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St. Ann
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I am really thankful that my girls all love playing with dolls. On occasion even my 12 y.o. plays beautifully with her doll. I am a doll lover myself which is probably the reason for my joy :-)
We are here in America for 1 year and all of my dds are wishing for an American Girl doll. Even my 12y.o. She really is a beautiful girl who loves to play with her little sisters and is so innocent in some respects.
These are expensive dolls, so it would be the only Christmas present from the Grandparents and us combined, except for a nice book.
I am asking YOUR opinion. Does the doll have a future with my 12 y.o. or not? How long did your girls play with dolls? I don't have to purchase Christmas presents now, but it has been on my mind.
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Stephanie
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folklaur
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Sorry, I have no real advice - but I do love the AG dolls.
My older dd was not a doll lover at all. 
My younger dd6 LOVES her American Girl dolls - she has two of the larger ones, and a bitty baby, too.
My dh actually bought me one, too, since I love dolls. She was one of the "Doll of the Year" ones, (Her name was Jess, and she was a Homeschooler on an Archaeological Dig with her parents - I am an Archaeology Major.)
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JodieLyn
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My grammy started making dolls (soft sculpture type) after I was already 11 or 12 or so.. she made me a doll when I was 13 and while I didn't really "play" with the doll (my sister was 11).. I still enjoyed having the doll set out in my room for a number of years. It would have been worth it to me I think.. even if the actual "playing with" was not for long.. of course if my grammy wasn't to old for dolls.. 
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Angi
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My friend's daughter is 11 and she still consistantly plays with her AG doll. We love the AG dolls here. We make it a big deal for each girl's 6th b-day, take a train to Chicago, have a tea party at the AG cafe, pick out a doll. My mom flies in from the east coast - she buys the doll.
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crusermom
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My oldest was still playing with her AG doll well past her 12th birthday. She is going to be 20 and I still would not be shocked if I found her changing her clothes or something. My 13 yo begged for one and it just sits on her shelf.
Angi, what fun for your girls. Most of ours were hand-me-downs from older cousins. I want to take a train to Chicago and have a tea party!
Mary
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Mary
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Mackfam
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My almost 12 yo has 3 AG dolls - she still plays with them all the time! They are beautiful under the tree for Christmas (not all at once - we spaced them over 3 years and one birthday)! There is something so old fashioned and right about a girl receiving a lovely doll for Christmas! But, I'm a shmaltz! 
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Jen Mackintosh
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St. Ann
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Mackfam wrote:
| There is something so old fashioned and right about a girl receiving a lovely doll for Christmas! But, I'm a shmaltz! |
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I am a shmaltz then too.
Laura, I think that's neat that your dh got you that doll.
It is comforting to hear that there are girls still playing with dolls in their early teens. If she is still asking for one in October, then I will be getting 3 for the 3 oldest. dd4 will be 5 in December, but she may be too young for such a doll. Don't you think so?
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Stephanie
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Mackfam
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You could get the older girls an American Girl doll, and the 5yo a Bitty Baby from the AG store. My daughter loved her Bitty Baby, and we saved it for Katie.
Pretty dollies under the tree for all the girls!!!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Aug 26 2008 at 9:30am | IP Logged
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OOOH! I just thought of this, too! My favorite baby doll is from Corolle - they're absolutely adorable! Check them out too!
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Jen Mackintosh
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MaryM
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Mackfam wrote:
| My almost 12 yo has 3 AG dolls - she still plays with them all the time! |
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I have an almost 13 year old - still very much into her AG dolls - now she is sewing for them.
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Mary M. in Denver
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folklaur
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Mackfam wrote:
| OOOH! I just thought of this, too! My favorite baby doll is from Corolle - they're absolutely adorable! Check them out too! |
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Oh! Corolle is NICE too! My dd has the Vanilla Doll. They smell SO good.
Also - the Gotz Dolls - the Maxy Muffin is the same size as an AG Bitty Baby. It is basically a Bitty Baby with hair (like the BBTwins).
Gotz was the company that made AG dolls for Pleasant Company the before they sold to Mattel. So - besides the MaxyMuffin/Bitty Baby - there are also "Precious Day" by Gotz that are basically the same size/body as AG dolls.
(Sometimes you can find the "Little Sister" series by Gotz, which is retired now, which is also the exact same body as an AG doll, but the face on it is just beautiful, imo. Here is a link. Sometimes you can still find them at TJMaxx or Tuesday Morning (or Ebay.) We have the Brunette one, and I personally think her face is much prettier and sweeter than the AG dolls, and she wears the same clothes.
