Classic toys you aren’t introducing to your kids

[Anonymous]

I have a three year old boy.

I’m avoiding army men, weapons of any kind like Nerf guns, and really loud/violent cartoons.
DH and inlaws are super traditional and love the military, Fox News, guns, and tradition, but have so far seemed to take my lead in giving gifts like wooden play food for the play kitchen. I’m sure they’d draw the line at buying dolls, but I think a simple wooden dollhouse would be great for imaginative play.

[Anonymous]

A boy and a girl, now teens. No guns (not nerf, not water guns) and no Barbies.

A pp was correct, our boy turned everything into a gun for a while, sticks, fingers, even biting a pancake into the shape.

If ever guns of any kind, or Barbies, were given as gifts, if a gift receipt was attached, we exchanged, and if not, we donated.

Why? Because I do not believe guns are appropriate toys in any way shape or form. As for Barbies, you do know Mattel modeled them on Lilli, a German sex toy? (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.messynessychic.com/2016/01/29/meet-lilli-the-high-end-german-call-girl-who-became-americas-iconic-barbie-doll/&ved=2ahUKEwj84Pvt59vmAhWRnOAKHTd1BBkQFjAAegQIAhAE&usg=AOvVaw2QqweRqsMjQ6dkAA6ehN0B) Sorry, I don't want her as a role model for my daughter.

As I said earlier, both are now teens, and neither seems to be mal-adjusted or suffered in any way for not having played with guns or Barbies.

[Anonymous]

No guns at all. We are white and black kids get shot holding toy guns. That means having a toy gun is a kind of privilege and since it’s one of very few we can consciously opt out of 100%, we’re not going to exercise it.

No Jarts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A boy and a girl, now teens. No guns (not nerf, not water guns) and no Barbies.

A pp was correct, our boy turned everything into a gun for a while, sticks, fingers, even biting a pancake into the shape.

If ever guns of any kind, or Barbies, were given as gifts, if a gift receipt was attached, we exchanged, and if not, we donated.

Why? Because I do not believe guns are appropriate toys in any way shape or form. As for Barbies, you do know Mattel modeled them on Lilli, a German sex toy? (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.messynessychic.com/2016/01/29/meet-lilli-the-high-end-german-call-girl-who-became-americas-iconic-barbie-doll/&ved=2ahUKEwj84Pvt59vmAhWRnOAKHTd1BBkQFjAAegQIAhAE&usg=AOvVaw2QqweRqsMjQ6dkAA6ehN0B) Sorry, I don't want her as a role model for my daughter.

As I said earlier, both are now teens, and neither seems to be mal-adjusted or suffered in any way for not having played with guns or Barbies.

I could almost guarantee that ZERO kids think they are playing with a sex toy. I mean, unless you tell your kid that, how would they know? It’s a doll for Chrissakes! Get a grip, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A boy and a girl, now teens. No guns (not nerf, not water guns) and no Barbies.

A pp was correct, our boy turned everything into a gun for a while, sticks, fingers, even biting a pancake into the shape.

If ever guns of any kind, or Barbies, were given as gifts, if a gift receipt was attached, we exchanged, and if not, we donated.

Why? Because I do not believe guns are appropriate toys in any way shape or form. As for Barbies, you do know Mattel modeled them on Lilli, a German sex toy? (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.messynessychic.com/2016/01/29/meet-lilli-the-high-end-german-call-girl-who-became-americas-iconic-barbie-doll/&ved=2ahUKEwj84Pvt59vmAhWRnOAKHTd1BBkQFjAAegQIAhAE&usg=AOvVaw2QqweRqsMjQ6dkAA6ehN0B) Sorry, I don't want her as a role model for my daughter.

As I said earlier, both are now teens, and neither seems to be mal-adjusted or suffered in any way for not having played with guns or Barbies.

I could almost guarantee that ZERO kids think they are playing with a sex toy. I mean, unless you tell your kid that, how would they know? It’s a doll for Chrissakes! Get a grip, people.

+1 totally ridiculous to ban Barbies. I grew up with a mother who banned Barbies, among other things. I also grew up with a lot of resentment. Why wasn’t I allowed to have Barbies, like other girls? I always felt different and weird. I wish my mom had loosened up. I don’t think Barbies would have affected me negatively.

[Anonymous]

Anything but guns. I remember my older brother getting a flame thrower water gun unit at the end of the Vietnam War.

[Anonymous]

No guns. My family is military and has no issue with it; guns aren’t toys.

[Anonymous]

We allow DD (3yo) to play with anything that doesn't promote violence. So no guns or anything like that, but otherwise it's all fine.

We try to stay away from electronic toys that don't provide as much educational benefit, but we're not dogmatically strict about it.

As for classic toys, she got a set of Lincoln Logs for Hanukah and loves them so far.

[Anonymous]

Mostly books that are outdated and racist (like Seven Chinese Brothers, etc) or sexist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We allow DD (3yo) to play with anything that doesn't promote violence. So no guns or anything like that, but otherwise it's all fine.

We try to stay away from electronic toys that don't provide as much educational benefit, but we're not dogmatically strict about it.

As for classic toys, she got a set of Lincoln Logs for Hanukah and loves them so far.

So I guess no wrapping paper tubes in your house? They sure promote violence in our house, especially other adults bonking each other on the head.

[Anonymous]

To the Barbie haters.. we got one of the cheaper barbies for DD for Christmas. She’s dressed like a doctor and has a totally different “shape” than traditional Barbie. DD thinks she’s great.

There are so many Barbie options now. Adults need to stop projecting their toy issues on their kids. They aren’t getting body image issues because of Barbie. They’re getting body issues because of adult messages about bodies.

[Anonymous]

I'm not doing barbie because I found changing their clothes when I was a kid to be incredibly frustrating and I don't want to do all that work ever again.

[Anonymous]

My kids never did love Barbie. They only played when preschoolers and then it was frustrating BC so tiny for their hands. Then we had a huge Barbie discard. Total waste of Money

[Anonymous]

I was a massive Barbie fanatic as a child but I'm holding off on introducing them. I'm not militantly against them (right now) but not eager to have them become a favorite now that I'm more informed about the problematic aspects. I buy other dolls.

Agree on the toy guns as well. I'm not pushing princesses, but they are everywhere so I'll probably go along with them if my DD expresses a very strong interest. Right now she's just parroting what her friends talk about. She's hugely into unicorns and I'm not holding back on that one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a three year old boy.

I’m avoiding army men, weapons of any kind like Nerf guns, and really loud/violent cartoons.
DH and inlaws are super traditional and love the military, Fox News, guns, and tradition, but have so far seemed to take my lead in giving gifts like wooden play food for the play kitchen. I’m sure they’d draw the line at buying dolls, but I think a simple wooden dollhouse would be great for imaginative play.

There's a wooden dollhouse firehouse I bet they'd be okay with. Or you just buy the dollhouse yourself.