Q&A With a 4 Jahr Old About Disney Princesses. 

Q&A With a 4 Year Old Girl about Disney Princesses

With the launch of Lammily (the \'normal\' Barbie), the popularity of Frozen, the societal pressure of gender roles, I was thinking about my own kids and Christmas gifts. The things they have always asked for are very gender traditional.

This got me wondering if they have come these conclusions on their own, or do they feel pressure from outside influences like their friends, or us, or what they see on TV or movies to want these kinds of toys. In our house we have always had a variety of toys simply because I have both boys and a girl in my house and they are all so close in age (plus, everything is always out because I am not going to clean that up every single day), they seem to enjoy everything that is there.

However, when it comes time for birthdays or Christmas the things they seem to ask for are very gender specific. Especially my daughter. She is very into those Disney Princesses. When we go to the library she wants Disney Princess books, when we go to Red Box she wants Disney Princess movies, when we got to the supermarket she want Disney Princess macaroni and cheese. I mean geez, right now she is drinking hot cocoa from her Disney Princess mug. What is so great about those damn Disney Princesses anyway?

During a particularly cuddly afternoon while fighting off colds. We were lying in my bed and looking out the window talking and trying to make the time pass. She was in her Disney Princess jammies. I just decided to just to ask my daughter what deal was with the princesses.

Me. Ariel. You like her don\'t you? Why do you like her so much?

Me: That is pretty cool isn\'t it? Who else do you like?

Me: That is pretty amazing. Is there anyone else you like?

Caroline: She can fly so high (demonstrates with her hands) on her carpet.

Caroline: Hmmm... I like Snow White because she has lots of friends (holds up ten fingers so show me). Ana and Elsa because they stop the freezey cold and love eachother other so much.

Me: Caroline, do you remember when we watched Sleeping Beauty for the first time last week? Did you like Aurora?

Caroline: NO! Too scary. Aurora not do anything. She took a nap, and that witch was scary.

Caroline: Merida. She fixes the bear and shoots arrows.

Me: You know, the way you talk about them, they are pretty fun!

After this conversation, I am not so worried about her liking Disney Princesses anymore. She really isn\'t focussed on the clothes or the looks or about Ariel changing herself for a man. She is much more perceptive than I was giving her credit for. In fact, she likes all of these characters for some of their most amazing qualities intelligence, adventurousness, bravery, and was able to call out why she didn\'t like Aurora (for not doing too much).

I guess Santa will be on a Disney Princess hunt this year.

FAR South Sider (yes, I'm still a Chicagoan). Lover of food, Chicago, outdoors, sitcoms, cherry pop, and all things domestic.

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