We just want to do “boy” things.
Exactly. As someone who has a brother 13 months younger than me, we just thought their toys were cooler and more fun than dolls and tea sets.
My mother bought me three of the Sound of Music dolls back in the 60s. I had Maria, Gretel and Friedrich. All of them became spies and lived very hard and dangerous lives. Many were the times that they had to leap out of a two story house to safety. I wish I had those dolls now. They were so beautiful and heaven knows how much my mother spent on those dolls. I was a wretched and unthankful girl.
I was a tomboy, but I had my girl moments. Mom and dad seemed to get me anything.
I didn’t mind tea sets though it was not a big thing. I loved the baking things…candy-makers, etc. I liked the real washer they got me from FAO Schwartz. Mostly because I love machines and watching it work was cool, with the water hose.
I had one doll I liked. She was like a little girl (pretty large size), had a back button that was for blinking, etc. otherwise couldn’t care less about them. For me it was cars and building sets. Liked to play sports but any old games with the neighbors….nothing organized.
I remember in kindergarten (1960 ish) playing with blocks and stuff. The teacher asked if I wouldn’t rather play house.
So I tried it and quickly realized that a couple kids liked bossing everyone around and they were the mom and dad and their favorite friends were the children, and they were telling everyone else what to do.
So I left and went back to the blocks. The teacher came over again and asked me the same thing and I said that I tried and what I noticed and the last thing I remember was her looking over there and then walking in that direction.
I never knew how it ended but got the distinct impression she was not impressed with what was going on. I kind of laughed to myself.