kissinuk Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 As a father of a little girl I regularly follow the LetToysBeToys group on Twitter, they come up with some eye opening stuff on how toys are marketed to specific sexes (although admittedly can go too far at times). We have always encouraged her to play with whatever she likes, whether it's dolls, electronic kits, pink lego (yuk), blue lego (yuk), dinosaurs, you get the idea. One of the things that drives me mad is seeing toys marked as "for boys", of all the companies to do this I didn't think Omlet would be one. Apparently only boys like Scalextric and girls play with tea sets & aprons... One example is here but there are a few others, if anyone in Omlet-land reads this can you change "boys" or "girls" to "kids"??!! https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/kitchen_and_dining/mugs_and_cups/16906/scalextric_ceramic_mug Of course this is nothing compared to the ridiculous boys/girls Kinder eggs, don't get me started on those... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I imagine it's meant to hint at 'boys' being grown-up men but I take your point. You'd be better off emailing Omlet directly about this though, it's unlikely to be read on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissinuk Posted March 16, 2015 Author Share Posted March 16, 2015 Agreed, it probably is aimed at men, but the tea set also says "for girls" which is just as bad. I will mail them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I agree I find it appalling, I have mentioned in a previous post that my oldest sons prized possession at about 3 years of age was a tiny tears and buggy, that was many years ago as he is 32!! I completely get gender neutral toys What are you guys thoughts gender neutral parenting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I have boys and when they were younger they had more gender neutral toys. Their favourites were books, dinosaurs when younger, lego at every age and board games, one of them loved his baby doll for ages. I find it very difficult buying presents for girls as we're steered towards this sea of pink products. It feels like the gender stereotyping on toys is worse now than when many of us were children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 You need to direct your complaint directly to Omlet. They don't tend to visit the forum terribly often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 You need to direct your complaint directly to Omlet. They don't tend to visit the forum terribly often. You would think they would, just for feedback on there products and to see if any improvements could be made. I would if it were my company Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I have two boys.....both love Lego and YS is MAD on pirates! They also adore books and read voraciously. They have never been into cars, guns or other 'typical' boys toys tho both are getting very serious about Minecraft (or is that a gender neutral thing too...not sure!) I wince at the sea of pinkness in the toy aisles - I have always bought books as presents for parties etc so have escaped the whole 'what do girls want, anyway' thing! I am not a pink girly (never have been and, at my age, never will be!!!) so am totally lost with all the dolls etc! I'd be very interested to hear what Omlet has to say about this blatant sterotyping........really surprised at them or are they just repeating the blurb that the manufacturers provide them with without thinking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 I haven't taken much notice of children's toys or clothes for such a long time that I'm not able to comment on that but I did sit down yesterday and read lots about gender neutral parenting and Crikey! It wasn't an issue when I was growing up or when I raised my own family and was surprised by how deeply some people feel about it. From the articles I read I think it's based on very real and worthy concerns but I suppose some parents take it to extremes. Some of the examples I read seemed quite harmful to the children's sense of self identity. I think to hide your child's gender is a little odd. It's no good pretending that girls and boys are the same, they're simply not. They figure that out for themselves. I have three boys and a girl all very close in age, my daughter who was the eldest was a complete tomboy but also very feminine. The boys were just rough and tumble boys and loved their cuddly toys and guns equally. Some families reminded me of Philip Larkin - This be the Verse. Anyway that's my answer to the question I think gavclojak asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill2b Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 I'm afraid anything with "gender neutral" in it gets my back up, too much pc around these days if little girls like pink and dolls then fine. I have a set (son and daughter) both grown up all this gender nonsense did not exist in them days. Now I will sit down and wait for the knock on the door from the social services Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissinuk Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 I'm afraid anything with "gender neutral" in it gets my back up, too much pc around these days if little girls like pink and dolls then fine. I have a set (son and daughter) both grown up all this gender nonsense did not exist in them days. Now I will sit down and wait for the knock on the door from the social services I think the key to this is not being told what girls & boys should play with and letting them decide for themselves. I agree to a point with you about the gender neutral thing, and some people do take it too far. But "Ooops, word censored!"ody is suggesting getting rid of dolls (or pink) but it's all about not pushing kids to an aisle that says "Girls" or "Boys". Prime example is Nerf foam guns, my daughter wanted one but look at the packaging - they are all blue with boys on the box apart from one dainty pink version for girls! Needless to say I got her the kick-ass blue one. Same with kinder who think that only boys like marvel super heroes and girls ponies. Stop telling them which one to buy and just label them as Marvel & Ponies and not Boys/Girls, job done. I will however contact Omlet to let them know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill2b Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Yes I agree packaging is often too boy or too girl, happy medium is needed which I suppose was what this thread was about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Whatever toy you give a child they usually end up playing with the box........