Ponder Post: Doll Lessons

I was in a toy store today shopping for my granddaughter Autumn's, second birthday. Her mom had told me that Autumn had displayed a fascination with a baby doll whose eyes opened and shut so I was on a mission to find one. Rather than going to a Toys R Us or online store, I went to an independently owned toy store I frequent so I could see the doll choices and be sure of making a good quality decision. I asked the store owner, Sue, her recommendation. Sue has 14 grandchildren. She helped me find a doll that was age appropriate and could go in the bathtub as well. It even came with its baby-sized yellow rubber ducky. I was pleased and could indeed see a quality difference in the feel, the weight, the balance of the center of gravity placement, the delicacy of the shading of the complexion, and the intricacy in the formation of the lips and other facial features. I was enlightened at how many design details there were to consider in the selection of the optimum doll. (Stop laughing and rolling your eyes; nothing but the best for my granddaughters!) There were other dolls at half the price point but you could really spot the difference when placed side-by-side with the doll by Corolle. So I bought the doll. The brightly colored pink and coral clothing was a cheerful bonus instead of the pastel colors that usually come with baby dolls.

This 12-inch cuddly soft baby doll for little mommies ages 18 months and up features sleeping eyes
 and smooth supple vinyl skin that's delicately scented with vanilla – a Corolle signature.

But my real takeaway from that store was the story Sue told me of her granddaughter. Sue's granddaughter wanted an American Girl doll for her birthday and pointed out the one she wanted. It was fair skinned and had blond hair. Now the granddaughter's mother is of Hawaiian descent and the granddaughter has that type of complexion. Since the dolls are custom ordered, her mom asked the little girl if she wanted a doll that looked like her and she replied that no, she wanted the pretty one.

Well the mom's heart sunk and this really bothered her. We have all heard the stories about how black children are shown pictures and asked which is prettier or smarter and the majority of the time they choose the Caucasian over their own skin color. We have heard about the blue-eyed/brown-eyed exercise by the schoolteacher Jane Elliot in Iowa. The store owner, Sue, told her daughter-in-law not to fret about it and she would take care of it.

Despite her granddaughter's request otherwise, Sue special ordered the Hawaiian looking doll. She helped the other grandmother order a doll's outfit identical to the one the fair-skinned blond doll had been wearing. It was a very happy birthday. The little girl loved the Hawaiian complected doll that looked just like her. And she loved outfit the other grandmother gave her. And that whole pretty part? It was the dress, after all!

Let us be sensitive, yes. But let us not assume problems exist where they do not.