantime, she has a room full (and I mean packed to the gills) with toys and books, and so many other important play things. Including I might add Kelly dolls, which are Barbie's little sister.
I figure four years old is just right to play with little sisters. :)
I am not sure if Barbie looks fun, if other kids play with her, or if its because I said she couldn't have Barbie's until she was 8...but it seems like that is all I hear about.
The Barbie phenomenon began many months ago. In fact it got so bad that I finally told her she could have Barbie's when she is older like Mariah. I made it a little more definite when I put an age on it. Gracie can now play with Barbie when she is 8. (Mariah is 10, and I think that is a little too long to wait.)
Now, this is not over image issues, although I am not a fan of her non-existent waist and perfect looks. But, I am a believer in kids take away from things what YOU put in them. If I tell her Barbie is a bad role model, then she will believe it. If I believe Barbie is a toy (which I do), then it will simply be a toy.
No, my reasons are a little more simplistic. She is already growing up plenty fast. Now it is My Little Pony, next Barbie....then what? I don't want her to be one of these kids that is in to bad music and MP3 players and inappropriate clothing by the time she is 9!!! When I was a kid, we played with dolls and Barbie's until we were like 12. That's one of my biggest problems with kids and parents today---they are helping them grow up at an alarming rate. There is so little time to be a kid and develop an imagination and innocence. I refuse to help aid in my daughter becoming a tween or whatever it is called--before her time.
So, no Barbie's until she is 8. And, until then I guess I will have to endure all of the talk about Barbie, and the weird conversations about how much longer until she is big enough to play with them.
In the meantime, she has a room full (and I mean packed to the gills) with toys and books, and so many other important play things. Including I might add Kelly dolls, which are Barbie's little sister.
I figure four years old is just right to play with little sisters. :)
I totally agree. It kills me to see girls in my fourth grade class snarl at even the thoughts of a doll! They are into cell phones, MP3 players, and all that. I had one little girl who seemed normal to me and talked about her dolls. I then found out that the others made fun of her because she played with dolls. I too played with dolls much longer than kids today. Maybe we'll have to make my little ice cream shop be a pony ice cream shop and leave the Barbies in my basement so we don't make matters worse!!!
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