Sunday Still Life is an evolving photo project; an invitation to explore the beauty and depth of life through traditional still life composition and / or photos and words to evoke inner stillness and reflection. If you are inspired to join in, please leave a link in the comments.
Barbie dolls were not in my crunchy-conscious-parenting plan.
For nearly seven years my farm girl wasn’t interested. (And her mama was relieved.)
But somewhere in the last few months, Barbies began to catch her eye.
One was given as a hand-me-down; another as a gift. And just like that tiny plastic shoes, tiaras, Velcro dresses, and “Oh, Mama! Look! Her hair changes color in the water!” have become part of our world.
At least one (and often a half-dozen) comes with us everywhere we go. This week it was to the beach where she dipped her painted toes into a hermit crab and fairy pond.
I have not yet fully made peace with Barbie and all the plastic, packaging and body-image baggage that comes with her.
But, at least for now, Barbie and her skinny-waisted sidekicks are guests in my home. And I am choosing to not be at war with them.
.
* * * * *
Happy Sunday, friends. Be sure to check back in here on Tuesday. I recently had a chance to review a photo product (which I really loved) and have a giveaway to share with YOU!
.
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
This crunchy mama played with a lot of Barbies and truly loves them- despite their size zero- for they let my writing imagination thrive at an early age. I told story after story, and each time the woman was the hero.
Excited to be starting this! Thanks, Erin ;)
Here’s mine: http://sagetribe02.typepad.com/blog/2011/07/sunday-still-life.html
Kelly´s last blog ..Sunday Still Life
oh kelly!!! totally shifts my perspective on barbie play!! thank you!!!!
so excited that you are joining in. off to visit your still life now…
xo
~erin
You are too funny! I have had to make peace recently with something that is not in my crunchy mama plan either — Super Hero play. Blech. Specifically Bat Man (but he’s an inventor mama and I want to be an inventor!) But you know what? I finally sat down and pre-screened an Adam West Batman episode from the 1960′s and I laughed myself silly. Totally innocent, totally campy, totally fun. So now on movie night more often than not we’re watching an old Batman episode. Such is life.
boatbaby´s last blog ..~this moment~
LOVE this, cindy!
and really appreciate the feedback on batman. very good to know as my guy is all about super heroes these days too!
xo
~erin
My mom was at war with barbies, and gave me fabric dolls with inexpressive watery eyes and yarn hair that I couldn’t comb (I loved the little wicker cradles they came with, though!). The best play times I remember from childhood, are the hours and hours spent playing with my neighbor friends, and their barbie dolls.
Joining you again today, http://www.fuoriborgo.com/fuoriborgo/2011/07/sunday-still-life-new-look.html
Francesca´s last blog ..Sunday still life ~ new look!
thank you for this, francesca.
xo
~erin
ps ~ LOVE your new blog header!!!! peaceful and playful at the same time! ;-)
As a mom of girls I share your concern, but like you I choose to not make war over it or make it matter. They’ll come across those images eventually- better in our home where we can discuss it and make it not a big deal rather than a coveted prize kept from them I think. That said- we look for variety in our dolls. I just ordered custom dolls from a lovely doll-maker in Spain whose dolls are not only magical but the smaller one will be customized to represent that little bit extra my smaller one is sporting on her designer genes. I can’t wait!
My still life this week is a still of life in motion!
http://thetaooftulips.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/sunday-still-life-2/
Happy Sunday!
Cole´s last blog ..sunday still life
i agree, cole. we’ve got quite a variety around here too. we went through a cabbage patch baby phase (with my old dolls!!!) and american girls are very popular as well. (my son is wishing there was an american boy doll so he could have a friend to play with his sister’s doll.)
can’t wait to see your custom dolls!!
xo
~erin
Erin, I love this blog. Nice to see that most moms have the same concerns with these toys and play. My son is just 10 and we just started allowing guns (nerf ones that blast balls, not bullets) and there is no aiming at face/head allowed. (he has younger siblings so we held out as long as possible) When he did not have a gun, he created one from legos, sticks, etc. It was inevitable. And we have rules regarding the language that goes along with the play. And everyone who gets shot at has to be part of the game. The barbie dolls weren’t much of a hit here as they were too hard to dress w/out damaging the clothes. The American Girl Bitty Baby was and is still a roommate of my soon to be 8 yr old daughter. They also make a bitty twin, boy and girl dolls, that Quinn may love. My son used to love his. They don’t make as many clothes but you can find them at almost any craft fair.
