Barbie Dolls - Waterford,MI

I personally just don't get that Barbie = self image issues. I've tried to "get it" but it just makes no sense to me. I loved my Barbies when I was little. I played make believe with them, dresses them in different outfits and fixed their hair. I don't recall ever thinking that Barbie has this perfect body and I don't. Barbie was an adult made of plastic not a human. I never compared her to other adults as she was a doll not a person.

My daughter is now almost 4 and she enjoys her Barbies, she loves her ponys, Strawberry Shortcakes and Polly Pockets. She will have a rough road at school and with watching TV when older in regards to self image. I don't think the dolls of her childhood have anything to do with that.

9 moms found this helpful

I totally get your concern, because I've heard this talked about before, but I'm just not understanding how playing with Barbies leads to body image issues. Barbies were my favorite toys as a kid and I never thought to myself, "OH, how I wish I looked like this plastic toy!!" Please... I've never heard a single person say, "Playing with Barbies made me insecure!" Like any other toy, kids either like playing with them, or they don't. I say get her a Barbie or two, she will love it!

Now, I do have a problem with those Bratz dolls and those Monster High dolls- they are all dressed trashy & slutty and I refuse to buy those for my daughter because I definitely don't want her thinking it's OK for a woman to present herself in that way. Totally inappropriate!

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Tell Grandma and Auntie that she wants a Barbie.
My SIL gave us most of our Barbies. I never bought any. Some came from birthday parties. At one time we had over 30.
BArbie is part of growing up. All girls have them, some boys too. They are cheap, have lots of cool dress up clothes and can be easily transported.
My girls didn't have the dvd's or computer games, just a bazillion dolls and the accessories.

I do not think playing with Barbie gives any child a negative self image. I think mothers who overreact to Barbie gives the child a reason to think that the plastic doll means more than it does.

I agree with the poster that banned Bratz dolls. We never had them either, plus I think they are ugly.

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I guess I don't see the connection - because barbie more resembles a "real woman" (ie has "boobs", legs, looks like a human female figure) more so than a rainbow brite, the barbie is going to cause body image issues?

Negativity in the child's life as she goes through adolescence will cause the body image issues. Not building up her self esteem will cause her to think she is not good enough. Telling her "you are not attractive and won't amount to anything" will cause her to have low self esteem. What won't is her dressing barbie up to go on a date with Ken.

I even had my Ken and Barbie have SEX!! (collective gasp!) And I am not a sexual deviant. Well, not according to my husband at least =)

Get her a barbie. Try to enjoy this stage. It really can be fun.

8 moms found this helpful

What Nikki G said!

Don't over think this mom. It's just a Barbie. She's pretty, she has great clothes, gets to be every professional in the world-including the president and an astronaut! How is showing a girl she can be anything she wants a bad thing!?

6 moms found this helpful

I don't like Barbie dolls because they are a pain and expensive because you have to buy a whole doll to get the cool looks, but whatever. I never did understand why people try to link poor self image with Barbie dolls. They are a doll, most girls see them as dolls. I always assumed as a kid that their waste was so small to keep the cheap pants from falling down.

I don't know, maybe it is just me but it seems like the people that claim poor self image because of a Barbie doll are just fishing for something to blame for their lives.

5 moms found this helpful

I'm a hardcore feminist... Barbies are the least of your body image issues. Bratz, Moxies, Monster High, etc... they are the current trend of skanky dolls for kids. At least Barbies have nice, normal clothing, not as many skanky clothing options.

My daughter LOVES her Barbies, Rainbow Brite, Strawberry Shortcake, Fairy dolls, her horses, barn animals, etc... she also will play with trains, legos, blocks, sports, etc... options are great for children of both genders - tho limiting them to a certain degree would be good until they reach a certain post pubescent age.

