In the midst of the holiday season, you may feel you need Superhero strength to find the perfect gifts for your children. I don’t know if I can help you scale the Target toy aisle in a single bound, but I AM teaming up with some awesome and funny mommy bloggers to bring you…
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That’s a pretty aggressive and angry-looking Batman there. I understand there’s a lot of evil in the world right now that must be combatted ~ terrorist plots, government corruption and shutdowns, the evils of under-regulated capitalism, on top of all the petty crime, theft, and general meanness Superheroes must fight on a daily basis. Add to that the dwindling number of phone booths in which one could transform into a Superhero persona in order to address said evils, and I suppose you have a toxic recipe for supersized anger.
My four-year-old son is obsessed with Superheroes. Just like my daughter somehow absorbed from the culture the names, relevant biographical data, and associated suitors for each of the Disney Princesses, my son already knows all of the Superheroes and their distinguishing powers and features. As a girl, having been raised on Barbies and princesses, the Superhero world is uncharted territory for me. Who the hell is Green Lantern? And why does he look like he just came from a radioactive fight club?
Not surprisingly, Superheroes are at the top of my son’s Christmas list. So I wanted to buy him some Superheroes, and educate myself on the world of crime-fighting good guys. But if these are the good guys, why do they look so mean?
Just as I am concerned about the messages that Barbie and her friends send our daughters, I am a bit worried about the aggressive stances, angry faces, bulging muscles, serious weaponry, physical dominance, and implied violence in boys’ Superhero toys.
As I wandered the Action Figure aisle at Target, I tried to find the nice-looking Superheroes.
I saw a Batman toy, and initially thought about getting it for my son. It was the Gotham City Jail, which I thought was perfect. I try to encourage my son, when he plays Superheroes, to send the bad guys to jail instead of killing them. {Just trying to avoid teaching vigilantism to my four-year-old}. But upon closer examination, I noticed this in the jail:
Yep, an ELECTRIC CHAIR! Holy inappropriate-for-your-recommended-ages-3-to-8, Batman!
I did buy my son some nice-guy Superheroes ~ Captain America looked pretty wholesome to me. But I will not be buying the overly muscled, disturbingly angry, heavily armed, menacing and electrocuting ones.
And I will work on my prototype for the Sensitive New Age Man Who Talks to Bad Guys About Compassion and Then Gives Them a Hug action figure. He sounds fun, doesn’t he?
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What else are we NOT buying for our children this year? Read more from some Super Bloggers!
Jean of MamaShmama: My Child-Models Deserve the Best at Christmas
Jen of My Skewed View: Dear Santa, Please Don’t
Katia of I am the Milk: The Gift that JUST. KEEPS. ON. GIVING.
Kristi of Finding Ninee: Three Things I Don’t Want My Son to Get for Christmas
Rachel of The Tao of Poop: Santa Employs Sweatshop Labor
Sarah of The Sadder But Wiser Girl: Flaming Pillow Pets and Other Christmas List No-Nos
Stephanie of Mommy, For Real: Thanks for Nothing, American Girls: Why I Hate American Girl Dolls
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What about you? Is there anything you won’t be getting your kids this year?
- A Mindful Approach to New Year’s Resolutions - January 13, 2020
- Just This Next Step - December 16, 2019
- WAIT: A Mindfulness Practice for Waiting in Line - December 9, 2019
