I saw this article and was wondering what everyone else thinks. I definitely see a lot of little girls dressing in ways they shouldnt. I believe a lot of it has to do with the parents more than the dolls. Setting rules and letting your child know what is acceptable is what I believe makes a big difference. Alexis likes Bratz dolls...but also knows she cant dress like them...she wouldnt even ask. Thankfully she is more into frilly dresses. Anything thats pink, girly and pretty is what she wants to wear!

http://health.msn.com/pregnancykids/kidshealt ...

they are really really way to sexy, you can tell your children so much and so much and so much but it is ultimately their enviroment that tells them what is acceptable as a young woman (you being part of that enviroment)

I'm glad I'm not alone in this.

You have a whole lifetime to stew over whether you look good.

Well, at least a whole adolescence and maybe if you don't learn some of your 20s and 30s, or if you are an actress, the rest of your vanity ridden life.  

But for the love of Pete - my five year old needs neither the aspiration nor the attitude of Bratz or anythign that sounds like it.

PM to find out how I really feel.   

i think that bratz are way way to sexy.... i will never allow liv to own one...and that is that!

I think they are too but my 12 year old still has them and still plays with her dolls. 

Barbie is too skinny and blonde, what's the difference?  I raised my daughter better than that.  She KNOWS she can not aspire to look like a doll of any sort.

Call me crazy, but I don't think little girls need to be playing with anything that looks like a hooker.  I know it's going to be difficult to keep them away when their friends have them and they see them on tv, but you've got to draw the line somewhere.  I applaud you moms who have let their girls play with these and managed to keep them grounded about what is acceptable, but I still think these doll send the wrong message and at way to early of an age.  I can only keep my fingers crossed that these things will be gone by the time Addie gets old enough.   

Just out of curiosity....those of you who have boys(or girls I guess)....do you let them play with toy guns and swords? 

Some people think that is ok for boys but how is it any different in sending the wrong messeges??? 

this is something that I also never allowed in my house

I also have to add....what about the violence, etc in video games (handheld or otherwise)?

I don't let my daughter play ANY video games unless they are rated E (for Everyone) and you wouldn't believe how many of her friends have seen rated R movies.  This is why she has sleep overs at our house more often than sleeping over at a friend's house.

Just curious! 

I do not know too much about Bratz, except for when I walk down the toy aisle looking for something fun to buy my nearly 6 yr old cousin, I look at them in disgust.  Not only are they too sexy, but they appear very trashy.  The name says is all, if you don't want your daughter to be a brat, then why play with dolls named Bratz.  

Girls / Women can be katty & spiteful enough as it is, dolls don't need to portray that and while Bratz may not actually teach that behavior in their readings or cartoons (if they have that) - they sell that image and unfortunately image means more then it should.

i guess i have a double standard....

yes bradley plays with guns.... he is also playing army guy were he helps save civilians from the bad guys and he hunts deers and rabbits.... for pretend now but when he is old enough he will likely enjoy the hunting thing like many of the males in his family.

on the other hand Liv will not play not own barbie or bratz or anyother doll i dont think is appoperate for her to play with..... and thisis going to be a big because i said so issue... sheslikely tohate me for it when she gets older... but in thelong run i believe she will be better off... i dont see what good pretending with brats dolls will do for her its not preparing her for future experinces. and if i did allow it what types of experiences will she have???? i dont want to know... i dont need anything eles influencing her in a bad way ... there is already too much of that going on in our socitiy

 bratz werent around when i was younger but we had barbie... and i must say i was a bit envious i wanted to know when i was going to grow boobies and get a handsome bf i remember having thatconvo with my mom and i couldnt have been more than 5....i'm sure liv and i will have the same convo just wont involve ken as a bf and barbie as a model of how she wants to look.

 

I also agree..Bratz are too sexy. And weird looking....big lips, big heads, they almost remind me of the Jem dolls....remember them?? Alexis likes Bratz...but not enough to have one. She has never asked for one...she prefers Barbie and Polly Pocket.

As for guns, swords and video games. We dont have any guns or swords. We do have water guns. But thats it. We did get Steven a Ninja Turtle sword a few years back...but I was so scared he would poke an eye out I took it away. As for video games...the kids are only allowed to play V-flash games. They are the educational character games, and they are perfectly content with that...for now! 

I also think the Bratz Dolls are to sexy. But the last time I went to buy a  Barbie she had heavy makeup and a tattoo. Things are changing. We just really need to think about what we are buying for our kids.

one word - HOOCHIE!!!

Yup, totally agree, way too sexy.  We are polly pocket girls here!  My girls have always liked barbies too, I don't say they can't have them(they have  alot of them), but I don't encourage play with them either.  I mostly buy little rag dolls that can fit in the doll house and dolls that don't portray perfection.  Also, I will not buy my girls teen magazines when that age comes, I remember obsessing over the way those girls looked and thinking I needed to look just like them.

As for the guns, unless they are giraffe shaped water guns, we don't allow them. 

Considering how all the parents on here feel about Bratz, I wonder how they sell...

See to me that's a double standard.  I think it would be confusing to a child to say "yes, it's ok to play with something that looks like this, but you can't be like that or dress like that."  I don't know the age range that bratz dolls are geared towards, but I think there are most likely many girls out there playing with them that are too young to understand those differences.  I want my daughter growing up knowing exactly what my beliefs and expectations are.  The way I raise her will help form her those things in her.  I don't want her to grow up making excuses for herself.  I want her to be able to make clear cut decisions and not question her beliefs or herself.

Also, there are soooo many options out there for toys that stimulate the imagination.  Why would you resort to something that is questionable on it's best day?