So tonight I(18M) found out that the American girl doll that I have had since i was about 8 was stolen by my slightly younger cousin a few years ago and the way i found this out was bc he gave her to my baby sister (3F).
I missed the doll (Blair) for many years and I had tried to look for her before but when I couldn’t find her i assumed my granny had thrown her out or put her away somewhere. Now that she’s back my little sister has been dragging her and throwing her by the hair and it really upset me to the point of tears.
I picked her up after she had thrown her down and left her there for a while and began finger combing her curls back out. when my little sister noticed she ripped her out of my hands by a small piece of her hair pulling some of it out. And I tried telling her how important the doll was to me and how I really wanted her back and i promised i would share her when she got a bit older and could be gentle with her but that she ment a lot to me. And at that point my mom stepped in telling me to just let her have the doll bc she didn’t know it was mine when she gave it to her.
So I just left, I went outside and I sat in my car to calm down but when I went back in they were both asleep and I took Blair and I feel kind of guilty but I’m scared of her getting more messed up and idk what to do.
I would keep her hidden. A three year-old is too young for an American girl doll anyway, they are quality dolls. It should be handled with care. If you take care of it, you may want to pass it down to your own child someday.
They’re also heavy and not soft. OP, why don’t you get your sis a soft, colorful, fun-looking doll to play with in the meantime? NTA
I definitely will! I think I also want to find one that looks more like her since she doesn’t have any that resemble her yet. Thank you!
NAH. Buy two less meaningful ones from Target and play dolls with your little sister. That’s what’ll make it meaningful to her.
Exactly this. 3 is way too young for such an expensive doll.
I definitely like this idea especially bc her birthday is coming up soon and I think it’d be really cool to get her a doll that looks like her with a bunch of accessories that she could enjoy until she’s ready for a more expensive doll. Thank you!
Give her doll now and accessories for bday (so you can protect Blair). Maybe send Blair to doll hospital and do a tada with brand new doll 🤣
NTA. That doll is worth $100, a 3-year-old is likely not ready to care for it. I would be really upset if my kids treated my American Girl dolls badly, which is why they’re still living at grandma’s house until my kids get older.
NTA and also: American Girl dolls are rated for ages 8 and up due to small parts that could be choking hazards. Beyond the sentimental meaning for you (which is 100% valid, by the way) it’s not an appropriate toy for her to play with at her age.
Put it away and offer it to her when she’s older if you want to. She’ll have forgotten about it by tomorrow.
NTA. I’d flip if this was my American Girl doll. I’m older than you and I still keep mine off limits.
I love the suggestion of buying her another doll, perhaps one that is age appropriate for a toddler. Good luck!
I was about your baby sisters age when I out of malice (for reasons I don’t remember) destroyed my older sisters American girl doll just cause I was mad and it was the only thing of hers I could get my hands on. I did a hair cut, colored her in with green sharpie, and smeared lip balm in the hair and fabric part of the body. Children that age CANNOT handle dolls as nice as American girl dolls. Not to mention it’s fucked yo they took away your doll and have been passing it along without telling you. NTA
NTA but the idea to replace it is a wonderful one, especially since you mentioned her birthday coming up soon. Maybe you could replace the doll itself relatively quickly and then gift her accessories, another one to go with the first, etc as her birthday gift? Just as a way to ensure no one is upset about a missing doll.
At the end of the day, I completely understand the nostalgia behind a childhood toy/plush/doll and you have every right to keep it and protect it. ❤️ Best of luck!
NTA. Your mom should have backed you up when you were explaining to your sister that it was rightfully yours. She’s 3. She’ll forget about it in 5 minutes. Replace it with a toy more suitable for a 3 year old
NTA the original owner gets stolen items back even when the thief gives them away. That’s the danger in buying something that might be stolen. Or getting it gifted to you.
However, a 3 year old isn’t going to understand this and is simply going to be upset that their toy was taken away.
I propose that you take the doll back, but buy your sister a new toy as a replacement. The excitement of a new toy (and maybe some ice cream 😉) should help mitigate the sadness from having the doll taken away. Plus the new toy doesn’t need to be as expensive as the AG doll (which is 8+ by the way so it’s not safe for her to play with anyway). Perhaps you can guilt trip the cousin responsible for this issue to join in.
Plus I’ve heard teaching a toddler the art of the trade can be very useful for dealing with temper tantrums and such.
If the doll is damaged in any noticeable way, AG does offer restoration, but you can find enough doll customizing tutorials online to diy if you’re comfortable with your crafting skills.