I've been reading the book "Men are Clams, Women are Crowbars" by David Clarke. It is a delightful book about relationships between men and women. The basic principle is that men want control and women want closeness.

I got tickled at a description of what the author goes through while playing Barbies with his three girls. The scene was very typical in our own household while the girls were growing up except Mr. Wonderful would have never had the patience this man does.

Let me illustrate how my three girls play Barbies with me. They lead
me to the toy room where all the toy are kept. I'm faced with a big
pile of fourty-five naked Barbies. The first thing we do is select one
Barbie that each of us will be. When you choose your Barbie, you
become that Barbie for the duration of the game. You will talk and act
through Barbie. You and your Barbie become one.

Then we have to dress our Barbies because they are naked. Barbie is
extremely thin, but her clothes are even thinner. It takes twenty minutes
just to tug on a top and a pair of pants. And when the last Barbie is
finally dressed , the rule is , every Barbie has to feel good about every other
Barbie's outfit. If even one Barbie doesn't think I look good in my
outfit, my Barbie has to change. "Oh , Barbie, those green shorts just
don't go with that pink top." My Barbie tries to argue, but inevitably, I
put on what my Barbie friends feels looks best on me.

Finally, all the Barbies are dressed and happy. Now comes
the real challenge-at least for me. The Barbies have to decided where
to go in their nice clothes. Again, all the Barbies have to feel good
about the decision, or it doesn't happen. Each Barbie mentions where
she would like to go, and then the entire group discusses the idea. If
all the Barbies don't agree, they go nowhere.

My Barbie says:"Let's go to the beach." Barbie Number Two says:
"Yes". Barbie Number Three says: "Yes". Barbie Number Four
says: "No, I don't want to get sunburned." So, the deal is off!
Undaunted, my Barbie tosses her head back, stretches both of her bony arms and
says: "It's three votes to one. We're going to the beach. If you don't want
to go, tough! Stay here." Oh No! That's not how sensitive relationship-oriented little girls operate. The other Barbies say to my Barbie.: "No. We all have to agree, or we can't go. You know that." In all the years I've played Barbies , we've never actually gone anywhere!"

In our household Mr. Wonderful made Suzy a Barbie Mansion and wired it with lights. Suzy had carpet squares and wall paper scraps that she could change the room about as easily as rearranging the furniture. The rules were simple: All Barbies had to at least have their underwear on at all time (or al least before Dad got home) and Barbie could not have over night male guest. Ken and the GI Joes had separate accomodations. I don't ever remember Mr. Wonderful playing Barbies but I do know little brother got roped into being Ken many times. I bet Andy will play Barbies with his little girls.

Labels: Barbies, memories