For Maya's birthday last year, my aunt asked me for present ideas. I suggested she buy Maya a dump truck for the sandpit we were giving Maya. On Maya's birthday my aunt turned up with clothes for Maya and whispered to me "I didn't get Maya a dump truck because it's for boys".
I was surprised by her reaction. I grew up playing with cars, trucks, trains, etc. I loved them and didn't consider them "boys" toys. Just as Maya enjoys playing with dolls she also enjoys her vehicles.
There was an interesting post recently on Ms. blog about the gendering of toys and how children who enjoy playing with toys outside of their gender norm can be bullied. The writer talks about her son who took his My Little Pony to show and tell and was teased and a girl who was made fun of because she had a Star Wars drink bottle (by the way I love Star Wars and I'm a girl!).
Maya received a dump truck for Christmas and well.... here's some footage of her playing with it and enjoying it.
2 comments:
I'd also be annoyed about the Aunt asking for ideas, but not following through with what you as parents suggested.
My family (full of engineers and computer geeks) seems to prefer "boyish" toys: trains, trucks, marble runs, puzzles (2 & 3-D), construction toys (like wooden bricks & Lego (I'm looking forward to the time when she is old enough for Meccano)), etc. We have some dolls, but my daughter doesn't play with them preferring to use small plastic birds for her role-play stories (though it may change once we have a baby).
So far she did clue on "girls like pink" (agrr!), but luckily didn't seem to come across negative attitudes towards what girls/boys should be playing with.
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