Monday, November 10, 2008

All I want for Christmas...

This is what I want to get Marcus & Seth for Christmas from Santa. They loved playing in the kitchen at the Children's museum in Seattle, they enjoy playing with the little kitchen at Amy's house and it would be a great addition to our playroom and I believe that it would encourage their imagination. I especially thought this one would be great because it is not pink or purple and it comes with a BBQ - a very manly kithcen gadget. Jon, DISAGREES! He is trying to tell me that play kitchens are not for boys. SO, I ask all of you - what do you think?

19 comments:

Cynthia said...

I think this is a perfect kitchen for boys!! Jacey informs me that both boys and girls play in the kitchen at her preschool. C'mon Jon - keep up with the times. Gender roles are out. :)

Sally said...

I think it's fine too... Jon sounds like Tom! Zack plays with the girls kitchen/food stuff, just in boy-style.

Emily Call said...

I know plenty of men that enjoy cooking. I think it is a great gift for your boys.

Chad and Amy said...

I too think it is perfect. I would totally let my boys play with it, oh wait I don't have boys! But I would if I did (I saw it on sale at Toys-r-us)!

Matt said...

There is nothing wrong with boys liking to cook. But if you are trying to get something that will stimulate their imagination - get them a kids work bench that has working tools and parts. Much more manly and then they will grow up and be the men in the neighborhood who can design the ward float!!! Let Chads girls be the ones that can cook the best and draft the best fantasy football team just like Kim.

Patti Smith said...

I think that would be a great kitchen for a boy. I would let my son play with it. (I'll probably actually let Holden play with the pink kitchen that was Makayla's). But since it has a grill and manly tools that would be perfect for their imaginations.

Lindsay said...

Michelle! Jon forwarded the link to your blog around the office and was like "Go voice your opinion!" and didn't love that we (the females) all agreed that a kitchen was perfectly suitable for little boys.

However, to play Devil's advocate, why not take the boys to Toys R Us and let them see the kitchen aaand the little workshop in person and see which one they are more excited to play with? By the time Christmas rolls around, they won't remember having gone to choose one anyway.

The Home Depot Deluxe Workstation goes for $150 and there are tons of fun accessories to play with. You can check it out here: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3154073

My brothers had this when they were little and loved it! Just wanted to give you another option. Think about it! :)

Bacons-Bits said...

It's me, Jon. I just got this from a friend, but I'll let it stay anonymous:

I have a guy I work with that has 3 boys and a few years back his wife did the same thing for their oldest because he would always play with the kitchen sets at the neighbors and cousins. But once they got it he played with it for 10 minutes and then never really touched it again.

A few years later their younger son was given a toy work bench and now when Dad wants to go work in the yard it is the younger son that wants to follow him around - that is more likely a result of personality but it is still a good argument point.

(Me--Jon--again) I'm beginning to like the workbench argument. Seems more "manly." After all, they'd play with my tools all day long if they could but I find them a bit too dangerous for now.

I'll offer some closing thoughts after seeing some more comments.

Anonymous said...

How about a compromise? Just buy the BBQ and the refridgerator, both of which are very manly. Neither require any cleaning (except maybe once a year). Leave the sink, dishwasher and cupboard for the girls. Some plastic knives would be appropriate too and would make a great stocking stuffer.

Kris said...

Okay, I have to agree with Jon on this one, and I have supporting anecdotal evidence.

We bought Dallin a little BBQ that talked and made noises a while back because his little girl friend had one, it didn't last long as the coolest toy. It was fun for a little bit but not long term, we actually ended up giving it away to the DI.

The kitchen is a passing fad, not a lasting hobby. The key is the gadgets, it's not the kitchen, it's that the kitchen has lots of cool gadgets. I'd put my money on a cool work bench, Dallin has lots of little tools he still "fixes" the house with.

The joy of cooking doesn't usually come to men until they are older and they realize they can get the ladies and eat better than Mac & Cheese.

Pass on the kitchen, get Legos or K'Nex or kids work tools, the cooking will come later in life.

Natalie Scherer said...

Ok, I am Michelle's sister and I feel the need to remind everyone that Michelle was a Culinary Arts Major. So yes, cooking is her passion and specialty. So really is it a surprise that she would support her sons passion for time in the kitchen?

All I have to say is Molto Mario, Bobby Flay and Alton Brown. All MALE professional chefs on the Food Network with their own TV shows, cookbookgs and fatty paychecks. Nobody's making fun of them! You know they were influenced by their mothers when they were younger, trust me I know I watch the food network.

I support the purchase of the play kitchen. One day Jon will thank you! Ok, maybe not, but when Marcus learns to do the dishes from his playset, well, wont that be a happy day.

Mahana said...

I say just get them mini motorized 4 wheelers or trucks :) then they can pretend they are going on a safari or grand trip. Or I guess if I could only vote between kitchen and tool bench, I'd vote for #3 combo of tool bench, fridge and bbq combo. I never was good at sticking with just the options in front of me....Then they can learn to cook a mean meal and fix the appliance if necessary.

Chad and Amy said...

This is a bad idea. Really bad. Amy is lying, we would not allow our boy (if we had one) to play with a kitchen. Please don't buy him a kitchen. Please help your boys be boys. Get the manly work bench mentioned by others.

Anonymous said...

Jon, do not get them anything to do with kitchens! Buy them some nice guns. Get one of those little chipmunk 22 rifles. The boys are old enough. They should be out hunting for moose by now.

Greatest Lakes said...

I wouldn't buy it for my boys, that's all I'm gonna say.

Bacons-Bits said...

Well, thank you all for your comments. Actually, I am very short sighted and never thought of getting them anything different. It seems once I had my mind set on a kitchen that was it. So, I am going to look into work benches and stuff but, I am blaming you all when I spend over my allotted christmas budget!
p.s. I think we will stay away from the rifles...

Jaclyn said...

Kitchen, Kitchen, Kitchen!!

I don't know if we are talking about the same Amy, but after my boys played with her kitchen I told Mark I wanted to get one for them. They were silent for hours! It was wonderful.

John said...

Real men cook and do dishes! At least, I think I'm a real man!

Bacons-Bits said...

John, you are a real man. That's just it though, most "boys" don't... at least till it's part of their daily/weekly chores that is! ;-)