Girls + trucks=cool, Boys + dolls=sissy

[Mamaduke]

I'm in a quandry as to Jesse's Christmas present. When asked he said he'd love a doll's house. He plays with my goddaughter's house, along with my goddaughter and her brother and they play so nicely, it's a great thing to see.
Anyway, he's off to school next year and I'd just hate to have some little snot come over to our house and call him a 'sissy' for playing with dolls etc (you know how kids can be) and for him to get a huge complex about it, or worse still, stop playing with the house (after what I'm prepared to pay for it!)
Why is it that when girls play with trucks/cars/action figures no one bats an eyelid or they think it's cute, yet when a boy plays with Barbies/doll's houses it's immediately thought 'he's a sissy &/or a girl'? It infuriates me because every boy I know who has a sister/s plays with their dolls etc but nothing is said because it's not actually his.
Jesse's a real rough-nut of a kid, he's go go go all the time, loves riding his bike, getting dirty and having rough & tumble with his dog (and brother) - I just thought that having something like this (the house) where he can sit, use his imagination, develop his fine motor skills & slow down for 5 minutes would be a wonderful thing.
Would you buy your son/s a dolls' house (or playhouse!)?

[*Chels*]

Yup I would!
I got Riley some Little People stuff for xmas and actually was gonna get him the dollshouse but got told it was "for girls":rolleyes:
When hes a bit older I have no prob with buying him dolls and play kitchens etc

[Shanaynay]

Personally, yep, I'd buy the dolls house. Kids will always find some reason to pick on each other, may as well be about a dolls house!

I can understand why you wouldnt want to. You could try looking for a boy-type dolls house, like a castle or something?

[Ana Gram]

If I had a son, yes I would. I have big scary looking male friends, I don't think I am going to have much trouble with mean kids at school :D

[Little Gorilla]

I would absolutely buy my son a dolls house/playhouse.

This is one of those things that peeves me off soooo much.

DF was annoyed that I bought my son a dollys pram....DS absolutely looooves it...one of his fav toys and only cost me about $10.

My sister is getting bub a male cabbage patch for christmas...she is searching all over sydney for the "right" one...:laughing:

My DS loves pretending and I want to encourage this as much as possible.

On my list for christmas includes.....a shopping trolly with supermarket items and a little tea set.

I think alot of people out there still equate boys playing with girls toys = gay....sad, but true.

[Mamaduke]

I can understand why you wouldnt want to. You could try looking for a boy-type dolls house, like a castle or something?
I showed him a castle on the net (a beautiful wooden one) and he said, "but Mum that's not actually a house, it doesn't have rooms...it's a castle!"
He got a Barbie a while ago and he was telling one of his kinder friends. His friend said, "but Barbie's are for girls"
Jesse told him no they're not & couldn't have cared less.
This little boy's mum told me that he constantly plays with his sister's Barbies & dolls.
Why can't someone make a house that is not so gender biased? Get rid of the pink, because for goodness sake, how many pink houses do you see, and call them playhouses or family houses or something!!!!!!!!
I spoke to DH about it and asked his feelings, he said, "I think we could get something better than a doll's house but who cares what I think, you two will just go and do what you want anyway" ... ahhhh he knows us too well! :D

[Mamaduke]

I think alot of people out there still equate boys playing with girls toys = gay....sad, but true.

EXACTLY! I'm glad someone said it and it's not just people around me that I've heard this comment from.
I remember someone saying it at a bbq we went to (when a boy was sitting nicely playing with a baby doll)..."Yep, 'cause that'll do it!" I blurted to his ridiculous comment!

[Little Gorilla]

Why can't someone make a house that is not so gender biased? :D


I think at places like Hobby Co you can buy them unpainted...anyone in your family arty enough to paint a dolls house?

EDITED TO ADD...have a look here....http://www.hobbyco.com.au/product_groups/show_items.php?grp=620&sid=

some nice cream and yellow edwardian looking ones......and yes, I do have way too much time on my hands tonight.

[Mamaduke]

This is the one that he desperately wants...and I just missed out on tonight on ebay...
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=007&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=170045998867&rd=1&rd=1

[MrsMiggins]

My little brother played with my Barbie dolls & was forever at me to have tea parties with him etc (he's now a rough-as-guts motor mechanic & race car driver, BTW) and he even used to have his friends over & they played with them too. In fact I think there were more than 1 or 2 army men who occupied Barbie's dream house & drove her pink corvette....

I think all his friends just assumed they were mine & they played with them in the same way my brother did, which was in a pretty "boyish" kind of way. I think boys will be boys whether they're playing with cars or a pink doll in a tu-tu.

I think most of the stuff Claire has so far is pretty gender neutral (mainly educational type toys), but DH is famously quoted as saying after we found out #2 is a boy "He's going to be wearing a helluva lot of pink & purple hand-me downs!!" (His attempt to say I've already done too much shopping!!)

