Dear Stores - Please do better

Earlier this week, I went shopping with my mom and the kids. Since we can't see each other in a social setting right now because, you know, 2020, we do this once a week or so instead. Sucks, but better than nothing - and since we both need to go anyways, we may as well go at the same time and see each other. I needed groceries and a few random things, so we went to one of those big box stores where you can find pretty much everything.

No trip to any store is complete without a gander down the toy aisle according to my mother (insert eye roll here, my house already looks like a depot for a toy store). She insists on letting Finn choose something every single time - see a later post about spoiled brat children. Anyways, we head to the toy aisle and Finn is immediately wide-eyed at all the possibilities! He looks around for a few seconds and then spots what he wants....a small doll baby.

So at this point, I'm like, really, kid? Where do I start with how disappointing this is?? I literally spent 39 weeks producing a custom made, live action version of this toy for you. The one I made eats, poops, grows and cries (ALL night)!! This doll does none of these things. And, like all dolls, it looks a little creepy. At least it's not loud or huge, usually those are his most important criteria when picking a toy.

In fact, I'm glad that he chose this particular doll, since it also happens to be Black. I've been thinking that it's time we start talking to him about race and diversity (in an age appropriate way), and this doll can be a starting point for those discussions. If we must add to the toy collection, this is one I can get behind. Great.

But then I look around and my heart sinks a little. How is it possible, that in a sea of doll possibilities, there is ONE Black doll? I don't just mean one model, which would also be problematic, but only one of this model also. There is one Asian doll further down the aisle, and the rest are white. So now I'm torn. Do we get the doll anyways? What if another kid comes looking for a doll that looks like them and can't find any? We decide to get the doll anyways, since I'm hoping that the more people buy toys and dolls that represent a diversity of races and ethnic groups, the more stores will stock. Also, don't get me started on the fact that 100% of the baby dolls are girls babies. I'm mad and sad that this is even needs to be going through my head at this point - do better stores!!

We come home and Finn is happily playing with his doll when Stephan walks through the door. He stops and looks at Finn and the first words out of his mouth are " You got him a DOLL?!". And just as I start seeing red, and about a nanosecond before I explode at him, he says "I LOVED my doll!!! She had a pink dress...I think my mom still has it!!!"

:)

P.S. the doll did a few puzzles and has now joined the piles of other toys that are no longer interesting. STOP buying toys Nonna!!!