I know Barbie is a controversial topic. I'm sure there are people out there who don't play with us because we play Barbies. I love Barbie. The first time I was introduced to this controversy was when I was working at a Montessori school and someone had donated 2 barbies and a few beautiful dresses with them. My boss, the Principal/owner rushed in and grabbed them away from the children playing them and she was furious and told me to find a bag and put them in it and give them back to parent who donated them. I stood there shocked. I didn't see anything wrong with the dolls. Maybe the way my boss did this was wrong. But she did explain to me at least "her" reason for not liking Barbie. Barbie is unproportioned and not the body image we want to show our children. She is unrealistic. Hmmm, yes, I see that Raggedy Ann is much more proportionate, she is the body image we want to model ourselves after. (I'm kidding) I love Raggedy Ann. I love all dolls (except those Bratz things)! I am a girl and I like all things girl. (except shopping, but that's another story) I just think that our children learn what they are taught. My girls have never used Barbie in a bad way. They use the bikini's they come in as underwear. They know that her waist is not realistic, come on, they said no one can have a waist that small. (I think she might measure a 1/2 inch around her tummy) Now, really!
Barbie has changed from when I was a kid though. When I was a child, I owned 3 barbies. One was a "real" Barbie and the other 2 were cheapie $1 ones. I wished I had at least a GI Joe for Barbie, but did not. I dreamed of having a Barbie house and 10 more Barbies like my cousin, but did not. I only had the original outfits they came in. Back then, most kids did not have tons of everything they played with (and we were fine). My mom would give me a piece of material, like above and a ribbon and I would make their own dresses. Sun dresses. I guess this is inappropriate now, but, it gave me lots of styles to play with. I loved dressing my Barbies. I would pretend Barbie was me, and I would mostly just dress her up and have singing shows.Now, my littles play with Barbie, they set them all up (they have way too many, mom does garage sales) They love to dress them in beautiful gowns and then they have singing shows. It takes a long time to play barbies with my girls, EVERY Barbie has to sing. AND you have to make up the song!! I do try to sing some funny ones like "Feelings" and "The Rose"! "Some say, Love, it is a River...." Isn't that a fun one to sing? How about "Tie a yellow Ribbon around the old oak tree"?
Anyway, my point here is what is wrong with Barbie? She sings, dances, gets married, has children. I don't let them dress them inappropriate...yes sometimes the skirts are a little short, but it gives me an opportunity to talk about modesty with them at this young age. To talk about what is true beauty. They know she is just a doll and they love to dress her and sing and dance her. I guess it depends on our past and our experiences with Barbie.
Are there any Barbie lovers out there? I know Jill, you love her!! Anything you'd like to add?
Now, I did space for paragraphs, let's see if it worked....
