Toys

Is it wrong that I am happy that my 5-year-old daughter prefers playing with these

rather than these?

Actually I don't have a problem with the little farm stand with the farmer girl cashier, but I had to lean Barbie-princess-with-pink-plastic-bustiere against something to take her picture.

And maybe I should have a problem with the fact that Emily flirts with a double whammy of political incorrectness by liking knights and Indians with equal enthusiasm. I swear I did not stage that picture.

Seriously, I don't want to bias my daughters in one way or the other. Well, that's at least partly true. When she says she hates princesses, I know that's mostly because I complained about the poor quality of writing in the ridiculous Disney princess book (which has been permanently retired). I've also railed aloud against people who refer to their daughters as little princesses. She wants to please me, I get that.

This is actually the second Barbie she's received, but I put the first one in the top of the closet. She got it as an exchange gift in her 3-year-old preschool class--which means it was bought by the parents of another 3-year-old. Why?

I'll probably give it to her someday, if she seems to want it, but I wasn't ready for Barbie's presence in my house when Emily was 3. She's 5 now, so it's harder to sneak toys away from her.

I mean, I had a Barbie, and I turned out okay! Except for the fact that I now hate Barbies.

Okay, enough with the commentary. Here's a cute one with Penny, who does like the girl dolls. Even if she will no longer use her real smile for the camera.