Would you buy your son...

mysweetpeasWil&Wes wrote: A baby doll? I'm sure this has been a topic before, but I recently bought Wil a Cabbage Patch doll for Hannukah and when I told DH, he sorta got angry...not mad angry, but confused. Like he was holding back from telling me what he really thought. Now my DH is not the sterotypical male whatsoever, so it surprised me when he said "Nooooooooooo, why does Wil need a doll?" He went on to tell me that he got a Ken barbie doll when he was a kid and absolutely hated it! He said boys want GI Joes! I said "well you were probably much older, like six when you got Ken, so it makes sense you didn't like it!".

Anyhow, just curious what others think. I feel that a child as young as my DS, or any aged child for that matter, shouldn't be forced to play with gender specific toys and that pretend play, such as pretending to care for a baby doll, is very beneficial to their growth and learning. That's JMO. Plus, we're adding a new baby to the family, so what's wrong with him pretending to diaper it or give it his bottle? Wil also has a mini kitchen and I'm hoping to get him his own little tea set! No harm in that IMO.

I'll let you know how he likes the doll! Wish me luck or you know I'll never hear the end of it from DH!

moped replied: LOL - well I am not usre, but I don't htink I would buy Jack a doll even though I find NOTHING wrong with it!!!!

Jack loves trains and trucks - that is all he cares about.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I think it's fine. Especially when you want to use it to introduce the idea of a new baby to him. All little kids love babies, so it makes sense that they'd like playing with a baby doll.

mckayleesmom replied: My brothers had boy cabage patch dolls when they were kids....I remember because my older brother gave him to me when he got older. I think that there is nothing wrong with a boy having a doll....I think it teaches them compassion and is good for their imaginations.

kidsarecrazy replied: I think it's a fine idea, especially with a new one on the way! Even if a new one wasn't on the way, I don't think it's a big deal.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Logan doesn't have a doll, but he does carry a stuffed rabbit around. He feeds it cheerios and shares his sippy cups with it. I see nothing wrong with a boy having a doll, or a girl playing with a truck. JMO. I never played with dolls as a girl. Still don't understand the fascination, but I was excited to buy my niece her first doll.

danahas4monkeys replied: I want to because he loves to play with his sisters but my husband says no way so grandma is lol!

Dana

MomToMany replied: Yes I would. There's nothing wrong with boys playing with dolls. I think it's important & beneficial to them.

Boys r us replied: YES YES YES!!!!!!

I think it's HORRIBLY closed minded to forbid a little boy from learning to nurture and show compassion etc the way they do by caring for a babydoll!

Braedon has always "babied" his stuffed animals, but last year for christmas we got him a Cabbage Patch Kid that looked like him. He loves that doll and takes care of him and I think it's been a wonderful part of his childhood development!

PrairieMom replied: The Boy got one for his brithday last year, and it is one of his favorite toys! He takes very good care of his "baby" I think it is good for them to learn nurturing skills. I didn't force the doll on him, he found my old cabbage patch and started carrying it around, so I got him one of his own!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
The CP doll I got Wil looks just like him, so I'm hoping for the same result! It has bright blue eyes and two little teeth popping in!

So Rick never said anything about it? Just curious...

Kaitlin'smom replied: Yes they shouls have one, just not forced to play with them, just like girls shoudl not be forced either. Its good for all kids to experience that.

CantWait replied: I've got Anthony a cheap $5 doll, but I don't think I would spend that sort of money on a cabbage patch for a boy. JMHO

Insanemomof3 replied: I don't see anything wrong with it. Tristan is 3, very much into trains, cars and sports, but he likes doll commercials and says he wants one. I hate gender specific stuff and stereotypes.

kimberley replied:

TsurugiButterfly replied: For those of us who grew up in the 80s, two words:

My Buddy.

I actually had one of both the My Buddy doll and the Kid Sister one. There is nothing effeminate about My Buddy either.

I think getting Wil a baby doll is a great idea. Anything that helps adjust to a new baby in the house is a good thing.

I certainly sat on both sides of the gender fence as a kid -- my favorite toys were actually my collection of Matchbox cars and all the little playsets that went with them.

Mom2Boyz replied: Larry and I have been going back and forth about this for MONTHS now
Conner LOVES baby dolls, and I wanted to get him one for his birthday, and Larry had a fit!!!! I tried to talk him into getting him one for Christmas and he still says there is no way our son is going to play with dolls. I don't see a thing wrong with it, and I think the more he tells him he can't play with them the more he'll want to. I mean I don't want to go out and get him a barbie or anything, just one of the boy Cabbage Patch Kids. Anyway...............I say go for it:thumb:

MamaJAM replied: We haven't bought any dolls specifically for the boys -- but that's mostly because we already have a house full of them. We do encourage our boys to be loving with the dolls -- you should see them cuddle-up. We think it's just as important for a little boy to learn how to be gentle and caring as it is for a little girl.

3_call_me_mama replied: Yes most definately. It teaches them nuturance as well as a lot of other essential things to their development. Cameron actually got a doll at my babyshower. MIL had wrapped up DH's cabbage patch doll from when he was young and had written us a nice long letter to go with it. Dh brought that doll everywhere when he was younger and had no issues whatsoever with Cameorn having a doll. And also it saves Cameron form taking Kathleen's although we did have to buy an extra baby stroller for him. cause he wants to use hers.


