Friday 10 February 2012

GirlyGirl/Tomboy

I scored a cool Duplo truck at the markets on the weekend and Lily has been playing with it constantly ever since! I just adore this girl - she is sooooo girly and loves pink and sparkles and jewellery like the 'ballerina fairy princess' she is convinced she is... and yet - she also loves playing with trucks, digging in the dirt and wrestling with her Daddy - doing full body slams with all the enthusiasm of a WWE wrestler! 





Yup, my little lady is just doing things her own way. She is a girl but she is deciding what kind of girl she wants to be, and I love seeing her exploring her interests, no matter what 'side' they may be on! Initially, I admit I cringed at the idea of my girl constantly swathed in pink tulle and fairy outfits but after I saw her natural joy and attraction to such things it seemed rather churlish to deny them. After all, boycotting pink has to be as extremist as mandating it, right?! I've come to my current frame of mind that as long as plenty of options are available to her - from fairy wings to dump trucks, sparkly shoes to tool kits, toy prams to toy computers, then hopefully she can not only choose what feels right for her, but also perhaps peer over the gender divide to understand that a whole world of options are available - she is not restricted by the gender stereotypes of what she 'should like' or 'should be good at' - and that it can be enriching to try different things sometimes too. Kids free to be kids is what I desire in these precious younger years, hopefully avoiding being boxed too early into what they should or should not be. Though it will no doubt come! Same goes for Eli of course - my Baby Boy loves him some baby dolls, and loves to push them in the pram! I just adore seeing him be so nurturing and I like to think his wife will thank me one day! ;)

However, I do have to admit that Mama often deliberately buys the non-pink clothes just to give her eyes a break from the constant pink tide that is ever creeping into our household! (And also to gently encourage Lily from being entrenched into an all-pink rut for eternity!). But I don't get too het up about it these days... after all, whether dressed in pink or blue, whether playing with dolls or trucks, most of all I hope she is defined and defines herself by what's on the inside, in her heart and mind. I just want her to know that the world is her oyster and she can beat her own path through it. I'm sure she will go on breaking down the gender stereotypes if she wants to - one body slam at a time!







4 comments:

  1. oh my...I think your lily and my isabelle might be twins from reading your blog....so very much close to home (esp daddy wrestling and bodyslams!)...incl a certain mum trying to stay clear of too many "pink" x but I love the look of concentration on her little face with her prized new truck...don't let anyone ever stop you lily

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  2. Very cool.
    My little one has expressed no prefference for pink yet... But she does very much like her red ruby slippers... about as much as she loves her huge Tonka truck :)

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  3. Sounds like a very sensible view! I'd be buying plenty of non pink too. That duplo truck looks like a winner for boys or girls!

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  4. Ok, the duplo dump truck was a winner. I am sure you know how much those sets are at full price ;) Just prepare yourself for the excitement that will be Mr Finn James when he comes over for a playdate and spots that little beauty :)

    I think you have come to a really great decision regarding the pink overloard. You always give her opportunities to explore a range of clothes/colours and toys. Lily isn't being pushed into being any type of girl, she will work it out herself.

    Harper is a real mix too. She adores frilly things/tutus and the like but then can be so physical and engage in some serious cars/trucks play.

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