“It’s Just Baby Fat”

Busy week here so not much time to post. Z and I used a Toys R Us gift card for her this week (she got a hobby horse - wheee!) and while there I saw two toys that made me do a double take. America’s Top Model has a doll now. I realize this isn’t much different than something like a Bratz doll but it just struck me as odd that a teen/adult show would be marketed to little girls. OK, maybe not odd, maybe disappointedly obvious? I don’t watch ATM. I know it’s a guilty pleasure for some but #1 modeling doesn’t interest me in the slightest and #2 Tyra Banks is the equivalent to nails on a chalkboard for me. My childhood sexy, winking Western Barbie seems quite tame compared to this doll - sheesh, just look at how the ATM doll is posing.

But the toy that really bothered me was the Lots To Love baby doll (phone picture below).

The dolls look like just the typical, roly poly dolls that are out there. Nothing exceptionally large about them. They’re cute dolls and I know Z would enjoy one. I Googled them and found at least one concern that they promote obesity in children (*snort*) but also several reviews that kids like them without mention that they are (egads!) fat babies.

Concerning the packaging, which is what caught my eye, the tag line is “It’s Just Baby Fat”. A, Not a catchy tag line and B, what the frick is that supposed to mean?? These baby dolls are still worth playing with and loving because it’s just baby fat and, therefore, not the permanent kind? I am not sure there is another way of deciphering this lame tag line.**

Is it even possible to raise a child to like their bodies into adulthood with all this crap being shoved in their faces starting at practically birth? Obviously, the all mighty dollar in this household won’t be used for such toys but it’s not like I can avoid her exposure completely.

** Tee hee, I was just ranting about this doll to the husband and he replied “Well, just be glad they changed the name from ‘Hard to Love Baby’”. Hee.