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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that this should not be every little girl's dream?

134 replies

IForgotMyPencil · 02/08/2013 18:34

Just been watching the 6 o'clock news on the BBC, where Fiona Bruce claimed it was "every little girl's dream" to be able to write her occupation as "Princess". Following on from the Duchess of Cambridge entering "Princess of the UK" as her occupation when registering her son's birth. Am I being unreasonable to think that there are other things little girl's should aspire to be? And for that matter, the BBC should not be enforcing the stereotype that all little girls want to be princesses! Hmm

OP posts:
squoosh · 02/08/2013 20:07

Fiona Bruce does simper on as though it's 1953, although to get where she is she must be extremely career minded herself.

Capitola · 02/08/2013 20:07

Bit of a tangent, but you'd think they would get someone with decent handwriting to complete the form.

ConstantCraving · 02/08/2013 20:08

DD (3) wants to be a train or a chicken when she grows up Confused.

squoosh · 02/08/2013 20:10

It is a bit scruffy looking!

ImNotBloody14 · 02/08/2013 20:12

It really was SP! They should have them back on again like the retro fruit pastilles ad.

BoulevardOfBrokenSleep · 02/08/2013 20:24

DD wants to be a Rescue Princess this week.

But I'm thinking I can spin that into Zoological Researcher Into Endangered Species (Bling Optional).

IneedAyoniNickname · 02/08/2013 20:29

Ds2 (6) wants to marry Kate Middleton (on the basis she can ubmarry William) and therefore become King. He doesn't quite understand the line of ascension Grin

When I was 7 I was going to marry Prince William and be a princess. Now that I'm 28 I've out grown that because I've realised that Harry is the one

LynetteScavo · 02/08/2013 20:31

I never wanted to be a princess, it never even occurred to me. Who'd want to marry someone ugly like Prince Charles (which was they way to do it when I was a little girl).

I wanted to be a pop star, or a brain surgeon (I thought cutting up brains would be cool), but people kept telling me I'd have to work really hard to be a brain surgeon, so pop star sounded easier.

fuzzpig · 02/08/2013 20:35

YANBU. DD (6.1) really loves Disney (all of us do in this house TBH) and enjoys dressing up and all that but she has never said she actually wants to be a princess. In the past she has said artist, writer and dress designer (should really start saving for a sewing machine Hmm).

I did ask her again just now and was convinced she would say princess as we just watched Enchanted for the first time. But she just shrugged and said I don't know.

That said I think teenagers wanting to be a celebrity (famous for being famous, not specific careers like acting etc) is more harmful, if it leads to an attitude of "why bother working hard", than a brief childish fantasy of being a princess.

Alisvolatpropiis · 02/08/2013 20:39

Well, it's a dream I suppose.

Is they anything wrong with little girls of dreaming of being a princess? It would be fine if she was dreaming of becoming a doctor wouldn't it? When in reality neither are very likely for the majority.

Alisvolatpropiis · 02/08/2013 20:39

*there

HollyBerryBush · 02/08/2013 20:44

Yes Kate is a Princess, she takes her husbands rank, and is an HRH also. She chooses not to use it in the same way Camilla choses not to be known as Princess of Wales for obvious reasons.

ChippingInHopHopHop · 02/08/2013 20:46

Don't we have a feminism board precisely for this kind of stuff??

squoosh · 02/08/2013 20:49

What's your point Chipping? Hmm

Where is the list of Permitted Topics for AIBU?

Tee2072 · 02/08/2013 20:54

But she doesn't use it, Holly, so why would she put it on the birth certificate?

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 02/08/2013 20:54

That is a bit meh isn't it? I dont think I ever wanted to be a princess. The thought never crossed my mind. I remember wanting to be a nurse just so I could stick needles in people (I was a horrible child) and a spy but not a princess.

DD has gone from wanting to be a "policeman lady what does ballet" when she was 3 to wanting to be a vet who is also an author and illustrator now aged nearly 6. She likes to dress as a princess but doesnt seem to want to be one when she grows up. possibly because it would involve marrying a boy and boys are "yucky".

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 02/08/2013 20:56

"That said I think teenagers wanting to be a celebrity (famous for being famous, not specific careers like acting etc) is more harmful, if it leads to an attitude of "why bother working hard", than a brief childish fantasy of being a princess."

yes to this ^^^

MammaTJ · 02/08/2013 20:57

DD1s dream job when she was little was to be a formula 1 racing driver.

DD2 does indeed want to be a princess, as does DS! Grin

holidaybug · 02/08/2013 21:00

I'd still love to be a princess

Growlithe · 02/08/2013 21:01

Oh let little girls enjoy fairy stories whilst they can. I'd like DD(5) to grow up and do something amazing, but I don't mind just now her life being filled with silly girly pink stuff.

I've got DD(9) to remind me they grow up and out of this stuff soon enough. She told us when the baby was born that it was really unfair that be gets to be king because he's just a baby and we don't know if he is any good yet. She wants to know why the king/queen can't get voted in. When she was 5 she wanted to be a princess too. See, their brains don't turn to mush because they like to wear plastic tiaras when they are little.

ElphabaTheGreen · 02/08/2013 21:03

She didn't, Tee. Someone else decided what would be entered there, presumably the one/s who knows best when it comes to the archaic pointless protocol of these things.

FairPhyllis · 02/08/2013 21:09

Those particular boxes on the birth certificate used to say 'Father/mother's rank or profession'. So they have filled it out correctly because their ranks are respectively Prince of the United Kingdom and Princess of the United Kingdom. If for example you were a peer you could write your rank in there.

She is a princess of the United Kingdom by marriage and is therefore Princess William of Wales rather than Princess Catherine. But because William is a royal peer (a duke) he uses his peerage title because being a peer is higher than being a commoner (albeit he was a royal commoner - and yes that's a real thing), which is what he was before. And she follows his lead.

Wannabestepfordwife · 02/08/2013 21:12

I wanted to be a gangsters moll or Pamela Anderson I used to run round in my swimming costume with my mums bra stuffed with socks underneath so I would be relieved if dd wants to be a princess.

babybythesea · 02/08/2013 22:02

Well, my four year old did indeed say she wanted to be a princess.
Along with three other things: a mermaid, a detective and a cockatoo.

At least 'princess' takes the list of achievable careers (at least in theory) to 50% of her total!

Didactylos · 02/08/2013 22:57

I wanted to be a viking
then when realised that wasnt an option, an archaeologist
then an assassin or a Ninja

I sadly have achieved only one of these life goals