Meet Gwen

This is Gwen.

She is one of the newest additions to the American Girl family.

Gwen looks much like her AG friends Chrissa, Kit, Molly, Julie, just to name a few.

But there's just this one thing: Gwen is homeless.

Gwen doesn't come with her own book and story, because she is only a friend of Chrissa. But in Chrissa's story book, Gwen is described as a poor, homeless girl who lives in a car with her mom.

Apparently, Gwen was introduced into the AG community and to impressionable, little girls all over the world in light of the economy's drastic downturn. Her story is intended to educate and raise awareness among preteen girls whose parents purchase the $95 doll.

Each AG doll has a different life story, and many are great. In fact, my 8-Year-Old-Teenager has her very own Julie doll (a hippie chick whose story is one of a divorced family) who she loves and treats as if she's human. Julie is theoretically great for her because she has also experienced the going-ons of a divorce.

But the 8YOT didn't choose Julie because they shared a common life-denominator. She chose her because she liked her outfit and her hair - and more likely, because her friend had Julie.

A homeless doll, though. Children, because this is who we're dealing with here, do NOT need to know about the failing economy or the possibility of their families losing everything and all they have. Especially in these uncertain times, children do not need to worry about the welfare of their selves or their families - that's mom and dad's job.

Growing up, my family was certainly not wealthy. We lived in a trailer until I was in third grade, and there were many times I didn't get what I wanted because we couldn't afford it. Regardless, I ALWAYS had everything I needed and SO much more.

But the thing is - I never thought I was any different from the super rich kids, at least not until Jr. High or High School. As an elementary kid, I didn't worry about whether I'd have dinner or winter clothes. I wasn't concerned about the utility bills being paid or having enough laundry detergent to wash clothes. If my family ever struggled, my parents did a fantastic job of hiding it.

And that's the way it should be.

We are stripping children of innocence by making them grow up way too soon! Children don't need to be concerned that their family may one day be homeless! They need to be concerned about who will come to their slumber party, or how prepared they are for their Friday spelling test.

Children's imaginations are vivid and wild. If they are in the least concerned about losing everything and living on the streets, it immediately becomes an extravagant, inevitable nightmare. What kind of childhood is that?

I think the Gwen doll is precious and just as adorable as her predecessors. But I think her story of homelessness and automobile housing is one step too far for preteens.

Don't make these little girls grow up before they even hit puberty. Time will pass quickly enough.