Comments on: No Bratz Dolls Please

By: Links I’m Enjoying : Keeping the Castle

Links I’m Enjoying : Keeping the Castle — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:35:29 +0000

[...] Did you know that Dora the Explorer is changing? Yes, she’s growing up. It’s different, but she’s cute. So long as she’s modest and doesn’t look sassy like those Bratz dolls. [...]

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:11:05 +0000

Plastic, fabric and paint. You as parents are taking this too far, it is a toy nothing more. Stop taking it to a level because you are insecure with you parenting skills.

So sad, many children play with these and they are fine because they know that this toy is not real, take a hint from them.

Stop this craziness that you adults are causing and let leave this toy alone, remember it is only a toy. You as adults made into something bad, shame on you.

Grow up.

By: Tracee Sioux

Tracee Sioux — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:23:29 +0000

I’m late in chiming in, but I strongly objected when my daughter’s soccer team name was Bratz, read all about it at http://www.traceesioux.blogspot.com/2007/02/go-bratz-go.html . Next season, we are repooling because I can’t stand supporting those blasted horrific dolls.

By: Julia

Julia — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 02:38:52 +0000

This is just one of those things where a parent has to do what they feel is right. I don’t feel as though I’m promoting loose behavior by letting my daughter play with Bratz. On the contrary, I don’t try to shelter my kids from much because by forbidding certain things I feel that I am setting myself up for rebellion down the road and if they are able to take the mystery, so to speak, out of the situation, then they won’t be as liable to seek these things out in the future. That’s why I am very frank with them and often give them choices between the good and the not so good and then talk to them about the decisions they have made. I do not believe it’s the video game, the song, or the doll that makes a kid decide to behave in a certain way – it may be the catalyst, but it’s not the cause. If I can make my children aware of the good, the bad, and the ugly and teach them how to make good choices among them, then I will be exceedingly happy. I’m not offended by Bratz and don’t think they reflect on women any worse than, say, the average teenage girl walking through the mall these days.

By: kellys

kellys — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 01:38:55 +0000

Julia, it’s not that I blame the Bratz dolls for how our society teaches little girls that showing their bellies is ok. After all, they were going to put thongs on the dolls until parents complained enough. It’s that I don’t want to support something that so obvoiusly goes against what I will let my daughter do. I would not buy her a teenage doll that gives birth which says that we should be tolerant of teenage sex. Granted, it happens and we need to teach our kids that that kind of behavior is not acceptable but that we love them unconditionally anyway. So why would I give her a doll that I don’t approve of the dress code when there are other dolls like the American doll series that does fit my lifestyle.
I don’t think that makes me narrow minded, just trying to be consistant with what I teach her. Nor do I think that soemone who lets their daughter play with a Bratz doll is a bad parent. I think we are just different in our approach but want our kids to make the right decisions.

By: Julia

Julia — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 05:42:48 +0000

I think that our culture has had no problem accepting radical dress and behavior without implication from any dolls. Each decade has progressively become more lax in sexual innuendo and what constitutes shocking behavior. She learns more from the girls at the mall wearing t-shirts three sizes too small and jeans riding at the crotchline than she does from her Bratz. I know a couple girls from her class who do not own Bratz dolls and talk about boys and dating and tuck their shirts up so that their bellies show AT EIGHT while my daughter who has played with Bratz for years will tug at the bottom of her shirt if it’s beginning to get too short and still finds boys yucky.

So, do Bratz portray women in a bad way? Take a close look – Bratz are teenagers. Look at the teenagers today. I think that it’s more likely that Bratz are reflecting on kids than that kids are relecting on Bratz. Toymakers want to stay current so they try to mimic in the dolls what’s actually happening in society. So I would say that Bratz are actually portraying kids in a realistic way whether it’s something that anyone wants to admit or not. I agree that the trend of trying to make our children grow up too fast is ridiculous, but I don’t blame Bratz for that. That is wholly a product of our impatient, convenience-oriented culture.

By: Revka

Revka — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 16:29:31 +0000

Wow! This discussion sure has taken off! Julia, I understand where you’re coming from in saying that allowing your daughter to play with Bratz does not make you a bad parent. I agree.

However, I also agree that these dolls are portraying women in a horrible way, and I think it is done intentionally to condition our children to be accepting of more “radical” dress and behavior. Target is now pushing bras for little girls, and our culture keeps pushing our children to grow up too soon. Like KellyS said, what we allow in moderation, our children will carry to excess. I love the American Dolls and others like that because they set a wholesome example for my children to copy. Even though the Bratz are just dolls, I believe that the more our children play with them the more normal their clothing and implied behavior will become to our children.

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 14:08:30 +0000

Oh, and I love Spongebob as much as they do – it is completely hilarious! LOL Different strokes for different folks is what makes the world go round!

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 13:55:51 +0000

Kellys: I agree with what you’re saying about how we as parents dress ourselves and them affecting our kids, too. She always wears long t-shirts (as do I – even in high school I wore baggy clothes, but at least they were in then) and I don’t allow her to wear anything tummy bearing – inappropriate for an eight-year-old in my book, but I see little girls like that all the time! I guess that just brings my point full circle. A doll isn’t going to cause a girl to act trashy or sassy – it’s how her environment is presented to her. If it’s bad and she has Bratz dolls, maybe she WILL turn out not-so-great, but if it’s positive and she has Bratz dolls, I think it’s just a matter of knowing how to differentiate between play and reality. I am comfortable that my daughter knows how to do that and I trust her. She adores her Bratz and I have no problem with that!

By: kellys

kellys — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 12:39:23 +0000

I am enjoying the comments here on Bratz dolls. I think sharing ideas with other parents is what Thrifty Mommy is all about. Thanks for talking.