My DS is 5, in K and will be 6 in May. He has three older sisters. My son loved barbies, Kelly dolls around the age of three. Then Power Puff Girls, then Polly Pockets with a brief period of Power Rangers. He places them in his fire trucks (which relatives have given him for presents, he never asks for trucks), uses the girls' doll house,ties them up with rubber bands, takes them in the bathtub, etc.
My 9 year old dd bought a water baby Disney doll with her money on Sunday which has revamped baby dolls in our house. My son has now become attached to DD's American Girl doll, Kit. Changing her clothes, brushing her hair, took her to bed, dressed her before he left for school. I never make a deal about it. I try to encourage his creative play and imagination.
I think on some level he feels he shouldn't play with the "girl toys" because we recently went to a basketball game to watch dds' cheer and he hid the Polly Pockets in my purse when his male friend came over to play.
I don't really know what I am asking, but I am wondering if this is normal boy behavior, especially with three older sisters?

By Jann on Monday, February 24, 2003 - 04:24 pm:

Girls play with "boy" toys and no one seems to get upset..why so the other way around? We gave each of our boys a baby doll when their younger sibling came along. Did you ask him why he hid the Polly Pockets and how he felt about that?

By Annie2 on Monday, February 24, 2003 - 04:44 pm:

Yes, Jann, I did. He shrugged his shoulders and said "I don't know, just because." I didn't press him. That was three weeks ago. He didn't take them back over the last two weeks. I am staying neutral on the subject.

By Familyman on Monday, February 24, 2003 - 05:23 pm:

I had a cabbage patch kid when I was a kid. I was never into barbies too much but I loved my cabbage patch kid. It's just something some boys dig. I wouldn't worry at all about it. I turned out just fine, normal masculine guy. I am a SAHD though so take from that what you will. I had an older brother, two younger sisters and then another brother younger than them. We all had dolls. We all had BB guns.

By Mommyathome on Monday, February 24, 2003 - 07:15 pm:

I wouldn't think to much of it. My little brother loved playing dolls with me ..when I was young. He seems just fine now.

I have a little boy thats just over a year old. He prefers barbies over his little dump trucks etc. but I think it's because he likes the feel of the hair.

My DD is almost 5, and she loves playing with trucks and cars in the dirt. And, she is just as content playing with barbies and dressing up.

IMO age 5-6 is still pretty young to start worrying about things. JMHO again though! Just think, if he gets all the practice caring for these baby dolls now, he will be a great dad in the future! Maybe you could encourage him to play the boy doll, or be the dad to the dolls and see how he reacts with that.

By Claire on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 - 03:12 pm:

I don't think this is cause for concern.

By Familyman on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 - 04:03 pm:

Oh, and what is your concern? Are you worried that playing with dolls might make him gay? Or is it just you being worried about him getting picked on?
Incidentally my little brother never played wiyh dolls and I did. Guess which one of us is gay?

By Mommyah2 on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 03:33 pm:

I HEARD THAT PLAYING WITH DOLLS CAN MAKE A BOY A BETTER FATHER. IM NOT SURE IF ITS TRUE.I BOUGHT MY LITTLE BOY BABY DOLLS (HES 3)AND HE LOVES THEM.I DONT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH BOYS PLAYING WITH BARBIES OR BABY DOLLS.MY OLDER BROTHER PLAYED WITH MY BARBIES AND HES QUITE THE LADIES MAN. THE STORES SELL BOY DOLLS MABEY TRY BUYING HIM ONE. I THINK ITS PROBABLY THE SAME REASON MY 3YR OLD PLAYS WITH MY 7MO OLDS TOYS. WHATEVERS NOT EXACTLY THEIRS IS PRETTY INTRESTING. HOPE I HELPED A LITTLE

By Annie2 on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 04:51 pm:

I'm not worried that playing with dolls will make him gay. I am not worried that he might be gay. If he is, he is. I hope he is not because I know that can be a hard life to live. But he would have our support, regardless.
I am just curious if any boys that you have or know prefer to play with dolls than super heroes or fire trucks.
I hope he grows up to be a good father and husband. to become good, generous people with morals and intergrity. And happy. I know we all want this for our sons and daughters.
thanks

By Mommyah2 on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 05:30 pm:

ALMOST EVERY BOY THAT I KNOW PAST OR PRESENT HAVE LIKED DOLLS. ITS COMPLETELY COMON......

By Joan on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 08:34 am:

My dh would absolutly die if he knew I was telling someone this LOL But, he grew up with 2 older sisters and he played with dolls and such. But, what he liked most was putting on their clothes when he was little. He loved the dresses that would twirl out when he would spin around! LOL I think it is a very cute memory that he has.

Mara

By Annie2 on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 01:58 pm:

Thanks everyone. I feel better. I know it can be so very hard on a child if they thought of themselves different from their peers.
Joan, that is a cute story about your dh. Thanks for sharing

By Riola on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 04:30 am:

No need to worry...
It's just normal. When i was a girl i played with cars.

By Lisa on Sunday, March 9, 2003 - 08:00 pm:

i used to play with guns when i was a kid and never played with girls, i turned out to be a normal person.

By Feona on Monday, March 10, 2003 - 07:11 am:

We bought my son a couple of very nice dolls. One that talked and requested a bottle. We just got one that eats and drinks and pees and goes number 2.

He also has a fisher price doll house with dolls of course. Great for language development!

By Mechelle on Monday, March 10, 2003 - 10:00 am:

I honestly think it is a *kid* thing. They will eventually grow out of it.

I have seen it over, and over, and over, time, and time again. Little boys playing with barbies, baby bottles, dolls, purses, you name it. And could care less about dump trucks, and swords.
I have also seen, little boys, like to play with dolls, and dump trucks. To me its just a kid thing, and they will all grow out of it.
My Ds never once (that I seen) played with any of my DD's dolls or Barbies. He would try to pop the barbie's heads off LOL!! Which he accomplished many of times.

So Annie, it's nothing to worry about.
Toys, are toys, and boys will be boys

By Marymary on Monday, March 10, 2003 - 05:06 pm:

A doll is just a doll, perhaps he is more of a nurturer....I like the fact that he isn't into guns,, knives etc...my 4 yr old runs around pretending he's shooting someone..eventhough we don't have any violent games in our house, no Playstation etc.....he does also play with his DSister's Polly's when she's not there to say 'no'....he has quite a few character type dolls the action kind I gues you would say, although nothing that converts into a monster etc......I think the fact that he pays such close attention to the 'care" of the dolls may in fact be that he will become a care provider, Doctor, Nurse etc.....we could all use a little more compassion from most of our Dr's...unless you have lucked out and have one that isn't too busy!!!

I think he is perfectly Normal and well rounded little man and will make a wonderful husband in 20+ years...just because he doesn't want his "guy" friends to know is because he realizes how much ridicule he could face...and why....because they are not as well rounded as your sone and don't understand how the real world works!!!

By Mand on Tuesday, March 11, 2003 - 05:47 am:

Hi there! i have to daughters and a son, He is the middle child, so in a house full of girls he tends to play with the girls toys as much as they play with his. I myself dont see anything wrong with it.