The Importance Of Role Models For Young Children

3. Barbie dolls came into existence in 1959. During that time all dolls were infant dolls and Ruth Handler creator of the barbie dolls saw that “children will enjoy giving the Barbie adult roles” because it is different than playing with infant dolls. It has evolved over time, due to the improving technology, the dolls these days look very realistic. The social impact it has made is that it gives children a chance to play with more advanced toys and gives them the ability to admire Barbie’s achievements through her various career

In the past couple of decades, we have experienced exuberant advancements in every category imaginable, including toys. The well-known toy brand Mattel introduced a thin, blonde doll named Barbie in 1959. Since her debut to the market, Mattel has sold well over 1 billion Barbie dolls. But the dramatic changes made to Barbie since her creation are extremely evident. As much as the doll has changed with the times, the most noticeable changes seem to be over the course of the past few decades.

During the time of development and release of Barbie, the feminist movement was in full swing. The concept that Barbie may have been manufactured as a weapon against these feminist groups is plausible as the image of Barbie exploits the female body and challenges the values held by active feminists. Though, from a slightly different perspective, one could argue that Barbie with her freedoms and luxuries supports the ideals of women's equality and rights. Barbie may have been the transition piece of the decade, setting a new path for women and young girls.

As we planned the workshop, we discussed our own personal ambivalences about Barbie’s collusion with heteropatriarchal, consumerist culture, while at the same time acknowledging the remembered pleasures of childhood doll-play...(Reid-Walsh and Mitchell 2001). In developing the workshop format, we tried to provide enough structure and eclectic raw materials to invite focused thinking about embodied femininity, but without imposing our own expectations about how the girls “should” view Barbie and reinvent or remake her ( Collins, Lidinsky, Rusnock, and Torstrick 106-107).

A positive role model could be defined as a celebrity, as a responsible person who puts others needs before their own while never altering their beliefs or values. A positive role model could also be defined as an individual who battles through hardships in their life while keeping an optimistic attitude. A personality that is compassionate and caring towards an individual while boosting self-esteem, or an individual who is available as a confidant. According to “a study from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Public Health, youths who named role models they knew personally had better grades and higher levels of self-esteem.” (New York Times, 2002) DJ Tanner-Fuller from Netflix’s “Fuller House” is a positive role model for a mid-twenties to early thirties woman because she is motivated through moments that are incredibly complicated and always pushes through the obstacles life directs towards her.

Being a good role model: This is very important to support the ages five to eight. Knowing fully well that the hearts of children are like a plain slate and they are quick in

The evolution of Barbie has been an interesting one. The doll has sparked countless debates, yet has continued to be a defining icon for children for countless years, and will probably be so for many more. Her changing fashion, careers and views could be easily attributed to the changing views in our society and current fashions that have transfixed the world over time. Barbie is a tangible embodiment of pop culture throughout the years, she has managed to become popular and stay popular, because she has done what many toys could not, she has grown to fit the world around her, and by doing so has captivated generations.

In New York on March 9, 1959, Mattel introduced the Barbie doll to America. The thin, teenage fashion model that has a perfect slender nose, big eyes, a valumptuious bust, a narrow midsection, and curvy hips. It is estimated that over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide in over 150 countries. Barbie is one of the first toys to have a marketing strategy based extensively on television advertising, which has been widely copied by other toys. Barbie has also appeared in a series of animated films such as Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3. Barbie’s petite figure, perfectly arched eyebrows, and plastic smile has become the desired American image that many teenage

The main reason that Barbie gained so much popularity and is still popular today was because her main purpose and her conception were to fill the void of having a role-playing toy. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the girls had only baby dolls and paper dolls to role-play with. With the new age of television in many households, Mattel’s aggressive marketing on television, contributed to making Barbie a household name. Some other reasons for Barbie’s success, was because Barbie was marketed with different careers, clothes, accessories and companions over the years. In 1998, Happy Holiday’s Barbie Doll was one of the first dolls to be sold as a collector doll. Mattel has new holiday dolls that come out each year. Now Barbie has evolved into a way for mother’s and daughter’s to bond, by the passing down of older dolls and being able to collect them. Barbie has become

Since the emergence of the Barbie doll in 1959, Barbie has been a populous choice among young children, and more specifically young girls because of its monopolization of the toy market. Barbie is a doll that has been outwardly controversial and debated upon for years and most likely will be for many years to come. The idea of the Barbie doll is a toy for which young girls model themselves after and aspire to be like when they mature and grow up. DuCille states, “more than simple instruments of pleasure and amusement, toys and games play crucial roles in helping children determine what is valuable in and around

As such, most girls’ childhood stories are filled with their experiences with Barbie such as making Barbie their number one companion by always having her wherever they go, cutting off her long blonde hair, and feeling devastated if a sibling or a playmate ripped Barbie’s head off. Moreover, whether Americans are willing to accept it or not, the Barbie has significantly transformed American culture in so many diverse and subtle ways to comprehend fully. Although some have sweet nostalgic memories about Barbie, most girls’ lives have been negatively affected by beholding Barbie as a major female icon during their childhood (Battistoni 26). Despite being a mere plastic toy, to the young girls, the Barbie life is all they ever want and strive to be in life; hence, most use Barbie as the guiding standard against which they have to measure and assess their lives on all spheres. Nonetheless, since attaining the Barbie blonde status in real life is an elusive endeavor, most girls have subjected themselves to immense pain leading to poor mental health and low self-image. This is because they are convicted

Basketball has always fascinated me ever since I was a little girl. This game has taught me a lot about life and myself. It has developed me into a person, who is easy-going and fun, but also a leader who is dedicated and hard working. I am trustworthy, loyal, funny, honest, and open-minded. I want to become a role model for children and young adults. Someone they can look up to, admire, and impacts their life in positive ways. In life, I plan to advance in my personal life and in my job. In order to achieve my life goals, I strive to have a positive attitude and assertive behavior, because having empathy and compassion toward others is essential. Overall, I am happy with who I am and achieving to be. To continue to succeed, I am

The message the ever so popular Barbie doll has been trying to push to children all over the world has varied in a way over the years. In 1959, when Barbie was first released, it was all about the ‘girly’ barbie and how women should look like and what they have to do, kids were playing with a doll that had an ideal body and expectations barbie put in their minds were intangible. Barbie’s image has changed overs the years in effort to keep up with the change in pop culture. In the 1960’s, Barbie wore designer clothes and took most of her inspiration from the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, as well as wearing mini skirts and white go-go boots. During the 1970’s Barbies attire was very much fitting for the glitz and glamour of the decade.

Barbie, at the age of 41, is one of the longest living toys in America. Analyzing her early history can give a person a look into the societal trends and culture of the late 1950's and early 1960's. There is evidence of fashion innovations in Barbie's wardrobe. Also, one can see the perception of females by society, such as what they should look like, how they should act and dress, as well as what their future goals could be. The following essay follows Barbie's history from 1959 to 1963, covering her development, her appeal to children, and her existence as a cultural artifact of the time period.

Role models have an astounding effect on the lives of young people in our society. A role model has the ability to shape the views, ideals, and actions of a young person. Role models help youth to discover how they wish to become in the future. The influence that role models have over young people is tremendous. It is important for role models to be positive and responsible in instilling good morals and values because future generations are directly dependent on the role models of today. By examining the influence of role models, role models in the community, and role models in the media, we will be able to determine the true effect that role models have on the lives of youth.