OHHH! Thank goodness! How about dressing up in Princess Dresses? Chasing Boys and kissing them? LOL I'm just kidding. My son used to LOVE to dress up as a princess...I have pictures to bribe him with when he is older. and for the record I didn't think that you meant that by bringing this up! I thought your concern was sexual in nature but NOT that it was gay or hetero...just that your concern was that playing with Barbies and making them kiss was somehow an indication of unhealthy sexual behavior for his age. !!! (which we've all debunked for you!) My kids are so gender-ambiguous with the toys they play with, the books they read, etc. I've heard that boys playing with dolls is not only natural but a necessary step in teaching them empathy and compassion and nurturing. Of course, my son occasionally wraps up a truck in a blanket and carries it around like a baby and sings to it and stuff. THAT I need to get pictures of! LOL
When my son was about 15 months old he grabbed a purse to head out the door with my dh, me and his sister. LOL. He was so used to me, his sister playing with purses and all my daycare kids being girls at the time, that he didn't see it as girly...just saw it as that is the thing to do. I, of course, discouraged it, but not in a harsh manner. He didn't seem to care once he realized daddy was not leaving with a purse. LOL. He even played with Barbies with the girls and had tea parties. LOL. Now, he would never be caught dead in pink or having anything to do with anything girly. LOL. At about 3, he tried to be more and more like Daddy and then decided for himself what was girly and what wasn't.
When my son was around 5, he found a Ken doll that was a basketball player that he really wanted. I got it for him that Christmas and had to laugh when he asked me if it was okay to not include that item if anyone asked what he got for Christmas! I joke that if Ken was Black, bald, and named Michael (as in Jordan) that it would be "acceptable" for a boy to play with but because Ken is White and blonde he is a "girl" toy. I have some hilarious pix of my son playing dress up with his sisters and if the right girl enters his life I have a treat to share!
Phillip's little friend has older (teen) sisters. One had a doll that she kept on her bed, her favorite doll from when she was little. Shawn was always taking the doll and playing with her. His dad was NOT happy about it, though his mom didn't think it was a big deal. Then one day, Shawn walked into the room with the doll, bragging "I'm a GOOD Daddy!!!" He was about three at the time. So Jeff decided maybe it wasn't so bad after all!
My good friend bought her grandson a play kitchen for Christmas two years ago when he was 3. His dad which is my friends son totally flipped out! He refused to take it home and so she keeps it at her house and he plays with it there. Personally I think that is so dumb. So what men don't cook now?!?! Same thing with girls playing with "boy toys". Grace wanted a dump truck - no big deal. When I was a small kid I used to load up my GI Joes and storm troopers into my big jeep or death star and run down the street playing with them. I played "boy toys" all the time!
I try not to label toys for boys or girls. I was very aware of this when raising my first dd. I am guessing that is why when she was 3 she picked a Barbie toothbrush and Darth Vader toothpaste. LOL. She had tons of toys that would have been considered "boyish" and "girlish." Now, I will admit, I was not as easy going with my son. Yep, the double standard did get me a bit. I never freaked out or anything or took any toys away. I did buy him Max Steel dolls...excuse me..action figures..LOL...for him to play with when his sister played with Barbie dolls. But for the most part once he turned about 3, he never showed an interest in what one would consider "girl toys." I am sure that had something to do with my subtle influence. However, he does do dishes, cleans his own room, helps with laundry and even cooks. He and my dh will make pies or breakfast. Now, with my youngest, she came out wanting to wear lipstick. I have even tried to throw in some boy things to distract her. LOL. She loves running around and hot wheels. Yet, she tells her brother all the time that things are for girls and not for boys. I think she gets that from my oldest dd, who says that just to exclude her brother. LOL. Not that he gives a hoot anyway.
My BIL got Rachael one of those Fisher Price basketball hoops that you can adjust the height for her 3rd birthday. He had this big, wrapped box sitting in the middle of my living room. I had no idea what it was, and all my MIL would say through tight lips was, "You'll be surprised. It's NOT for a girl!" I was THRILLED when she opened it! With Phillip, I think BALL and TRUCK were his first words. And not JUST ball! At two, we were going down the aisle at the store, and he was pointing, "Football! Basketball! Soccer ball! Baseball!" Rachael also had a Raggedy Ann that she took everywhere with her, but she really wasn't a "doll" type of girl. Still isn't a "girly" girl!
Actually I did think you were saying that so I just wanted to clarify. When I read your post to my ds, the one who played with Barbies, he laughed histerically. No hurt feelings. (((( ))))
My dd got one of those basketball thingys for her 2 nd birthday. For Alyssa's third birthday I may get something like that for her since she is so active. That and I would like her to have an appreciation for sports...since I don't and my dh would love his girls to watch sports or play with him. lol.
When I was about 9, I used to make home movies of naked GI Joes doing... things. I turned out ok, so I don't think you have anything to worry about
