Did you give some of your favorite dolls to the street kids or Orphanage?

Well maybe I'll change my mind... But I dunno... I find it when dealers ask things that just genuinely look not too pleasant that it makes me think before I decide if I want to order from them or not.

 

ok, I see OP is a dealer and located in asia. I don't know how orphanages work in other countries (do they even exist in the US?), but in asia, where I grew up orphanages house more than just little bitty kids. My mom "adopted" a child when I was growing up - much like those catholic charity ones where you send specific amounts every month, but the kid was local and had my mom wanted or the means, she could've actually had a relationship with that child, providing outside human, perhaps pseudo-parent contact. those kids lived in age appropriate group homes that were funded by huge charitable foundations; they were not deprived of daily necessities.

for all we know, the kids OP asked about are in fact 12 yos who can be shown how to handle bjds and not toddlers. said orphaned child/ren could be her "adoptees", or maybe from an organization with which OP is involved or wants to support. besides, we give/enjoy sharing what we know best - for me, I taught art at a group home, and now volunteer at a legal aid clinic. as dealer, OP has access to BJDs - maybe s/he has a large personal collection, or access to samples from trading partners; and how do we know after-services such as re-stringing isn't part of the gift?

to me, the original post read like a request for advice vs. a test of how small-minded/hearted we are. If true, then I commend OP for willingness to share with those less fortunate. i think a bjd could be a wonderful gift to the right child. if I had such child/ren in my life, I would happily share my love for bjds and the creativity involved with them.

 

I have to agree with the above post by ATYL, and BTW for anyone wondering: Orphanages in the United States can be found in any state. Most of them are Christian based orphanages that give underpriviledged children a safe place to start over.

We shouldn't look at kids in orphanages or foster homes as monsters we hide under the beds when we have company over. They didn't ask to be in the situation they have found themselves in. They just were dealt a different hand in life than those of us who have been able to afford better or had parents who could afford/did better for us. I am in no way saying anything bad about their parents as many different situations bring kids into orphanages. And just like kids who live at home with parents to raise them, children in orphanages or state homes are there until they are either adopted or turn 18.

I see nothing wrong with donating BJDs to children in orphanages as are age appropriate if you have the means to do so. I think it is great for them to have nice things. IMO everyone appreciates nice things from time to time.

 

^This (me too)

No, I give money to support kids, not something that could be stolen from them.

 

Fair point. Sad the world has become a place we have to think about things like that, but it is a fair point nonetheless.

 

I wouldn't for the same reasons every one else said but if I knew a teenager who really, really wanted one but couldn't afford it I might give them one.

 

Ahhh. I didn't put group homes and orphanages together. That make sense. Thanks!

I agree w. everyone appreciating nice things.

Also agree with concerns about things getting stolen. However, maybe that's why OP asked about all the children in the orphanage - if everyone had one than maybe they would be happy with what they've got. I'm going to assume, knowingly naively :P, that adults working with disadvantaged children set out to help them and not steal from them...

 

I just donated a doll to Spampy, who will make it a wardrobe and then raffle it off for Touching Tiny Lives.

So in a roundaboud way, yes I did give a BJD to the children in need.

http://www.touchingtinylives.org

 

Childrens' dolls, yes. BJDs, never. BJDs are not meant to be played with by kids, they can actually be dangerous for them.
- Small joint parts can be swallowed.
- Pointy parts can hurt them (also getting your finger skin stuck between joints hurts)
- The materials on the doll is not safe, and children love putting things in their mouth. It can affect their health badly.
- It's not as sturdy as childrens' toys and will therefore break when they get handled roughly (some kids are careful, but some will literally walk and jump on things) . Broken parts are dangerous to play with.

But of course, if you're talking about older children then that's a bit different. I still feel like it's better to give them a toy more suitable for their age, and if not a toy, actual necessities like food and warm clothes are better choices for donation. Thing is, the orphanage staff might just go and sell the dolls you give them, because they need money for necessities.

 

Ummm....no? You specify "[my] favourite dolls" -- I wouldn't give FAVOURITES to anyone. And I mean, what's a "street kid" going to do with a BJD? A stuffed animal is easier to cuddle, and if I'm going to give something worth hundreds of dollars, it'll be food, shelter, clothing?? I mean, BJDs are such a "first world" priority, it'd be ludicrous to give it away to someone so needy -- more a mark of someone who wants to be congratulated for their charitable spirit than someone who genuinely wants to help.

 

BJD are not for children, they are collectible dolls for adults and so they are fragile and delicate. They are not supposed to be play with.
I could offer dolls to orphanage but not BJD. I would offer dolls which are meant to be for children, they are plenty of suitable dolls for them but BJD are not.

