‘Are we wrong for getting our daughter a toy vacuum for Christmas?’

Anna Martin

It’s hard to buy for kids, especially at Christmas

When they’re older they just grunt and roll their eyes but when they’re young they often don’t know their head from their toes let alone what they want for Christmas.

So when you discover something they’re interested in and it’s harmless surely it’s no one else’s business, right?

Well, for one family, it seems that it’s everyone’s business and they all have an opinion.

Ranting on Reddit a mystery man wrote: “Our daughter is two and a half years old. Our neighbours have twins her age, and we hang out with them often.

“Whenever we go to their house our daughter is obsessed with this play cleaning set they have. Vacuum, broom and dustpan, mop. Loves playing with it and pretending to clean. So this year for Christmas we decided to get her her own toy vacuum.

“My wife and I had fun picking it out. Joked about it being the closest to a real Dyson that we’d ever get LOL.

“We were talking with some family about Christmas gifts and mentioned the vacuum. One person was put off by this. Saying it’s a bad gift to buy her because A it’s not educational and B it’s reinforcing gender stereotypes.”

The dad explained that his daughter has other toys like puzzles and books and she doesn’t understand why she can’t just have something she likes rather than everything being for her development.

“And the gender stereotypes thing, don’t even know what to say about that. Seems like projecting and reading way too much into a toy for a two-year-old,” he added.

“‘Like we are going to sit her down on Christmas morning and say “You’re a girl so you better learn your way around a vacuum. And if you play your cards right maybe next year you can get an ironing board!’ I (dad) am actually the one who typically vacuums in our house. So if anything she’ll be imitating me!”

Luckily for the Redditor, it appears that many of the commenters were on his side with one writing: “My daughter had that stuff. My son played with it. In fact, my son really loved the kitchen toys. He’s almost a teenager and he loves to cook.

“Domestic lessons are important. Women and men will need to know how to vacuum, wash dishes, fold clothes, mow lawns, etc. It’s not forcing gender roles…it’s teaching life skills while they want to learn them.”

Another wrote: “If you got her a vacuum when she wasn’t interested in it, or you forced her to only play with stereotypical domestic toys, then it would be an issue. But it’s something she’s interested in. Kids LOVE imitating what they see.”

While a third added: “I also don’t like gifts with gender stereotypes in mind. But it is equally bad to withhold any toy matching the child’s stereotype. You got her the vacuum, because she enjoys cleaning, not because she is a girl. That’s the end of it.”