Is it "wrong" to let younger kids have BJDs?

This is kinda hard to answer.
I think it's okay provided that the child had proven that he/she is capable of taking care of his or her own belongings and that their toys are properly cared for...at the very least keeping them back in they designated box or shelf till future playtimes. I personally would buy my cousin whose 11 this year, a bjd but I at the same time, would not.

I have seen her handling her pullip doll and I must comment that she is very good at taking care of her doll, holding the doll properly with two hands when transporting, not touching her faceup, keeping her in a safe place after each play. At the same time, I've seen her ignored her doll and maybe even forgetting the existance of it leaving it on the shelf to collect dust...neither did she took her time to go and check if her doll is okay so..it's kind of hard to decide on whether younger kids should have bjds...if they're REALLY keen...I think I might suggest getting them a pullip doll for a tryout since pullips are cheaper and a little more sturdier.

 

I haven't read the other answers here- I am just dropping in my two cents blind, as it were.

Personally I think it depends on the child, and weather or not they are mature enough to take care of something so expensive- and more importantly, weather or not they are mature enough not to hurt themselves with what is, essentially, a large and heavy lump held together with high-tension eleastic and bits of metal. So, I would not give a BJD to a child that has a habit of chewing on or sucking things like pencils, because resin is toxic if they did the same to a BJD. Nor would I give one to a child that likes to take things apart, becuase if I (at 25) can give myself a black eye with a flying s-hook, I dread to think what a kid could do!

(Having said this, I trust my goddaughter with my dolls completely, as she is very responsible and careful with them..... but I don't let her father anywhere near 'em! Maturity and responsibility when it comes to expensive items is not something everyone grows into...)

The other thing, of course, is weather or not a parent would feel comfortable spending so much money on a toy. Personally I would not out-right buy a BJD for my child, as I feel there is something wonderful about saving your own money for something so special. But, if my kid was mature enough, and made a good effort with saving their pocket money or whatever.... I might chip in and help them out a bit.

 

It's not a moral quandary. So "wrong" is an erroneous concept that does not apply. Regardless of how you view BJD's they're just dolls.

So the short answer is:
Your money
Your kid
Your choice

It's not anyone else's business whether you give your kid a $250.00 Tyco motorized Mini-Jeep to ramble around the yard in or a $250 doll to play with. It's the same thing.

If the child takes good care of the BJD, good for them! If they don't take good care of it--so what. The world will not end if a bunch of BJD's are rough treated by a younger audience. It just won't.

 

I agree...If they show they are mature and you know they will take excellent care of it why not? But I would be careful with really young childre, unless you could care less if they wrecked the doll...

My sister is 12, she saved up every penny for her doll, and she takes very good care of her. She brushes her hair, wipes her off with a washcloth every so often, and seats her in a chair when she is not playing with her. She does just as good a job as I do ^^

 

I know that as a kid, I picked up hobbies and dropped them off by the end of the month, so buying a bjd for them might not be worth it unless they still really want one, even months later. As everyone else on here has said, they must be very responsible and mature with it, and I think it's important to make them understand how much it costs, and that it didn't just come out of nowhere. It's not something you can just pick up from Toys R Us, obviously, so it's important that they value it if they're really going to have one.

 

I guess it depends on the kids. I mean, I've actually been planning to suggest a bjd for my little 12 year-old cousin since she likes them so much. But, I'm only doing that because I trust that she'd take care of it. I would never suggest it to her little sister, because I know that she would ruin it completely. I made her sister a dress for her American Girl Doll, and the next day it was destroyed!
I know my cousin would love it, and keep it for many years. As for her sister... I would suggest it to her when I see that she's mature, trustworthy, and more importantly has a nicer attitude.

 

I don't think it's 'wrong' to let a kid own one. It would certainly be a very expensive toy to them that, honestly, would probably get dingy and wrecked, but if you're ok with that risk I say go for it.

 

Elfkin - well said!!

 

Ask them why they would want one, and if they would take care of it given the BJD's expensive prices. If they don't know how to handle it properly then it's probably better if they don't.

 

I totally agree with this. BJDs, as much as they might mean to us, aren't some sort of superior object that because of their price-tag are therefore inappropriate for children. It really depends on the kid, but as Elfkin said, it's your child and your money and therefore ultimately your choice.

 

I think I hav to agree on this topic. From my experience babysitting my younger cousins which happens to be most of the siblings are girls & only 1 boy. So most of the girls hav dolls, as they play with their dolls, sometimes the other girls want to play with the same doll & thus of course this will cause a fight between the girls. They will fight over the doll & pull the doll, & at the end the doll broke to pieces & nobody even hav the chance to play with the doll, & finally they will ask their mom & dad to buy them each a new doll. So from my conclusion, its wrong to let that kind of younger kids hav BJD coz they will only broke it & waste their parents effort & money on buying it. But I do think there are some different situations & circumstances that can let younger kids have BJd. Like probably, if they hav deep passion for BJD, most kids who hav real interest in their hobbies, will really take care of their things properly.

 

Im 13, and saving for my first doll currently... It just depends on how responsible the person is. The only thing that might not be age-appropriate would be the bodies, I think

 

I wouldn't give such an expensive toy for a young kid because...
- It'd probably be broken pretty soon.
- They can play with less costly toys and be as happy.
- Earning the cost of a BJD is something they should do by themselves (when they are older).
- They may not be able to maintain one by themselves.
- I wouldn't let my children play even with my vintage My Little Ponies!

Needless to say that I don't have kids. I don't really understand what it is to be a parent but this is just my humble opinion...
People can do whatever they wish with their money! They're free to buy a PILES and piles of dolls for their children if they like!

I haven't read the other answers here, sorry for that!

 

Im young but am very picky about my dolls...
I dont let anyone touch my dolls that dont know how to pick them up or what ev =^.^=
I guess it just depends on how they feel, or act, or if they just like to play with the doll for a month or 8 years and still collecting you know?
I t just depends on how the person feels about the situation i personally think a 6 year old can take care of a doll as much as a 26 year old

 

I would say that 12 year old's and above are definitely mature enough to own a BJD. but i would give a BJD to younger kids, even those younger than 9, if they have demonstrated they can take responsibility, such as feeding a pet. putting their toys away or performing their chores without constantly prompting.

 

Honest to God it depends on the kid and how mature and careful he/she is and if you know the child could take care of it and not break it.

 

of course its not "wrong". They are objects. If a parent wants to buy one for their 4 year old, it is there choice to do it.

Nothing moral about it, since the resin doesn't have feelings

 

I honestly think that's up to the parent to decide. I think that it goes for anything, not just bjds.

 

My eight-year-old daughter goes to a very demanding school; she has two pass/fail classes and twelve graded classes, two of which are foreign language. So, at the beginning of the school year, I told her that two straight 'A' report cards in a row would earn her pretty much anything she wanted, within reason. Guess what she picked?

She is currently awaiting her first BJD, a Soom Risi. She's a very responsible kidling, and I have no doubt that she will treat her new doll with all of the gentleness it deserves. BUT...if she were to damage it, I wouldn't blow a gasket. As far as I am concerned, she earned this costly little reward as surely as I earn my paychecks.

 

I'm 14, and I bought my girl with my money that I saved for A LONG TIME. I appreciate how valuable BJDs are and I'll try my very best to take care of her. I think it depends on the child, and the situation. The kid shouldn't treat the BJD like just another toy, but equally shouldn't treat it like it's made of glass or something. There's no point in buying a BJD if you're just going to leave it on a shelf and look at it, but equally there's not point in buying a BJD that you're going to chuck around like any ordinary toy.