[Ruby Slippers]

Yes I would it's a wonderful gift :thumbsup:
I got my Nephew a baby doll for Christmas last year and he loves it .:D

[SassyDiva]

I agree, I think it's sad that society puts sterotypes on children.. I've had the same dilema with my son (who will be 4 in 3 weeks). When I was due to have DS2 I brought him a baby to give to him when he came to hospital to meet his new brother, just so he felt involved with what was happening and so he could look after his baby while i was busy feeding/changin etc. Well as the weeks went on he'd sit and BF his doll just as mummy was to her baby.. So cute, but then we had a male friend over who was horrified that we were letting our son do this. Im embarresed to say I got rid of the doll few wks later...

Then at Kindy, he goes straight toward home corner to take care of the babies and play mum's and dads.. I had a talk with his teacher and she told me most boys in the class will play with the dolls / or the doll house as they dont get the opportunity to do this at home.

Sorry for the :ecomcity: , but I so regret taking my sons baby (doll) from him and I plan on replacing it (with maybe a boy cabage patch doll as a compramise) as I think it is a totally natural part of life.. why dont we want to teach our boys how to be SNAGS.

[cwsmum]

Would you buy your son/s a dolls' house (or playhouse!)?
:yes: If he asked for one I would definatly buy him one :yes: (tho I do also have a DD who would use it when DS decided he was 'too old' for it). DS is more into his train set at the moment, but who knows what he'll want to play with in 6mths time.

I got DS a tea set not long after he turned 2, it's not at all girly, it's all red, yellow and blue :thumbsup: He has a kitchen that he loves to play with, he only got that one coz we walked into a life line store one day and it was $10.
DS also plays with a doll (that wears kaki shorts and a 'army shirt', well that's what DS calls it, oh and a blue cap). His doll has a bed, one of those little capsule type things, also a life line find...$2 :D Now he tells me he wants a BBQ.

[SassyDiva]

Awww that's dolls house is so cute Mamaduke.. have you seen that seller has more for sale.. Good luck, hope you get one :)

[Mamaduke]

Awww that's dolls house is so cute Mamaduke.. have you seen that seller has more for sale.. Good luck, hope you get one :)
I saw that - hope I do because his godmother is good to go with furnishing the place!

(hmmm...wonder if they make Pottery Barn doll's house furniture/linen! lol!!!);) :p

[SassyDiva]

Pottery Barn furniture... now I want one... for myself :o

[nemosmum]

Im with you all the way MD:thumbsup:

O is the same, very active "sporty" kind of boy BUT he loves home corner at kindy so for his b'day we bought him the cutest little 1950's retro kitchnette set.

And all hell broke loose when my family found out, it was actually very comical my parents told me sternly i was turning my son gay while my sister tried to buy O a toy gun to level the playing field LOL:rolleyes:

O has always had a lovely soft velvety man doll to go to sleep with and he loves cooking in his kitchen!
I too agree that when his engaged in these experiences he is calmer and less boisterous a nice change from his normal activities lol

To help you out with the whole doll house thing i purchased a great (very big) book case in the shape of a dolls house, its white with blue windows and doors and you can use it as both a dolls house or a book shelf......something to think about (we got it from kmart)

Gd luck with it:thumbsup:

[Mamaduke]

Just an update...
Because J hadn't mentioned the doll's house again I canned the idea but Grandma (MIL) called from the rummage shop she volunteers at saying that a doll's house had just come in and she was going to pay the $8.00 to buy it and bring it around.
Well!!! What a huge hit this house is! It's 3 storeys, creme in colour with the slate blue roof, everything he wanted. He thinks it's fantastic. His exact words on seeing it were, "OH MY GIDDY AUNT...A DOLL'S HOUSE!!!!"
He's played with it all night (using Spongebob Squarepants and various other characters as it didn't come with furniture &/or people) but his behaviour is absolutely divine. No running through the house, yelling at his brother...just a gorgeous little boy...even OFFERED to pack up Lukey's toys tonight!!!:eek:
He also told me "I'm so excited...I think I'm going to explode!"
This is the best thing ever! :yes:

[Chickadee]

That's excellent, and for only $8!

Grown men these days are generally expected to be able to look after themselves. To be able to cook a meal or two at least, clean up after themselves, and share equally in parenting. So what's the harm in little boys playing at those things? Kids learn by mimicking, so if Dad is doing those things, why shouldn't Junior?

[Little Gorilla]

His exact words on seeing it were, "OH MY GIDDY AUNT...A DOLL'S HOUSE!!!!"

What an absolutely gorgeous expression for a little boy to say!!! Has he heard his mum say this many times before too?

[Mamaduke]

What an absolutely gorgeous expression for a little boy to say!!! Has he heard his mum say this many times before too?
Mummy says it all the time! :yes: