Really, This Toy??

I make it a practice to stroll toy aisles and see what is given prominence for kids toys, especially since my kids have outgrown toys and the only toys I like to play with are the classic ones.

Last week, I came upon these uh, dolls. Take a look at their faces! What does this say to you? To me I see scars and darkness. Who plays with dolls? Not kids who enjoy scars, and many are actually trying to overcome a fear of darkness. Look at their eyes. Nothing... The vacant look on their faces has me wondering who would want to cuddle such an item? Who would want to play house with that as the "baby"?

What were the architects of this line of toys thinking when they sat around the boardroom table tossing around new concepts? "Hey! Let's create some freak rag doll playing off that whole vampire craze! We can get the really little kids with this." "Excellent! Put some scars on it and x out the eyes. We'll outsell American Girls by far with our price points."

The influence we have on children should be taken gravely. It is an honor to teach or parent a young mind. What we do or do not do can have life long impact. My desire is that what I put out there for my child's mind contributes to their imagination in secure and positive ways. Therefore, they did not accompany me to R rated movies, smoke-filled bars, tattoo parlors or the edge of a cliff. We did not read horror stories and were even careful with Bambi.

The toys we provided inspired creativity, dramatic play or problem solving. They did not do the thinking or branding for them, they did not provide any fodder for haunting thoughts. We also stayed away from too many tie-in toys. You know, where a hot kids movie inspires sleeping bags, PJs, back packs, characters, etc. Yes, there were some. Who can resist a Woody or a Buzz? But they were balanced with Legos, books and bikes, rocks and sticks.

Not only do I not want my kids to be flooded with commercialized characters everywhere (and thus become conditioned to fall for the theme toothpaste or bandaids), I do not want to put anything in front of their eyes that sends a message that body mutilation or anything else that is darkly marketed as attractive is a way of life. To me, this toy sells fear and darkness and is inappropriate.