Would you buy a collector series Barbie for a 3.5 yr. old?

[AnnieW625]

Somehow we get the collectible Barbie catalog each year. Dds were looking at it and for the last two days Dd2 has been saying she wants the Catwoman doll, it is $35. Other than a Little Mermaid costume (I hope to find on clearance next week), and some larger die cast cars ($5) she played with at CVS the other day I have no other ideas for her for Xmas.

http://m.barbiecollector.com/mt/www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/catwoman-barbie-doll-y0304

They make a action figure too, but she knows what size Barbies are as Dd1 has a few and Dd2 likes playing with them.
http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MTY9638#.UmvnP2S9LTo

WWYD?

[KLD313]

I probably would for that price. I also wouldn't care if she ruined it but I'm lax about stuff like that.

[TwinFoxes]

I probably would for that price. I also wouldn't care if she ruined it but I'm lax about stuff like that.

:yeahthat: A $35 doll that she'd love seems fine to me. Just because Mattel says it's a "collector's edition" doesn't make it unsuitable. It's not like it's made of china.

[wellyes]

No way. I don't want my kids to make the "catalog = buy me this!" connection!
I'm not opposed to Barbies, we have a bunch received as hand-me-downs, but I don't think I'd spend that much on just one.

[Green_Tea]

No way. I don't want my kids to make the "catalog = buy me this!" connection!


She's talking about making it a Christmas gift, not just ordering it for fun.

I'd spend $35 on something like that if my child wanted it and I didn't have other xmas ideas!

[SnuggleBuggles]

:yeahthat: A $35 doll that she'd love seems fine to me. Just because Mattel says it's a "collector's edition" doesn't make it unsuitable. It's not like it's made of china.

Yep. And I figure that if you aren't trying to keep it in collectible shape then play away.

[doberbrat]

Well..... a $35 doll for xmas? Yes. THAT doll? Uh, no sorry :bag

On a more practical note, I know that w/my almost 4yo, if she sees a catalogue today, she'll find something in it she likes and will ask for it for xmas but if she sees another catalogue in 2 weeks, she'll ask for something from that one instead.

[kristenk]

OP, the picture that is linked is a vampire doll.

I wouldn't have a problem giving DD a catwoman barbie for Christmas if that's what she really wanted. $35 is not a bad price to pay for a much-wanted present. I'm assuming that you'd let her play with it, not try to keep it as a "collector's item."

[waitingforgrace]

Sure. I don't think $35 is a lot and if it's really what she wants then yes. I'd probably wait until a little closer to Christmas though to see if it's something she's really still interested in.

[AnnieW625]

No way. I don't want my kids to make the "catalog = buy me this!" connection!
I'm not opposed to Barbies, we have a bunch received as hand-me-downs, but I don't think I'd spend that much on just one.

Umm. Okay. It is for a Christmas present for a second child who rarely asks for anything and with the exception of a few stuffed animals, and some Fisher Price Little People the rest of her toys are DD1's hand me downs. It has been 2 days since she said anything about it, but it will come up again and if it does I will probably oblige. I guess I am a bad parent for letting my kids look at catalogs and put a wish list together. I used to do this as a kid with the JC Penney catalog and i never got everything. FWIW regular Barbie dolls at Target are between $15 and $20 to begin with if you want one with more than just a body and a simple outfit so the price doesn't seem that high.


She's talking about making it a Christmas gift, not just ordering it for fun.
Exactly! Thank you!


OP, the picture that is linked is a vampire doll.

I wouldn't have a problem giving DD a catwoman barbie for Christmas if that's what she really wanted. $35 is not a bad price to pay for a much-wanted present. I'm assuming that you'd let her play with it, not try to keep it as a "collector's item."

Fixed the link, sorry about that, I swear I checked it the first time. I wouldn't buy my 4 yr. old a vampire doll in the first place and it is $100, so definitely not. ;)

[nrp]

It's $30 at target.com and free ship with red card!

[IansMom]

I would definitely buy it.

[KrisM]

No way. I don't want my kids to make the "catalog = buy me this!" connection!
I'm not opposed to Barbies, we have a bunch received as hand-me-downs, but I don't think I'd spend that much on just one.

You may find as they get older, they'll make wish lists - things from catalogs, the TV, friends, etc. When they're young, you can buy what you want and they don't know anything else. But, as they get older, they get more opinions!

I would add it to the wish list and see how it all turns out. I'd have no issues getting it, other than wondering if she could manipulate the clothes, etc on her own.

[wellyes]

Umm. Okay. It is for a Christmas present for a second child who rarely asks for anything and with the exception of a few stuffed animals, and some Fisher Price Little People the rest of her toys are DD1's hand me downs. It has been 2 days since she said anything about it, but it will come up again and if it does I will probably oblige. I guess I am a bad parent for letting my kids look at catalogs and put a wish list together. I used to do this as a kid with the JC Penney catalog and i never got everything. FWIW regular Barbie dolls at Target are between $15 and $20 to begin with if you want one with more than just a body and a simple outfit so the price doesn't seem that high.



Whoa, why so defensive?

I let my daughter look at catalogs, she circles what she wants, I just very rarely buy anything from it. I read your question as "my daughter says she wants this, should I buy it" and thinking of my own life, I said I wouldn't. I want the idea of catalogs to be that they're for wishing, not wish fulfillment. That's what I meant by don't make the catalog = buy something connection. It will happen at some point, but, no rush!

