My sister Meghan and I were chatting on the phone today (as we tend to do several times every day), and she mentioned that she wants to get a baby doll for her adorable son Trey. He is almost two years old and growing into an inquisitive and thoughtful little fellow. Just the right time to introduce a toy that will appeal to his sensitive and thoughtful side.
I encouraged Meghan to order a Baby GoGo for Trey, as it is a very popular toy in my house. When we first got Baby GoGo, Evie was so excited – another little baby for her to cuddle! She already had an American Girl Bitty Baby, so I wondered what the difference would be. But, it turns out that out of the five baby dolls in Evie’s collection, Baby GoGo is far and away her favorite. I think it has a lot to do with the weight and size – Bitty Baby can be a little heavy for little arms, but Baby GoGo is just right. And, Baby GoGo has gender neutral clothing, so sixteen month-old Mack can play with it for many years to come without feeling silly. I was happy to suggest Baby GoGo to my sister Meghan.
Evie has affectionately named her Hema, and while in Evie’s care Hema rides on swings at the park or enjoys supper in a little high chair or waits patiently with us when get an oil change:
When Hema isn’t under Evie’s watch, Mack swoops in to take her for walks or accompany her while we run errands. Mack usually treats his toys with the same level of respect a lion gives to a sick antelope, but he is very gentle and nurturing with Hema. Watching him treat a baby with tenderness brings such a smile to my face. He even says “Be-be” (baby) when he has a turn with Hema.
Mack gives tiny kisses to Hema and proudly pushes her in a little stroller. I think it is important for little boys to have opportunities to fine-tune their nurturing instincts. Someday most little boys will become dads, so there is nothing wrong with encouraging an early exploration of the softer side of life. I don’t care if Mack plays with the pink kitchen set (even if most of the time he is trashing it) or a baby doll – I just want him to be a confident and happy little person!
Homemade Mothering is a movement that aims to simplify life and foster self-reliance while being kinder to our families and the planet. Its about encouraging people to get back to the basics when it comes to mothering and homekeeping. 
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I agree! My MIL gave my oldest son a baby doll when I had my second son. He LOVED it and named her Baby Sister. I loved that we each had a baby. He would “nurse” his baby while I nursed mine, we changed diapers together, etc. Now my two boys are 5 yo and 2 1/2 yo and they still love Baby Sister and are so sweet with their dolly.
Kudos to you for this post! I think it is so important to help encourage our boys’ nurturing side. Just think of how much more involved today’s fathers are than generations were before them – the concept of manhood and fatherhood is being redefined in some significant ways, and I think as parents it is important for us to model for them that attitudes of nurturing and caring for children, as well as all the work that child care involves (!), is something that both men and women can do well.
Its always a moment to cherish when you are gifting the first doll to your loved ones. And you also mentioned about gender neutral clothes for the dolls, thats really a great thing!