Parenting: October 2007 Archives

At first I found this story encouraging:

"In a survey of 1,010 mothers with daughters ages 4 to 9 that was released last month by Synovate, a market-research firm, 85 percent of moms said they are 'tired of the sexpot dolls and characters' in stores."

That means those Skankz -- sorry, "Bratz" -- dolls, the little plastic floozies that not only teach young girls how to look like a ho, but also inform that being a "brat" is something to which they ought to aspire. It boggles the mind that in a country where we are paranoid about trace amounts of lead in our children's toys, we think nothing of handing them playthings that poison the mind and soul, and kill childhood innocence.

Common sense ought to tell us that if you don't want your daughter to dress or behave like a skank, you might not want to indulge her in an entire product line that glorifies the wonders of skankdom. Even the American Psychological Association has singled out Bratz as troublesome, saying, "It (is) worrisome when dolls designed specifically for 4- to 8-year-olds are associated with an objectified adult sexuality."

So it was heartening that some 85 percent of mothers said they frown on such dolls -- but heartening for only a moment.

Because if the overwhelming majority of moms disapprove of Skankz dolls, how could the toys possibly rake in $2 billion a year? How could they be challenging Barbie (who, impossible bodily dimensions aside, seems positively wholesome by comparison) for top-doll status nationwide?

Well, first you need to know that this poll was commissioned by AG Properties -- makers of Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Holly Hobbie and other more modest product lines. This is like a poll from Coca-Cola showing that no one likes Pepsi -- which is to say, one of dubious value.

But beyond the likely bias in the polling, there are two other explanations that account for the gap between what parents say about skanky girls' toys and clothing and what they actually purchase.

The first is advertising. Bratz has a website, a movie, commercials, cartoons -- countless ways to make dolls irresistible to little girls. Peer pressure is a factor, too, with girls wanting the dolls because their friends have them. It's hard for parents to have to say "no" when they're up against an industry and a culture that tell their children to expect to hear "yes."

And the second is parenting. If this poll is at all an accurate reflection of reality, there are many parents out there buying their children these toys against their own better judgment. Perhaps they're just succumbing to the relentless demands from kids who have been exposed to all the ads and hoopla. But if you're letting your kids decide what you buy, you're not being a parent. This is where moms and dads need to be strong -- and turning off the TV and its noxious stream of ads would be a good first step.

It's not easy -- I'm a dad of three myself. But I can't imagine giving one of these insidious little dollies to my precious, 4-year-old daughter. She deserves better. All children do.