"There's cars and dinosaurs why would you want that girly toy?"

Mum’s open letter to the lady who “belittled” her son for choosing a pink doll’s pram.

Rheann MacLaren, 25, was browsing a children’s charity shop in Scotland when her son Harry started playing with a pram, The Mirror reports.

As little Harry, 3, pushed the pram around the shop, Rheann claims a “frowning” customer came over to confront the youngster about his choice of toy.

According to Rheann, the customer said: “Oh you don’t want that, it’s just for girls, not boys. It’s all pink and girly,” before suggesting he should choose a car or a dinosaur toy instead.

Rheann said: “I was completely taken a back by it at first.

“I was a little in shock to be honest – not only that someone actually believes those things in this day and age, but that they thought it was okay to approach a young child they don’t even know and try to embarrass or shame him into not buying the toy he wants.

“Harrys always enjoyed playing with a wide range of toys, he’s just a normal kid and loves to play.

“He has cars, dinosaurs, dolls and teddies; we’ve always encouraged him and gone with what he’s shown an interest in.

“No child should be put down for having an imagination and wanting to play.”

Rheann wrote on Facebook ….

pram

“To the customer in the toy shop:

I saw the looks you gave me and my three year old son today. I saw the way you watched him pick out the pink dolls pram and push it round the shop with pure joy. I saw the way you came over frowning at a child simply enjoying a toy. I listened as you tried to belittle my son for his choice of toy.

“Oh you don’t want that, it’s just for girls, not boys! It’s all pink and girly. There’s cars and dinosaurs over there, why would you want that girly thing?!”

That’s what you felt you had the right to say to a small child who you’d never met before in your life. I was about to have a go at you, tell you off for being so judgemental and critical of a small child – but my boy got there first, and answered you so much better than I could’ve;

“Cos I like it”

It’s literally that simple. It’s not about the colour of it, the labels behind it, the way it looks… It’s about the fact my child looked at it and thought it looked fun to play with. He pushed it all the way home from the shop proud as punch with his new toy, he told me about how he’s going to put his baby dolly in it and push it to the shops for its milk, because yes, shock horror, my son has a dolly too. His favourite toys are his cars, his trucks, his bus… He love dinosaurs and monsters, he’s happiest when he’s outside playing in the mud and puddles.. But sometimes he likes to play with a doll and pram, he’ll play in the toy kitchen and pretend to do ironing, he likes pink things and watches with fascination when I put my make up on.

Am I worried? No, not in the slightest. My child will grow up a well rounded, accepting boy who will NEVER feel pressured to conform to gender stereotypes.

I really hope you saw how happy he looked as he walked out the shop with his girly pink dolls pram and think twice about saying anything similar to a complete stranger again.”

These stories seem to be occurring far too often! We recently shared the story of Shona Campbell who arrived to pick up her three-year-old son from childcare only to over hear a conversation about her toddlers choice of socks. Yes. SOCKS!

There was also an awesome story a few months back of the dad who let his son dress up as Elsa. And the Mum who tells her boys they look beautiful wearing trousers or a dress. WINNING!

GO MUM!

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17 Comments

- - june11 said
  - 03 Jul 2016
    8:37 pm
He will have plenty of practise as he grows up and becomes a Dad !!!!! yay!!!

- - mom111362 said
  - 17 Jun 2016
    11:44 pm
my little boy loves pink and my little pony

- - mom111362 said
  - 31 May 2016
    12:25 am
most little boys love pushing prams

- - Thejoysof3boys said
  - 22 May 2016
    8:17 pm
What an awesome guy!

- - BellaB said
  - 14 May 2016
    5:24 pm
That customer was very rude and should be embarrassed.

- - june11 said
  - 06 May 2016
    9:40 pm
My little brother played with my doll’s pram. He put his teddy in with my doll and took them for a walk around the yard, then under the verandah to have their sleep. I remember one of the kids next door teasing him. I played with his toys. We had a big piece of burnieboard that I drew roads etc. on. We played with matchbox toys on it for hours on end instead of watching TV when the weather wasn’t good enough to be outside. Two of his matchbox toys were a garage and petrol pump so they became a service station. Another was a tow truck so he towed broken down cars to be fixed at the service station. We had little wooden blocks so we built tiny houses that the cars parked at. We learnt to use our imagination and amuse ourselves. When we were little we didn’t care whether they were my toys or my brother’s. We started to get a bit choosy when I was part way through Primary School.

- - meedee said
  - 05 May 2016
    11:51 am
How rude.
I remember when my eldest daughter was 3 years old and all she wanted for Christmas was a Concrete Truck. A Male said “You are not really buying that for a girl are you?” …I said that I was and he told me that it was “so wrong”…. Why did my daughter want a concrete truck? Her Dad drove one for a living so she wanted one too. How is this any business of anyone elses? What toys my child wants to play with is her business only…..not a strangers.

- - mom81879 said
  - 05 May 2016
    9:40 am
My kids played with what they chose to play with. My daughter preferred cars, she had a remote control car even. My son had a play with dolls, but not much, he didn’t mind Barbies camper van! I didn’t feel the need to guide them toward gender specific

- - mum4107 said
  - 05 May 2016
    5:59 am
Some people need to mind their own business. Let kids play with what ever toys they like. My daughter loves Thomas, has a tool kit like her dad too.

- - mom165081 said
  - 04 May 2016
    11:06 pm
let kids play with any toys that represent normal life and fall within regular toys for any gender. Nothing wrong with that at all.

- - soosy said
  - 04 May 2016
    10:40 pm
I used to work in a toy store and I have seen it all so many times I would have to reassure the fathers that the child wanting that baby doll was just a child seeing another child he wants what you have a little baby. I have seen fathers loudly declare quick lets go buy a toy gun in fear after their son desired a feminine toy. i don’t recall women ever having the same type of phobia for their little girls.
- mom93821 replied
  
  05 May 2016 , 6:21 am
  Sad! 🙁 Let’s hope this changes, there is nothing wrong with children playing with all types of toys. Gender toys….do not exist!
- - regine_kong said
  - 04 May 2016
    5:41 pm
Ih ffs. Not your kid butt the f*** out.

- - mom93821 said
  - 04 May 2016
    4:48 pm
Best to ignore comments, everyone has a different opinion. Let your children play with the toys they choose!

- - mom160421 said
  - 04 May 2016
    3:00 pm
I think a good lesson would be to show your children that other people’s comments do not affect you.

- - mom90758 said
  - 04 May 2016
    1:34 pm
Incredible that there are people that even think of saying that!

- - mom169007 said
  - 04 May 2016
    12:45 pm
Absolutely go mum! My kids are encouraged to play with whatever takes their fancy… No gender stereotypes here! Let them play with prams- they will make great dads some day!