The Anti-Princess...

Knowing that I'm having a daughter has really made me stop and think about who I am and what I want to teach her. What kind of example do I want to set? I'm sure I'll write many posts on this idea because there is just so much to consider. One of things that really gets me is the whole "Princess" idea. This irritates me for two reasons:



1.) I feel that children are now getting this strange sense of entitlement that I don't remember dealing with as a kid. When I think of the term "princess" I think of the Paris Hilton mentality. It makes me sad to think that someone like Paris Hilton could be considered a role model for young girls.



2.) Life is not a fairytale. I don't want my daughter to give herself up waiting for Prince Charming to rescue her. I'd like for HER to be the heroine in her own life. I think Tina Fey put it well when she said:

"I think this is ingenious marketing, but that princess thing sets off an alarm bell for me. [I'm afraid] all that might creep back into our culture. That a girl would aspire to be the Little Mermaid, a beautiful redhead with no legs who waits for her prince! Who literally gives up her voice! What are we doing?"

I worry that my daughter will get more compliments on her looks than on her brains. I worry that she will be discouraged and not show interest in a topic just because, "Girls don't do that" I worry that she'll hide her intelligence just to fit in or impress others. I worry that she will determine her self-worth by her looks, clothing, or social status instead of knowing she is priceless just as she is.