am i the only one that thinks they’re kinda hot?

Drunk Report on December 8, 2008 at 12:25 PM

Yew so nayasteh.

Har.

I bet the tarty club-hos really siphon away your paycheck every weekend.

Is your real name Mark?

Get it Mark? Har har!

Oh… so that wasn’t really funny. Whatevs.

I have never let my ‘tween have a Bratz. In fact, she snubs her nose at peers who have them and even calls the dolls trashy.
I’ve taught her well. :)

pullingmyhairout on December 6, 2008 at 12:47 PM

You’ve taught her well? Snubbing her nose at them? Does she snub her nose at everyone not like her or anyone that doesn’t follow what she has been indoctrinated to approve?

Now if only we can ban the daisy dukes, belly shirts, and hoochie heels for tweeners. Seeing little 10 year old girls totter around in short shorts and heels makes my stomach queasy.

I plan on correcting her about kissing boys … shortly after she gets her doctorate.

Ed Morrissey

No need to rush-it Ed.

The worst part is that my mother-in-law has power issues and buys the girls this shit against my wishes, and my wife doesn’t agree with me that it has any affect on them (they’re “just dolls” in her words). Well, when we got a message from our youngest’s (6 years old, btw) teacher saying her clothing was inappropriate, that finally got the message through to my wife. After that, I was able to tell the teacher that that wouldn’t be happening ever again.

We started dumping the Bratz dolls and paraphenalia into boxes out in the garage and we’ll be either giving them to Goodwill next week or selling them in the next garage sale (I’ll give the money to the girls for giving them up), although I do fill guilty that I’m pawning this crap off onto someone’s kids.

To me, this isn’t an “uptight” issue, its a matter of giving our kids a poor self image (Barbie too). It also emphasizes being “hot” to be popular and equates “saucy” (read; sassy/mouthy to your parents & teachers) with being individualistic. When my six year old starts snapping her fingers and wagging her head side-to-side while telling me I can’t make her do “anything”, that’s the end for me. I need to raise my kids to be strong, but not disrespectful and rude.

Good riddance.

Pretty much what they were and our girls, all three, never received any as gifts.

MT

Every time my daughter got one for any occassion I would simply send it back with a note such as: ‘Thank you for the effort; unfortunately, my child is not allowed to play with this doll. I have taken the liberty of replacing your gift with a lovely book which she will no doubt adore! Please get yourmoney back.’

I was always taught that the only appropriate response the any gift was an enthusiastic “Thank you!” Even underwear at Christmas. I guess manners have changed?

ProudPalinFan on December 7, 2008 at 2:21 AM
Does she count the rocks in your head as part of her collection?

The Race Card on December 7, 2008 at 11:49 AM

No, I call myself a certified nut.

ProudPalinFan on December 7, 2008 at 2:21 AM

Does she count the rocks in your head as part of her collection?

Thank goodness they’re getting the yank! As the mom of 2 young girls, I’ve always cringed when I saw one of those and every Christmas and birthday hoped and prayed they wouldn’t get one. Horrible dolls, I won’t miss them at all!

4shoes on December 6, 2008 at 10:48 PM

Heh, my family hates me sometimes, I swear. I banned these dolls years ago when they first came out, but the family insisted on trying to sneak them in. Every time my daughter got one for any occassion I would simply send it back with a note such as: ‘Thank you for the effort; unfortunately, my child is not allowed to play with this doll. I have taken the liberty of replacing your gift with a lovely book which she will no doubt adore! Please get yourmoney back.’

Sorry, culture war aside, no reason I can’t make a buck on it.

There are plenty of toys out there that are wholesome and age appropriate if the parents would only care enough about their child to teach them properly. Even
this stirs a child’s creativity and imagination and can provide hours of fun. A child doesn’t need a doll to learn how to dress and act like a hooker. All she has to do is have her parents drive her through a college and she’ll see plenty of bad role models she can copy.

Larry L. Sharp on December 6, 2008 at 3:33 PM

My kids’ great grandma is a serious rock collector and arrowheads as well. I found a meteorite here in Erie and I gave it to her. She still keeps it in the jewelry box I gave it to her and she proudly showed it to a my husband’s cousin’s boyfriend couple of weeks ago. She said in her will she will make sure I get it back.

She used to find them I dunno how, all perfectly round, different sizes, and original arrowheads just walking near her property. Not anymore of course; she cannot walk that far now, but she did it I guess until a year ago! In her 80s! We are not talking about a dozen of them, we are talking a small barn packed full and her favs (some rocks, the meteorite, geode and a huge amethyst stone) inside her house!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did show her a rock cat I have, made in PR with a bowtie on its head, painted blue eyes and on its mouth, a wooden heart, painted with red with my name written cursive in white with grass and a tulip. I tell you each rock is not polished at all, the tail is a rock, every body part is a rock just all glued together. She absolutely loved it!

Underneath there is the label of the people who made it along with the phone number. in case anybody is interested.

E. & R. Rivera, phone number 787-834-2329; handmade in Puerto Rico.

The Mattel Corporation’s Barbie® doll experienced negative press of a different sort. Criticized for excessive emphasis on clothing, exaggerated physical attributes and empty-headedness, Barbie® has, nonetheless, served as a leader in career paths for young women. She has held at least 80 jobs since her debut in 1959, was the first woman astronaut in 1965, and ran for president in 2000.
My sister owned a Barbie in the 1960’s. We were too poor to buy clothes for her Barbie, so I made them out of unmatched socks. The top of the sock made a good pillbox hat. She got accessories (like glasses, shoes, etc.) for Christmas.

Barbie was, in my mind, good clean fun for my sister.

I have no idea how the Bratz dolls were marketed. I saw them in the store, and, while Barbie has a “distant” sexuality, the Bratz dolls were overt.

In the end, though, they are a child’s plaything (as Woody would say), and they are used as the child’s mind sees fit.

ITA…the only Bratz thingy I have is the head that you play with her hair and create hairstyles. She looks like Angelina Jolie!! My 4-year old is very much aware that she is NOT allowed to have Bratz dolls because she is not OLD enough to play with them-”that is not for you, that is for bigger girls”-then she goes and whines to Grandma who totally supports my decision and respects it before and after I explained to her WHY. Now she knows to not purchase anything Bratz.

Will have to spread the word on Christmas time to the rest of the family. Please consider emailing your families for this as well (if you agree with this topic of course).