My soon-to-be 4 year old son LOVES the little mermaid. For his in-school party he has asked, over and over again, for a little mermaid cake. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make this cake boy-ish enough that his friends won't make fun of him. He is at that age where his favorite color is pink, and he's not quite aware of gender differences, but his classmates are.
I thought about having King Tritan on the cake only, but it MUST have the little mermaid as well. I would prefer a buttercream cake, with fondant accents/figurines, but I'll try not to be picky.
Thanks,
Noa
Why not a Flounder and Sebastian cake? My son used to LOVE Dora. Everything Dora, my friends used to laugh because he loved her so much. It's so cute because they don't think twice about it, we should all be more like that...
I think this can be tricky. After working with lots of kids that age I would think boys in the class will tease him about this, maybe not. At 4 most kids in the class are just going to be excited about eating cake. If you can't talk him out of a special Little Mermaid cake at home, then I would do it with more characters, encluding the Mermaid. Kids always loved Sabastian and Flounder, not so much King Triton. Toss in a few seahorses and a clown fish and you are safe. In one large kindergarten class we had one little guy who was totally captivated by all the Disney Princesses and he did have his feelings hurt at times, but mostly the other kids were fine.
He's 4, are the other 4year olds really gonna tease him? i wouldnt think so at that age, but you can make it more boyish by playing up the other characters. Dont make Ariel the centerpiece, just put all the characters on King Tritan, Prince Eric, sebastian, Flounder,the SeaGull, and Ariel. Make any borders blue, leave off any fru fru"y" flowery looking seaweed and do rocks and regular green seaweed.
He has let me know in no uncertain terms it must have Princess Ariel as well (he actually asked that she be in her pink dress, and not the mermaid costume, but I've got limits, plus the fondant work will kill me!!) Flounder looks easy enough, Sebastian will be a challenge. Thanks though!
Little Mermaid and the band.
"What do they got - a lot of sand? We've got a hot crustacean band!"
Sebastian the crab on maracas, fish playing brass horns and saxophones, an octopus on drums, xylophone made from seashells, etc.
http://www.oe.ic.km.ua/gallery/poster/Little_Mermaid.jpg
http://schoolofdisney.com/Stories/LittleMermaid/music/littlemermaid160.gif
http://schoolofdisney.com/Stories/LittleMermaid/music/littlemermaid161.gif
Song here - for inspiration.
http://schoolofdisney.com/Stories/LittleMermaid/under_the_sea.htm
I would think that you can make the cake in blue like the water and as the main character have triton sticking up from the top. Followed by flounder, sebastian, and a shark . Ariel can be included too but not as the MAIN focus.
THen I would do the seaweeds in blue, green, and yellow and stay clear fo pink and purple. 
Thanks everyone, especially 7yrrt! I love the idea for the "Hot crustacean band"!! I just showed the clip to my son and he is all excited now, so I think I can sort of bury the little mermaid in all the other sea creatures...the party is in 2.5 weeks, so I should probably get started on all those little figures now!
I think doing the crustacean band scene is an awesome idea...but also, I honestly think it's really sad that you're trying to talk your son out of what he wants just on the basis gender stereotypes. *moderator edited*
There are better ways to deal with the possibility that his classmates have *moderator edited* ideas about what's appropriate or inappropriate for boys to like.
that his classmates have stupid, narrow-minded ideas about what's appropriate or inappropriate for boys to like.
They are 4.
oh Noa, what a precious boy you have! I just loved reading your story, you can tell you are so concerned he doesn't get made fun of. My son went crazy over a particular barbie pink doll house that really did look appealing on the commercials & they make nothing like that for boys! "Santa" did not disappoint & he loved playing with the house using his army guys haha
It sounds like a good compromise you've come to. definitely post pics when you're done & let us know how the party went!
BTW I tend to agree 4 year olds probably are on the young side to make fun... hopefully...
Thank you mbark for understanding, and Holly seems to have a few issues! I don't mind that he likes pink and girly things, heck I'm the one who puts my nailpolish on his toes when he asks. I just don't want him made fun of, because these steretypes do exist and kids can be cruel! That is all! I'm trying to make my son happy while protecting him a little bit. I'll definitely post pictures and thanks to everyone but Holly for their help.
