B is for Barbie: A to Z Blogging Challenge

Many years ago I had several Barbie's.  I truly didn't understand why I had them because I wasn't particularly fond of them. But ever once in awhile I would take them all out of their case, dress them in a new outfit (after all I didn't wear the same outfit everyday) and play with them a little while.

I think many mother's dream of the days when they can watch their children play with dolls but they may be pretty surprised by what their daughter's think of them.  When my oldest daughter, who is now 16, first started playing with Barbie dolls she really had no patience. She didn't think Ken was cute or even nice he was always busy with his friend.  She thought Barbie was shallow, and wondered why doesn't Barbie try to do something different.  I explained that Barbie did do "different." She was a teacher, doctor, dentist and even animal trainer. And, thanks to the popular Disney movie "Life Size" more one little girl learned that there was certainly more to life that just what you looked life. 

My oldest daughter is now 16 but I remember walking into her bedroom to find that she had cut every single Barbie dolls hair and was mixing and matching which clothes she would wear. Plaids and stripes; red and purples, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to what she chose.  In shock, I simply said, "Have fun," and walked out of the room.  The dolls came away looking a mixture between Goth and well for lack of a better word, slutty.

Apparently there is something genetic about the use and abuse of Barbie dolls in my family.  Yet another child was caught standing over the trash can with a Cinderella doll and a pair of scissors. 
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing mommy."
"What are the scissors for?"
"Well you got a hair cut this week, Jack (the dog) got a haircut  and my big sister got a hair cut this week.  I just thought my favorite dolly should get a haircut too." Mom stared in horror as Cinderella's crown was removed along with all of her hair.  The teen laughed and said, "That's my sister!"

Once again the four year old wins. After all B IS for Barbie and if she wants to change her dollys hair then who am I to say different?  I decided to take the high road as a super mom and allow her to explore her creativity with, "Have funny honey, make a great hair style on your dolly; make sure you throw the hair away and put your scissors in the drawer."

Looking at Cinderella's new hair "do" I think maybe I just didn't hide the scissors good enough.

2 comments:

Kazzle Dazzle April 3, 2011 at 1:21 AM  

LOL! It is funny how different generations view different toys. I loved my Barbies but my nieces were not at all interested!

Toby Neal April 3, 2011 at 11:02 AM  

There weren't that many choices when I was growing up, but our Barbies peopled an amazing world of adventures. i did not suffer from stereotypes becuase of it--my Barbie "villagers" even burned one at the stake for witchcraft! (plastic hair really smells bad when burnt)
Aloha from HI
Toby
http://www.tobyneal.net/

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