AIBU princess parties is this what we are inspiring our girls to be ?

[bottleitsellit]

Just been to a Princess birthday party, my first one. So a women acts as your princess of choice with the wig and outfit and runs the party games instead of the parents. I just feel so sad about how all the girls were gushing over it. I suppose I wasn't brought up with princesses as my mum was very much a tomboy and I have lots of older brothers. My girls have fairies, witches amongst their toys just as my DS has dragons, Harry Potter, but we have really haven't gone with princesses as it's a bit old fashioned, a knight on a horse saving you. Maybe it's just me, they will prob now want princess everything 😬

And if those qualities do get forgotten?

Then it's your job as a parent to not forget them later and foster the idea of them being important too.

My DD loves princesses. She's obsessed. She doesn't like unicorns or My Little Pony or Polly Pocket etc. She does like playing footie with her dad in the garden and her playmobil fire station. She has read every princess book going but is currently chuckling at You're A Bad Man, Mr Gum (as am I - hilarious). She sings along to musicals but doesn't know any songs on the radio. Kids are just going to like what they are interested in and it's our job to give them breadth of experience. I get what you're saying, the princess thing can be overpowering but it only lasts a while. Plus, some of the fairytales make for great conversations, if you want them to!

@SchrodingersImmigrant

If you want girls to stop liking princess stuff, start giving them the original princess stories.👀

I knew the original stories and I still liked princesses.

Actually I knew the original Beauty and the Beast story and the start of the movie totally fascinated me and that music still takes my breath away!

Besides I don't totally dislike the idea of "prince charming". It's better than what a lot of kids in England do today and just "shag" everyone...... The idea of love is not a bad one, imo. Not a prince that is going to rescue me, but someone to fight the evil side by side

@SchrodingersImmigrant

And if those qualities do get forgotten?

Then it's your job as a parent to not forget them later and foster the idea of them being important too.

And if parents don't do that (most won't)you end up with girls who place far too high a value on being pretty.

And if parents don't do that (most won't)you end up with girls who place far too high a value on being pretty.

Parenting fails have lots of consequences. The answer isn't to tell girls they can't play with dresses and sparkly things if they want to.

I wanted to be a princess. Was a fun idea when I was a child. It’s just a bit of fun. Ffs

@aSofaNearYou

You know I used to see it as negative, until I realised that actually these princess stories were 90% of the representation for girls in kids movies for a very long time. Are we supposed to judge girls for enjoying the only female lead movies they had to work with?

Interesting post, never thought about it this way… and even the female trains in Thomas the tank have pretty faces.

Of course not. But that was then and this is now. Things have changed. Gender stereotypes have gotten stricter at the same time that children are being taught that they can identify with the opposite sex.

Yes, I know children are being educated that they may identify as the opposite gender, How have gender stereotypes gotten stricter than 30 + years ago?

I don’t think it’s healthy to teach your kids that girls like X and boys like Y. Let them discover it for themselves

That was exactly my point kids should play with toys, not boys or girls toys, just toys. As I was given the freedom to do years ago, as was my brother.

Yes, I know children are being educated that they may identify as the opposite gender, How have gender stereotypes gotten stricter than 30 + years ago?

Sorry @rubbletrouble I misunderstood your post. I would say that the stereotyping of toys for example has gotten a lot worse. If you walk into any large toy store you’ll see a clear division, not just in the colours but in the types of toys and skills they foster.

Oh dear.
YABU. Get a grip

@Lessthanaballpark that is true and is inescapable. When DDs were younger I was looking for horse toys and the only thing available was unicorns!!

you walk into any large toy store you’ll see a clear division, not just in the colours but in the types of toys and skills they foster.

I have to disagree that this is worse than years ago, I think it was just as bad years ago, I don't think enough has changed to help stop the gender association with toys, but I don't think it's worse.

I think people are becoming a lot more educated on simply allowing kids to just be, we still have a long long way to go, but I think it's definitely changing slowly and that's a good thing,

Character hosts I can deal with, there are companies near me (or were, not sure how lockdown has gone for them) who would send a characters to parties to do the games/face painting/dance leading/hype control while parents got to do the cling film wrangling and coffee consumption. My son went to a party where Elsa did his face paint while Spider-Man was on the dance floor throwing moves with the crowd. It was quite cool to be fair, as it meant that the host parents could relax and enjoy themselves too.