I literally searched the world for this piece of Frozen merchandise. Because they forgot someone.
When Frozen came out way back in the Christmas holidays. I think we saw it 4, no probably 5, times. Then we managed to get a copy for home and that figure is sitting somewhere close to six million times.
When Disney got around to releasing the merchandise I headed off to the store to have a look for something to get the kids who are utterly obsessed with Elsa and Anna.
What I found made me angry.
Elsa dress – umm no.
Anna skirt – pass.
Anna and Elsa ballet slippers – urgh.
Elsa icy theme necklace – argh.
Disney princess hair clips – no, no, no.
You see, my kids LOVE Frozen, and love is an understatement here, but it seems there was one problem.
My kids are boys.
When Lego released their first female scientist recently the world rejoiced and said “yay for Lego a gender neutral toy.” Which, for starters, was all kinds of wrong as we all know they have a Lego Friends line marketed to girls that sits smack bang in the middle of the girls' toy section in every store (which, while we’re on it, my boys also happen to love).
I 100% support boys, and girls, choosing to play with whatever toy they want; whether it be pink, blue or mud-coloured and whether it sparkles and shines or resembles a pile of dirt. But limiting me to buy my 6 and 4 year old sons a necklace and ballet slippers, because it’s the only merchandise their favourite movie had released, is ridiculous.
So off I went on my way looking for any remotely gender neutral Frozen merchandise I could find.
I searched the world for it, quite literally, as I made a point of detouring to the Disney resort and Disney store on a recent adults-only trip to Hawaii. The best I found were small Frozen dolls for my six-year-old and an Olaf stuffed toy for the four-year-old. Still no clothes, I’d have been happy with a purple or pink shirt had I found one but everything was still skirts and dresses. Sigh.
Then last week I struck gold.
I ducked down to the shops on my lunch break and passed one of those random ‘pop up’ stores. You know the ones? They always have the best stuff, they are like secret Aladdin’s caves. I ran past quickly skimming the usual Frozen themed mini high-heels (do not get me started) and hair clips as I grabbed a salad for lunch.
I was headed back past the shop quickly on the way back to work when I paused. Was that? No? A Frozen SHIRT. Not a dress. Not a skirt. A shirt! With no sparkles? Not florescent coloured
Upon further inspection they were pyjamas not a shirt, and it wasn’t a whole set it was a Frozen shirt with random fleecy pattern pants BUT they’d do. They were blue. Which was the first blue Frozen item I’d seen (apart from Elsa dresses). Shouldn’t there be more blue with the whole ice and water theme anyway?
Anyway blue, green, rainbow, I didn’t care, it wasn’t a skirt or a necklace. I bought them.
AND they had the big Anna and Elsa dolls my 6 -year-old was eyeing off. Win. Put those away for Christmas.
When I got home that afternoon I told the boys I’d got them something special and proceeded to bring the bag of Frozen pjs into their eyesight.
Remember when you were little and Santa got you the EXACT toy you asked for? That was the moment my boys had. It went something like this:
“arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I love them I love them I love them I love them,” – four-year-old.
“OMG OMG OMG Frozen pyjamas. SO COOL MUM,” six-year-old.
They’ve worn them every night since I got them. I have to secretly wash them when they are at school.
Next time we’re praising girls for choosing ‘boy’ toys can we maybe think about the boys too. The boys who like dolls and princesses but don’t want an Elsa dress or Anna necklace.
Can we think about them too, please?
How do you feel about gender neutral toys? Do you have trouble buying appropriate for your children?
Want more? Try these:
The next thing your Frozen obsessed child will be nagging you for.