Toddler Boy with Baby Doll

we got a baby doll for our son just before his sister was born. he was about 1 at the time. Partly so he could feel important feeding his baby while I feed baby sister. Even now, he's not 4 he'll still sit down and rock & feed Lillie's dollies. Things I've read is that this kind of play helps boys explore a not so rough n tumble side. and can also help them learn compassion because they are "caring" for the baby.

As long as he's not obsessing over it or still carrying it when he's 12, then don't worry about it.

My son is my first born and before the second child we went everywhere and did everything together. I am not a single parent either but I too feel like I am on many occasions. Back to the subject... I was browsing through a garage sale and my son was about 18 months old. By this age he had been walking for 9 months so he was an old pro. He was also pretty tall and he could see on this table full of toys. He spotten this ugly little baby doll and just had to have it. After a couple of months he named the baby after our dog, Ginger. My son is now almost 8 and still has Ginger displayed on the foot of his bed. He plays football, baseball, likes girls very much and has more stuffed animals than I care to admit. Some of his favorite toys were the little kitchen with dishes, small play washer and dryer and the baby stroller for Ginger. I think that our kids see us and want to do what we do. It is very natural for your son to want to nurture a baby, he sees you do it daily. He probably makes crazy driving sounds when he has a little car in his hand or even a block that he pushes along the floor. Oh yeah, and now I have a 4 year old daughter that he plays barbies with on occasion as well. My daughter plays swards, basket ball, cars, I often find her in his room trying to get into his toys. You just never know what they will like to play with but no matter what it is, it will change as they grow.

YES! Get him the doll! It's totally normal!
-J.

sorry i 'm late..lol
my son is 3, he is into dolls too.. girl dolls and boy dolls.. my daughter doesn't play pretend with them as much as he does..but she's only 2 and hasn't gotten into the role playing just yet. i agree with what everyone else said.:-)

wait till your son starts talking about how he has "boobies" like daddy's but you have BIG boobies LOL LOL LOL.that's when i had to hold back the laughter and freaking out..lol

I have to say that it is very normal for him to be interested in baby dolls. It is something with the age when they are learning what a baby is. I only have a daughter at this point, but am expecting our son any minute now, and my husband and I have talked about this. When our son expresses interest in his sister's baby dolls, we plan on buying him his own to feed and care for. At this age they are very inquisitive and curious. I know from watching many of the boys at my daughter's daycare that they all play with the dools as equally as they are "zooming" the cars around. It is an important developmental step for them.

I just wanted to add my .02cents worth- I have twins- 19 mo old- boy/girl.
My little girl couldn't care any less about dolls if she tried! She has never been "lovie-dovie" to anyone or anything- not a cuddler, etc. Used to hurt my feelings. My son on the other hand (I hear this is a real difference between boys/girls at infant/toddler ages) is a REAL cuddler- very huggable/lovable to me and anyone else, and LOVES to hug/carry around stuffed animals, and he has staked claim to all her dolls she has abandoned! He loves them! He will definitely make a good daddy one day!

Hi, C. - unfortunately, our society dictates what is 'normal' for a boy and some people freak out at the thought that a boy might want a doll or like playing with them because it might mean they're a sissy or sexually confused...none of this is the case! When a child - male or female - plays with a doll, it's usually role play and they're taking care of a baby...and one day he may have a child so what neater thing than to nurture his love of children? My nephew had a doll that I gave him much to my brother's dismay and he LOVED that baby like it was a real baby then one day tired of it. Now, he is 18 (and very much a guy) and he is so wonderful with kids...I don't think there is anything wrong with boys who play with baby dolls...ultimately, you have to do what you feel is best.

Don't worry. Both my sons played with dolls as much as they played with race cars & other "boy stuff" and my oldest has turned out to be a very loving father of three as well as a mechanic and my youngest son is trusted by several parents to babysit their young children and his goal is to become an electrician. It's just my opinion but if boys are kept from interaction with babies (whether it be dolls or real babies) then they grow up thinking that it's not "normal" to have caring feelings toward little ones. Let's face it this world needs more responsible caring fathers.

Hi C.,

Don't worry about your little boy wanting a doll. It natural and normal for boys to play with dolls. How else will they learn to be daddys?

I have such a funny story about boys and dolls. When I had my third child I had 3 four year old children in my daycare (one being my own daughter.) I was nursing my infant daughter and I looked over on the couch. There was Cassie, Katie and Miles (the three little four year olds), all with their shirts up and dollys held up to their chests nursing them! It was so precious! Miles is "all man" today (this was 16 years ago!) So, don't worry about your boy and dolls.

My own son, who is now 10, also had a doll when he was little. It was a boy doll (Bob), but nevertheless, a doll. Good luck C.!

Baby dolls look just like him! It's not only normal, it's great! There are actually some boy baby dolls (even anatomically correct ones . . .!) that he might like to interact with. Try to see this as an opportunity for your toddler to practice early "fatherhood" (nurturing). Toddlers of both sexes like and need toys from both "gender groups" and by age three they almost always start narrowing things down on their own. Something many feminists might not like to hear, but that's what many hears of caring for children in preschool and day cares has shown me . . . Hope this is helpful!
V. in Laramie

I agree that toys shouldn't be gender based. I have a 21 months old boy, and am due with our 2nd son in Aug. He had fun playing with & putting some dolls in a toy stroller at a friends house that has 2 older girls. I wanted to get my son a doll, so he could have his own baby, and learn how to help when his brother gets here. My husband had a fit! I told him having a doll isn't going to change him, he is ALL boy! I tought about him being mad a couple days later, and told him, if we were having a girl, would you not let her play with trucks, tools, or any boy toys, then why should it be different with a boy. I know it's hard for men to see their son's with a doll, but I think I'd rather him have a doll now, than when he's a teenager. If you husband still has issues, maybe do what I did, and flip the roles. Maybe in the end your son & mine will grow up to be stronger better men for having the chance to learn to play with a doll, and not having their imagination limited to just trucks.
Good luck!

Yes this is very natural and he will probley grow out of it.
My son who is now five, was about three or four and we had to buy him a brats doll. Mainly because he always saw his older sister with them. I did buy him both a female and male one. In your case though, i'd stick with the baby doll.. they make them male and female.
When i freaked out about this situation with my son, my mother asked me "Don't you want your son to grow up and be a good daddy someday?" so anyway, that was the end of that... i went and got him one. every child is different, but he should grow out of it.
good luck
chris

Toys shouldn't be gender based. If he likes dolls right now then get him one.

My 11 year old still has a stuffed monkey he sleeps with and I don't see anything wrong with it. He's all boy, just nurturing.