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Original poster

Frozen

110 replies

suddenlycupishalffull · 20/01/2015 19:45

I may get flamed for this but here goes...I'm struggling a bit with the whole Frozen obsession for girls as young as 3. Generally, I am really uncomfortable with Disney's portrayal feminine beauty and I worry about pre-schoolers being influenced by this. I don't think girls as young as 3 need love stories (whatever happened to Sesame Street?!), and cynically what I see driving this Frozen industry is a huge effort to turn our daughters into consumers of Disney products (Frozen hair clips, party bags, dresses, the list go on). I guess I'm uncomfortable on two fronts: I don't like what the Disney princess industry does to the self-esteem of very young children (boys as well as girls) and I don't think children as young as 3 should be drawn into this. Am I the only one? Anyone else with me?!

OP posts:
Madeyemoodysmum · 20/01/2015 22:37

Agree frozen has been very popular but then so was Disney cars, toy story
And for older girls its 1D everything.

All we can do is say no or maybe for birthday as a special reward to something if children badger us

However today I bought my son a pair of Olaf PJs Why?

  1. Cos I thought they were cute
  2. He loves Olaf
  3. I never get to buy him cute Disney stuff as they never do it fr boys usually. (He was never in to cars\toy story that much)

So I was sucked in too

However he ask for a Olaf toy and I told him no.
Maybe he can get one on holiday with his spending money.

We are sucked in as the marketing is very clever. We don't want our kids to be out of the crowd Isuppose .

For myself I often buy second hand and am not at all into getting the latest tech or cars
But fr my kids I do buy a small selection of stuff that's in or current.

I guess I do it as I can afford to but if I couldn't I'd have no issue saying no and mine only get toys on birthdays or Christmas

Its a tricky one!

Greywackejones · 20/01/2015 22:38

It's been out since November 2013. This is all a bit done now isn't it, these angsty threads on frozen.

For me it's a film. Not Dostoyevsky.

thewavesofthesea · 20/01/2015 22:39

I love Frozen. I love Anna; and love the fact she doesn't marry the man she first meets (like every other Disney film)

One thing I find really sad though is that although my son loved it when it was first real eased, he now pretends not to like it as 'it is for girls' Sad

AlanBstardMP · 20/01/2015 22:40

Yeah Anna doesn't marry the first guy she meets, she just snogs the second one. Grin

I think she can do better than the beastiality prince-substitute.

fromparistoberlin73 · 20/01/2015 22:45

alan

you dont like christophe??? why ????

I and my two sons really like frozen, as well as lego movie and well as toy story

having sons = no gender princess angst!

MiaowTheCat · 20/01/2015 22:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Minus2seventy3 · 20/01/2015 22:47

To me, Fixer Upper isn't about changing people, it's about accepting flaws and seeing the person within.
I'm a 41yo bloke and I love Frozen as much as my 8yo daughter does - watched the film twice on a flight back from Tokyo earlier this year when I'd been away from her for a fortnight, in anticipation of watching it again with tyke on blu-ray when I got back home. But then, I'm a soppy git.
Don't see any evil in the merchandise - don't like it, don't buy it - free choice and all that.

AlanBstardMP · 20/01/2015 22:50

I didnt say I didnt like him, just that she can do better. He's very meh. His bizarre relationship with Sven and one-sided conversations where he does Sven's voice (wtf is that about) suggests that he could do with seeking out Arendell's best psychologist. Wink

Original poster
suddenlycupishalffull · 20/01/2015 22:51

You're spot on Grey, it's not Dostoyevsky, but that doesn't mean it's not important Grin

Madeye I feel that, like every parent I want my child to be themselves but they also need to fit in, you don't want them to stand out to a certain extent, esp at school. That's why I feel so out of step with other parents.

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Madeyemoodysmum · 20/01/2015 22:53

I like kristoff. He reminds me of Steve backshall. What's not to like!
Cartoon crush!

Madeyemoodysmum · 20/01/2015 22:56

I get that!

I try to live by the rule that ask once=no
Ask 3 months later=. Maybe or yes if its near a birthday
Ask 6mths to a year later. = yes

curiousgeorgie · 20/01/2015 22:57

Disney hate is so boring.

Would people be so pissed off if Frozen had been made by Dreamworks?

Readaholic · 20/01/2015 22:58

I'm 30 and love frozen, actually still love all the princess films! They have given me a false hopes of what to expect out of love and Life Wink

But then again Mr Darcy did the same thing when he emerged from that lake wet. Phwaor

Original poster
suddenlycupishalffull · 20/01/2015 23:02

Curiousgeorgie do you think Dreamworks don't gender stereotype either? Hmm

Readaholic I'm with you there re Darcy Wink

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curiousgeorgie · 20/01/2015 23:04

That's kind of my point.

Pointing out that it's Disney or that you hate Disney is irrelevant. And boring. And overdone.

Original poster
suddenlycupishalffull · 20/01/2015 23:09

Overdone? Surely it's more important than ever to discuss what is influencing our children, what's shaping their little worlds? Whatever you think of Disney, surely it's important to have the debate and the discussions? Or should we just blindly accept Disney and it's influence? Not question and not debate?

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duplodon · 20/01/2015 23:13

No Alan... That's not what they're saying. They're saying love brings out the best in people, which it does in all honesty... And that no one is perfect anyway, also true.

curiousgeorgie · 20/01/2015 23:18

So if you don't 'accept Disney' do you really think your opinion is going to make a difference?

Surely there are worst things to worry about in the world.

Seriously. Frozen. Hmm

Juno321 · 20/01/2015 23:22

The fixer upper song is basically saying no one is perfect and we all have our flaws.

People read far too much into things these days, there always has to be something wrong with everything, and everything has to have negative slant on it! There are much worse things a child can be exposed to than Disney films. I'd much rather my DD be watching frozen than obsessing over One Direction. They're hardly role models either!

AlanBstardMP · 20/01/2015 23:24

Sorry Duplodon but thats not what i'm seeing. Overuse of the word 'fix' including 'you can fix this fixer-upper up with a little bit of love' says to me that if you love someone enough you can 'fix' them.

And its a shit song.

Juno321 · 20/01/2015 23:26

I wouldn't read too much into song lyrics anyway. Very few young children will!!

Original poster
suddenlycupishalffull · 20/01/2015 23:27

Yes Curious I do, my opinion counts and so does yours...Where would women be if we thought the opinion of the individual had little impact? (Votes for Women?! No More Page 3?!)

Yes of course there are worse things going on in the world, but we're not discussing that, we're discussing popular culture, and popular culture does matter, it influences everyone, and I think what influences 3 year olds is important. I don't understand why you would try to close debate down with the odd accusation that discussion is boring? Hmm

OP posts:
AlanBstardMP · 20/01/2015 23:29

So? I find it interesting, as do lots of other people who read song lyrics. Lyrics can be very powerful, to kids as well as adults.

duplodon · 21/01/2015 01:02

Well, I like it. It's all pretty subjective, no? We all put our own spin and biases on things. Mine is pretty much the opposite to yours, which is interesting but not unusual when it comes to something like lyrics. Don't get me wrong, it isn't on my iTunes playlist but I think it's humorous and fun and I really like the lyrics about making bad choices.

No one gets so angsty about how Spider-Man is pushed at kids from just about every available angle from the age of about two, as is Batman. There's just as much hyper commercialism of Marvel as there is of Disney, yet it's perceived as far cooler when in reality, it's hardly ideal to have two year olds battling either.

Mia1415 · 21/01/2015 03:05

Anyone who hates anything disney is completely unreasonable in my opinion. What's not to like? :-)