I remember the fuss when Barbie started spouting lines like "Math is hard." People were up in arms that Barbie would be sending such a message to young girls (math is too hard for girls). I just stared at the news stories, thinking "THIS is the worst thing you think she teaches girls?!?" The thing is toxic. Any doll I buy my children will be able to walk without high heels (have you seen that thing's feet?).

That rant aside....I offer you another quote from my oddball family. "Love is like morphine. On morphine, it's not that you don't feel the pain any more...it's that you don't care." I was taught that the magic of healthy love was that you weren't blind to the object of your affection's faults....they just don't bother you in light of their overwhelming strengths. If you feel the need to change them, or change yourself....well....it's not good enough.

If that's the lesson the kids take, well...it did well for me. But I don't think there's a guanantee that's the way they'll hear that line. Kids see the world through the filter of the rest of their experiences. If they're set a healthy example at home, they'll see the good message most likely. If home is abusive, they'll likely think that "love excuses any behavior," thus changing everything.

Basically, I think the important thing is not to let Barbie, or Disney, or anyone who doesn't love your kids as much as you do (and any parent knows very few people possibly could, grandparents maybe) should be allowed to have an unfiltered influence on your kids. We should talk to them about the big things (love etc.) when they're ready....and talk about the outside messages when we have to.

My 2 cents.

Ginge