Barbie Dolls and GI Joes

I remember having many exciting and fun days playing with my younger brother, Buddy.  Board games, baseball, football, Barbie Dolls, and GI Joe Action Figures added to the richness of our life!  We were 9 and 7 years old.  My dolls were Barbie, Midge, Ken, Allen, Skipper, Skooter, and Ricky.  Buddy’s action figures were 3 GI Joes: an army soldier, a navy soldier, and a marine.  The GI Joe’s were cool; I loved all the gear they came with.

For hours we pretended the Barbie Dolls and GI Joe Action Figures were families.  We acted out many family situations such as: school days, birthday parties, courtships, weddings, funerals, adoptions of dogs and cats, vacations, sickness, etc…  Every family situation was almost like a soap opera, because there was so much drama.  We used our creative energies all the time.

For example, one of my Barbie Dolls, Ken, had an arm that was broken.  The arm would be placed in the socket and sooner or later the arm would fall out of the socket.  We were both a little frustrated for awhile; however, we did not want to retire the doll. 

We began brainstorming.  Our idea was to pretend Ken was being drafted into the army and going to the Vietnam.  The dolls acted out all the tears in parting for months and months, the excitement in receiving a letter from their soldier, the madness of not hearing from their soldier for weeks and weeks, the anticipation of seeing their soldier at Christmas, and the anxiety of learning their soldier was hurt and not knowing if their soldier was alive or dead.   

Then one day Ken was coming home.  Ken lost his arm in the war!  We acted out his anguish and healing.  We acted out the excitement of the family in seeing their loved one.  We went so far to act out one scenario where Ken felt like only half a man without an arm.  And the life scenarios continue.

I am glad my brother and I decided not to retire the doll and brainstormed ideas in how to play with a doll with a defective arm.  We were using our creativity.  We could have whined around about the doll, but because we decided to turn our frustration around.  We had so much fun.  Thinking back on my life, my brother and I were leaders.  Leaders handle frustration or obstacles and turn them into blessings. 

Lastly, I might add that my Brother would be so embarrassed for friends and relatives to know that he played with Barbie Dolls.  Why be embarrassed?  Who cares what people think!  He was just being a great brother!  And for that, I love him very much.