My son just turned 6 (Dx with Gender Confusion 2 years ago) and I've been amazed (happily so) with his treatment at school. I'd like to believe things are changing since we were kids. He has always been attracted to "girly" things and his clasmates have accepted him for who is is (some boys like girl things, some girls like boy things)and he has never been teased about it. I know this may change (probably) as he gets older but it's nice to see that he is accepted for his true self.
Would you be as concerned if your daughter asked for a spiderman cake? (I ask myself this question all the time when I'm trying to decide what is appropriate for him)
I don't think my son has Gender Confusion, or even that its an issue. He also like boy things. He simply doesn't differentiate between girl things and boy things, and I think that's great. I encourage him to learn how to cook, bake, clean, etc. And his dad (who can do none of those things) teaches him to play soccer (which he loves) and to ride his bike and build with blocks. He doesn't ask to wear girl clothing, though he did want to put nailpolish on.
I just was worried that other kids may make fun of him, and instead of him having a wonderful birthday party, he'll be sad because the kids may laugh at his cake and ruin his joy. He's turning 4, so I think the kids may still be too young (though I remember my niece at age 5 thinking a boy who loved pink was weird).
I think that if my daughter wanted a Spiderman cake at age 3 or 4 that would be fine. At 6 or 7 I would have the same concerns, which is how other kids would make her feel. I was sort of tomboy-ish myself, which is why blurring "acceptable" gender lines doesn't really bother me.
I have an adult nephew who loved cabbage patch dolls when he was a little guy. He had two of them, a boy and a girl, and he toted them along wherever he went even to his friends BD parties. No one thought anything of it.
He's now married with a little one on the way. I think people tend to fret about this very natural phase in a childs life, far too much.
I do a lot of historical study, and pink used to be a color for males, anyhow. Anyone interested, take a look at this old page on gender and color. (Much more on the link.)
http://web.archive.org/web/20030207163252/http://histclo.hispeed.com/gender/color.html
An American newspaper in 1914 advised mothers, "If you like the color note on the little one's garments, use pink for the boy and blue for the girl, if you are a follower of convention." [The Sunday Sentinel, March 29, 1914.] A woman's magazine in 1918 informed mothers, "There has been a great diversity of opinion on the subject, but the generally accepted rule is pink for the boy and blue for the girl. The reason is that pink being a more decided and stronger color is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl." [Ladies Home Journal, June, 1918]
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The current pink for girls and blue for boys wasn't uniform until the 1950's.
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And who cares anyway?
We want both boys and girls to grow up to be good parents; dolls are a good way to do that, be they GIJoes, Barbies or whatever.
My daughter loved her Barbies - naked and playing in the mud whirlpool.
My son loved sari fabric - still does, his wife wears saris quite often.
I do a lot of historical study, and pink used to be a color for males, anyhow. Anyone interested, take a look at this old page on gender and color. (Much more on the link.)
http://web.archive.org/web/20030207163252/http://histclo.hispeed.com/gender/color.html
An American newspaper in 1914 advised mothers, "If you like the color note on the little one's garments, use pink for the boy and blue for the girl, if you are a follower of convention." [The Sunday Sentinel, March 29, 1914.] A woman's magazine in 1918 informed mothers, "There has been a great diversity of opinion on the subject, but the generally accepted rule is pink for the boy and blue for the girl. The reason is that pink being a more decided and stronger color is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl." [Ladies Home Journal, June, 1918]
-
The current pink for girls and blue for boys wasn't uniform until the 1950's.
-------------
And who cares anyway?
We want both boys and girls to grow up to be good parents; dolls are a good way to do that, be they GIJoes, Barbies or whatever.
My daughter loved her Barbies - naked and playing in the mud whirlpool.
My son loved sari fabric - still does, his wife wears saris quite often.
Great link 7yyrt! I read a bit and saved it for later. Yes yes to everything you say, let them play with what they wish.
My son, soon to be 48 wore flannel nightgowns when he was a baby, pink, yellow, green or blue didn't matter. He also wore pink tops when he was a youngster. No one thought that was odd, it was just a piece of clothing. One of his favorite outfits when he was a little boy was from his Nana, a deep pink shirt with a bright blue scarf that had a gold clasp to keep it tied together.
