Barbie 09 060 Ns - article by Whimsical Wire Articles

Barbie:

My daughter is like millions of other little girls in so many ways. She just had to have her bedroom painted pink, she loves dress up and she absolutely adores anything related to Barbie - from the numerous dolls to the mountain of accessories bearing the Barbie name.

I honestly don't understand the fixation and I am somewhat troubled by this obsession and the years of successful marketing manipulation by Mattel. However, like countless other parents, I am unable to withstand the pleading of my daughter, who is constantly bombarded with Barbie paraphenalia, and who simply must have the latest Barbie dollhouse, Barbie comforter, Barbie bike and Barbie doll.

To my credit, I feel that I have developed a certain 'Barbie Avoidance Radar'. In our local department stores, I have the Barbie section clearly marked in my mind's eye, and I do my very best to conveniently avoid that section. However, my daughter, as usual, is one step ahead. She works twice as hard to make sure that we end up in that area whenever we are in the store. Somehow my determination is no match for her addiction, and regrettably, most shopping trips result in at least one innocent looking Barbie item landing in our cart to my daughter's delight.

Just as with my son, when I encouraged his interest in non-traditional toys such as dolls, I have likewise presented my daughter with a wide variety of options when it comes to her playthings. Leaving me perplexed, she quickly passes over trucks and footballs and heads straight for anything pink in her line of vision, and more times than not, that 'something pink' has to do with Barbie.

Barbie dolls and accessories were originally marketed to girls in the nine to twelve age group. However, Mattel has come to hold a monopoly on the attention of little girls as young as three, strengthening Barbie's grip by means of clever marketing and strategic messaging, made only stronger by television commercials and magazine advertising.

I've talked to other parents about their opinions on the long-term effects of The Barbie Syndrome. I've considered the damage that this obsession could be doing to my dear daughter's psyche - her self-esteem - her viewpoint of women. But at the end of the day, I lead her to her hot pink room, put her in her Barbie nightgown and tuck her in to her bed complete with Barbie sheets and comforter. We read a Barbie fairytale and I turn off her lamp, and she snuggles down with her latest Barbie doll to the sweetest of dreams.

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