Princess Pride

If your son plays with GI Joes, will be likely be a soldier?

If your daughter plays with baby dolls, will she only want to be a mom?

If you are a preacher, will your daughter become a stripper?

If you are a cop, will your child get in trouble with the law?

If your daughter plays with princesses, will she become obsessed with how she looks?

What prompted this post is an article about a person who wrote about wanting to take the focus off of telling a little girl how she looks all the time.  Instead, ask her what she is reading, thinking, etc…  (I of course agree with this)  It is important to HEAR from our children; to discuss.  I LOVE to hear everything my daughter is thinking and what she thinks will happen next in a book.  But, I also want her to know how beautiful she is on the inside and out.  If she hears it a gazillion times, I’m sure she will grow up believing it and never question it.  It will give her the confidence that I believe some little girls might be missing?  Most of these girls with eating disorders these days were probably never told how beautiful they are inside and out.  I will be sure that my daughters will know it!!!!!  I won’t just tell them they are beautiful when they are wearing a big dress though, they will also hear it when they are in their sweats ready for a rumble on the playground.  They will hear it when their hair is in knots but they smile that huge smile and tell me they love me.    

Princess Free Zone.

This article also lead to the discussion of the “princess free zone”on Facebook.  I’ve been thinking about it and I must say I’m not on board.  Not fully on board at least.  Look, my 2 girls are BASKED in the glow of princess light right now and I am 100% ok with it.  They aren’t just a one man show, however.  They also LOVE other things just the same.  My little 18 month old is learning her alphabet right now and doing remarkably well.  If she is wearing a crown on her head while doing it, fine by me.  My 3 ½ year old plays with all her dolls and animals every night and takes them into “Fairytale Land.”  She dreams up different adventures every night and uses different voices to represent different animals and princesses.  If she wants to live in “Fairytale Land” for a few hours every night before bed, I’m ok with it.  She is using her imagination like no other.  If she wants to put on a princess dress while she colors, more power to her.  Be you.  Do it.  I’m on board.  If she wants to wave a magical wand while baking with me, I’m ready to pretend to be a princess as well.  For me, trying to steer clear of something that gives my girls so much enjoyment is a no brainer.  Isn’t happening.  But, I also LOVE to talk about books and learning.  And the other night, when we were in “Fairytale Land,” we went to the library to wake up her sleeping ladybug.  Go girl!

If the right thing to do is live in the princess free zone, I’m doing it all wrong.  But, as mom my reminded me, when we were growing up, we didn’t have all of this instant parenting tips and advice.  Do it this way.  Don’t do it that way.  Your way is wrong.  This way is right.  Parent like this, not like that.  Blah, blah blah……

When we grew up, get this….our parents raised us the way they saw fit.  Can you believe it?  If we liked a Barbie doll, we got it for our birthday.   It was a doll.  We played with it.  End of story.  Yes, I’m sure some of our parents read parenting books and what not, but they trusted their instincts MORE, I’m sure of it.  And they didn’t question EVERYTHING!  I’m not saying don’t read articles, don’t question, and don’t try to make yourself a better parent.  I’m not saying that at all.  I question all the time.  I read articles.  I have opinions about them.  I think it is important to be educated.  I’m just saying, enhance your own parenting, and don’t change it or question it based on what someone else’s opinion may be. They are not necessarily right and you are not necessarily wrong. Vice versa.  I’m saying this for myself too as I started to question if it was ok for my daughters to love princesses (for a hot second).  I questioned and then I came to terms with it.  They love it, right now.  It’s fun for now.  Let’s do it.  I just don’t think there is anything wrong with it and I don’t think it will make my daughters obsessed with their looks or the fairytale.  If my daughter turns 10 wearing a big ball gown to school, then it is time to reassess.  Ha!  But for now, ROCK ON princesses!  Wear your ball gown with pride.  Know you are beautiful, know you are smart, and know you are everything in between.