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Original poster

DD is pink and princessy and cares about hair etc and is only 5

404 replies

NormaStanleyFletcher · 30/08/2011 21:04

So not like me.

I was brought up by progressive parents in the 70s, and got nothing but electronics kits for my birthdays - there was a cartoon I saw once with a little girl opening a chemistry kit and thinking "I would kill for a barbie" - that was me.

So I have not tried to sway in any particular direction. I am going to have to come up with a reasonable answer to "how do I become a princess?" "Mummy when are you going to be a princess?" Erm, never is the answer to both so far...

OP posts:
DirtyMartini · 30/08/2011 21:11

I think it happens to a LOT more little girls now than when we were young - the pink and princess culture is so prevalent, they cannot help but notice it and naturally they dabble in it.

It is a shame that it's so unavoidable, but my instinct is that little girls who are not naturally strongly drawn to that stuff - who just are sort of trying it out because it is EVERYWHERE and is superficially hard to resist - will probably tire of it in their own time, and come out the other side of the princess thing and be able to return to their own genuine likes and dislikes.

I am therefore braced for it to happen to DD at some stage (she is only 17 months, so not for a while) and am planning to make a huge effort to not overreact, not seem "bothered" by it or anything else that might make it into a red-flag issue and inadvertently cement her into a lifelong fan of Disney princess culture that she might otherwise naturally move on from.

MJHASLEFTTHEBUILDING · 30/08/2011 21:10

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LRDTheFeministDragon · 30/08/2011 21:10

Btw, you have to love that she's asking when will you become a princess, too.

Do you have the Princess Smartypants book? It's old now but still so good.

LRDTheFeministDragon · 30/08/2011 21:08

Hello - I should say, I have no kids, so feel free to snigger when I say something stupid.

Is she getting it from school and so on? I was the same sort of little girl wanting barbie, and I would probably likewise want not to sway mine one way or the other ... but with the Royal Wedding, I imagine she's seen and heard a shedload about 'princesses' recently and couldn't really miss it?