I think that the kids still watch who does the feeding and may still realize
that grandma, obviously a woman, more often feeds the bottle, women a the
mall feed bottles to their babies, etc.  My son hands his stuffed animals
over to me to nurse if there isn't a mommy AND a baby of the same.  My
brother used to hand the toys needing feeding to me or our mother. I recall
refusing to "nurse" a particularly large plastic alligator ;o) Perhaps both
daughters and sons are picking up that infant feeding is an activity
primarily awarded the female gender, though I've sen lots of little boys
(mostly under two years)also "nurse" their toys.

Lorri Centineo

Portland, Maine


-----Original Message-----
From: Laura Wright [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 11:40 PM
Subject: Bottles, Breasts and Children


Rob,
You are the second person who has said their sons never play "bottles".
Are there some gender issues here?
Does anyone have son who does/has fed a dolly or stuffed animal with a
bottle?
What messages are our daughters picking up on that our sons are not?

Interesting phenomena...
Laura

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