Posts from the ‘Other’ Category

Cubby House Made of Blankets and Hand Me Down Toys

As a child growing up in a lower- middle class Mexican American family I quickly learned that the expensive and popular toys from televised commercials and magazines were rarely in our reach. From the readings in this course thus far, I find the arguments and excerpts to be guided towards an upper class audience.  The first reading was a chapter by Peter Stearns entitled “Anxious Parents: A 20^th Century History,” outlining anxieties by parents to keep their children happily entertained. Stearns argues that to keep anxieties low parents would compromise boredom for the newest toys, summer camps, and even family vacations. I never attended camp during the summer and I can only remember taking one family vacation. The popular toys my siblings and I played with were usually hand me downs given to my mom from people she worked for. This is not to say that I had a sad, boring childhood.  My memories of growing up are filled with fun and crazy stories about building “club houses” out of blankets and playing hide and seek until it was dark out. I even remember having a blast taking turns pushing each other around in a battery operated pink corvette that was given to us without the battery.

Club house made of covers

As a child it never seemed to matter to me what I was playing with, as long as I was playing I was having fun.  I grew up in a household where parental anxieties were based around paying bills and putting food on the table rather than worrying about my siblings and I being bored. Because of this, I find that not only the issue of “parental anxieties” to be based on socioeconomic status but also the idea of gender favored toys and their regulation by parents explained in “Modern Childhood, Modern Toys”  by Gary Cross to rarely apply to lower income families.

There is a short story  titled “Barbie-Q” by a well known writer/poet named Sandra Cisneros that I believe has a strong connection to my post. You can read the short story by clicking the pdf link below.

Barbie-Q

Girls Drive Too!

As a child, one of my most memorable toy favorites would have to be the Hot Wheels toy line. Hot Wheels was made in 1968 by American toymaker Mattel. This would be the same toymaker responsible for several of American childhood favorites such as: Fisher price, Barbie Dolls, American Girl Dolls, and various board games.  The typical, current Hot Wheels toy vehicle could cost anywhere from $5-$50; with older, and more classic models, sometimes be worth much more money. This particular brand of toy cars was created after toys had become an acceptable means of entertainment for the American child, and not necessarily a personified teacher of practical jobs associated with rigid gender roles.

The fact that I am a female who took a particular interest in playing with Hot Wheels challenges a common gender stereotype perpetuated in toy lines: only men drive fast cars and big trucks. This plays into the discussion held during Week 2 of class when talking about the history of toys in America. Although, I did play with Barbies as well, I liked Hot Wheels and other toy cars much more.  My interest was also fostered by my mother who, as the mother of an only child, was more interested in me being happy than in what was that create that happiness.

In the Cross article Modern Childhood, Modern Toys, the author discusses in further detail the heavy distinction made between girl and boy toys throughout the course of toy history. One of the most current examples being the fact that nearly all girl toys are made in the color pink. Associating pink with femininity, and essentially saying that only girls should be allowed to play with THIS toy.

1967 Purple Chevy Camaro, Hot Wheels, Wikia.com