Barbie for my girl? No, Thanks!

I have never bought a Barbie for A. Nevertheless she does have a few among the 20-25 dolls that she has. All gifts. Because when people go gift shopping for a little girl, all they can think of is :

1. Doll
2. Doll
3. Doll
4. Makeup
5. Makeup for doll

My girl likes playing with cars, robots, dinosaurs as much as she does with tea sets, tiaras or magic wands. So, please enough with the dolls. All other kinds of gifts are appreciated. Thanks.

And especially, no Barbies please! Let me explain.

My daughter loves trying on different outfits. There was a time when she changed 8 outfits in a day. (Thank goodness those days are over.) She thinks her dolls share her obsession, so she undresses them ... but then either loses interest, OR does not find a better outfit to put on, OR has trouble putting the outfit on. So, her dolls are almost always naked. (I would like to think the reasons mentioned above are the only reasons...) So, on her toy shelf, she has one bin for 'Dolls' and another for 'Doll clothes'. I don't mind a pacifier sucking baby-looking doll sleeping naked under the dining table. What I do mind is a huge breasted Barbie in the middle of the living room.

Now, don't get me wrong. I did play with Barbies growing up. I still have the dolls and fond memories of those days. But I also remember a too-young-to-have-breasts me thinking to myself, 'I don't have those. I'm a girl too...' (Well, I still don't have those...but staying focused on the subject...)

I don't want A getting any such ideas. She's not even 4 yet.

And what's with a 50 year old Barbie getting tattoos? Talk about mid-life crisis!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3ZKVTrWxDk

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Tattoo-Barbie-Parents-In-US-Voice-Concern-Over-Message-Of-Doll-Featuring-Body-Art/Article/200903115235033