I have been seeing Barbie copping a lot of flack and I feel like somebody needs to speaks up for her because I find it frustrating. I used to play with Barbie when I was little and I think I turned out, reasonably, alright =P Barbie should be a role model for the imagination which is exactly what I used her for.
She’s a doll, and although I am not a parent and understand I may cop flack for saying “parenting things”. Maybe your biggest fear shouldn’t be a doll. Maybe your biggest fear is thinking that a doll, repeat doll, should be the one teaching your children about their self esteem in the first place? I never once thought that I should look like Barbie, I wanted all her careers, I used my Barbie’s and created many different worlds with them. I use to host a radio show with my Barbies, had them be rock and roll stars, psychic, mummies and daddies. I even learnt about disabilities because my Ken lost his legs. Barbie has had many different careers and many different versions, she (and Ken) how to imagine.
Even with her television show, she’s not a “mean girl”, she’s all about friendships, how to work hard and how to be kind to others? So I am not really sure why suddenly we are putting Barbie in a category she doesn’t belong in?
I think as adults we put too much of our own fears into children and that’s when the problem happens. We do not give children enough credit, they will notice that you “fear” Barbie. Technically shouldn’t you fear ALL dolls then and the self esteem issues that they will give your children?
Stop letting other “things” teach your children, because they learn from us. It never once crossed my mind once to want to look like her? I’m going to be blunt here and maybe some wont like it. If your child has self esteem issues because of a doll, repeat doll, maybe it’s not the dolls fault? Maybe it’s the adults in her life? Maybe we should start taking responsibility again for raising our children?
Most importantly Barbie taught me how to play, by myself and with others.
(Picture Credit: Mattel)
Lolsys Library 
Ha! Well, this mom of 2 girls and 2 boys agrees with you. I do think that the cumulative images that girls get from mass media (including magazines, tv, movies, books, AND toys) helps to shape children’s images of what they are supposed to look like, but I also think that children receive messages from their parents, teachers and friends, and the most important thing is that we teach them our own values. My girls have Barbies–not to mention all those princess dolls, which are pretty much the same thing, and I love the way they play with them. 🙂
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Oh thank goodness! I was really waiting for the badness,lol
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