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Eh, I was the tom boy boy girl, preferred Erector sets to Barbies. But I still had one, along with a Skipper and Ken, and a GI Joe doll. I never thought that I was supposed to grow up and look like Barbie. I mean, there were no adults in my world that looked like that. Barbie had lots of careers, and was strong and independent in my day. Also, my grandmother sewed wedding dresses and ball gowns, so she made our Barbie clothing out of remnants - we had the best dressed Barbies in town. LOL

Get her a Barbie and Leggos :)

God Bless

5 moms found this helpful

My favorite toy as a child were Barbies. I played all the time, I even kept most of my barbie items to one day give them to my daughter. I never had body issues from Barbie. I thought of them no different than playing with my cabbage patch doll. They were just a doll that I could play house with.

Both my girls play with Barbie, and I'm fine with it. But they also play my little ponies, strawberry shortcake, princesses, puzzles, board games, dress up clothing, ipods, DS's and so on. They just love to play!

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get the barbie!....I think you are over thinking it.

The ridiculous standards of which society expects for women are far too prevalent to erase by not allowing a doll. Let her play with barbie (which by the way has had her feet made larger, her waist larger, and breasts smaller) But on your end you can raise a girl in the best way you know how by implementing your example. Love yourself, dont criticize your own body, model that image for her.

Shes going to want to be like you, mom. The barbies will end up in the attic at around the time she will be actually figuring out how to be a woman.

5 moms found this helpful

MY SIL had the exact same issue but she kept it to a low roar. She has three girls and they have a mix of toys/dolls. As much as she wanted to fight the "Barbie War" it just wasn't worth the fight. My nieces aren't obsessed with them because they have so many other dolls that they just mix in the the other stuff.

Btw, my son even has a Barbie. He played with her and the puppies/stroller for about a week and went back to Lighting McQueen. Just like any other toys, their interests change back and forth.

4 moms found this helpful

I LOVED my barbies. My best friend and I spent hours and hours playing with them. I loved making houses for them and finding things I had around the house to use for furniture. They also had hundreds of fantastic adventures.

I think Barbies get a bad rap. They never impacted my self-image. I always knew they were just dolls. I think what impacts a girl's self image most is the way their parents treat them and the values they instill in them.

Best wishes =o)

4 moms found this helpful

Honestly I think they only have an negative impact if we as women give them a negative impact. I grew up playing with barbie dolls and I always knew that it is just a doll, no one looks like that or should change to look like a barbie doll.

My daughter has been playing with barbie dolls for over a year now and she loves dressing them, undressing, having pretend school, adventures and so on with them. We have a mixture of strawberry shortcake, my little ponies, barbies, barbie kids (which seem more in line with how a kid looks), and some barbies are more "normal" looking (found them at a garage sale).

In the end if you see negaitve thought or play with them step in and correct the thought. Also reflect a positive body image yourself, that will be a stronger message then a toy.

4 moms found this helpful

I don't think Barbies have a negative impact on self-image. I had them and loved them when I was a kid and it never crossed my mind then. Except for when my Ken doll got stuck under the baseboard heater and melted his shoulder into a point. For the longest time I thought that would happen to me if I got too close...

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this isn't going to come out right - I've got my mind on my son's doctor's appointment...but here goes..

just because you weren't into them doesn't mean your daughter won't be.

There is NOTHING wrong with your daughter having a Barbie doll...it's a DOLL!!! I don't know what your hang up is over it and toy guns...but seriously - you are taking on a lot excess baggage and worry trying to withhold these things from your daughter..

If she's not interested in Strawberry Shortcake or Rainbow Brite - you CANNOT FORCE IT...let her be HERSELF....the more hoopla you make over the Barbie or toy guns - or whatever it is - the more interest she will have in it...let her explore, let her learn...you can instill values and morals and even boundaries....even if she does like Barbies!!

4 moms found this helpful

It's more about imaginative play and dress up! I had a dresser full of barbies as a kid and have one of the healthiest body images ever, even as a size 16! Many barbies are doctors, teachers, there was even a president barbie! Some of the stories and movies teach girls they can do and be anything they want. She just happens to be a pretty doll, which can also just show girls it's important to take care of yourself and look your best. It's not so much about the doll but what we teach them to be!

