Dream Disney

12 Responses to “I have lost the princess war-so, what’s redeeming about the Disney Princesses?”

1. 

   jess
   

   21. Jan, 2010

   They’re stories about love conquering all. Girls who are strong and in the end get what they want. Sure their qualities might stop at being pretty singing and the ability to talk to animals but hey what can you do? Beauty and the Beast is a good one about not judging a book by its cover, and beauty being skin deep. They’re harmless really, and fun to watch. I watched them all when I was younger and I turned out okay. Watch them with her, and reassure her that shes beautiful and a princess in your eyes always.
2. 

   Dalice Nelson
   

   21. Jan, 2010

   I lost it, too. Comfort yourself with these nuggets:

   Mulan-well, Mulan rules! She kicks the men’s butts, doesn’t throw herself at Shang 9though he’s a hardcore hottie) and she is brainy, too.

   Belle-LOVES to read! Resists town stud. Belle’s okay with me.

   Ariel-this one’s harder. I mena, what’s she doing falling in love SO quickly? And she’s only 16? However, she has some spunkiness, her curiousity about the world above water shows a thirst for knowledge, and she does rebel against her father. But in the end, the men end of saving her. Sigh.

   Jasmine-She doesn’t fall for the cute bad boy right away-sees through him. She salso see through the smarmy Jafar and saves her dad.

   Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beaty- well…hm…they are all kind-and good with animals. Oh, who am I kidding-these are so outdated.

   Good luck-remember-it’s just a phase.
3. 

   violet h
   

   21. Jan, 2010

   excuse me, what.
4. 

   kristen_who
   

   21. Jan, 2010

   I have been on the same boat as you before. In the past, I only let my daughter watch educational and religious videos, and a select few disney movies.

   However, with the new wave of Disney Princess products, it is hard to continue my trend with her. I have not really found anything in the videos that I object to. I think some of them teach core values relating to respect, self-esteem, and love. Personally, I allow my daughter (4 years old) to watch them occasionally. But, prefer her to watch something with more educational value.

   I value your stance on this issue and wish you luck!
5. 

   CF_
   

   21. Jan, 2010

   watching the shows is ok as long as you dont encourage your kid to “be” a princess… I am disgusted with parents who buy their kids shirts that say “PRINCESS” on them or encourage that kind of behavior – thinking its cute.. but beleive me one day it will not be so cute when your 5yr old grows into a 15 yr old princess all snotty and stuff… (I know a few and they are nasty trouble)
6. 

   colley411
   

   21. Jan, 2010

   That’s so funny, we have been waging war with those princesses too =) I don’t know how they mind control my 2yr old daughter so well. There is nothing Disney Princess in our house, she has no sisters (just brothers), she doesn’t watch the movies, etc. But somehow we go to the store and she sees anything DP and wants it like air to breathe! We decided to give in for the simple fact that she enjoys them. I will NEVER allow her to play with Barbies because they give off a message of physical perfection. At least the princesses are kind on the inside as well. Plus DP breasts don’t poke you in the face like Barbie’s so I think the emphasis on sexuality is considerably less.

   BTW my girl is inlove with Tinkerbell and Little Mermaid (can Little Mermaid stuff look anymore tacky though??!?!)
7. 

   BraxOwl
   

   21. Jan, 2010

   My daughter loves everything Princess, especially Cinderella. I have never had a problem with it, because she is our “princess” and we have always taught her that beauty is only skin deep, etc.

   I have found that if you really watch any of the Disney movies, there are underlying messages about kindness conquering all-good always overcomes evil, etc.

   On a visit to Disney World two years ago, there was a special Cinderella show. My daughter was AMAZED. And I loved the fact that one of the messages in the show was about how being a princess was about more than the dress you wear.

   If you focus on the Disney Princesses being all about the glitz and glamour, etc. then that is what your daughter will see it as. But if you focus on the kindness and internal beauty, that is what your daughter will see it as. As always, they tend to follow our lead-so lead them in the direction they should go. Talk with her about it.

