via : solittletime.tumblr.com
I have previously mentioned my love/hate relationship with Barbies.
They are not made to last. The clothing can be pretty skanky. Their accessories are annoying as all get out (have you ever stepped on a tiny, pointy tiara? owies!). There are endless kinds of Barbies, with their cars and bicycles and campers and cruise ships. A gazillion dollar industry, targeting out little girls.
But apart from all that, I am most afraid of what they are teaching my 5 year old daughter, this notion that she must be perfect. It is hard to explain to a five year old that ‘Real Girls Aren’t Perfect’. I feel a bit stuck. Letting her enjoy her dolls, but at the same time teaching her that they are just dolls. That they have no hearts or brains. That they don’t feel hurt or joy. That their perfect clothes and accessories don’t matter, because they are inanimate. That she will feel both joy and pain, regardless of how perfect she appears outwardly. That outward perfection is meaningless when you don’t have inner quiet and a sense of worth.
xoxo, Rashmi
2 Responses
i have the same struggles with my 3 girls. teaching it’s what’s inside that matters, not the outside, not what your friends think, not what someone else tells you. it’s YOU. YOU are worth everything.
I really would not worry. I played with Barbies ALL THE TIME when I was a kid. They were my most favorite toy. It is just another avenue of pretend play. And they are not perfect. Mine’s hair was always a mess, it was so hard to get pants on over their legs and their shoes never stayed on! Oh, and I gave one a haircut. ;)