 

I can never figure out why this topic is allowed to remain open. It's a patently ridiculous question. We all know this hobby is not for children, so it would be negligent to give an expensive doll to a shelter. Furthermore, these are, again, expensive--even the cheapest Bobobie is still expensive. Giving a BJD to a shelter would be a complete waste in every sense--the doll will be damaged or destroyed, and could be a hazard to the children there thanks to the small parts and fragile nature of them, and the shelter would better benefit from the money spent on the doll than the doll itself, as they could use it to purchase food, pay the bills to keep people warm/cool/protected, replace old or worn out bedding, and so on.

If you're giving something to a shelter, it should be appropriate. I donate stuffed animals every Christmas (as many as I can afford!), I donate food when I can, and I'm getting together a donation of toiletries to take to one of the shelters here in town once I'm done assembling it. These are all things they can actually use. A BJD is not.

 

I've worked with children in homeless shelters, and in the little experience I have had, things get broken pretty easily, even if cherished. It would depend on the environment the child was in, how old and responsible the child was, and whether I knew the child well enough to know that a BJD was important to them. I've bought expensive gifts for children I've worked with in the past, but it was because their family had better things to spend the money on (like college classes) and it was something the child could gain a skill from (music/computing/art).

I would not be opposed to giving a child a lower end BJD (~$200) if I felt they had the ability to take care of it, and that their parents/guardians were doing the right thing and the bjd wouldn't be stolen.

 

Nope, sorry. I don't think bjds are appropriate for street kids or kids in an orphanage.

I do give to toys and money to Christmas Toy drives and money to charities. I think that's a better use for my money than to buy bjds and hand them out!

 

BJDs are not really playable toys, so no. It would be better to give something more 'fun' and in greater numbers than a very expensive collectable doll. I would also not give a BJD to someone who is not in the hobby or doesn't understand the value of the doll, whether they are of less fortunate background or not. It's like giving a real Van Gogh to someone who has no knowledge of art. Just give them a poster of the painting then.

 

I'll donate other toys. Toys which are more child-friendly (like plushies or Barbie stuff)
I think I can't give away something I saved for for a long time, though.

 

I think a child at an orphanage would benefit far more from the money that a BJD costs than a BJD itself. Like many others have said, the small parts pose a choking hazard and are quite toxic if accidentally ingested. In addition, I think a child would enjoy a cuddly toy that they can actually play with far more than a delicate collectible object that isn't meant to be a rough-and-tumble item to be played with and loved as a child would. If it were up to me, I'd donate money from the secondhand sale of one of my dolls way before I'd even consider actually donating the doll itself. Imagine how many teddy bears that money could buy! 10 children could have appropriate play items for the cost of one BJD that may or may not be mistreated, broken, or sold by an older peer. That just makes so much more sense to me. I could definitely see the BJD being taken away by an adult who realizes its value, leaving the child with nothing. Why risk it?

Now, if it were an older child who had specifically requested a BJD as a gift, that's another matter. I'd like to meet the child and gift the doll firsthand if that were his or her dream toy. I would worry, however, that another child might get their hands on it and possibly damage it. I still stand by my first statement, that donating the money from a secondhand sale of a BJD would be a much more logical and well thought-out course of action.

 

My church provides toys and school supplies to children in homeless shelters and to low-income families (as well as food and clothing). They encourage donations of toys from the church members, especially at Christmas. They provide lists of the types of toys kids are asking for, and the suggest toys that are durable and safe to play with, and also not too expensive. They want all the kids to feel equal.

 

I would not give a BJD to a young child, as other posters have mentioned, it's a health risk, for sure. And, really young children tend to be quite rough with things But, in older, more mature kids, I honestly believe that they can be very beneficial to the mental health of those who like that type of thing. I'd definitely donate a bunch of BJDs (plus clothes, wigs etc) to older kids kids/teens (only those who are interested in them, many kids don't like them) who are mature enough to take care of them, and get true enjoyment out of having such a doll, taking care of it and taking it places with them (or creating things for it). It wouldn't have to be a super expensive brand but I definitely think dolls can change the lives of so many in such a positive way. Having a mental illness, I can definitely say that my dolls have improved my life in so many ways, as I'm sure they have for many others. I remember my mother telling me very fondly of the composition doll she had as a young child in wartime England. She washed it's hair so the face ended up cracking, but she loved the doll very much nonetheless. I believe that doll was very comforting to her in times of trouble, as mine have been with me

Don't get me wrong, basic needs are what I would put money aside to donate first, and as more than one poster has pointed out, all kids feeling equal is important. I just feel that it would be interesting to start up a program/charity to donate hobby stuff to kids/teens who might enjoy it, I think it might touch alot of lives in a positive way.

 

i wouldn't give mine to children, but if they were around the same ages as me and had respect for BJD's. sure, why not. if they don't like it at least they could make a bit of money off of it