When I was a kid, I can remember my male playmates being scolded for playing with dolls. I'd like to say that we've come a long way from those days, but I recently overheard a father at the park telling his son to put his sister's doll down "right now!"

The truth of the matter is, dolls are perfectly acceptable for boys and not only that -- they can teach your boys empathy and help them work through experiences like the birth of a sibling.

If you're a bit hesitant about letting your son play with a doll, learn more about the positive aspects of this type of role playing with this video.