[marbear]

Little kids change their mind quickly. If you are uncomfortable with the pink girly castle, consider the playmobil, step 2, or imaginext castle OR even better...

The Imaginext BATCAVE!!! It has all kinds of whirly gigs and secret door type contraptions. We have a shopping cart, baby dolls, and a kitchen- I prefer gender neutral colors, though. I have a friend who wouldn't buy that pink castle for her GIRL, so for some people it is a personal preference. Knowing I have 3 boys and knowing at school they will learn the difference between girl and boy toys at school and maybe in a harsh way, I choose the neutral stuff. We do have a pink/yellow/blue outside playhouse I got for free and their outside toys usually are girl colored because that was what was free or cheap.

SO, there is nothing wrong iwth a pink girly castle but as parents there is nothing wrong with steering your child away something that could cause them to be embarrassed by other kids. Remember, kids are cruel. You wouldn't send them to a sleepover in an obvious diaper if they are bedwetters...you get the discreet undie types...it's not because YOU care...it's because you don't want them to be an embarrassing situation. I think the OP is just trying to find something her son will enjoy that WON'T cause tears or embarrassment if a tactless friend his age comes over.

[KellyMarie]

Originally Posted by mintman72

Don't you mean that all of them except John Holmes turned out to be a normal, well adjusted adult?

actually, he is the most normal well adjusted one

[nofancyname]

picking up on something that was posted on page 1 - My BF (well his whole family, women excluded) pee off the porch too! Im glad to see other people are like this too (wait, maybe Im not....?) oh well...

[jbarber8]

Originally Posted by nofancyname

picking up on something that was posted on page 1 - My BF (well his whole family, women excluded) pee off the porch too! Im glad to see other people are like this too (wait, maybe Im not....?) oh well...

I hope you live in some kind of wilderness or a private road! In our suburb, they'd probably get arrested.

[owens2kf]

I agree with you completely jbarber8...

"For some reason, I think it's easier for men and women alike to give girls boyish toys, than to give boys girlish toys. Of course there are exceptions, but in general I think this is true.

Being more boyish helps girls achieve - think corporate glass ceiling."

I think it's much easier to let our girls be more boyish - my daughter played T-Ball, Basketball, and Soccer (for about 5 minutes!) and no one batted an eyelash. But what if I signed my son up for dance class or the dreaded piano lessons? It would be viewed much differently I think.

I'm all for letting kids be kids...they'll learn the evils of the world soon enough!

Keep up the good work...sounds like you're a great Mom!

[jbarber8]

Originally Posted by owens2kf

I agree with you completely jbarber8...

"For some reason, I think it's easier for men and women alike to give girls boyish toys, than to give boys girlish toys. Of course there are exceptions, but in general I think this is true.

Being more boyish helps girls achieve - think corporate glass ceiling."

I think it's much easier to let our girls be more boyish - my daughter played T-Ball, Basketball, and Soccer (for about 5 minutes!) and no one batted an eyelash. But what if I signed my son up for dance class or the dreaded piano lessons? It would be viewed much differently I think.

I'm all for letting kids be kids...they'll learn the evils of the world soon enough!

Keep up the good work...sounds like you're a great Mom!

Well, I am planning to give both of my boys piano lessons starting at age 6 and ending when they don't tolerate it anymore. Since I play, my parents play, my grandparents played, and we have a piano, it seems like a waste to let that tradition die.

But I don't think dance lessons will happen!! Maybe tumbling.

Thank you for your kind words!

[Lovage]

The Melissa & Doug line of toys has a great castle you might like to look into. They have a couple in fact. http://www.melissaanddoug.com/dyn_se...=17&button.y=6

Since they are mostly made of wood and even offer a "Blocks Castle" there should be something Manly enough to satisfy your husband. I like the block castle because he can rearrange things to look as he wishes. I know there is also a Megablocks castle out there if you want plastic and sound effects (we got one second hand). Again it includes blocks for building so Dads who aren't into castles can still get behind the idea.

