Barbie: A Good Role Model For Children

Growing up with two older brothers, I clung on to the things that made me more feminine as a child. I was thrown into hockey practice even though I really did not want to. So when I got the chance to play with Barbies, I took the opportunity. Some think Barbie is not a good role model for young girls. Their reasoning is supported in that her body is unrealistic in terms of her portions. As well, young girls never see the struggle that Barbie goes through in order to achieve her career positions. People think this is a very superficial angle for young girls to learn about achieving their careers without any leg work. 

However, I am grateful for the influence Barbie had in my life. The optimistic view that she portrays is a good message for young girls. Barbie emulates that you can become whoever you want to be. For young girls, this is such a good message especially because we live in such a cynical world. Barbies usually retire at age 12 and young adolescents begin to understand that you need to work hard to become the person you want to become. I hope that Barbies are around when my children are young so that they believe that they can achieve anything.