Appropriate toys for 2.5 yr old girl

[spina]

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone else out there has a similar opinion regarding certain toys. My little girl is 2.5 yrs old and we are trying to raise her with certain ideas/attitudes. So we try to limit tv to a few of times per week, and I'm totally against Barbies, Bratz dolls, etc...so I have successfully avoided them. But today she received a gift Barbie set with pencils, ruler, scissors, handbag...all with Barbie's face printed on them. The handbag has a photo of two Barbies in tank tops and shorts posing next to each other. Luckily she hasn't really noticed that I have put these things away (permanently) and wasn't really excited about them anyway. When I received the gift I smiled politely and said thank you. How do you tell people that you don't agree with certain toys, without being looked at like some kind of alien who denies their kids' any fun? I really am determined to stand by my ideals, but it's becoming difficult as it kind of puts you on the outer...and you tend to come across as "alternative" etc...I'm just trying not to bombard her with too much consumerism.

[Rach75]

easy I dont have thomas, wiggles, bob the builder, any licensed products well I gave in and let jack get ITNG books and he has a couple of stuffed INTG dolls

my IL's weren't impressed my family have been great and friends well they know how I feel about it, one actually told me the other she had bought jack a thomas gift forgetting I dont like them and asked if I still wanted it or would I prefer something else which I thought was way cool of her, I said if she had someone else she could give the thomas stuff too and it wasn't too much toruble then yes I'd prefer something else

I have been very vocal about my oposition of these products so its been easy to avoid, if it was some random friend I may run into trouble ...

but yeah basically the only way to avoid it is too be veryvocal to anyone and everyone, I dont care what others buy their kids I will buy these products for my friends kids cause they like them but just not fo jack

[SamiH]

hmmm 2.5 is far too young IMO for Barbie stuff.

However - down the track hun I dont think you can be too over the top - what if she has a birthday party for turning 4, 5 or 6 and she gets a Barbie/Bratz stuff - you cant turn around to the kids or parents and say you dont approve.

I think you will have to find a happy medium - maybe let immediate family and friends know your preferences, and just take it as it comes - once they start kinder/school - the influences are much bigger

[smiles4u]

I would have to agree with Sam ... it certainly will prove to be incredibly hard as they get older and most likely bare a lot more work on your behalf as a parent as years go by in trying to keep these particular toys at bay.

Good on you for your efforts in doing what you believe to be a better outcome for your children ... but as Sam mentioned a happy medium may be the only way to go in the end for it to work, in it being close family & friends clearly knowing of your choice of unwanted toys.

(Me too, not a fan at all of Bratz dolls but my reason being that i think they dress far too sexual for a little girl & also their faces look mean kind of nasty to me, IYKWIM ... as for Barbie dolls i worry about the physical image 'she' projects, trying to look like the 'perfect or preferred' body shape or image)