Some of you know how I wrangled with the decision of whether or not to get American Girl dolls for the girls. I love the whole concept--well made dolls that represent different periods in American history, so girls are having fun while learning. I would have really loved these when I was a girl. But there are three things I loathe about the whole American girl thing:
First, how can you have "American Girl" dolls made in CHINA? For crying out loud, is NOTHING sacred? But after searching for a doll of the same size made in the US and finding nothing, not even a cute fabric doll on eBay who might look remotely like one of the story characters and would fit the period clothing, I decided to give up on that point.
Second, when I was starting to waver and Googled "American Girl" to find the company website so I could browse the doll options, their website description revolted me: "American Girl is a premiere lifestyle brand that offers a variety of age-appropriate, high-quality dolls, books, clothing, and accessories." A premiere lifestyle brand? I thought I was getting dolls for my little girls! Homeschool moms sneaking in learning while their daughters are innocently playing with dolls is one thing; a corporation trying to indoctrinate my family into its values of consumption and coveting is something else entirely. I am not buying these dolls as reflectors of my own desire for wealth or prestige--I make no pretense of having a "premiere lifestyle."
Second, when I was starting to waver and Googled "American Girl" to find the company website so I could browse the doll options, their website description revolted me: "American Girl is a premiere lifestyle brand that offers a variety of age-appropriate, high-quality dolls, books, clothing, and accessories." A premiere lifestyle brand? I thought I was getting dolls for my little girls! Homeschool moms sneaking in learning while their daughters are innocently playing with dolls is one thing; a corporation trying to indoctrinate my family into its values of consumption and coveting is something else entirely. I am not buying these dolls as reflectors of my own desire for wealth or prestige--I make no pretense of having a "premiere lifestyle."
At least I cannot argue that the company has a hidden agenda--no, they are completely up front about their values.
But I think this might explain why, as far as I know, American Girl dolls are a phenomenon of the middle-upper class.
Anyway, that leads to the third offensive quality about the American Girl franchise: they are not really offering these dolls and books and stuff for the enjoyment of our children, but in the hopes of enslaving our children to their premiere lifestyle brand and greater consumption of it! My thoughts on this topic were validated when I read the following article, which I strongly recommend to any of you moms who are making American Girl dolls part of your children's "education": "Marketing American Girlhood" from the "Rethinking Schools Online" magazine.
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/23_02/amer232.shtml
Still, idealist as I am, I figure we can purchase the dolls and enjoy them for what they are--dolls with history-based stories--and keep them at that. We won't be browsing the catalogs, we won't be buying the overpriced clothing and accessories from American Girl, we will be content with the three dolls we have and not worry about keeping up their looks for resale value on eBay.
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/23_02/amer232.shtml
Still, idealist as I am, I figure we can purchase the dolls and enjoy them for what they are--dolls with history-based stories--and keep them at that. We won't be browsing the catalogs, we won't be buying the overpriced clothing and accessories from American Girl, we will be content with the three dolls we have and not worry about keeping up their looks for resale value on eBay.
I have no problem with other moms chosing to do things differently, by the way! I can think of several of my mom friends who have more than one doll per child, or who enjoy looking at the catalogs with their girls, etc. I am not commenting on anyone else's family--only speaking about my ideals for my own family.
So, this last Christmas, Grandma and Aunt Becca (and Uncle Chris and Sarah and Emily) got our three girls Nellie, Samantha, and Addy. I picked them out. They girls enjoy them, and we have been having American Girl history parties with friends and their own AG dolls and watching the AG movies. But it has all been in the context of history, and very modest consumption. For example, in their Christmas stockings the girls each got a cute colonial American outfit for her doll, since we have been studying that period of American history. Next we will get pioneer outfits, if I can find good ones. This way all the dolls can live in each time period and be part of the girls' learning--and we avoid any pressure to get THE official doll that the AG company has chosen to represent each era.
I found a terrific site on eBay for clothes at a fraction of the cost of the official AG ones:
Sure, the clothes are still made in China. But at least they are way cheaper, and very nicely made (supposedly handmade). Be prepared for the shipping to take up to a month, though! But look at these cute Colonial dress designs, for about $8 - $12, plus $4 shipping!
Again, for all the things that bother me about the whole American girl product, I would have loved these as a girl. Maybe that is the real reason I asked my mom to get them for the girls--maybe some part of me was remembering the pleasure of a loved doll who harbors and fosters all kinds of imaginative play.
So perhaps it is appropriate to end this entry with a photo that represents my own imagination carried away by our new dolls:
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