   Cinderella is by far my favorite, because it is my daughter’s favorite. Cinderella remains happy even when things are hard, she sees the beauty in all.

   I also love Mulan. Mulan is a character based on true Chinese heroine, and perhaps because we intend to adopt from China in the near future is part of why I like that story so much. I think Disney managed to stick to the reality much more closely in the story of Mulan than they did in the story of Pocahontas (also based on a true character).

   Pick your battles-that is an important part of parenting. Let her have the princesses now, and fight her over the drugs, alcohol, late curfew, etc. later.

   EDITED TO ADD: Although my daughter LOVES all things Princess, she also believes that girls and boys are equal. She wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up, she intends to go to college and at the current age of 9 she loves animals, math and science and many other things that are NOT overly feminine. I do not believe that the Disney Princesses have held her back in any way.
8. 

   draecoiram
   

   21. Jan, 2010

   i like Mulan the best!!
   as for other attributes… uh… they’re very polite? & kind. some are brave. some aren’t afraid of some hard work.
   it’s been a while since i’ve seen any but Mulan…
9. 

   Mandy S
   

   21. Jan, 2010

   Ariel, Belle and Jasmine are all strong, confident female characters, unlike some of the others, and a LOT of other so-called role models for little girls. I think this is one of the best qualities of the Disney Princesses.

   These days, there are all these little girls going around being “princesses” and basically just think it means being a spoiled brat. Depending on how you present it, though, most of the Disney Princesses BECAME princesses because of good morals, behavior and self-image. Belle, for example, was thoughtful and sympathetic, and confident and proud, long before she became a princess, and she never would have become one if she hadn’t had those qualities.

   While the newer ones focus on the importance of confidence and personality, the older ones are largely morality tales with a strong message about the importance of listening to the people who care about you. If Snow White had listened to the dwarves, she wouldn’t have been tempted by the evil queen. If Aurora had not gone wandering into trouble, she wouldn’t have pricked her finger. I know this doesn’t sound as admirable as the confidence thing,but honestly, as a parent, you have to admit, it’s not a horrible thing to have your daughter learn the importance of obeying figures of authority, as long as the figures of authority are acting in her best interest.

   Plus, there is nothing wrong with encouraging a healthy fantasy life for a small child. Fairy tales have been around since the beginning of time. These stories capture children’s imaginations, and let’s face it, we adults haven’t exactly preserved a world that is fair and good. If you’re worried about the wisdom in allowing her to really enjoy make-believe or fictional stories instead of facing the harsh realities of the world, don’t. It’s actually a good idea at this young an age to protect them from the harsh realities of the world, or you’ll end up with a sadly cynical and jaded child. In these movies and other fairy tales, things wrap up nicely and the bad people get what’s coming to them and the good people live happily ever after.

   If none of that convinces you, just know that as annoying as those princesses can be for grownups, they aren’t “bad”. Just pick your battles.
10. 

    Kristi
    

    21. Jan, 2010

    These girls aren’t pushovers. They take what life has to offer and they work with it. They don’t complain about anything. They don’t just take the easy way out. They care about themselves and others.
11. 

    souldoctor
    

    21. Jan, 2010

    Maybe it’s because I’m a guy, but I don’t understand the level of concern over this. I love the Disney animated films which re-tell the timeless fairy-tale stories from which these “princesses” have come from. And that’s just it, they are fairy-tale stories. Most are about magic, heroism, and love. Nothing in them remotely relates to real life. There might have been some real history behind Pocahontas, but I can’t imagine much of the real history was in the movie. These movies and stories are simply good fun and entertainment! I can see withholding these movies, stories, etc, from toddlers who cannot differentiate between fantasy and reality, but perhaps some time spent explaining the difference to youngsters who can understand would be more beneficial than withholding movies, cartoons, books, toys, and costumes. Teenage and adult life is right around the corner for them, so the sooner they understand the difference, the better.
12. 

    MYAB
    

    21. Jan, 2010

    Mulan, Pheona, and Belle are great princesses I have a boy so I don’t have this issue but I would love to have a girl and I would let her watch Disney movies I just would show/tell her what makes a real princess.