Un-think the Pink

Oh, I don’t know where to begin.   Anybody else with me here on this one?

OK, let’s start with the Pepto Bismol pink.  Guh.  Please commercial world, this isn’t cute, this isn’t real and this is truly kind of sexist.  ALL of it, ALL OF IT is pink.  Really?  Bleh.  

An actual real appliance manufacturer tied their name to this (which of course is blocked out, I didn't want to, but I did)

I get that kids will always want a play kitchen.  That’s fine, there is nothing wrong with a play kitchen.  

The last one I saw at a friend’s house was kind of Mediterranean.  It was off white, with terra cotta accents.  Her two daughters and son all played in it.  It was hard to tell if it was an indoor “kitchen” or outdoor BBQ area “kitchen”.  Great.  Smart thinking.  Make it universal, indoor, outdoor and NON-SEXIST.  Boys like to cook too – look at all the chef shows out there now, tons of famous men cook (famous women too – of course)!

You know when I was little, my big sis had an Easy Bake Oven, it was Turquoise.  Even then they weren’t pushing girlie colors in the kitchen.  Now mind you, it was before all the safety cares of children.  The fact that it had a 100 watt bulb heating a 6x6 inch tin metal box in order to make enough heat to “bake” the cake, well, get a third degree burn once and that’ll teach those kids to be more careful.  But what I’m saying is, this was in the time that women were still expected to do all of the cooking and they were smart enough not to make the damn thing pink.

I like pink.  I am not a pink hater, there is pink paint on a wall in our house and we have no small children.  But I do absolutely hate this.  

Now, let me go for the washer and dryer.  REALLY?  Even as kids we didn’t have fake washer and dryers.  I think this may be the dumbest “toy” I have ever seen.  Guess what mom & dad, just teach your kid how to do the laundry.   

What can they hurt? Its soap and water, you know, like they bathe in every other night.  No knives, no burners, no heat, no food on the floor.  Hey, if they drop the dirty clothes on the way into the washer – no biggie, it’s dirty anyway. 

Show them how to measure the soap over the sink, so if it spills its ok, get them a stool if they need it (and yes, the stool can be pink, I told you I don’t hate pink, it’s a stool, not an appliance).  Have them pour it in, click the button, fill the washer with clothes, shut the lid/door and walk away.  VIOLA, you have just taught your kids how to wash clothes.  How great for you in the future!

If you are worried about delicates – only allow them to do the towels.  It will be enough, they will be totally excited and they may even want to take their baths now, because they washed the towels they get to dry off in!!!  

Plus you won’t have this big piece of floor hogging, dollar draining, silliness in your house.  It’s a win win all around
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Update 10/30/13, I just want to say, have you seen the new Easybake ovens??? Look at the difference between the one my sister had when we were kids and what they pass off as an "oven" now.  Amazing!!  Not only does it not look like an oven (even remotely), it uses a real heating element, no more hundred watt light bulbs!