New Barbie toy teaches kids to (ab)use credit

**Pupart** · 10-08-2007, 12:36 PM

With crap like this, it's even more important for parents to teach their children about wise money managment.

**Cassandra** · 10-08-2007, 05:46 PM

When I was younger and played with Barbies (until I was about 12), I had everything Barbie needed-grocery store, cars and a gas station I made, clothing stores, etc. I had Barbie pay for everything by promising the clerk she would "pay them back later" (and she never did). What I did wasn't all that different from this idea, and yet I managed to turn out ok financially.

As I got older my parents explained to me that the real world didn't work like Barbie's world. I learned from my parents that people actually had to work (Barbie and Ken never worked) and doing well in school was important (Barbie's younger sisters and kids went to school but never really cared about it). Women don't look like Barbie, and while having lots of clothes is nice, there are more important things (like a career, family, school, etc.) in life.

Yes, kids can learn bad habits from their toys but only if the parents don't bother explaining how things really work. This probably isn't the best way to teach young children about money, but I think there are many other ways you can teach a child that are far worse.

Cassandra

**poundwise** · 10-08-2007, 06:31 PM

At least the card for this is a toy-like, fake credit card that says "Fashion Fever" instead of the former "shopping" Barbie credit card, sponsored by, and emblazoned with the logo of, Citibank.

Still, I wouldn't buy this.

**FrugalFish** · 10-09-2007, 05:59 AM

I love Barbies on many levels, but this just makes me nauseas.

I am one of those people who puts everything on a rewards card and pays it in full each month. My 20 month old DD is already very attracted to our CCs- and it worries me. Recently I gave her one of the fake plastic CCs that came in an American Express application- she walks around the house swiping it on things. I realize we need to teach her that money doesn't come from CCs or ATMs, they are just tools to utilize with hard earned money.

Oooooh, I'm getting a headache

**cptacek** · 10-09-2007, 08:05 PM

Huh, when I played with Barbie's, it was always along the lines of ...
'Barbie had a kid, but her husband "died in the war" so she could date Ken'

I didn't know anything about divorce or even that you could have a baby without being married. Boy have times changed. I never had her buy anything, btw.

Anyway, I think that is terrible about the account resetting after it hits $0. That is EXACTLY the wrong thing to teach.

**TurningColorz** · 10-30-2007, 12:24 PM

[QUOTE=cptacek;133541]Huh, when I played with Barbie's, it was always along the lines of ...
'Barbie had a kid, but her husband "died in the war" so she could date Ken'

Thats funny!
My parents had similar ways of expaining the "tough" questions.

Mike - TurningColorz

**mom-from-missouri** · 10-31-2007, 07:42 AM

Next there will be a Barbie Visa card..

**simpleyme** · 10-31-2007, 07:51 AM

I do not think anyone but adults buy barbies anymore

my daughter and all her friends have BratZ dolls my daughter is twelve now but starting about 8 years old wanted Bratz and has bins full of them ,no barbies at all! I tried to get her interested in Barbie ,I do not like bratz they are ugly have big heads and their feet pop off

New Barbie toy teaches kids to (ab)use credit