Would You Encourage Your Lad To Play With Barbie?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30794476
Yep it's another belter frm the Limp dums!

[DaisyNonna]

My lad is a bit too old for that. I hope.

[wolf63]

I wouldn't actively encourage any child to play with Barbie, but if my son wanted to play with it I wouldn't ban him. He could use her for target practice or something.

[Orderlimit]

The best thing for Jo Swinson to do now would be to lie and claim she was very drunk when making the statement (unless she was abusing some mind altering substance)

[-Talbot-]

My lad?

I wouldn't even encourage my daughter to play with Barbie!

[PankySmooch]

It's a bit rich coming from a woman who looks like Shrek

[ToraToraTora]

well on this basis talbot you should get her a tonka toy!

[Old_Geezer]

Evolution hasn't given the male much of a nurturing role. They're destined to be tough protector types, or to fail to be tough protector types and have to bluff it. I'm fairly sure playing with dolls won't change that. Having a dependent sibling might. Otherwise having a partner and children of your own might, but they'd need to be much older for that.

[Answerprancer]

I definitely condone encouraging (not pressuring) gender role swapping with kids. eg letting boys play with dolls - not Barbie type ones though (gross) baby dolls/prams. After all, many will want to be dads at some point, so it's good practice IMO.

[Answerprancer]

"Evolution hasn't given the male much of a nurturing role. They're destined to be tough protector types, or to fail to be tough protector types and have to bluff it".
AFAIC that mentality goes hand in hand with expressions like "be a man" or "man up" or "grow some balls".
Sorry but I think that thinking went out with the dodo, we're further up the evolutionary scale these days.

[Answerprancer]

...and I believe that modern western men *are* more nurturing these days.
Just to add to what I said earlier, I'm definitely not into pressuring this gender swapping if it doesn't come naturally. At the very least I would make damn sure that a boy (for example) is not discouraged or ridiculed if he wants to play with (for example) dolls.

[ChillDoubt]

Hmm, another 'Ms' with undoubtedly zero experience of children.

[Old_Geezer]

Not true AP. You can test it out if you wish, try raising your boys as girls and see how much they enjoy that. One can not ignore reality because it doesn't fit in with what we want to believe/claim is so.

[sp1814]

Chilldoubt

In the story is the line:

"She said that when she was on maternity leave..."

So I doubt that her experience of children is at absolute zero.

[Answerprancer]

It's not about raising them as girls, don't be crass. I thought I'd made that clear, it's about gentle encouragement (or rather non-DIScouragement).
Allowing a boy to play with a doll in between normal laddish stuff is not the same as raising them as girls.

[-Talbot-]

The Lib Dem minister has also suggested a novel way to help people's newborn children fall asleep -watching TV broadcasts of Parliament.

She is clearly barking!

[Mamyalynne]

Children usually find their own level in play.

[Gromit]

You don't have to encourage them, boys do it naturally.

The biggest kids thing at the moment is 'Frozen' a Disney film about 2 Princesses. The thing is, it is such a good film that little boys want to act the parts out. Go to any wedding reception or kids event and the songs come on, and the boys are prancing around being little princesses (as are the girls).

And that is not by accident. Disney are ahead of the curve and designed the film that way. It was no accident that it also appeals to boys as well as girls. Which it why it has generated massive profits for Disney.

Which is a roundabout way of saying pushing little boys and girls down different avenues is what is un-natural, not letting them just follow whatever grabs their imagination.

[BlackadderV]

If ever one needed a rationale against this stupid coalition, this is it. What a silly mare!

[Answerprancer]

Is this what you're worried might happen O/G? ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akYuy2FMQk4

[Answerprancer]

I just Google imaged her and she DOES look like Shrek LOL!