Monday, November 19, 2012

Boys and Baby Dolls

Every time we pass by baby dolls Animal smiles and gets excited. He doesn't have siblings. And he doesn't have family or friends his age. And as I've mentioned he can be a little aggressive.

When I saw his interest in the baby dolls I thought to myself, awesome, we can use the baby to help Animal learn to be gentle.

So this weekend while the hubby and I were shopping we passed some baby dolls and Animal got excited. I picked up a doll and handed it to him. He touched it's face gently and I knew I had to buy it for him.

Hubby: Why are you letting him play with that.

Me: Because he wants a baby, so I'm going to buy it for him.

Hubby: He doesn't want that, he wants any toy you show him. (he picks up a wrestler plush toy and puts it side by side with baby) which toy do you like Animal?

Baby touch's them both. Looks back and forth for a minute or so. Then grabs the baby again.

Me: See he wants a baby. It's good for him, he needs to learn to be gentle.

Hubby: (not convinced) Well can you get the one in purple pajamas instead of pink?

Me: (rolling eyes) Sure. Here you go Animal, hold your baby.

Animal loves it, holds all the way to register.

When we get home I take tags off and wipe down before I let him play with his baby.

Hubby: Why is a baby good for a boy?

I'm a little annoyed this is still an issue for the hubs. He's not a sexist, and I know it's a baby doll, but come on. He doesn't think it's weird that our niece collects Hot Wheels.

Me: It's a teaching tool. He can learn how to treat others this way.

Hubby: Show me the studies that say that's true.

Me: Google it. Believe me, you'll find them.

Hubby: Ok, Ok. I'm sure your right.

Me: I am.

I remember that my niece has a stroller in her toy box at our place. I run to grab it and bring it back to the living room. The hubby takes Animal's baby and puts it in stroller. Animal is thrilled and starts walking around the room happily pushing his baby.

Hubby: (excited) Look he knew what to do!

Me: Of course, he's doing it just like daddy.

My husband sits back, smiling watching his son play daddy. Animal sits in front of stroller and starts to chatter away to his baby.

Hubby: Does his baby have a bottle? Maybe he wants to feed him?


16 comments:

  1. Yes!! It annoys me to no end that baby dolls are marketed exclusively to girls. Hello, most babies do have a father, sometimes two. I, for one, am not AT ALL interested in raising a boy to be a man who doesn't care for his baby.

    My boy has taken an interest in the Baby Alive dolls lately, but all the talking ones say "Mommy." They need to make a switch on the back that toggles between "Mommy" and "Daddy."

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    1. OMGosh, that's so smart! You should contact the baby alive company. Or we should start a campaign.

      Looking back that's how I should have sold my hubby at the store. He got it immediately once he saw his son playing daddy. I just hadn't expected him not to be on board w/it.

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  2. Its funny, my dad was thrilled that I preferred the red power wheels jeep instead of the barbie themed car, and my mom thought I was going to turn in to a lesbian! I am grateful that my dad didnt want to keep me wrapped as a princess, and allowed me to dip my foot in a masculine pool. Baby is a lucky kid!

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  3. Lol, I can think of a couple of similar stories I'll have to share with you ;)

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  4. Great post. So far my son has not shown interest in any dolls or loveys but I'm sure I'm going to have this conversation with someone in my family some day. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Animal was the same way for the longest time. it's funny how embedded it is in our culture that babies are for girls. anyway they're not

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    2. Accidently hit send before I could finish. they are for all children

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  5. Love this. I have two girls and my oldest loves Transformers and Iron Man. We definitely don't discriminate when it comes to toys. It does seem like it's harder for parents to accept their sons playing with so-called girly toys than the other way around though. We had a friend who didn't want his wife to get a play kitchen for his son because it was a girl thing. So ignorant.

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    1. For Sure! The reason it was so weird is the hubby and I have checked out kitchen's for Animal and he never cared what toy he played with before. He told me after that he was worried what MY dad would say. My dad would not be cool w/it.

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  6. It's more acceptable in today's society for a girl to play with "boy" toys than for a boy to play with "girl" toys, sad but true. Sends a message that girls and women are not worthwhile.

    I used to recommend a book called William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow when I was teaching. It's about a boy who wants a doll. It does a great job of explaining how he needs to learn to be a good father. You told me yourself about how your husband is such a great father, tell hubby that the baby is imitating what he sees. Your dad, well that's a whole different problem ;)

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    1. Oh he got it immediately once he saw him pushing the stroller. He loved to see him imitating him.

      and yeah, my dad is most def another problem

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    2. Sounded like he did, I just wanted to share the info that I used to give parents.

      Good luck with your dad ;)

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    3. I'm gonna buy that book.

      I give up on my dad. He'll never change

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  7. that's fantastic! I'm so glad Hubs got it! I feel so dense - I never thought about boys playing "Daddy" the way that girls play "mommy" - it just never occurred to me!

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    1. It's cuz you have girls. It's so fun to watch, he got a shopping cart for Christmas and he sat his baby in it. So cute!

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