Bizarre Take #12: Kitchen Sets for the Win!

 Bizarre Take #12: Kitchen Sets for the Win!


Growing up, I never played with many toys, since I usually got bored after a while. Don’t get me wrong, I had millions of barbies, shopkins, and even a personal favorite, My Little Pony, but eventually I lost interest. Most other kids could come up with creative storylines to act out, whereas I didn’t have the ability to create plot lines to follow. One thing, however, that brought me joy and kept me busy throughout the day, was this giant kitchen set my mom had bought me. This kitchen set was special to me, as it had moved with me through the different houses we lived in throughout my childhood. I was always excited at the thought of it, and although not a traditional childhood toy, it’s always been one of my personal faves.


It has remained a significant part of my adolescence, and I found a certain comfort in it that I hadn’t experienced before. These sets were usually structured as a kitchen, having an oven, sink, and various cabinets. They often came with fake vegetables and fruits that you could pretend play with. I always used to make meals out of these ingredients and serve them to my family, looking forward to that sense of amusement on their face. Real or not, I felt an element of satisfaction, like I had done something right. 


Looking back, kitchen sets were a symbol of femininity to young girls. In my sense, it taught me how to be like my mom, someone who I looked up to. My mom is one of my biggest role models, and seeing her in the kitchen tempted me to also take on that role. I felt a sense of pride as I made these fake meals, knowing I was following in my mom’s footsteps, plastic or not. It was a place I found comfort in, knowing I was following someone I looked up to. 

Although it was all fake, it gave little girls, just like me, a sense of how cooking works. Now, some may argue, this pushes the stereotypes of women in the kitchen, and although that may be true to a certain extent, I didn’t view it as that. It was more to me than just cooking. I viewed it as my comfort place, somewhere I can have fun and feel a sense of pride every time I served up a new plate :)


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Comments

  1. Annabella PrisciandaroFebruary 11, 2024 at 3:12 PM

    I like that you acknowledge many perspectives on this toy, how it could introduce negative stereotypes, but it also shows the positive side of it by having it represent a role model in your life.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 11, 2024 at 5:25 PM

    I like how you used humor and defended your view that kitchen sets don’t have to be solely anti-feminist.

    ReplyDelete
  3. VandyaFebruary 11, 2024 at 6:52 PM

    I also had a kitchen set when I was younger! I liked your point about how playing your kitchen set was how you imitated your mom, which was so sweet to read. Now that I think about it, I think that’s why I liked playing with my kitchen set too.

    ReplyDelete

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