You can't help the fact within the toy world there are what are seen as boys toys and girls toys. It has to be said that as a tom boy it was never really an issue for me . I got tutted at of course I did and that comments made at me like shouldn't I be playing with dolls.
"Well no actually" I loved my toy cars, my swords my cap guns and of course my Lego which is pretty much in its basic state genderless. Remembering a conversation I had with my cousin over the Christmas holidays he was sad that you could no longer go into a shop and buy say a box of Lego roof tiles or a general mixed box.
I still have my Lego from my child hood yes its the Wild West towns and space centres and fire engines!
And whilst today's society is obviously more awake to commercial brand names ,nowadays much to the delight of the these companies!
That said there will always be a divide of girls and boys toys that's just life and without debate the world would be a pretty boring place. From my experience from being a tom boy I was tutted at but not to the degree perhaps some boys are if they play with girls toys. I will put my hand up and say
1. My son played with a tea set that he carried every where.
2. He carried a shopping basket round with him as well.
3. He had tried his hand at ballet.
4. He had a toy vacuum which was in fact a (toy lawn mower) because at the time my husband had a issue about him playing with a toy vacuum but my son treated it as his toy vacuum or as we called it then the ' Whooh Whooh '
He was and still is a sensitive child and the below information is from a previous blog post that explains why.
Children do what they want for a reason and it should not be stopped unless it is obviously dangerous or their behaviour is cause for concern in some way.
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| My son playing with his tea set |
Well when J was born he was a normal baby until all the problems started happening, the constant eczema which is inherited. The sudden coughing fits and gastric problems. the fussy eating, the projectile vomiting.
As he grew then there was the sudden tiredness and falling asleep anywhere ( asthma ) the allergy to food colourings. The inability to leave my side, his allergy to cats ( we had to get rid of our cat)s. yes J was one nervous child constant trips to the hospital seeing various medical professionals.
Then more problems came then there was the problem with him being slightly sugar slow and then the bouts of anemia.
Whilst I appreciate these problems aren't as severe as many problems experience with their child of children it is still heartbreaking as well..
Throughout out this I had noticed that J was not communicating , he had passed his baby hearing test hardly rocket science when he took it.
J was born in September 1998 and looking at an entry from his health book dated June 2000 that he has made little progress with his speech. The silly health visitor said his comprehension appeared good, well it wasn't I assure you. The toing and froing continued with the health visitors still ignoring me. This continued until around October 2001 when J still wasn't really speaking. Eventually after basically a sit in protest at the doctors we got a referral to the hospital where he was diagnosed with Glue ear. He had his operation to have grommets inserted after the usual long weight for an the operation.
Progress was slow but really came into its own on a holiday to Center Parcs in March 2002 when he was three and a half We were on our bikes and J was in a child seat behind me, a squirrel ran in front of me and J said " Bloody Squirrel" and J repeated this all day.
J had been learning sign language at nursery and and a least now there was a focus on his language skills , of course this had now developed. He was a slow learner at Infant School because of his previous problems, nervous and clingy. We had problems with parties etc he still wouldn't leave my side till he was nearly seven. I just plonked him into beavers one day and ran , same with football cruel but kind and as a result he developed.
So that's why I love arguing with him he has developed into a heartfelt young boy who knows his own mind and is making his own way in the world. He is an academic high flyer play rugby for our County , top sport mans for the school. Plays a musical instrument he is an all rounder. What more could I ask for than an argument about his sock draw...?
So each to their own I was happy for my son to play with girls toys or those associated with girls it served a purpose and did him no harm. Everyone has a choice in how to raise their child and no one should dictate or judge anyone.
