Blogging With Mommy

American Girl dolls – the icon of overspending for our kids – tries to get a reality check this Christmas season, but is it too little too late? I think so. Gwen can’t change the fact that American Girl dolls are out of reach for most American families.

This morning I was watching the morning news and both CNN and my local news channel ran a story about American Girl creating a homeless doll for this Christmas season. Gwen, the new doll, is hitting Michigan Avenue, although she will not be out shopping and having tea.

At first, I admit, I thought it was a good thing. But then I thought about it a bit more. This is a company that has fostered overspending on our kids for years. It has created a product that few American families can actually purchase. It has helped to create very unrealistic expectations for our children and made it difficult for parents to explain the financial restrictions many of us face.

So why change now? Because America has gone through the worst economic period since the great depression and spending is on the decrease. Because parents are tired of spending more then they are actually making. Because credit card debit is no longer acceptable and consumers are starting to revolt. Because we have wised up and frugal is now “in”. Because not every family can take a trip to Chicago and have tea on Michigan Avenue with their child.

As we have experienced our own personal financial struggles, the American Girl brand has too. Their web traffic is down and their sales are flat. Mattel is trying to balance the changing consumer views on spending with their overpriced and utterly unrealistic priced dolls. Good luck with that.

We Americans have changed or at least many of us have altered our spending habits and they will most likely not return to the levels once seen in years past. Gwen may be giving you media buzz, but I doubt she will turn American Girl sales around.

This whole story leaves me wondering one thing. Did Mattel include instructions for turning Gwen’s product box into a house for her to sleep or did they include directions to the nearest shelter? That is the reality of the real homeless this holiday season. I wish Mattel had saved the money spent on developing and marketing Gwen and instead, given it to a homeless shelter to feed and cloth those who are struggling this Christmas season. That would have given our children a much better message than an overpriced doll that comes with only one dress.