Generation NeXt Parenting

I Believe Girls Should Be Girls

Some of my favorite memories of growing up in the 70s and 80s was playing Barbies with my friend. When I was in 2nd grade my friend Laura lived in the house behind me. We spend HOURS setting up our play houses, dressing our Barbies, and just letting our minds wander as we played pretend.

A few years ago I received an email from Laurie. It was great hearing from her after so much time. You see, we I was in the 4th grade Laura moved away and we lost track of each other.

Laurie emailed me and we talked about the fun we used to have. Laurie also said she discovered some of my Barbie items when she was going through her things. Can you imagine? She kept those things after 20+ years. Yes, good memories are worth keeping around.

Of course, things are different now. It’s sad, don’t you think that often little girls don't have the time just to play? One reason is that parents have the signed up for every activity under the sun. Six-year-olds need their private calendars just to keep track! (I devoted a whole chapter to this in my book Generation NeXt Parenting.)

Another reasonI think girls don't have time to play is that they seem to be growing up too fast—the clothes, the makeup, the music. It seems the stuff I was drawn to at sixteen is being marketing to girls at age six! (Don't get me started on this!)

Amazingly, I discovered I’m not the only one who thinks little girls are growing up too fast. Check this out: http://www.webelieveingirls.com/index.html

Mattel and Barbie have a new website to encourage parents, teachers, leaders to let little girls be little girls longer. Way to go Barbie! I knew I liked you.

Here is some of what they believe: (from their website)

• We believe in girls. In their dreams. And in their very natural, built-in desire to change the world.
• We believe in playtime (and more of it).
• We believe, in fact, that the magic of a happy, playful, inspired girlhood is the same secret ingredient that creates happy, inspired and powerful women.
• And the world could use as many of those as possible, right?

So, do you think little girls are growing up to fast? Check out the resources on this page and give voice to what YOU believe.

Labels: Barbie, dreams, girls, mattel, playtime, Tricia Goyer

posted by Tricia Goyer @ 8:31 PM