More on What Maia Will Do When She Grows Up

Maia, Pat, Cleone and I were in the car going to the beach, when Maia started talking about what she wanted to be when she grew up.

Thankfully, my constant chatter about how princesses-have-to-have-Other-Jobs seems to have sunk in a little bit.

She now wants to be an Ice Cream Maker.

As well as a Doctor, a Singer and a Dancer. And, of course, a Princess.

Getting on Swimmingly

Maia, Tristan and Teaghan loved it when Pat joined them in the pool at Patrick Snr's house. They jumped on him with glee, trying to dunk him under. He, in turn, roared with comedy monster vigour and threw them about like dolls.

Maia, because she doesn't swim as well as the others, clambered less, and was therefore thrown around less. Her role evolved into a kind of little monster cheerleader. She would float next to the chaos of yelps and roars and flying children and holler

"Come on people, KEEP HIM DOWN!"

I Am No Longer Bitter About Barbie

Ha HA! Common sense seems to have reared her pretty little head in Maia’s dealings with her Barbie Doll. Either that, or there really is such a thing as natural justice.

Having finally got a Barbie Doll for her 4th Birthday (oddly enough, not from us) Maia has been toting her about, brushing her hair, having tea parties and generally playing with her in a way that differs very little from the ascribed Barbie Doll role.

Part of the reason I don’t particularly like toys that have very clear characters already set for kids is that I think it limits their imagination. This is magnified an hundred-fold when those characters have clearly defined and rigid gender-roles.

Barbie is Barbie, and you brush her hair and make her look pretty, rather than use her in an adventure to, say, go pirating. Pirate Barbie has yet to hit the shelves – and given the kind of things that have (Mermaid Princess Barbie and Ballet Dancer Barbie and Secretary Barbie) I wonder if she ever will. Bet Pirate Barbie's outfit would kick ass, though...

Anyway, Maia seems to be breaking free of the “Barbie must always look pretty” tyranny.

With this new knowledge, I hope, comes an awareness (a pretty big jump coming up, watch for it) that she doesn’t need to conform to set gender roles in her imaginative play. Which, if you ask me, is only one step away from believing she can be Prime Minister/President/Rock star/whatever she wants when she grows up.

Anyway, back to Maia Breaking Free of The Tyranny that is the Prettiness of Barbie …How do I know?

Well, last week, I came across Maia toting Barbie by the hair. The Anorexic Plastic One was dressed in combat gear, courtesy of Toot and Puddle, and Maia was force-feeding her taramasalata.

That’s my gal.

And when you are President, I have one request. One full size Pirate Barbie outfit please…