"Boy" toys and "Girl" toys

[Aidensmom]

I agree that it's easy enough to just say "boy" or "girl". What bothers me is that it is giving the kids the message that they are gender specific. It makes it much harder for some little boys to admit they'd rather have the Barbie or Build-A-Bear than the Hot Wheels or Super Heroes (or for little girls to admit the opposite). Is it really too much to expect them to remember the current promotion??? I know that working at McDonalds isn't rocket science but come on!

I agree with this, and it is actually one of my pet peeves that McD’s does this. I’ve used it as a teaching opportunity though….I’ve told my son that it is not right to label things “girl” or “boy”, and that girls and boys can just choose what they like, at McDonalds or in the rest of life. If we go to McDonalds, my son’s question now is, “Are there different toys?” and if I say yes, he asks what they are. At no time do I say one is for a boy, or one is for a girl, and when I order I mention the toy by name rather than “girl” or “boy”.

 

[topaz_onyx]

I still play with my brothers helicopters and cars!

 

[shortbun]

Just the idea that men these days would freak over their sons and grandsons playing with dolls and playing house gives me chills. Are our sons NOT supposed to grow up and be fathers? Do they NOT take care of their own children, feed them, bathe them, diaper them, tend to their injuries, discipline them? Do our husbands NOT cook and clean? If they are resistant, it is because of this type of sexist drivel being allowed in our homes. Set your husbands straight and set your sons free.

 

[Liberty Belle]

My four year old has (really hasn't played with in in almost a year, though) a doll. He also has a microwave, play food, etc. These don't bother dh at all, but I bet he wouldn't want him playing with barbies. I wouldn't care one bit.

I used to love playing cops and robbers with my brother and his friends. I turned out fairly normal.

 

[Kaler131]

It absolutely does not bother me or my DH what toys our kids play with (as long as it's not something dangerous)! In fact my DS4 asked for a "baby alive" for his birthday, and that's what he got! At first my DH wondered why our DS4 wanted a baby doll, but when his mom pointed out that he also played with his sister's dolls when he was a kid, he shut up! LOL! I don't believe that it would have any harmful effect on them. When I was a kid I used to play with my cousin's Star Wars action figures, my brother's baseball & football cards, and I would play basketball & football with the boys in the neighborhood....all while the other girls in the neighborhood played with baby dolls & Barbies. It had no negative effect on me. I am now the wonderful mother of 4 children even though I had no practice playing with baby dolls as a child....LOL!

 

[Kaler131]

A few months ago we happened to go into McDs a couple of times. My 3yo saw the display of the toys and wanted the "girl" Build-a-Bear toy. He didn't want the super hero, so I exchanged it. He loved those little pink and purple bears.

I don't think McDs is trying to enforce gender "rules" with thier toys. They're just giving a choice. If they only had cars, there will be many girls who would be upset. If they only had bears, there would be many boys who would be upset. It's probably just easier to say "Is this for a boy or a girl?" than it is to say "Would you like a super hero or a build-a-bear?". There's usually somewhere where you can find out what the toys are that they have currently. You are free to say "girl toy" if that's what your son wants. And I do remember for a while they had these little alien type toys that were gender neutral.

I REALLY HATE the fact that McDonalds does that! If it's the choice between a hotwheels car and a Barbie Doll, then why don't they just say that?!?! This "boy" or "girl" stuff is stupid. I know that when I was a child I would rather have the hot wheels car or super hero than the doll! My daughter sometimes wanted the "boy" toy as well. And there was a time when my (then) DS5 LOVED The Little Mermaid and they had that as a "girl" option and something stupid as the "boy" toy....so he got the "girl" toy. I really wish McD's would STOP with the gender bias toy choices.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I have a 6 year old little boy that has Barbies, a doll bed and baby dolls, and even a Tinkerbell purse, as well as a multitude of traditional "boy" interests....No, we don't find a problem with boys liking "girl" things or girls liking "boy" things. I find it kind of offensive that we as a society even attribute certain things to a certain gender. Are we not all equal human beings who can have whatever type of interest they want?

I do find it odd that it is more acceptable in society for a girl to have "boy" interests than for a boy to have "girl" interests.

My nephew just turned five and he loves to dress up, play with "girl" things, dolls, ect...and he loves Ariel.
The only thing he wanted last Christmas was an Ariel doll and he will watch the movie endlessly. My brother and SIL are concerened, but mainly because my SIL saw a 20/20 show, or Dateline or one of those about transgender children (one of the traits of transgender boys is an obsession with mermaids) none of the transgender children on the show had an easy life by any means and many of the stories were so sad. I don't blame them for being concerned, I saw the show too and worry for my nephew myself. Children can be very mean.

 

[singingpixie]

My nephew just turned five and he loves to dress up, play with "girl" things, dolls, ect...and he loves Ariel.
The only thing he wanted last Christmas was an Ariel doll and he will watch the movie endlessly. My brother and SIL are concerened, but mainly because my SIL saw a 20/20 show, or Dateline or one of those about transgender children (one of the traits of transgender boys is an obsession with mermaids) none of the transgender children on the show had an easy life by any means and many of the stories were so sad. I don't blame them for being concerned, I saw the show too and worry for my nephew myself. Children can be very mean.

I understand your point and would definitely worry for my child if they strongly expressed traits of being transgendered, and I think that the best thing that a parent can do in this situation is be open and accepting from the very beginning. It's bad enough if a child has to face prejudice from the outside. It's got to be very helpful to be facing that coming from a home where s/he knows s/he is loved and accepted.

 

[Aidensmom]

My nephew just turned five and he loves to dress up, play with "girl" things, dolls, ect...and he loves Ariel.
The only thing he wanted last Christmas was an Ariel doll and he will watch the movie endlessly. My brother and SIL are concerened, but mainly because my SIL saw a 20/20 show, or Dateline or one of those about transgender children (one of the traits of transgender boys is an obsession with mermaids) none of the transgender children on the show had an easy life by any means and many of the stories were so sad. I don't blame them for being concerned, I saw the show too and worry for my nephew myself. Children can be very mean.

Don't worry so much. Christmas when my son was 4, he was obsessed with Cinderella. He wanted the Cinderella movie and doll for Christmas...which he got. Cinderella is one of his favorite movies still, along with Cars, Teenage Mutant Turtles, and other "boy" movies. Really, as a little girl, I liked to play with Hotwheels and play baseball just as much as playing with dolls, and no one worried I was transgendered.

 

[GJM]

I remember when my DS was about 2 in daycare. I went to pick him up and him and a couple of other boys had on hard hats, tool belts and carrying a pocket book. It was so funny, the teacher said to me they all do it, to them it is just toys.