How can I stop my 11 year old sister playing with Barbies and being so childish?

Question

I'm 14, my sister is 11 and starting Secondary School with me next week. She's always been young for her age and can't stand it if anybody in our family tells her she's growing up. In Primary School she drifted away from a lot of her friends because as they grew up she was still young. One problem I really have with her is that she still plays with Barbies, at her age! If she doesnt' stop this soon then I'm afraid she will get bullied and have no friends at her new school, starting a new school is bad enough as it is, with no friends it will be even worse for her.

Answer 1

Maybe for now u should leave her and let her play with Barbies....as long as she is happy, rite? She will probably grow out of it and make new friends, but still look out 4 her. But when she turns, say, 12 and she is STILL playing with Barbies mayb u should say sumfing 2 her lyk she should TRY 2 make friends with sum nice girls her age or u could find her more mature games or things she would enjoy but if she STILL doesn't take the hint u should gently tell her that u don't want her 2 get hurt or anyfing so mayb it would b a gd idea if she was 2 stop playing with Barbies or uther babyish fings and xplain 2 her that u want her 2 make sum friends at her new skool and u r simply trying 2 protect her from being bullied about it and u just want wot is best 4 her...........

I know i sound very sad and soppy coz i know we r in the 21st Century but still....i hope ur sister will hav a gd life at her new skool...... :)  

Answer 2

a girl at my school that is going into year 8 still plays with barbies.just let her play with them and she will soon grow out it.when i was 11 i had barbies on the top of my wardrobe and one of my best friends told most of my form.i used to play with them and i grew out of it,as long as she doesn't tell anyone i don't know why she would  get bullied.maybe she doesn't feel ready to grow up.so let her play with them she isn't doing anything wrong.

Answer 3

Let her grow out of it in her own time!

Secondary school will probably mould her into your average, appearance obsessed, boy mad, irresponsible teen soon enough, so just enjoy this while it lasts.

Answer 4

Leave her to it. I played with horses until I was about that age and it did no harm to me.

Just don't bring it up at school or YOU might be the cause for her bullying. X

Answer 5

In my opinion you should do the action to show her the value of maturity, to move up is hard to do, but don't worry it will soon pass away until she realize it.

Answer 6

She will be fine dont worry she will want to do everything you are into soon but at the moment let her do what makes her happy!!!

Answer 7

Just let her enjoy her childhood.... too many kids grow up to soon! She'll give them up when she's ready!

Answer 8

i agree with poison,,,enjoy being young while your still young, i'm 25 and i wish i didn't grow up sooo fast,,, as her sister you should be her greatest allie in this world

Answer 9

You don't. Let her grow up at her own pace.

Answer 10

Let her play.

Too many children grow up to fast due to peer pressure and what is acceptable by the people around them.

She'll grow up in her own time.

She'll make friends but she doesn't need a sister who isn't supportive of how she is.

Answer 11

It's not really your place to be telling her what she can/can't do.

She probably likes playing with Barbies for the fashion aspect. You get to choose the clothes, and style them, etc.

She might just be scared about growing up.

You're her big sister, so sit her down one day and talk to her about the 'changes' she will be going through, etc.

It might be awkward, but it's important.

I don't think she's gonna walk into the school and yell 'I STILL PLAY WITH BARBIES' so I don't really know how the other kids would find out.

Espicially in middle school, girls can be vicious!

Try and explain to her the whole 'Barbies' thing.

If she likes playing with them, though, you shouldn't stop her.

Eventually she WILL grow out of it.

Make sure you are there for her about the 'growing up' issues.

Answer 12

You can't stop it.  It's not your responsibility.  She will grow out of it soon.

Answer 13

Let her hang on to her childhood, the time will come soon enough when she has to be an adult. Being her older sister you should be there to support her not force her into being someone she isn't.

Answer 14

You can't really do anything about, some kids find it harder to let go of their 'inner child.' But she will sooner or later.

Just takes time and patience ;D

She'll learn and find out new things that will get her more interested then barbies, trust me.

Answer 15

Just let her be. She will eventually grow out of it. There is really nothing that you could do to stop her from playing with dolls.

Answer 16

Wait for her puberty to start. When it does she will drop the Barbie and Ken dolls replacing them with a real boy.

Answer 17

burn the dolls

Answer 18

well at least she is playing with dolls rather than having s*x like most other kids her age

Answer 19

It sounds like you care a lot for her, but you calling her childish and telling her to grow up is going to make her pull away from you, and is probably not going to make her act more mature. If she does have trouble making friends, she's going to need you to be supportive and caring. People stop playing with their toys (1) because of social pressure, but (2) because they don't enjoy them anymore. You can't change someone's developmental age just by wanting them to get older. I think lately kids are being forced to grow up WAY too fast. She's doesn't really sound abnormal in anyway. I predict in Secondary School she'll either find people who are similar to her, or learn to hide her hobbies. You've got to let her do that on her own.

Answer 20

she's 11!!! she's still a little kid. its okay for her to play with barbies that is absolutely normal. I understand your concern but my sister is also 11 and i'm 15 and i have no problem with her playing with dolls. children that age need to role play by playing games like barbies and house.

you need to stop being so hard on your sister. she will always act young for her age because she is the baby of the family. and you will always act more mature because you are the older sibling.

its the same way with my sister and i. you need to start being a bit more mature. if you were mature you would realize that there is nothing wrong with you sister playing with dolls.

you are only concerned about how that makes you look and that is really self centered. she will grow out of that phase soon enough.

so just chill out and stop worrying. its no big deal.  

Answer 21

as a big sister i think you should just sit together and talk ... talk to her about being matuare and all... tell her that she is too old to play with barbies dolls and all...and tell her that once all her friends would grow up she would stay the way she is...and nobody would want to talk to her ...(only babies and children!)

Answer 22

I played with barbies til I was 12/13, one day she will just get bored/not interested in playing with barbies anymore. Let her be. It's not your choice remember, it's her choice and by the way you are not one of her parents. I just didn't tell my friends at school that I played barbies at home. It's no problem, I was never an outcast, was popular. Maybe you need to question you own self confidence..

Answer 23

leave her alone. she doesnt stop u from acting sl*tty!!  

Answer 24

Whats wrong with barbie ?!

xD

Who cares really just let her do whatever she wants shes not your daughter!.