It’s A Women’s World

Since 1959, Barbie has delighted generations of little girls and some grown ups too. Money is no object, it would appear, as she owns several homes, an ever changing wardrobe and various vehicles. Barbie likes to dress up elegantly and go out for a posh night out sometimes. She also likes to party on the beach with her buddies. She’s a girl of many moods! Unpredictable and fun. One of the vehicles that she parks in her many garages is the Barbie Jeep. It’s perfect for her to drive over sand dunes or other rough terrain. She can also drive into the city and park easily. The two-seater design means she can take one of her friends or long term boyfriend Ken.

As for the rest of us, we have to make do with a toy version, but those toys look more real all the time. A real life Ken doesn’t come with it, unfortunately. I thought that the toy sized, push along Barbie Jeep was the only one on offer. I was surprised to find that there are ride on versions that a little girl and a friend can whiz around on.

Different retail outlets sell various versions. They do better on a flat, even surface. Parents need not be alarmed. Their offspring aren’t going to break the speed record in one. The normal maximum speed going forward is 5mph and the reversing speed is 2.5mph. Small children will feel that they are being very daring nevertheless. In keeping with the brand, the color scheme is usually pink, purple or a mixture of both. The Barbie Jeep is very often decorated with brightly colored patterns or flowers. It’s possible to get replacement wheels and tires.

The vehicle is made as realistic as possible, with a front bumper, working doors, dashboard and headlights. Some models have power wheels and can be operated with a single pedal. You can get seat belts and a storage compartment. The jeep comes with accessories, such as a pretend CD player that holds different sorts of music like Latin, dance and pop. You can also get a boombox that can be taken out of the dash, an FM radio and a digital clock. Batteries are needed to power the Barbie Jeep.

A lot of Barbie toys have become collectible over the years, so it’s worth trying to keep the vehicle in good condition. Children will get endless days of pleasure from it. If only I was small enough to fit in the driving seat.

When I was young, my parents divorced. I got to see my dad every other weekend, but this was never enough. When I did something wrong, my stepfather decided my punishment would be not seeing my dad. There would be months in between visits and I missed my father very much. My dad tried to get the visits enforced, but he ran into a lot of problems. He never knew what to do and when I did get to see him, the time we shared was extra special. On one particular occasion, my dad took us shopping and told us to get something special. I chose a stuffed cat.

Life with my stepfather was never easy. Looking back, I realized that it was an abusive situation, but I didn’t know any better at the time. I knew that things were not right. My mom was often oblivious and he was careful to never hit us when she was home. If she knew, she ignored it. I knew this and this made me miss my dad even more. Had I told him, he would have put a stop to it right away. Instead, I hid in my room with my stuffed cat and cried. I became so withdrawn that I would often run into the woods with my stuffed cat just to get away and I would stay there for hours on end.

At the time, I felt that stuffed cat was the only link I had to my father. I didn’t know I should tell someone what was going on, and I didn’t know that anyone would even do anything about it. I held on to that stuffed cat when I needed my dad and it brought me a small amount of comfort. My dad had gotten it for me and he would never hit me. When you don’t have a lot to hold on to, something as simple as that stuffed cat is more comfort than you could possibly imagine.

As we got older, something bad happened to my brother and I decided that it was time for a change. My brother was too young. I thought I could handle it, but I didn’t want him to. I made him go to school and tell someone what had happened. He was sent to live with my dad and even though I didn’t have my brother with me anymore, I knew he was safe. That stuffed cat was really all I had at this point. When I was finally old enough to make my own choices, I got out of there and I went to live with my dad. I no longer have that stuffed cat, but I will remember it always. It’s amazing what a toy can do when nothing else in the world is right.