American Girl vs. Third World Girl

American Girl, or AG, is a doll. Like most dolls, there are optional “add ons” such as outfits, accessories and furniture.

Dolls are important play things for both girls and boys. They teach children the value of caring, role playing and being social.

American Girls can even be made to look similar to your own child. They have healthier body ideals than Barbie and are focused on being young and not floozies which most parents like.

You can choose your own Third World Girl too!

You can select gender, age and country, even their birthday. Yes, it’s about $39 a month, but seriously one AG doll is already three months worth of a real child. A living child you can communicate with and feel amazing about!

Here’s where my feathers get ruffled. These dolls are a tad pricey at $110US.  I can sort of suck that up. A doll of high quality that looks like my kid will be in her care for a very long time. It’s when AG needs more things, like food, accessories and a  $300 Ice Cream Parlor. Brain Freeze.

It’s new this year and already has a five star rating, meaning it’s being bought. Seriously though, how cute are those cones!
Third World Girl belongs to all of us. She is a real child, on Earth. She’s one of millions who don’t have accessories like clean water, shelter or food. And yet we still sleep at night investing in a plastic doll’s collection of overpriced items.

Both American Girls and Third World Girls need things.

 Girls need to sleep

An American Girl bedroom ensemble (sheets were extra!) $213

Head on over to World Vision where you can find Third World Girls and Boys. You get 6 warm blankets and ten mosquito nets for the SAME price. Sadly, these kids need nets around them at night so the mosquitos don’t bite and spread malaria. Just think that through.

Girls needs to eat.

Allergy-Free Lunch for American Girl

For $28 you can get an adorable food set. (Not real food)

Attention to detail, it’s ALLERGY Free!!! Yes, your not-real doll shouldn’t suffer from gluten intolerance or peanut allergies. You even get a fake EpiPen!

If she dies due to an allergy faux pas think how stupid you’d feel!

Third World Girl gets two fruit trees for the same price! Trees people, trees! They will last and reap harvest. Harvest is food gathered from trees for real people to eat. If they’re allergic to the fruit, well…we can’t make miracles happen.

Girls needs to get around.

Pretty City Carriage and Prancing Horse.

I thought this carriage at $275 was a bargain, as it comes with batteries and holds two dolls (you’ll need another doll) until I saw that you’ll need to cough up another $98 for Prancer, the horse.

It’s almost worth getting another American Girl to haul the carriage. At least you get a doll and your kids learn about manual labor.

Third World Girl has no need for a carriage (well, she probably does,) but she could sure use a working animal.

Such as a real Alpaca! Yup, for LESS than a stupid, plastic, made in China carriage.

So what , you say?
FYI an alpaca makes it’s own frickin’ wool. Five kilos a year to be exact.

You’ll step on that carriage and break it. An alpaca lives for like twenty years!

I have no idea how much five kilos of wool is worth, but I’m guessing if you times it by twenty years. It’s Lots.

If you buy two, they make more alpacas!
Third World Girl’s Alpaca kicks Prancer’s ass!

Girls need to be Healthy

American Girls get sick and sometimes hurt. Preventative care means buying this Feel Better Kit for $30, just in case.

Crutches, ice pack, bandages and fleece lined cast.

Third World Girl is sick all the time,(She’s real BTW), and for the same price as a doll’s first aid kit you can get this!

Antibiotics and medicine for ten real children!!!
But, you say, what if your American Girl gets chewed up by the family dog or little brother decides to draw a moustache on her. No worries.

Do not panic because, American Girls have their own hospital! Just download a form, check off all major injuries and ship her off to the care of a Doctor. Yup.

An American Girl can get a new head, face, leg or skin cleaning (with shipping) for about $100. Also tick off if you want ear piercing at this time for $14 more dollars. It may be traumatic for your AG, but when will you ever get the chance again?
Guess what you can have for the same price?

Come on, just for fun you could Stock a Pharmacy for real people.

Life saving medicine. No return shipping label needed.

Ahhhrrrrrggggghhhhh
My head is about to need reattaching.

Honestly. I’m picking on one toy company, when clearly there are many. I get that. But this is a great example of how caught up we are in a sense of entitlement. Think of the life changing you and your American Girl lover could do.

As well, I don’t blame this company. They are making what people are willing to pay for, and a lot of money doing so. Do you really think it costs that much for a doll’s carriage, when I can buy myself a bike for the same price?

I’m not saying never buy your kid an American Girl, but have common sense and boundaries. Have your child make the furniture with her own hands, then sit down and introduce her to a charity of your choice.

I get that there’s many ways in which we are excessive other than toys. We are, it’s our culture. But you can’t honestly argue that a three hundred dollar, toy ice-cream shop is more important than sending a real girl to school. Fake ice cream is enjoyed by no one. The girl who has never tasted real ice cream, needs to go to school.

You can argue my points, but fair warning I will call you out to buy a fruit tree or a farm load of animals.