Explaining mannequins

[abiyhayil]

My DS found the mannequins at the mall intriguing, but after five minutes of explaining what mannequins are for and no they don't need heads, they're like big dolls to dress up, I was ready to be done with the conversation! Anyone BTDT?

[NellieKatz]

My little guy was so sensitive (still is). When he was little he saw a mannequin with no head and started to cry.  :-)  He had been out shopping with DH and I think there was some talk of the mannequin being like Mama, and then the no-head thing just set him off. Yikes. Doesn't take much.

We've not had much conversation about them after that, though. Except for when he laughs at them from time to time (he's 8 y.o. now), like the other day we saw some not with NO heads, but with HALF heads. The heads only went halfway up and then stopped, as though they had been sawed off at the ears. Very odd indeed.

[Smokering]

Heh. DD (who's 3) and I saw a seated mannequin (with a head), wearing a suit, in a menswear shop the other day. She went up it, touched its hand and said very matter-of-factly "Is he dead? Did someone kill him?"

Personally I think mannequins are creepy, especially the old-school ones with proper faces and eyelashes. They veer a bit too close to my phobia of taxidermy. I prefer the more stylised ones, either headless or with Oscar-like faces... or proper dress forms, which are used to display the clothes at some cute boutiquey clothes shops here.

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by Smokering 

Personally I think mannequins are creepy, especially the old-school ones with proper faces and eyelashes. They veer a bit too close to my phobia of taxidermy. I

My DD gets totally freaked out by the ones that move and talk (at places like history museums, not malls). Really cannot cope with them. She's on the autism spectrum, and I can't help but think it's somehow related.

I think headless dolls are creepy. When my DDs were in a Barbie stage, it really bothered me for the Barbies to by laying around with no heads. I can see why a someone else would be creeeped out by adult size headless dolls hanging out in new clothes at the mall. It's weird!

[funkymamajoy]

My kids aren't bothered by store mannequins. I don't think they've ever even asked about them. Now, DS#1 was a little concerned about the walking ones that attack people in Dr. Who.

[Smokering]

My DD gets totally freaked out by the ones that move and talk (at places like history museums, not malls). Really cannot cope with them. She's on the autism spectrum, and I can't help but think it's somehow related.

Ooh, I forgot about those! Yes! I've never seen a really good animatron, like the ones at Disneyland, but there's a really lame theme park in NZ with these shabby-looking, creaky ones in an underground mining-themed ride... SO creepy. Hate them. I'm a bit Aspie meself, but I suspect it's just the Uncanny Valley effect at work. The bad part is, I really want to go to Disneyland some day... but I'm not sure how well I'll do with rides like Pirates of the Caribbean. Knowing me, I'll probably save up for years and spend my trip of a lifetime in gibbering terror. :p

[abiyhayil]

I'm glad DS isn't the only one weirded out  by these things, maybe we can get close to one next time so he can touch it and figure it out.

[LynnS6]

Both my kids were weirded out by mannequins.

If your child is weirded out by mannequins -- beware skeletons around Halloween. Dd had an extreme fear of those because they had a human shape, but not features.

[Mummoth]

Originally Posted by abiyhayil 

I'm glad DS isn't the only one weirded out  by these things, maybe we can get close to one next time so he can touch it and figure it out.

Noooooo!! Well, it's up to you but... my kids are so UN-freaked out by mannequins and statues that their first instinct is to pretend to pick their noses or spank them.

[abiyhayil]

Originally Posted by Mummoth 

Noooooo!! Well, it's up to you but... my kids are so UN-freaked out by mannequins and statues that their first instinct is to pretend to pick their noses or spank them.

  Today I was putting his shirt on and he said "Mommy. why doesn't this one have a head?" pointing to himself.  When daddy  got home we went through the 6 of us and why we had heads because they were a real boy, a real girl, a real dog ...