3 moms found this helpful

I gave my daughter a barbie and it was fun for about 10 minutes. then she ripped all the clothes off and lost them and its at the bottom of the toy box. i was kind of sad really. I loved playing with mine. Maybe when she gets old enough to enjoy dressing them she will be more into it. I dont worry about the image issues. I'm here to counter all that. Barbies dont have any power in my house.

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I wouldn't sweat it too much. My daughter had Barbies and played with them for a while. Eventually she didn't care too much about them and we sold or gave them away. No harm done, she is a wonderful, confident, responsible, athletic 17 year old now. It will be all of her experiences in life that will contribute to self image, not just one small portion of her life. Keep her active in a variety of things so she has many experiences and with lots of different kinds of people.

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Every little girl I've ever known has loved Barbies. I'm pushing 50 and Barbie has been around a lot longer than me.
I personally don't think the doll gives girls bad body image issues. They're fun to play with and change clothes, brush the hair.
I think little girls like Barbie dolls because they aren't Rainbow Brite or My Little Pony. She will still like those things along with her baby dolls. Barbies are just a different kind of imaginative play.

It's just my opinion, but I don't see that they hurt or harm anything.

2 moms found this helpful

I think getting your daughter some Barbies is probably fine. My daughters loves them but more for the dress up and combing their hair. I played with them growing up and never had issues with them making me feel insecure. The newer Barbies actually have less of a bust and don't look quite so out of proportion.

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I played with Barbies as a child and NEVER noticed she was proportioned oddly. They do tend to make Barbies more normal now days though. I think you should let her have at least a couple and some accessories.

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We enjoy them here @ my home.They are inexpensive vs. other toys my girls had their first Barbie doll's before they were a yr. old it was so cute they wanted to carry them around with them.I have yet to hear anything about the body image they have with my 4 yr old.They also have toy guns that make noise,Nerf,pop balls gun,marshmellow shooter,water guns,Strawberry Shortcakes,My little Pony,baby dolls,Legos,lots of other things that are simply toys for creative play to blossom their imaginations,motor skills,they all love their toys.

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No negative impact! I enjoyed both Barbies and toy guns as a girl! I spent hours of fun over the years with my Barbies, and they offer great role playing opportunities and outlets. Did my friends and I ever think we WERE Barbie or supposed to look like her or that she was sending us the wrong message about our value as females? NO! They were dolls and they were fun. No real women we knew looked like a Barbie -even if they were beautiful. Girls get theirideas of body image, what's pretty and sekf-worth from other places (like celebrities and magazines -that's what ypu should have some serious talks about).

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Coming from a former Barbie collector, your reasoning is rhetorical. Honestly the Barbie industry is way beyond control since the simplicity of the 60's. But despite all these claims that it warps a child's body image, I think it's unfair reasoning.
Pick out one doll together. Maybe if she's also has other interests, like themes, you could combine. Example: Wizard of Oz. There's the Dorothy Barbie doll. Or if she shows interest in ethnic areas, there are the dolls of the world. That opens things up, and combines a hobby of collecting as well. Keep it controlled and there's no problem.
At 4, I would recommend a doll without a lot of frills and small parts. Shoes get lost, so stick to boots. Geez there's Curious George B, basketball B, Dolls of the World, all sorts of themes.
My mom was not of the mind to get me one as a kid either. She didn't get me a Barbie until I was married and living overseas! My aunties got me a Barbie as a kid. I don't think it warped my concept of self image and stuff.

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my 6 yo just isn't interested in them, Personally i would wait until she is REAlly asking for it, not just when she is with her friend. if it is really somethign she wants and not just because so and so has it, then i would find her a nice career barbie and not worry about it. But myphilosphy is always to wait until the kids are truly ready and want things not to just get toys because I or someone else thinks they would like them. my hubby always want to get thing 2-3 years inadvance of what the kids can handle drives me nuts. So i guess i say wait because it seems like a 4 yo would have trouble dressing a barbie. a build-a bear would be more age appropirate in my mind and with cute outfits.