On the filp side... would he be upset if you had bought him a kitchen set? or if you had a daughter woudl he be upset if you bought her trucks and cars? Jsut a thought...

holley79 replied: When I was little was when Cabbage patch dolls were first coming out. My grandmother bought all three of us one for Christmas. This included my brother. He got a bald headed boy Cabbage Patch doll. Since he was the only boy in the family he called it his little brother. My mom taught all of us to diaper and feed the "baby". We all still have them. The only thing wrong with my brother is he is my sibling therefore I will find things wrong with him. Had nothing what so ever to do with the cabbage patch doll. JMO.

MamaJAM replied:
To answer these questions...

We don't have room in our house for the kitchen set we bought years ago -- so I gave it to MIL. She has a playroom for the kids and, actually, my boys are the ones who play with it more than the girls. And DH enjoys 'ordering' food from them (they like 'cooking' for us).

And our oldest DD is a "tom boy"....she never touched the dolls people bought her when she was little....all she wanted were trucks and cars, etc. We bought tons of them for her.

PrairieMom replied: I actually almost bought The Boy a kitchen set for Christmas, but we don't have room for is right now. He has a little "cooker" ( grill) that he uses to make us cheeser burgers and cake. He loves it! Some day his wife will thank me for raising a boy how can change a diaper and cook!

as for the flip side, I don't have any little girls yet, but judging from all the little boy toys around here, she would probably play with cars and trains a lot too!

MyBlueEyedBabies replied: Matt has a baby doll...a little purple dress wearing baby that he picked out all by himself. He doesn't carry it arround all the time but he does love it and calls it "his baby" I asked dh if he was freaked out by me buying him a little girl doll and he looked at me like I was crazy and asked why he would be.
With a doll he is still a bruiser, sports loving, boy boy and I love it.

jcc64 replied: I think if he's interested, then that great- he should have it, for the same reasons that Nichole said.
It's very hard not to impose, either subconsiously or not, our ideas about how a boy or girl should be. It's our job as parents to parent the child we have, not the child we want. If your boy wants to wear high heals and play with Barbie, he should be allowed to do so. If your dd wants to run around in the yard with trucks and balls and dirt (as I did), let her. You can never go wrong by supporting the interests of your child. And more often than not, those interests are fleeting, so just b/c your son is playing with dolls as a toddler doesn't mean you need to run out and join P-FLAG.

A&A'smommy replied: Well I thought about because I wasn't sure how to answer that (probably because I was tired ) but honestly I don't see anything wrong with it now at first I thought I don't know... I don't have a little boy but I can remember when I was a little girl and my little brother and I used to play barbies, and baby doll, and house and all the things that are considered "girly" games BUT there is NOTHING wrong with him now most of the time he hangs out with mostly girls

5littleladies replied: I don' have any boys so I'm not sure how to answer this question. I would have no problem with my sons (like I'm ever gonna have any ) playing with dolls but I don't know that I'd buy one specifically for them. Maybe a boy Cabbage Patch kid or something like that, I don't know. I hope that doesn't sound closed minded of me and like I said, I don't have boys so I don't know what I'd actually do.

MommyToAshley replied: There seems to be a double standard when it comes to gender specific toys. It seems to be more acceptable for little girls to play with cars then little boys to play with dolls. (Although there have been comments made when I bought Ashley a hotwheels ramp) I don't agree with limiting the toys to gender specific toys. If someone has a problem with it, then it is their problem, not your sons.

I hope he likes the cabbage patch doll... good for you for encouraging his interest and not limiting him. Who knows, he may end up being a pediatrician.

TANNER'S MOM replied: I read an actual study once that proved that children who played with dolls were more naturing then other. Boys who had siblings who played house and school with them were more likely to take a lead role in parenting then boys who were taught that MEN and BOYS had a different role in the family, and that makes total sence doesn't it.

Justin never had his OWN doll...but he had Britts and he took them apart more than played with them.

Tanner has an old MY BUDDY...and his name is TOMMY. I have pictures of Tanner and Tommy. From the age of 2 on..he played with Tommy slept with Tommy. If Tommy was in the car he wanted him to buckled up. He wore a diaper and socks.. Tanner didn't want his feet cold. Tanner is the tuffest boy you will ever met. There is nothing non boyish about him..

Tommy now stays in his room..on his toy chest. Every now and then he will get him to sleep with him again..or he will play with him. He says Mom will you babysit... I have to work and my wife can't watch him she has a meeting... you know stuff like that. Stuff he has seen us do...and it shows me he realizes Dad's have to worry about a babysitter too.

Get him the doll, and don't worry about it!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
Oh I already bought the doll and have no worries about it! I was just wondering what you all thought about buying your own boys dolls.

TsurugiButterfly replied: I asked Mike what he thought about it, and he doesn't see any reason why he would have a problem with giving Tristan a doll.

PhiMuMommy replied: my son loves stuffed animals and dolls.. he likes to feed them and stuff. it makes him feel big. if it was a boy doll i don't see a problem with it. think of ragady andy and my kid sister and brother dolls... when they didn't make boy dolls people got mad...

amymom replied: I have not read all the responses sorry

But I did buy my son a barbie, he asked for one, he was about 2 or 3 yrs old. The barbie got played with a bit then put aside. But no I would (and do not) not have a problem buying either of my children toys 'supposedly' for the other gender.

Boys r us replied:
No, Rick thought it was wonderful!

He takes such good care of "Troy"!

Maddie&EthansMom replied: I absolutely WOULD!!! As a matter of fact the other day I was tempted to buy him this cute doll at Wal Mart that he would NOT put down. It had a little pacifier attached and he just got the biggest kick out of giving that baby doll its paci!