I know Barbie can evoke strong emotions – some love her, some hate her, some don’t think too much of her. I’m a mix, but I know when I was playing with Barbie in the early 1980’s, she needed clothes and they just weren’t available like they are today. I always wanted a new Barbie just to get a new dress. My incredibly talented mother would sew tiny, elaborate dresses for my dolls so I wouldn’t beg for the next one. Today, we can buy clothes and accessories for almost any doll, in any size and dress them for almost any event. And sure enough, on my daughter’s fifth birthday, she got her first Barbie. So, here we go . . .

Today my daughter exclaimed Barbie needs to eat! Amazingly, with all the accessories available today, I still haven’t found much food. Sure, there are lots of cute desserts and tea sets, but bring me the veggies, a fruit salad, maybe a hamburger or a soy dog—I really think a little of everything would be great. My daughter’s Barbies can take baths, go to school, walk their dogs, drive in cute cars, but where can a girl get something real to eat? After my daughter mentioned the food thing, she also declared that Barbie needs a jogging stroller for her babies too (yeah)!

We can learn a lot about our kids’ thoughts and ideas when we quietly listen to them play with their toys. I suppose I can celebrate my daughter recognizing Barbie needs some healthy food and wants a jogger for the trail. But are they out there? So I’m putting it out to the Five Hen fans, where can I get Barbie a balanced meal and some exercise equipment? And, how much do these minute accessories REALLY matter?