Figure 2.--This boy has a doll just like his little sister. He looks to be about 6-7 years old which is old enough to have begun school. We wonder if he was being schooled at home. We have not noted older boys playing with dolls.
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Figure 2.--This boy has a doll just like his little sister. He looks to be about 6-7 years old which is old enough to have begun school. We wonder if he was being schooled at home. We have not noted older boys playing with dolls. |
One major exception to the doll indicator is boys with sisters--especially but not always older sisters. Not only was he
likely to wear his older sisters hand-me-downs, but he was more likely to be interested in doing the things like playing dolls that his older sister does. And he was less likely to be upset about wearing dresses. This is particularly important as younger children tend to copy the things they see adults and older siblings do. In this regard younger pre-school children are not as affected by established gender conventions as they are after they begin school. Even with sisters, boys do not normally play will dolls much beyond the age of beginning school.
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