Bratz dolls

[kazla]

O.k here's my dilemmna. I strongly dislike bratz dolls. I don't like the image they portray, I find it really distasteful and trashy. I don't like the message they are giving to little girls as to what an attractive woman/female is. But, of course my five year old really wants one. Mainly because her cousin has a huge collection of them and they play with them when they get together. I have no intention of buying her one but she will get money off her grandparents for her birthday and will probably want to buy one. Do I let her make her own choices as to what to buy or do I say no and assert my control over her? I kind of feel that the more I say no the more she will want it, even though it goes against what I believe in. As she gets older I guess this will become more and more of an issue. What do you think?

[hanabi]

Do I let her make her own choices as to what to buy or do I say no and assert my control over her?

I think you already know the answer to this one. Don't forget there is a huge gray area in the middle you can negotiate. But on the whole, do you want to assert control over your child or do you want to empower her to make her own choices (and mistakes)?

[emma]

Yep i hate them too. My seven year daughter has been given a few by a friend. They are the sort of toy that get played with a lot initially and then can easily be packed away and are out of sight out of mind. I wouldn't ban this sort of toy because i don't want her to feel different from her friends or be too controlling. Though obvisoulsy these idea doesn't extend to everything, i wont buy a gameboy or lollies at this stage.

I would probably just try to put it off as long as possible and talk to her about it - is it a fun toy?, would you rather save up to buy a horse?

Got to add those baby bratz dolls are super scary.

[Chrissy]

Trinity - 3 is playing with one right now, she borrowed it from her 7 year old cousin. I also find them horrible and would much rather see her playing with a timber train . However I totally agree with what Jodie has said, she is 3 and she asked to borrow the doll and her cousin said it was fine. I am looking at the larger lessons here and they are all mine . Why should I insult her choice of game/toy? She loves the Brats doll's "blocken" shoes (high heels) and when she asked me why I don't wear them I told her that I find them uncomfortable, why don't I wear lipstick etc etc. So interestingly the doll has been a means of communication and understanding between us, if you would like to look at it that way.

Brats Dolls are just the begining, what about when she wants to go out dressed like one?????

As I said, Trinity has borrowed one - I wouldn't buy her one. I am not sure if I would be happy if she was given one either.

What a great lesson these thing can be

In a perfect world she would be playing with timber toys, puzzles, tonker trucks, drawing......But this is my idea of perfect for her. She lives in her perfect world and at the moment that includes Brats Dolls with "Blocken" shoes.

[keegans_mommy]

Those Bratz dolls look like mini prostitutes! Ick! I don't approve of them either and I encourage my children to search the whole toy store and then make an informed decison about what they spend their money on. Works everytime!

Also, we talk about what is allowed in our home and what is appropriate before going to the store so when we get there, they have no surprises and we can avoid having melt-downs in public.

[nikkip]

"Got to add those baby bratz dolls are super scary."

Yep I agree, they make me want to hurl every time they come on. One of the main reasons I hate sat morn TV (my DH loves it). The little provocative turn of the shoulder they make them do, its just WRONG!!!

That being said, I probably wouldn't stop my daughter from buying one, but I would actively discourage her in a reasonable sort of way, explaining as age appropriately as I could why I didn't like them. The idea of exploring the whole shop before buying is also an excellent idea! Don't forget, to a 5 year old, they are just a pretty dolly, and don't see them in the same sexual context that we do. So long as she got tired of it after a while and I was able to put it away I would be happy, although if it developed into buying more and more and being a large proportion of her playing time, I would probably become a little more forward in encouraging her interests elsewhere!

I always felt deprived because I never had a Barbie and my little sister was given TWO on the same birthday!

[kazla]

I guess your all confirming what I know is the right thing to do, and that is let her make her own choices(To a point!) I guess I will have to live with the bratz dolls if that is what she chooses, but your right Chrissy it does provide lots of opportunities for discussions about differences. We already do that with Barbie(Grrr don't get me started on her!).I do role plays with her about different situations eg. conflicts with other kids at preschool, so they do come in useful. We do usually have lots of talks about what we will get with the money and I try to point out the pro's and con's of different toys. There are so many crap toys out there though. The most bizarre one I've seen latley is a kind of bratz cat dressed in bondage gear. Totally bizarre!
Why do all the dolls either have to look like princess models or hookers? Can't they have something a bit more true to life? But I guess they probably wouldn't be marketable?

[mykidsmum]

I hate them too but honestly think they are better than Barbie (at least their heads make the so much more unrealistic and cartoonish vs the barbie image.
I say let her choose to buy the bratz doll but don't get her any of the accessories. Instead go for a lovely wooden doll house with some wooden posebale doll families that fit perfectly into the dollhouse. Allow accessories that broaden the imagination and she will soon forget about the Bratz at home but continue to be Bratz mad with her friends. Help her choose an appropriately dressed Bratz doll, some have country of origin clothes I recently was told and saw a beautiful Japanese dressed doll, more a collector type doll but that's the sort I would be Ok for my little girl to have (if I had a little girl)

[lizlea]

well I have never bought either but over the years Ash has been given about 6 Barbies and 2 Bratz - luckily she was never really into them and they pretty much just sat in the box!

[hanabi]

I encourage my children to search the whole toy store and then make an informed decison about what they spend their money on. Works everytime!

For us too. I've even be surprised to have times we come home with money unspent because ds has decided he can last a few more weeks to get something 'better'. I have to draw the line with my daughter though or we'd have 20 baby dolls (with bottle and dummy accessories - you all know the ones ).