American Boy?

I am finally feeling like a human again. When I was in my 20s and I got sick, I would bounce back in a day or two. Now that I am in my late, late, late 30s - it takes a week!

When we first moved to WI, I worked for a company called "Pleasant Company" - it was a nice enough place but I learned that marketing to children was not my cup of tea. I moved on to marketing to small businesses instead and my career has rambled on.

I also vowed never to buy my daughter any of the American Girl toy/doll products. Having seen the process of creating demand for such products, behind the scenes, I decided it wasn't for me. (The books are another story - I think they are first-class and buy them all the time.)

As with just about everything else in my life, I am about to prove myself to be an inconsistent hypocrite.

Why?

Well, Son D. has decided that the ONE thing he wants for his birthday is Nicki - the "girl of today"

He would like her, and the soccer outfit, of course.

At first, I thought it was a passing fancy. But he has not changed his mind.

His reasons? First, he informed us that girls play soccer too and he'd like a doll to play soccer with. Second, he is quite convinced that his sister will include him in more playdates with her friends if he has the coveted brand-new American Girl. (I think he might be on to something there.)

I'm amazed that he has not picked up on the fact that all of these products are marketed to girls. Perhaps it is because he can't read. The word "girl" appears at least 100 times in every catalog we receive.

So, while I am a bit distasteful of all the gender-based consumer marketing that is targeted to my daughter from this company - I am secretly pleased that my son is completely oblivious to it and thinks it is for him, too.

I never said I was consistent.