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 The reason I asked about gender neutral parenting is that I know of a woman that is raising her son gender neutral, she doesn't cut the boys hair, she lets him decide what he wears, she will not refer to him as he and has given him a name that could be either sex, the list goes on and on....She is pregnant and will be doing the same with this baby. didn't Mother Nature already decide on the gender who he was born a boy? I'm of the opinion boys will be boys and girls will be girls All my kids have had access to boy/girl toys and if the boys wanted a doll they got it but most of the time they wanted a car, lorries and guns and my daughter always chose girly pretty things and I am the least girly girl ever so she didn't get it from me!!!! . but this whole angelina jolie thing about her gender neutral daughter she now calls John (at the age of )is a load of .....(word not repeatable) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill2b Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Gavclojak The reason I asked about gender neutral parenting is that I know of a woman that is raising her son gender neutral, she doesn't cut the boys hair, she lets him decide what he wears, she will not refer to him as he and has given him a name that could be either sex, the list goes on and on....She is pregnant and will be doing the same with this baby. This is the type of thing that I hate, these poor kids wont know what way to go when they grow up. But of course you cannot say anything against it otherwise you will be classed as a "IST". Betty. Mutha and Wardrobe on the other hand will not be getting any Pirate stuff, they can have an toy ironing board if they like but nothing macho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 You need to direct your complaint directly to Omlet. They don't tend to visit the forum terribly often. You would think they would, just for feedback on there products and to see if any improvements could be made. I would if it were my company The forum was set up so that the purchasers of Eglus could chat about chicken keeping. Other sections, such as Self Sufficient Life evolved over the first few months. Customer complaints or queries should go to Omlet directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 You need to direct your complaint directly to Omlet. They don't tend to visit the forum terribly often. You would think they would, just for feedback on there products and to see if any improvements could be made. I would if it were my company The forum was set up so that the purchasers of Eglus could chat about chicken keeping. Other sections, such as Self Sufficient Life evolved over the first few months. Customer complaints or queries should go to Omlet directly. I agree, if I had a problem I would go direct to omley but again if it were my company I would check just for feedback, I check feedback sites, nhs choices etc for feedback on my surgery and we also do patient satisfactory surveys. Im happy to accept constructive criticism as I think it's helpful and it's nice to hear positive comments too. I just think it would be helpful if omlet replied occasionally to the same problems that come up time and time again, ie the ladder on the cube and the huge ventilation gap in the cube nest box etc. I think people wouldn't get so frustrated with if if they new the reasons behind it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 When the forum was much smaller i.e. a few hundred users, then it wasn't unusual to see James or one of the others on here, but they are very busy these days. If I had any feedback, I'd address it straight to the company concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 If I had any feedback, I'd address it straight to the company concerned. Me too. ANH I remember seeing James on here. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 You could always leave feedback under the item description as that goes directly to the 'shop'? If you are concerned or unhappy, an email would be appreciated as well I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 You could always leave feedback under the item description as that goes directly to the 'shop'? If you are concerned or unhappy, an email would be appreciated as well I'm sure. Oh dear oh dear....I'm not unhappy with anything, it was just an observation.....I was just saying I think all companies including omlet should check websites for feedback, both good and bad and respond accordingly occasionally, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I'm sure they do check feedback on the website, but this isn't the website, it is a forum with thousands of posts....Just sayin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I'm sure they do check feedback on the website, but this isn't the website, it is a forum with thousands of posts....Just sayin' point taken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
