[Christine S.]

I have wondered this myself, many times. I was buying my friend a gift for her baby shower this past weekend. They’re expecting a boy, and had registered for a tool set. And I thought to myself that if/when I have children, no matter which gender, I would want my children to have tool sets if they enjoyed them, because I’m an engineer and grew up playing with Lincoln Logs, Erector sets, cars and Legos, in addition to Barbies. I think the solution to your questions is for consumers to buy products that they think their children will like, regardless of the package or stereotype, or what their kids’ friends are receiving. I remember, as a child, there was a lot of pressure to watch the same TV shows as my friends, even if I didn’t like them, and be interested in the same games and toys. What gave me strength was that my father always encouraged me to be true to myself and march to the beat of my own drummer. I’ve had a lot of pressure all my life to “be like the other girls” even from my mother, who told me that women didn’t go into Engineering and people always assume that I like shopping and wearing fancy clothes, when my interests have always been in cars and engines. I believe that parents and friends should encourage their children to play with what they’re interested in. And if they’re picked on for it, to have self-confidence, and not get defensive, but to just laugh it off and say that you know what’s best for you, no one else does. Once the manufacturers realize that they shouldn’t pigeon-hole kids’ interests, they will come up with less assumptive marketing strategies.

User Detail :  

Name : Christine S., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 26, City : Denver, State : CO, Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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