Has anyone else seen this video? What are your thoughts on it!
@Skylar Thanks for sharing! I’ve never actually seen this video before. I don’t think the lady in the video understands what is meant by “playing” with the doll. How I look at the “playing” artists mean is treating the doll like a child would…throwing it around, dragging by the arms or head, dropping on the ground outside, throwing it across the room (I swear every toy my little brother had, had to fly…dolls or not), and dropping food or spilling drink on the doll…all before tossing it in the closet or toy box. That’s how I interpret playing. Am I wrong? I do role play with my dolls…which is what the person she was talking about was doing…nothing wrong with that.
I agree! My daughter’s and I have have playdates and all sorts of fun with our dolls. And trust me I have quite the collection. I even hold or lay with mine when I am really stressed. It seems to help calm my nerves. I know it may seem silly to some but I don’t care what other people think!
It is just the artist way of protecting themselves because reborns really aren’t made to be handled like a toy because they are fragile.
I Collected porcelain dolls as a teen but just because they looked pretty as decorations around my room. I never handled them or changed them.
Reborns are made to be held but handled more like a real baby not by children. Where they could get mishandled and damaged.
@Skylar Aww…that sounds like so much fun! My hubby only had boys (who were 11 and 13), so I missed out on the doll playing with a little one. Would love to see a photo of your collection! I just started and I have 2 realborns Priscilla and Newborn Joseph (which i named Hope and Faith) and 1 Fauna named Ariella (I love the looks I get out in public with her in the carseat and I show them her legs) lol I also have a realborn Anabel (I made her into a boy named Loki) who is undergoing a repaint right now.
@PhotographyForLife I didn’t think about the artist protecting themselves part…definitely when people always want a refund or return on a problem they, themselves caused.
Thank you for letting me know that! When I start selling I’ll make sure to include that disclaimer with my dolls. I always thought it was silly when I was younger that porcelain dolls came with that warning, but now I see and understand why…like you said, for protection. Even though I did change the clothes on my porcelain dolls, but always changed them back after so my mom wouldn’t find out…shhh…don’t tell anyone lol But seriously, I have always been gentle with my stuff…why I still have most of my toys from the 80’s…including the porcelain dolls.
I’m 40 years old and I have an entire room of toys
Yes. An entire room. Care bears. Teddies and dolls. I love to go in there and hold them and just sit with them. The room makes me happy.
Who says we can’t “play” with dolls as adults? Who??? Lol
Just be gentle
A child have a Barbie with messy hair, mark on it, maybe some damage to the limbs… because he/her play with it.
Same things can happen to reborn, they can have marks on them,paint chips, messy hair, because they where played with.
Does that mean both can’t be played with ?
I mean yes they are work of art. Does that mean they’re supposed to be kept onna shelf and never touched ?
I think it’s up to each collectionner how they handle them.
They certainly not intended to be roughly used by young child (just because of materials) but I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t hold them, pretend to feed them or dress them if that’s what we like. Just acknowledge that it will be some damages eventually.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with adults playing with dolls, cuddling them, changing them ect, if it helps people’s mental health then why not, I personally don’t collect them and don’t think I will, I just like painting them.
I must admit though I do cringe when I see people post in Facebook groups saying “I’m reborn pregnant” or I’m in reborn labour" when their newly purchased baby is being shipped
As an artist, they are works of art, but once a customer buys it, they can do what they want, although I may not want to know everything they may do with it. What I don’t get is, those who want to advertise some of the things they do when they “play” with their reborns, like breast feed them. That’s my personal pet peeve. I mean, people can do what they want, but do they have to advertise or get attention for it? There’s quite a few who advertise this on YT.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=breastfeeding+reborn+dolls
Collecting Toys has kind of been in fashion as long as ive been around. Some people vintage, some Star Wars, some happy meal toys , etc etc. what’s makes dolls different? People are cray! And I’m 47 sitting in a room full of toys right now. Build a bear, squishmallow, reborns, etc
English is clearly not her first language, so maybe she misunderstood?
I think playing is more like pretending they’re real dolls or throwing them around. I don’t see changing an outfit as playing. To me that’s more like altering an artwork slightly. If I put a different frame on a painting, I’m not playing with the painting either.
I also tell people my reborns aren’t meant to be played with, so they’re aware they should be careful. I’ve seen videos of kids shoving spoonfuls of baby food onto a beautiful reborns face and it hurts my heart a bit.
But in the end, everyone can do as they like. An adult gently role playing with their reborn is fine by me.
Your babies are beautiful. Here are some of my babies. My babies in the curio and my porcelain babies I didn’t take pictures of…These pictures don’t include my kids babies, lol.
Some are Lee Middleton babies.
Oh, wow! That’s too much imo!
She seems a bit sensitive about this subject. I too dress and sometimes hold reborns. If somebody asked whether I was playing with a doll, I would say no. But that’s because when I used to play with toys as a child, it would be much more interactive.
My Barbies would walk, talk, swim, play games, eat, etc. My baby dolls would cry, burp, giggle, coo, need a diaper change, etc. My cars would have tiny imaginary drivers and “drive” to fascinating places. My tea sets had “real” tea and cakes in them.
I think that “play” is determined by the amount of imagination in any given activity. Do I change my babies? Yes. Do I imagine that they’re real? No. Not that there is anything wrong with those that do. One of the purposes of a reborn is to bring comfort.
Like it has already been said here, we as artists generally say our dolls are not for play because they are not rugged enough to stand up to the rigors of rough play.
This woman is entitled to her opinion I suppose. I just wish it wouldn’t have taken her over 3 minutes to express something as simple as “I think these content creaters are being hypocritical. I consider changing a dolls clothes to be playing.”
By that logic, I guess I still “play” with Barbies, as I have one on display that I occasionally change for the seasons. For shame! I’m nearly 40! This is a complete tongue in cheek statement, there is still no font for sarcasm…
If changing their clothes, holding them once in a while and taking them out as a marketing method is playing with dolls, then I still play with dolls and I’M PROUD OF IT! lol
Lots of people but we don’t have to do what they say. They’re not the boss of us. SO THERE! I love your room. It looks like a happy place.
Thanks. I have since gotten more care bears but haven’t taken new photos. It is my happy place. No one is allowed in but me. Lol