Positive news from a toy retailer

[hyper]

I can't see a problem with girls playing with mechanical toys , but I can't see anything positive about encouraging boys to act like fairies .

I once went out with this woman who was a midwife and I told her that I thought it must be a great job, as I love babies. We never went on a second date, as she reckoned I was gay. I wasn't offended, but amazed by her narrow-mindedness. She was from Barnsley, say n'more

She's not your sister by any chance?

[blackydog]

Find myself agreeing with Gamston here. Suspect there are going to be some very disappointed boys on Christmas morning when some "progressive" parents see this.

[carosio]

Great news. The efforts have to continue with role models though. My younger daughter (Now a gas fitter) had a builders set for one of her presents when she was a pre schooler she was always encouraged to do more than the "traditional" girls activities and is also involved with the scouting community. I really feel that fear of making girls un-feminine is what holds back the equal development of girls and fear of making boys effeminate is why boys are channelled into so called male occupations, rather than professions where sensitivity and care are valued. The western world is changing though and change tends to be progressive.

Good for her, but if you have a son he would be disbarred from joining the guides.

[sgtkate]

Gender stereotypes insinuates they are foisted upon the children by an external force, be it the parents or the wider society. The fact is, if you have ever seen small children play, boys and girls are very different and their tendency towards playing with specific toys is their choice. To ignore this is to push upon the child an external opinion they do not understand or want.

 

This is more about a bunch of liberal hippy types making themselves feel better than anything to do with children.

 

There is a large study showing that children seek to please adults so choose the 'gendered' toys when they think adults are watching them, but as soon as they think they aren't being watched boys happily play with prams, dolls etc and girls with the tool kits and cars. Of course each individual child will have toy preferences but this isn't linked to gender except what we as adult push on to our own kids. Almost impossible not to conform to some stereotypes though.

 

People like Gamston are hardly helping things are they? Something wrong with being gay Gamston? Because I'd love for you to put it writing on here rather than hiding behind your keyboard.

 

---------- Post added 09-11-2015 at 13:48 ----------

 

Find myself agreeing with Gamston here. Suspect there are going to be some very disappointed boys on Christmas morning when some "progressive" parents see this.

 

Oh for heavens sakes! Clearly as a parent you should get your kids presents they want. It's hardly rocket science. If I have a boy and he is into dolls and prams and so on then that's what I'll buy him. Equally if he loves cars (which I'd be much happier with as they are sooo much more fun!) that's what he'd get too. However, at a young age I'd have 'neutral' toys.

 

My nephew at about 4 loved 'doing the ironing' with his mum so they bought him an ironing set. He also loved cooking and helping with housework. He is now 7 and still does like helping out with housework but he also loves scalatrix and minecraft so he gets things like these for his birthday and Christmas. Sounds pretty spot on to me.

[psynuk]

Gender stereotypes insinuates they are foisted upon the children by an external force, be it the parents or the wider society. The fact is, if you have ever seen small children play, boys and girls are very different and their tendency towards playing with specific toys is their choice. To ignore this is to push upon the child an external opinion they do not understand or want.

 

Pure gibberish.children are conditioned from birth by 'external opinion they do not understand or want'.

 

My kid never got to watch any tv as a baby/toddler so never got bombarded with the adverts that clearly show girls playing with dolls and boys playing with cars.

He was given free reign at toys r us and came out with a pram, playdoh and an uzi.

 

Go to playgroup anywhere and you'll see boys pushing prams and cuddling dolls.

When they watch tv adverts they soon stop doing it because they think it's 'wrong'

[blackydog]

In reply to sgtkate.

I was suggesting that some parents would not buy the presents their kids have shown a desire for, but ones the parents think it is "right" for them to recieve. Of all the boys my son plays with I don't know one that has or wants a pram. For them to recieve a surprise pram and dolls on Christmas day would be interesting, would like to be there to see the response.

[altus]

In reply to sgtkate.

I was suggesting that some parents would not buy the presents their kids have shown a desire for, but ones the parents think it is "right" for them to recieve. Of all the boys my son plays with I don't know one that has or wants a pram. For them to recieve a surprise pram and dolls on Christmas day would be interesting, would like to be there to see the response.

 

And how many parents do you think don't buy boys prams because they don't think it's "right" for them?

 

All this move does is let children of both genders know that it's OK for them to choose any sort of toy. It's not foisting an opinion on them about what sort of toy they should have - which is something that labelling toys as for boys or for girls does.

[sgtkate]

In reply to sgtkate.

I was suggesting that some parents would not buy the presents their kids have shown a desire for, but ones the parents think it is "right" for them to recieve. Of all the boys my son plays with I don't know one that has or wants a pram. For them to recieve a surprise pram and dolls on Christmas day would be interesting, would like to be there to see the response.

 

I'm sure a lot of parents buy their boys toy guns and cars, but perhaps he'd much prefer a doll and a pram but is too scared to say as he thinks it's 'wrong' to like those things?

 

But, yes I agree with you mainly. Why buy your child something they won't enjoy? What's the point in that?

[blackydog]

And how many parents do you think don't buy boys prams because they don't think it's "right" for them?

 

All this move does is let children of both genders know that it's OK for them to choose any sort of toy. It's not foisting an opinion on them about what sort of toy they should have - which is something that labelling toys as for boys or for girls does.

 

How could I possibly know the answer to your question? My boy has never shown any interest in prams or dolls and he has an older sister. He certainly won't be getting either this Christmas.

My point which seems to have been overlooked or ignored, is that there will be parents who WILL try and influence their chilldrens behaviour through presents.

[altus]

How could I possibly know the answer to your question? My boy has never shown any interest in prams or dolls and he has an older sister. He certainly won't be getting either this Christmas.

My point which seems to have been overlooked or ignored, is that there will be parents who WILL try and influence their chilldrens behaviour through presents.

 

Parent's trying to influence their children though presents happens both ways though - which is what my question was about. Why not let children choose the toys they want regardless of gender?