Should I buy my son a Barbie doll if he wants one?

That's easy: buy him the Barbie!

Let's cut to the chase here. There's a common misconception that letting boys play with dolls or girls play with trucks will somehow turn them into homosexuals when they're adults. That's nonsense. It's an old wives' tale. There's absolutely no evidence to support it.

The difference between a doll and an action figure is marketing, not substance. They're both dolls, which means that they're important tools for allowing children to explore who they are, the nature of social relationships, and what types of people they might turn into. These are some of the critical tasks of early childhood. If your child is drawn to superhero dolls, buy those. If he likes stuffed animals, go for that. And if he likes Barbie, that's fine too. If you're still uncomfortable with Barbie, get him one of the occupation-oriented ones instead of the frilly princess ones.

Also, don't be surprised if your son sometimes wants to be "the mommy" when he plays house with his friends. That's completely normal — after all, it's the nurturing and powerful family role he's seen the most. The only time I'd worry is if he always insists on playing the dog. (Just kidding.)

On a personal note, my wife (who is the sexiest and most beautiful woman I know) tells me that when she was 5 years old she became very upset when her parents bought her a popular doll for Christmas. She insisted that her parents return it and get her some toy cars and trucks instead.