I am a mother to two boys and a girl. My oldest boy is four and obsessed with trucks and Ninja Turtles. I also have 23-month-old boy/girl twins who are fascinated with Elmo. My three kiddos run around, screaming and fighting over toys most days. Occasionally, you can find them all cuddled on the couch, reading books together, or building a city out of Duplo Legos.
Like most moms, I enjoy the calm moments {sometimes mere seconds} when they all get along. I don’t think twice about my daughter being happiest when digging in the dirt or playing with dinosaurs alongside her brothers.
But recently, my boys found a new favorite toy. They have been playing with dolls.
My youngest boy is seriously attached to his new baby doll. A few weeks ago, he found an old doll (most likely from the late ’80s) in my parent’s basement. It’s not the cutest thing, and when you lay it down on its back, it creepily closes its eyes, but he loves it. Since he found it, he won’t put it down {he’s even started sleeping with it}.
I’m going to be completely honest…at first, I was a little freaked out that he was so into this doll (but it was a step up from the flat green Lego he used to carry around). I even tried to convince him to play with Elmo instead, but any mama of a toddler knows some battles aren’t worth fighting.
Regardless, I quickly realized this baby doll was no different from his Elmo or any “boy” action figure. The only difference is that dolls are more realistic, and the latter is from the fantasy world. When all’s said and done, they are both still dolls!
Over the last few weeks, I have wholly embraced the idea that my boys play with dolls. This doll accompanies us to the library, joins in on family dinners, and even splashes in the tub (sadly, the baby’s torso is cloth). It’s fun to watch my boys engage in imaginative play together. They like to feed their babies and take them for rides on their tractor. It’s great practice for them to be caring and nurturing. I even witnessed my youngest slam his baby off the couch and then quickly jump off to pick her up and say, “I sorry,” and kiss its head.
Also, when playing with dolls, my boys copy the things they see their daddy do. Luckily, because my husband owns his own business, he has the chance to stay home with the kids one day a week while I’m away at work. He does preschool drop-off and pick-up, makes lunches and dinners, kisses boo-boos, and has learned to style my daughter’s hair.
Read the book “William’s Doll”.