FWIW I grew up loving the huge JC Penny catalog too.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Whoa, why so defensive?

I let my daughter look at catalogs, she circles what she wants, I just very rarely buy anything from it. I read your question as "my daughter says she wants this, should I buy it" and thinking of my own life, I said I wouldn't. I want the idea of catalogs to be that they're for wishing, not wish fulfillment. That's what I meant by don't make the catalog = buy something connection. It will happen at some point, but, no rush!

FWIW I grew up loving the huge JC Penny catalog too.

I don't understand. What do you buy for gifts? Do you never buy off of your kids' wish list? For me, part of the fun of the holidays is getting people what they'd really love...

[Still-in-Shock]

Everyone has different budgets and every child has different circumstances. If I was buying only one gift and it was for my child, $35 might be reasonable. But I normally get a book and 2 or 3 other things for each child (nieces and nephews), so I would not want to spend that much on one gift. Talk to me again when our son is old enough to tell us what he wants, and I may have a different answer.

[AnnieW625]

Thanks for the target.com rec., I will order it from there.


I don't understand. What do you buy for gifts? Do you never buy off of your kids' wish list? For me, part of the fun of the holidays is getting people what they'd really love...

:yeahthat: I would rather get my kids one thing they really want vs. them being dissapointed with something smaller that I picked out that was more wooden, natural, or not mainstream.

[doberbrat]

Fixed the link, sorry about that, I swear I checked it the first time. I wouldn't buy my 4 yr. old a vampire doll in the first place and it is $100, so definitely not. ;)

ha ha I was wondering why no one commented on a vampire doll for a 3yo.... anyways, if you can get it from Target, then go for it. b/c if she changes her mind, you can return it within the 3mo window.

[TwinFoxes]

I don't understand. What do you buy for gifts? Do you never buy off of your kids' wish list? For me, part of the fun of the holidays is getting people what they'd really love...

I was wondering the same thing. I can tell when they really want something they've seen in a catalog, vs them just picking random things. Christmas at our house has a degree of wish fulfillment, so maybe that's different from pp. :shrug:

[vonfirmath]

I don't understand. What do you buy for gifts? Do you never buy off of your kids' wish list? For me, part of the fun of the holidays is getting people what they'd really love...

Parents can often know better than kids what the kids will really love.

My son rarely asks for anything, so I've bought him the thing he begged for, only to have it sit unplayed with after the first day. And other gifts I chose for him were things he might not have Even THOUGHT about. And he's LOVED them. So yeah, as a parent I'll buy what I feel is good for my kid and that may not be something they have actually asked for.

[TwinFoxes]

Parents can often know better than kids what the kids will really love.

My son rarely asks for anything, so I've bought him the thing he begged for, only to have it sit unplayed with after the first day. And other gifts I chose for him were things he might not have Even THOUGHT about. And he's LOVED them. So yeah, as a parent I'll buy what I feel is good for my kid and that may not be something they have actually asked for.

I get that, but I don't understand a blanket "no gifts from catalogs" rule.

[BabyBearsMom]

I was wondering the same thing. I can tell when they really want something they've seen in a catalog, vs them just picking random things. Christmas at our house has a degree of wish fulfillment, so maybe that's different from pp. :shrug:

Yeah that. I would get her the Barbie so long as you plan to let her play with it (I don't get giving children a toy and saying it needs to be in pristine condition). I totally do a wishlist with DD1. That's how I handle the "I wants" when we are shopping or a catalogue comes. She says "mommy, I want that" and I say "okay let's put it on your Christmas list". I've been doing this since her birthday in April. She is content because I acknowledged her desire and I am content because I didn't have to buy her something and now there is a gift idea for me, Santa and the grandmas.

[wellyes]

Maybe my kids are just fickle, but, if DD says she wants something from a catalog in October, odds are in won't be important to her in December!

I know what she likes: arts & craft supplies, playmobil figures, anything related to vets/animal care, sticky mosaics, jewelry boxes, anything she can use for imaginative play with her castle. I assume most parents are the same and can go into a store and gravitate towards items their kid will love.

I don't really have a "blanket no gifts from catalog rule", I honestly didn't think it'd be a controversial statement! What I meant in spirit was: DD doesn't watch commericals, she doesn't ask for items by brand, and I'd like to keep it that way for as long as I can. There is an innocence to wanting "a doll" vs. wanting "a cabbage patch doll" (thinking of my own childhood) that is really nice, to me.

But, I know other families do it differently and anticipate certain gifts and that's just fine too. Not my style but, obviously, there is nothing wrong with that!

[stillplayswithbarbies]

just a practical note, some of the collector Barbies have their outfit sewn on or otherwise not removeable. This one says the outfit is not sewn on, but once it is removed it may not go back on very well. You might also find that regular Barbie clothes do not fit the collector Barbies. This one has the vintage Barbie body mold, so many outfits you can buy won't fit properly. That may not matter to you but I wanted to mention it.

Be prepared for the doll to be ignored if it is the outfit she is really drawn to. Next to the Barbies in the stores this doll could look ugly to a little girl once that outfit is off. You may need to buy her a playline doll to wear this outfit :)