Girly girls

My parents raised me to like what I like, she didn't push any certain toys or cloths on me, same with my sisters... and as a result my sisters and I are very unique, still similar in a lot of ways ( were sisters) but have very individual personalities!

My older sister Lipshun, when she was a kid liked wearing overalls, digging in the dirt and playing with GI Joe, science experiments, baking and was a ballerina

My younger sister Little lipshun, use to LOVE baby dolls and pretend play on her own or with me ( I use to "run a restaurant" for her every weekend she was my patron) and playing dress up. & later LOVED gymnastics

Me, I LOVED playing with my Barbie, and dressing up in my fanciest dresses, and then going outside in them and making mud pies in them pretending I was a fancy chef! (Yeah can you tell I was the problem child?) and I loved to dance, do arts and crafts, swim & play soccer

The point is, My parents did not PUSH gender specific toys and activities on us, we were able to develop our own personalities & likes freely without being pushed!

I agree with this method and am doing it with A-bunny, my sister does it as well with my nephew C

Of course we get the girly gifts from people and I don't mind, A-bunny is after all a girl! But I make sure when I am buying her something, It 90% of the time is not gender specific( clothing being the exception and a keepsake Barbie here and there), when she starts asking me for toys she will be able to choose what she wants.

but in the mean time, I have almost all primary colored toys in my house ( of course there are a few exceptions in pink !) 

She has a enough girly girl stuff most of her clothing is  pink and purple(I really try to find any other colors possible when I buy her stuff, red blue & green look good on girls too I wear them all the time!) her room and bed set is pink brown and cream ( light on the pink heavy on the brown & cream) her high chair, stroller, shoes, hair clips, dolls PLENTY of girly....I don't think toys should be gender specific also.

Some parents do, I am not one of them! I feel that the child's personality should develop on its own naturally without outside influence ( of course if she shows a liking to something I will encourage it, but I wont push) such as reading, we all know a-bunny likes to read, it started as 15 min a day to make sure she was getting the stimulation... now she asks me to read for about 1/3 of our day most days! Or music, we have plenty of musical toys, but I don't shove her to them, she dances a 1/3 of the day to the toys on her own accord, and when she does, I will clap and dance with her.

Some people think I am a little crazy for doing this, but honestly I remember doing this and thinking it was so cool that dad "let me" help him mix concrete when I was 5, or let me help till the garden or spackle a wall ( something's only boys can do in some houses).... it was a bonding I had with my dad.... or that my mom let me help her cook ( I still believe that is why I love to cook so much) and let me play Barbie and do makeovers ( not so far fetched for most households with girls) And that I could play dress up and go make mud pies in my dresses ( okay well she usually wasn't so happy about that)

Point is I remember testing and trying things I thought were cool, that most of the world feels are gender specific things!

Lots of people will read this and say "what's wrong with her" others will look at it and go "wow that's an amazing idea" I don't care if you like it or not, or if you think I am crazy or brilliant... But that's the type of parent I am, freedom to be creative and develop, because not everyone likes the same things!

sorry for the rant, but I found out i was having a niece yesterday, and Lipshun and I were talking about this very topic.... Because I will buy her floufy girly outfits, so she has a variety of things to pick and choose from, but i will also buy her a mudpie maker and a pair of work boots! AND WHAT hehehe