My little brother has a love of dolls, is that normal?

Question

My little brother loves to play with dolls. He'd rather do that then trucks, or other little boy stuff. He's 8 - is that normal?

Answer 1

Ask him why he loves dolls? I loved dolls because I wanted to be like my dad. I wanted to pretend to be the boy friend, dad, and father. Make him do chores that gets his hands dirty. if he wants to play with the dolls, he must play with the trucks or whatever. Remind him that he is a boy. If he has a baby doll teach him how a father should take care of his child. This stresses his masculinity while using the doll. If it is a Barbie, teach him how he should treat his girlfriend or wife. This allows him to play the male role through doll play.

Answer 2

It's perfectly fine. The reason 8 year old boys do play with trucks and soldiers all the time usually has more to do with society and other influences. Theres nothing wrong with loving dolls. I used to play with legos and action figures all the time when I was little and I grew up into a regular girl (I'm healthy, artistic, and straight, not that I consider those things to be the only acceptable normal but just telling you how I am).

It probably does mean if anything that he will grow up to be more artistic and animal loving than athletic and sports loving.

Answer 3

Who cares if it is "normal?" What you should be asking is whether it is healthy, because these days "normal" - meaning "like most other people" - is not always a positive thing to be. But either way the answer is yes - this is both normal and healthy. I wouldn't worry unless he begins having ritual sacrifices with the dolls or something like that.

If it makes you feel funny, just think of dolls as stuffed animals that happened to be people. That's probably all your little brother is thinking, anyways.

And if he's gay, that is also normal, by the way....

Answer 4

My daughter had no use for dolls when she was a little girl. She would rather play outside, or do art or music. It doesn't necessarily mean anything, just let him explore various toys and activities. A child may have a hidden talent for art or music and if that child is not given an opportunity to explore it, you might never know. It's too early to make assumptions.

Answer 5

Its fine there is nothing wrong with boys playing with dolls. I use to baby-sit a little boy who loved to play with Barbie’s , now grant he did also enjoyed playing typical little boy things too, trucks, swords etc.

This is 2007 I just find it ridicules that a little boy cant play with toys that are typical for girls with out people thinking oh they must be gay or maybe transgender. Yet if a little girl wants to play with toys that are typical for boys, people don’t think oh she must be a lesbian or transgender.

Just let kids play with whatever they want to if playing with Dolls makes him happy so be it. If playing with trucks makes him happy so be it. Your only a child once.

Answer 6

Its perfectly normal for little girls to play with cars and guns and play footy and soccer and stuff isnt it?
Leave the boy be, He'll get out of it when he's ready... If by any chance this turns out to be an early sign of homosexuality or transgender, Just remember that he's your brother no matter what and as his family you should support and love him for who he is...

Answer 7

It is normal, if he has sisters around that play with them and involve him to play. Your parents or you may want to introduce him to army dolls. Army dolls are as big as Ken & Barbie dolls, except they are army men and come in different styles, like navy, army, and ninjas.

I think as he grows older he will most likely forget about those things and get into other things. I remember being little playing with my brother with their cars. But I also played with dolls too! (smile)

You may want to replace the dolls with other things if he becomes too attached to them. Try different things like outdoor stuff. Get him more involved with doing things outdoors like basketball, baseball, soccer ball, or football.

Hope this helps!

Answer 8

He may need to have a strong male role model in his life. Maybe talk to him and ask why he likes dolls better than trucks and go from there.

Answer 9

Don't worry. He just does that so the little girls will want to play with him. He's catching on a little quicker than the other 8 year olds.

Answer 10

YES, it is normal, a doll is just a toy.

P.S. Action figures, like G.I. Joe are considered dolls too!