Playing with Dolls

I have spent most of my adult life convinced that the differences between male and female behavior are largely due to social conditioning rather than biological impulse. I have begun to rethink that since having my kids.

Taking playing with dolls, for instance.

Nicky has never been interested in baby dolls. Once, when we were in a department store, he saw a baby doll laying in a stroller. I think it freaked him out. It looked like a baby, but there was something frightening about those vacant, staring eyes. He studied it for a little and then went up and smacked it in the face. Aside from that, I don't know that he's really ever paid attention to dolls.

Laney, on the other hand, has always been very interested in baby dolls. We bought her one shortly after her first birthday and she, baby, and a stuffed duck called gakk-gakk were inseperable. She carried baby and gakk-gakk everywhere. They brought out her inner-Mommy. She cuddled them at night and wrapped them in blankets to keep them warm. When baby fell on her little head, Laney kissed her booboos away. When we go out, she's concerned that baby have a hat on so she doesn't get cold, and sometimes she drops her off with me to "baby-sit". Baby needs to be cared for while she is chasing Nicky around the house.

I've heard Nicky play with baby once.

"Look, Laney," he shouted as he hurled baby down the stairs. "Your baby can fly!"

Thunk, thunk, thunk, plonk! Poor baby landed in a little heap on the floor while her towel 'cape' landed on top of her.

Let's hope that's not his inner-Daddy coming to the fore.

Social conditioning or biology? You be the judge.

Laney and Baby