BUT! There is something special about an AG Doll too. My dd is already hoping for another for Christmas (and I like Kirsten, but she never has asked for that one! She wanted Molly, and Kit. I love Kirsten's outfit- all Little House on the Prairie-ish!)
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Mattie
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My soon to be 14 yo sister has a couple of American Dolls and multiple accessories and LOVESTHEM. That's what she still asks for for Christmas and Birthdays!Sh does not play with them per say but loves to arrange them, etc... She is the youngest and still very innocent, which is great to see (and annoying at times, but again, she is my sister  )
Hope this helps you decide!
Mattie
Maman to 4 awesome mountain babies in CO
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mavmama
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I am enjoying this post.....my twins dds have never played with dolls, even when they were littles. We were given two Chou Chou dolls by my brother and the girls have always said we should keep them-"In case anyone who likes dolls comes oover."
That said, my oldest ds asked for a "brown baby" when he turned three, so I made him a waldorf doll with matching cowboy pjs for both of them. He named the baby "Pickles" and when next ds took him over, he was re-named "Baby."
Many times I've wished over the AG catalogue
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Mary G
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Maggie (now 8) has gotten two of the Beautiful Girlhood and Molly from AG. They are all almost exactly the same doll -- slighly slimmer with the Beautiful Girlhood dolls. But she loves them.
Since she's now decided she's Kit, looks like she'll get her from Santa this year ...
I can see her playing with dolls for a long time ... she's just that way. Her older sister wasn't (and I wasn't a doll girl anyway -- rather play football or soccer ). So I think alot of it is temperment ... but temperment that can and should be nurtured for moms of tomorrow.
I also think homeschooled girls tend to hold onto dolls lots longer than their "worldly" contemporaries who get convinced by media to drop this "girly" stuff. 
ETA: Beautiful Girlhood is from a Christian compnay that has some cool stuff for boys too ...
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MaryG
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St. Ann
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I want them all!
I must admit, that we already have 1 Gotz, 3 Corolle, 4 Kathe Kruse dolls and 2 Bitty babies in the family. sigh. My dh has a difficult time understanding.
They are all loved and have their different roles in family life. BTW the 17in Corolle doll can wear most AG clothing although her chest area is a little wider than AG. Hats don't always fit. This one belongs to dd1 and has clothes from Kirsten for her. Little House and all that....
The Gotz dolls are much less expensive than the AG, but made the same????Did I get that right? I also find their faces much sweeter , but would it be the same? Decisions, decisions.
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Stephanie
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SuzanneG
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We have friends that have a 15 and 12 yo girls and they still love their AG dolls. Like, MaryM's daughter, they are making clothes for them now. They bring them over when they come here, and my girls and the "big girls" all play with the dolls.
My 3 oldest all have a doll from the Beautiful Girlhead Collection. We have 2 Liberty dolls and 1 Evangeline. We gave them to them when they were 6,5,4. (FOUR is a bit young, but she wanted to have one just like her sisters). They still play with their "baby dolls" but all like to have the 18" now too. These dolls are REALLY LOVELY.....German-made, beautiful hair, lovely faces, great quality!!!! I tell dh that I want one too.....he thinks I'm kidding .
I love the Corolle dolls too.
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Suzanne in ID
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SuzanneG
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Here is a thread from last year, discussing the age-thing:
What age? AG dolls? or Vision Forum?
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Suzanne in ID
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Vanna
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I don't have daughters but my 12 yr old son still loves Pokemon and other stuff that kids his age have outgrown. I do not discourage him. I'd rather it be Pokemon and stuffed animals than violent games and MTV.
I would get her the doll. She would play with it until she outgrows it then it would be a treasured keepsake from childhood.
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Bookswithtea
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...just another vote for the Vision Forum/Beautiful Girlhood dolls. Their hair stays nicer and I think its slightly longer as well. We have one AG and two of the others. Gotz dolls are nice, too.
Stephanie in Florida, you have Kathe Kruse dolls??? I am drooling...I *love* her Waldorf dolls...Maybe *I* should ask for one for Christmas...
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St. Ann
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Bookswithtea wrote:
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Stephanie in Florida, you have Kathe Kruse dolls??? I am drooling...I *love* her Waldorf dolls...Maybe *I* should ask for one for Christmas...
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We are from Germany....I do agree, the Waldorf dolls are wonderful.
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Stephanie
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: playing with dolls!