He played dolls & doll house with his sister and my daughter would play cars & trucks and cowboy games with him. Both grew up perfectly fine, and between the two have given this lucky Grandma 8 wonderful grandchildren.
We have an annual Pink Shirt Day here. This year was the 3rd year. It started because a young boy wore a pink Tshirt to his new school & was bullied for doing so. The good that came of what happened is many other boys in the school all wore pink the next day in support of the new boy. Since that happened, Pink Shirt Day has become a day to rally against bullying in schools. Its quite amazing to see so many students, boys & girls and men & women all wearing pink in support of anti-bullying. We have a talk radio station and you'd be amazed at the grown men & women that have called in on pink shirt day to talk about how they had been bullied as a child over colours they wore, toys they played with or just how they looked. Many of them in tears recalling those days.
We adults need to let children be children and not be so wound up about gender confusion . If little boys like to play with dolls, or love Dora, (as my youngest grandson does) or the little Mermaid as in this case, then let them love them without worrying about what others might think.
They're little children, 4 yrs of age in this case. At the risk of being slammed. I believe the only way little children would think liking a doll if you're a boy, or cars & trucks if you're a girl is not normal, is the fault of the parents of those children teaching them it is not.
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quote]
Great link 7yyrt! I read a bit and saved it for later. Yes yes to everything you say, let them play with what they wish.
We have an annual Pink Shirt Day here. This year was the 3rd year. It started because a young boy wore a pink Tshirt to his new school & was bullied for doing so. The good that came of what happened is many other boys in the school all wore pink the next day in support of the new boy. Since that happened, Pink Shirt Day has become a day to rally against bullying in schools. Its quite amazing to see so many students, boys & girls and men & women all wearing pink in support of anti-bullying. We have a talk radio station and you'd be amazed at the grown men & women that have called in on pink shirt day to talk about how they had been bullied as a child over colours they wore, toys they played with or just how they looked. Many of them in tears recalling those days.
I believe the only way little children would think liking a doll if you're a boy, or cars & trucks if you're a girl is not normal, is the fault of the parents of those children teaching them it is not.[/quote]
This Pink Shirt Day is one amazing story! That really should be made into a tv movie or something - it is beautiful! Reminds me of the story of one smaller town where a Jewish family's home was targeted by vandals for displaying a Menorah in their window so nearly the entire town put Menorahs in their windows.
It has been demonstrated that in addition to teaching your children not to bully others and to stand up for themselves, children also need to be taught to step up and defend the more vulnerable from bullying. When they stick together and show they do not accept bullying it stops. Man, cannot get over that Pink Shirt Day - so cool!!!
My 4yr old daughter has a little boy in her class that likes to play dress up with the girls - he dons a princess ball gown and the all have a blast playing -I have never heard any of the kids tease him.
I look forward to seeing your cake!
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quote]
Great link 7yyrt! I read a bit and saved it for later. Yes yes to everything you say, let them play with what they wish.
We have an annual Pink Shirt Day here. This year was the 3rd year. It started because a young boy wore a pink Tshirt to his new school & was bullied for doing so. The good that came of what happened is many other boys in the school all wore pink the next day in support of the new boy. Since that happened, Pink Shirt Day has become a day to rally against bullying in schools. Its quite amazing to see so many students, boys & girls and men & women all wearing pink in support of anti-bullying. We have a talk radio station and you'd be amazed at the grown men & women that have called in on pink shirt day to talk about how they had been bullied as a child over colours they wore, toys they played with or just how they looked. Many of them in tears recalling those days.
I believe the only way little children would think liking a doll if you're a boy, or cars & trucks if you're a girl is not normal, is the fault of the parents of those children teaching them it is not.
This Pink Shirt Day is one amazing story! That really should be made into a tv movie or something - it is beautiful! Reminds me of the story of one smaller town where a Jewish family's home was targeted by vandals for displaying a Menorah in their window so nearly the entire town put Menorahs in their windows.
It has been demonstrated that in addition to teaching your children not to bully others and to stand up for themselves, children also need to be taught to step up and defend the more vulnerable from bullying. When they stick together and show they do not accept bullying it stops. Man, cannot get over that Pink Shirt Day - so cool!!![/quote]
Spuddysmom
Heres a photo link to supporters of pink shirt day.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wearpink/
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