American girl doll questions

[Anonymous]

Hi, DD is in KG and really wants an American girl doll. Since it is such an expensive you, I thought we should save it as a KG graduation present, but now I'm thinking it might be fun to surprise her during spring break.

How does it work if you want to custom design a doll? Do you need an appointment or just walk in?

Also, we are south Asian by ethnicity, and DD rally wants a blonde blue-eyes doll, which makes me a little uneasy - she says blonde hair is so pretty...
Thoughts on whether I should let her pick or instead pick a doll that looks more like her...

[Anonymous]

No appointment necessary. I'd make sure she sees the dolls that look like her but I'd let her choose. 9yo dd has a doll that looks like her and another of the just like me dolls that she picked features she liked. She's the one playing with it so I wanted her to get what she wants.

We didn't do anything big for K graduation so I don't see a problem with giving it to her sooner. Dd usually gets hers for birthdays and Christmas, but I think one year my parents gave her one for Easter.

I'm sure she'll love it. Have fun choosing!

[Anonymous]

I had an American Girl doll growing up and I think it's become a very different thing than it was. Before it was about the historical dolls and we each had one and were allowed to play with them. However, the expensive accessories were treats, we'd get an official outfit at christmas or a birthday and got plenty off knock off outfits to use to play with her too for other times (usually picked up at craft fairs and such).

I still have my AG doll (Molly) and actually my mom just bought me her PJ set for my bithday a couple years ago when we went to the AG girl doll store. I hope she loves her doll, I loved mine even if I got it taken away once or twice for being too rough with her.

[Anonymous]

I would let DD pick the doll she wanted. The dolls are far too expensive to buy a doll that she doesn't want and won't be happy with!!!

[Anonymous]

Kindergarten? NO. These dolls are for 8 and up. Buy her the historical books and read them to her. She'll settle on one of the historical characters and then wish and wish, and "save her pennies" and then for her birthday, you can get her the the doll and all friends/relatives can get her various accessories. That's a great way to do it, imo.

You buy her a doll now and she'll thrash it and it won't be special like if you did it the other way.

[Anonymous]

My daughter got one in K. She has treated it responsibly and still loves her and plays with her often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten? NO. These dolls are for 8 and up. Buy her the historical books and read them to her. She'll settle on one of the historical characters and then wish and wish, and "save her pennies" and then for her birthday, you can get her the the doll and all friends/relatives can get her various accessories. That's a great way to do it, imo.

You buy her a doll now and she'll thrash it and it won't be special like if you did it the other way.

Not all children trash their toys. Some children are very careful of how they treat their possessions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten? NO. These dolls are for 8 and up. Buy her the historical books and read them to her. She'll settle on one of the historical characters and then wish and wish, and "save her pennies" and then for her birthday, you can get her the the doll and all friends/relatives can get her various accessories. That's a great way to do it, imo.

You buy her a doll now and she'll thrash it and it won't be special like if you did it the other way.

I don't think you have a K girl. It's a big thing starting around K, not at 8. I can't imagine any of the girls I see carrying their dolls to parties trashing them. They are seriously in love with their dolls.

OP -- it's her doll, I would let your DD pick out what she wants. Although you don't need to make an appointment, I would try to get to the store at non-peak times, such as right when it opens. It can get pretty crowded on weekends.

[Anonymous]

DD is blonde haired and blue eyed and picked an African American American Girl doll for her first doll. She was five or six. And she was ready for a AG doll and took great and loving care of her. She is 10 now and still loves her (now) collection of AG dolls.

Let her choose the doll she wants, OP, but definitely show her the beautiful Asian dolls.

[Anonymous]

If you are giving spring break and K graduation gifts - I would not worry about the expense of this.

I am unaware of other families who do such things.

[Anonymous]

I'd let her pick it. FWIW I loved the green eyed doll the most and I have brown eyes. I think it was just a prettier color?

I still have my Samantha doll I got at my 5th Christmas. Sure I've gotten bigger gifts over the years, but none were more loved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Also, we are south Asian by ethnicity, and DD rally wants a blonde blue-eyes doll, which makes me a little uneasy - she says blonde hair is so pretty...
Thoughts on whether I should let her pick or instead pick a doll that looks more like her...

My DD is also Asian. There are no Asian AG dolls - which kind of made me not want to get my DD one. She ended up initially choosing blonde with blue eyes (she says the same about this being so pretty) but settled on a very dark skinned doll with very curly hair. I just let her choose. My only issue was that I was buying only one - they are expensive. You can get accessories that work elsewhere for far less money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kindergarten? NO. These dolls are for 8 and up. Buy her the historical books and read them to her. She'll settle on one of the historical characters and then wish and wish, and "save her pennies" and then for her birthday, you can get her the the doll and all friends/relatives can get her various accessories. That's a great way to do it, imo.

You buy her a doll now and she'll thrash it and it won't be special like if you did it the other way.

A kindergartener is more than old enough to take good care of a doll. If she wants one, I wouldn't wait as she will get more years of play with it. The whole thing is pretty well wrapped up by 6th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would let DD pick the doll she wanted. The dolls are far too expensive to buy a doll that she doesn't want and won't be happy with!!!

This.

DD is white and the doll she chose is a little swarthy. Who cares? We didn't say a word and never will.

I don't get why OP feels uneasy about her daughters choice; she should accept anybody without regard to their appearance.

If you want a color blind world, start by living it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Also, we are south Asian by ethnicity, and DD rally wants a blonde blue-eyes doll, which makes me a little uneasy - she says blonde hair is so pretty...
Thoughts on whether I should let her pick or instead pick a doll that looks more like her...

My DD is also Asian. There are no Asian AG dolls - which kind of made me not want to get my DD one. She ended up initially choosing blonde with blue eyes (she says the same about this being so pretty) but settled on a very dark skinned doll with very curly hair. I just let her choose. My only issue was that I was buying only one - they are expensive. You can get accessories that work elsewhere for far less money.

there are Asian dolls! Have you been to the store? They have every single ethnicity.