A Three-Year-Old Shut Down a Stranger Who Said He Shouldn't Play With 'Girl Toys'
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A three-year-old boy had the perfect response to a stranger who tried to talk him out of buying a pink toy stroller last week. According to his mother's Facebook post, when asked why he’d choose the stroller over a more “boyish” option, the toddler said simply: “‘Cause I like it.”
Rheann MacLaren, the mother of the boy, wrote a post about the encounter on Facebook, criticizing the stranger for attempting to impose a gendered view of toys on the three-year-old. Her post has been shared almost two thousands times, sparking a conversation about gender expectations for children.
"I saw the looks you gave me and my three year old son today," MacLaren wrote. "I saw the way you watched him pick out the pink dolls pram and push it round the shop with pure joy. I saw the way you came over frowning at a child simply enjoying a toy."
When the stranger interjected, telling the boy he didn't really want the stroller and that he should prefer to play with toy cars or dinosaurs, 3-year-old Harry McGregor explained that he liked the stroller. No further questions.
"It's literally that simple," MacLaren wrote. "It's not about the colour of it, the labels behind it, the way it looks... It's about the fact my child looked at it and thought it looked fun to play with."
"He pushed it all the way home from the shop proud as punch with his new toy, he told me about how he's going to put his baby dolly in it and push it to the shops for its milk, because yes, shock horror, my son has a dolly too," MacLaren added.
Harry's toy preferences defy gender stereotypes, his mother continued in the post. His favorite toys at home are dinosaurs and monsters — he loves to play in the mud, too — but Harry also enjoys playing with dolls, toy strollers, and his children's kitchen set.
More parents are speaking out about the importance of allowing children to stray from gender norms and do what makes them happy. As ATTN: previously reported, Target made a bold statement last year when it announced plans to stop labeling toys for separate genders.
"My child will grow up a well rounded, accepting boy who will NEVER feel pressured to conform to gender stereotypes," MacLaren said.