Keep up the good work,
Thanks
Kim
so funny and great, erin! i can’t imagine that internal war, sounds like you figured out how to deal with the inevitable. it is it any comfort, while i won’t have to figure this battle out since i am not a mom, i did play with barie myself and grew up to be a crunchy, social-justice minded, social work researcher, so there is hope!!
kristen gilmore powell´s last blog ..{this moment}
LOVE this, kristen. SUCH a good reminder.
xo
~erin
This may or not reassure you and you probably aren’t looking for that anyway… but my two girls have always played with barbie dolls. Celine outgrew them, Brienne’s on the way to outgrowing them.
But their most treasured dolls, without a doubt are the homemade ones. Both self made or gifted. I didn’t ever think it was either/or.
At 12 & 8 they have great body image (totally confident with their own unique sense of style and growing bodies). Of course the most difficult years are yet to come in that regard but I think we’ve got a good foundation.
I personally think how I view my body and model self acceptance and even self-love matters heaps more than what plastic dolls they may or may not play with.
Welcome to the barbie years.
thanks, renee!!!
i LOVE this…
“I personally think how I view my body and model self acceptance and even self-love matters heaps more than what plastic dolls they may or may not play with.”
yes!!!!!!
xo
~erin
i had the same Barbie when i was a kid… beautiful artistic photo!
sapir´s last blog ..Lose Weight Easily
thanks, sapir.
my daughter set it up and had walked away. i was about to clean it up when i was like hmmm….i think this might make a nice shot!
grabbed it with my cell phone since that’s all i had with me! ;-)
xo
~erin
when it spontaneous and natural – it better! and it’s shown!
sapir´s last blog ..Diet for Life
Oh I have to share something else with you (I am typing without my glasses, be warned). I had Barbies as a kid. Basically a neighbor had a garage sale and my mom let me have the Mother Load, tons of clothes and different dolls and yes even the townhouse. And ya know what I did? I HATED those blonde Barbies because they didn’t look like me. So Marie Osmond and Princess Leah barbies got to wear the nice dresses and love in the townhouse, and I chopped off the hair of the blonde Barbies and left them naked in the corner. I know, makes me sound like I needed some therapy as a kid right? But it ended up playing the image game the other way where i GOT that the barbies were so not real and little flat chested Marie Osmond was. And all in all, I lost interest fairly fast in ALL of them.
boatbaby´s last blog ..~this moment~
oh my goodnes, cindy. this totally cracked me up. i LOVE it!!!
My girl, who is only three is already enamoured of Barbies when we see them at thrift shops, etc. I was sure we would *not* be doing Barbies, but I remember the hours and hours I played with mine, and I turned out okay! :) For me, Barbie play was more about the fashion, than the big breasts or blonde hair. At least now Barbies come in all colors. In fact, my old Barbies sit in a box in the garage, and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before they get dragged out. I’m just taking my time on that one….
As always, I love your perspective on this, Erin.
Rose´s last blog ..Two-Day Retreat :: Day 2: Knitting and the Beach
thanks, rose. i always love your perspective too!!!
xo
~erin
I’m at the same place with guns. I started off on the high horse of no guns allowed. What I didn’t know (being a former Barbie Player) is that ANYTHING but anything can and does become a gun. So now we have rules. No shooting people, no shooting in anger or with angry words (like, I’m gonna kill you cause I can’t have candy). I’ve made targets for Nerf guns. I realized that guns, for Pascal, are about control and accuracy. I’m at peace for now.
I played with Barbies and I loved them. I learned how to nurture through “Barbie mommy” play. I also learned to not cut hair that doesn’t grow back. My Barbies went punk rock before the Violent Femmes. They were mine and expressed my personality before I knew what that meant.
I’m so sure, knowing you as little as I do, that Barbie will not have any sort of negative effect on your daughter. Watch out for ballet class if you’re worried about body image problems.
oh yeah. we’re having many gun conversations around here too.
LOVE that you had punk rock barbies!!! very fun!
thanks for stopping by, jamie. always so nice to connect with you!
xo
~erin
Wise mama, Erin. :)
thanks, monna. i’m trying. ;-)
xo
~erin
Right there with ya, only here it’s “army guys” and guns. I went through a whole process with this very similar to Jamie’s. Our rules are, no shooting at anyone who doesn’t like the game, and if children are here who are not allowed to play with guns (as used to be the case in our house), we keep them put away. We also focus on target shooting, accuracy, etc., but we don’t try to control much beyond encouragement in that direction. The long and short of it is that for me, allowing it (the interest) to be as it is feels a lot better than forbidding and controlling.
And, BTW, love the photo!
I remember the first Barbie dolls as a child – sweet memories