I'm sort of dreading the day my toddler asks for a Barbie or a Bratz Doll and I've been turning a blind eye to all the models and accessories at the toy store because I just CAN'T DEAL (and those dolls won't be allowed in my house, sorry), but I had to chuckle (and shudder) at this Liptunes MP3 player . For those of you who aren't familar with the dolls, they are these collagen-injected, cat-eyed, body-disportionate, fashion-loving (but skimpy to downright slutty) dolls that make Barbie look rather wholesome.

For $80 this MP3 player isn't going to be very good and I've read reviews that back that up, but I guess I'm just wondering how I'll handle a situation if and when my kid will ask for something like this lipstick-shaped MP3 player. The Bratz franchise produces loads of electronic products, including digital cameras, portable DVD players, phones and TVs, and are targeted to the Tween market that seems to get younger and younger every year. Sure, it's just an electronic toy and you make decisions so that purchases are age-appropriate, but the Bratz line is marketed to girls as young as 5-6. I know times have changed, but I just think back to when I was that age and played with wooden figures with no arms and plastic helmut hair and was obsessed with my rollerskates. Makeup at that point just didn't interest me, so all this marketing of Britney Spears and JLo influences trickling down to the pre-K set just makes me...sad.