<p>I don’t think the price range of the AG dolls is outrageous given the type of relationship your D has with the family.</p>
<p>I collected Madame Alexander dolls as a little girl, but I don’t ever remember really playing with them … they were more decoration. My D, however, did play with her AG dolls.</p>
<p>What about the idea of 2 dolls … one black, one white … symbolizing the friendships that your D has made with this family?</p>
<p>The American Girl dolls are expensive, but they are beautiful, high-quality toys. They were by far my daughter’s most cherished possessions from the age of about 4 to about 11, and well worth the price given how much she played with them. She eventually had Samantha, Kaya, Addy, and Josefina.</p>
<p>American Girl has, or at least used to have, an option called “American Girl of Today” where you can pick hair, skin color, eye color, etc. There were a number of different shades of “black” doll.</p>
<p>My kids each had one american girl doll- they were very expensive and it was a sacrifice for Santa.
At one point when they were growing up and we were living on odd jobs, their grandparents gave them a teddy ruxpin toy, which also was very expensive- we took it back to the store and bought groceries, we were able to buy enough for a couple weeks worth.
Depending on the community in which your daughter is living, I don’t think a toy of that expense is appropriate, no matter the relationship with the family.
I realize that families who spend quite a bit on toys for their children, may not think it is a big deal, but for families who don’t have funds to send their kids to school- it would seem hugely extravagant.</p>
<p>I read that this is for a middle class family in Kenya- then the expense may not be disparate, but I agree that the skin colors that we consider " black" in US are not what is considered " black" in the Southern hemisphere.</p>
<p>when my daughter and her classmates went to a village in Ghana, they ( the village) was surprised that some of the kids were considered " black" because to them they looked " white".</p>
<p>Thanks, you’ve given me a lot to think about - including larger thoughts about skin color, culture, race and history… very interesting. </p>
<p>As to the dolls, thanks for the heads up on minature American Girl dolls. A Native American doll is a fabulous idea, especially since it resonates strongly with Colorado, where we live. Plus, the book with it will be a good addition - and it fits with my idea of a gift for the host mom, Indian-made silver/turquoise earings and bracelet. </p>
<p>I KNEW I could count on CC parents for advice.</p>
<p>sounds like you have a plan :)</p>