Why Being a Boy Can Totally Suck

I have a son. And a husband. I like men. Sue me..... But raising a son has its challenges. Case in point- Superheroes (read article). This article tells us that superheroes are not good role models. Um, DUH! Yet go down the "boy aisle" in any toy department. What will you see? Batman, Spider Man, some very unattractive action figure guys with huge arms and feet, but a surprisingly tiny head. Or how about some of the characters on tv? Well, Disney has Hannah Montana (a girl) with an idiot brother; Nickelodeon has iCarly (girl) with an idiot brother. (Although, I must say I love Freddie, who is nice and smart and my son thinks he is cool). So my son has the options of Unattainable Superhero, or idiot brother as role models.

I was very happy to see that Zsu Zsu pets (those little hamsters) have branched out into some boyish hamsters and accessories. But, just a few short years ago I had a very hard time finding toys for Zachary. He wanted "real" things- a house, a farm, a post office, etc. He had outgrown Little People, but still wanted to have things he could relate to- a pick up truck, a Dad, a lawnmower..... I found these things, but they were all PINK AND PURPLE! Helen had a petting farm set that was a hit with everyone in the play group, not just the girls. Why did Fisher Price decide to make it aqua and pink? Not that I cared if my son played with a pink truck, but that really limits the market, don't you think? How many folks would go out and buy these pink toys for their 3 sons?

My biggest argument is that raising a son is hard. I am trying to grow a man. He needs to role play things that are REAL to him. Girls play Mommy, they dress up like grown women, they aspire to become like Mom. They are given playthings to do this. Boys want to be like the men they know and desire to become. And what do we give them- unintelligent slackers on tv and Superheroes they will never be, no matter how hard they try? Sure, Superhero play is important, but so is role playing. No wonder they are disappointed when they grow up- they find out they will NEVER be Superman!