I understand your situation. Maybe you can ask your son what aspects of the castle he likes so much. Is it because it makes noises? The shape of the towers? The moving parts? Find out what the draw is before you choose a different castle. Then track down one with those attributes but in a less pink color scheme.
Just my take on the sit.

[danielephant]

too cute!

I have no idea what to say to that...I know that some boys had cabage patch dolls, so I guess it is not too too strange...and maybe he wants to be the knight in the castle to save the princess?


aww...and besides i think another poster said he may change his mind a few times between now and then...if not the Mall santa will get a giggle out of it...Kids are too cute!

[Sullygirl]

I think you got soe great ideas for castles already. I know my kids love the Imaginext castle.

My 2 cents , on Santa gifts:
My kids (DS8, DS6 and DD2) give WISH lists. They are guaranteed nothing. They are told that Santa gives what he thinks is appropriate and that they will like. My DS repeatedly asked for a video game system or a 'real' light saber. He didn't get it, but was very happy with the things that he got instead.

Maybe start talking to your DS about how great it was tha Santa brought the cake last year. Maybe he will ask for it again!

[Aprilmar10]

Fisher-Price Imaginext Adventures Castle - Fisher-Price - Toys "R" Us
I dont know if this was the price for this boy castle when it was first posted.. but its half off! $20 bucks is a great price!

[Random Refunder]

I would probably look at it this way, it isn't the "doll" that makes him want it, which is why it's thought of as a girl toy....

it's probably the mystic/magic appeal of it all to him...heck, I know grown men intrigued by less =)

It's fantasy and adventure....in my opinion, a great encouragement for hours of imagination...

[jbarber8]

Well, we went to see Santa Monday.

As another poster said, he did change his mind 37 times between when I started the post and now. Some of his ideas were even funnier than the pink castle. (CYMBALS????? -- 'cause it's not noisy enough around here! )

He ended up asking Santa for.... a horn and a fishing pole.

Nope - we don't fish. Have no idea how. That requires a license around here. So, Santa found this perfect one: John Deere Electronic Fishing Pole by Learning Curve : Target

and this horn: 8 Key Saxophone • Back To Basics Toys •

I figured we should get what he's asking for while we can still afford to do so! Next year he may ask for a cell phone or a computer or a car! The site had a trumpet, but 2 reviewers said the trumpet was delicate and the keys fell off.

I hope Santa meets his expectations.

Merry Christmas!

[Lynda1811]

So if he asked santa for the castle, have you decided if you would get it or not? Just courious.

Lynda

[BGibson]

my ds that is 2 likes to play w/ doll houses when we go places that have them so I told dh that I wanted to get him one he said NO and that he meant it--now my dh is not controlling and general does not care but my niece left a baby doll here and ds LOVES to play w/ it my dh hates it--- any way they went to tj maxx together and ds played with a doll house there ans he kept going back to it then a week later we all went back and ds took me straight back to it so dh came home w/ it the other day when he did his xmas shopping~ i just laughed he said but he had so much fun w/ it---sorry long winded

[couponclippin'momma]

My husband & I always agreed when DS was playing with dolls he was "learning how to be a good daddy" & told him so!

[jbarber8]

Santa is not bringing a castle, fairy or otherwise, but Grandma is. I don't know which one she selected. She could not find the Imaginext recommended in this thread so I told her 'be creative'. He is no longer asking for it, so even if she gets something else, the pressure is off. If it comes up, we'll tell him, "You didn't ask Santa for that, but your birthday is coming soon."

[dontbreakme]

Originally Posted by jbarber8

I figured we should get what he's asking for while we can still afford to do so! Next year he may ask for a cell phone or a computer or a car! The site had a trumpet, but 2 reviewers said the trumpet was delicate and the keys fell off.

I hope Santa meets his expectations.

Merry Christmas!

Yeah he will be placing his order for the latest ferrari for next year.

Love the fishing rod! Super cute. I hope he loves it.