"A DOLL LIKE ME", THE PROJECT THAT SEEKS THAT ALL CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF THEIR PHYSIQUE, IDENTIFY WITH THEIR DOLLS

Dolls are very influential toys in children, since they are often reflected in them or find similarities with the people around them. However, we have already seen on some occasion how the industry is not too realistic when it comes to making dolls, and there are still many stereotypes to tear down.

That's why we loved the "A Doll Like Me" initiative launched by Amy Jandrisevits, a woman from Wisconsin who is looking for all children are reflected in their wrists, regardless of their peculiarities and their physical or medical characteristics.

"Your uniqueness makes you beautiful"

Amy became especially aware of the influence of dolls on children while working as a therapist in a pediatric oncology unit. There he realized two aspects related to the game that contributed to improve the emotional well-being of admitted children.

On the one hand, the need for children to have an object of attachment to hug and feel safe. And on the other hand, the importance of having a doll that resembled them, especially in those moments of extreme vulnerability caused by the important physical changes they were living.

In Babies and moreThe dolls with vitiligo that show children beauty in any skin type

And in this sense he perceived that the perfect long-haired dolls were negatively affecting the children he worked with, so he decided to start making his own dolls.

Because why shouldnt she grow up and see herself in the sweet face of a doll # luckyfinsrock #adolllikeme #limbdifferenceawareness #stronggirls #customdoll #representationmatters #changethenarrative #gofundme

I dont know what I love the most about this picture… the way shes looking at her doll the baby wearing #customdoll #representationmatters #perfectjustthewayyouare #chinese #albino #albinism #babywearing #beauty #adoptionrocks

I talk a lot about changing the narrative - changing WHO we see and HOW we see them. This little guy ... he has my heart. Keagan's doll, "Chip", goes pretty much everywhere with him and his mom talks a lot about all of the comments that they receive when they are in public. Recently the conversation has switched from - "What's wrong with him" and "Why does he look like that" to "I've seen him and his doll on the news" and "Oh how cute" Isn't that a completely different narrative - for both Keagan AND his mom Imagine how the former can weigh on someone. His mom said that having him with his doll gave her the courage to put him (and Chip) in a tank top for the first time in his life. THAT is what I'm talking about when I say that we HAVE to change the narrative. We have to change WHO we see and HOW we see them and how we decide to talk about them… because ultimately don't we all want the same things for our kids Let's face it… the kids who have my dolls are pretty incredible and their cuteness factor is off the charts Journalists and media have a profound ability to change the literal narrative and it makes a huge difference. That's why I said in another post that if you like seeing the stories, tell them The more we see and the more we talk, the more the narrative will change. Ask Keagan and his mom. #nevus #nevuslove #boysneeddollstoo #representationmatters #changethenarrative #changingthefaceofbeauty #kindness #womeninbusiness @gofundme @lyndsey_livingston_photography

From the dolls for children with cancer, he started to make dolls with amputated legs, albino dolls, with spots on the skin, with glasses, scars ... or with any other physical or medical condition that the clients were commissioning.

As she explains, she wants all children, regardless of sex, ethnicity, age, medical problem or body type, to have a doll that looks like them.

And that's how four years ago "A Doll Like Me" was born, a project with which Amy has already manufactured 300 rag dolls, helping children from different parts of the world to accept their physical peculiarities and feel proud of being as they are.

But the list of orders will continue to grow, as Amy, who until then works from home, has partnered with a children's hospital with the goal of psychologically helping children admitted through therapy with personalized dolls.

Hold onto your hearts… This is the famous baby then and now. I have been bugging her for a reenactment for a long time. I can't stand the cuteness. #limbdifferenceawareness #boysneeddollstoo #representationmatters #gofundme #changethenarrative #gerberbaby #hesperfect #theoneandonly #cute

#tinywarrior #amputee #adoption #adoptionrocks #prosthetics #customdoll

#dontneedtwo #amputee #burnsurvivor #adoptionislove #luckyfin #representationmatters #customdoll #filipinabeauty

There is a problem that Amy seeks to solve as soon as possible, and it is the high economic cost of dolls, which prevents all children from having one. And it is that the time invested in personalizing every detail, added to the quality of the materials and the shipping costs, makes the product significantly more expensive.

That is why women have launched a campaign in GoFundMe to raise funds to help them continue to fulfill children's wishes by manufacturing custom dolls:

"The funds raised will be used to pay for the materials and shipping costs of the dolls for those who cannot afford it. The remaining funds will be used to convert" A Doll Like Me "into an official non-profit organization"

Real dolls looking to help

It is not the first time that we echo this type of initiatives thanks to which all children can feel identified when playing. We have seen dolls with Down syndrome, with scars and hearing aids, with real measures ... and recently we echoed the new incorporation of Mattel: a Barbie with a wheelchair and another with a prosthetic leg.

And is that when children have a visible difference, whether physical or mental, having a doll that helps them accept and love their differences, can be of great help to feel more confident and confident.