Disney Princess Enabler?
So I was talking to my 5-year-old cousin on the phone, and all she could think about was how she’s coming to Aunt Julie’s house to have breakfast at Cinderella’s castle. Her mother hovered over the phone for ages just to get the 7 AM slot (like getting the child out of bed at 5 AM is going to be some kind of privilege).
“She literally believes she’s a Disney princess,” my uncle spat.
“Hey, so do I,” I told him.
Listen, I don’t have kids. I don’t know how to handle this. One one hand, this is so cute I just don’t see how you can help but indulge her–do you realize Disney has entire ROOMS full of princess gear?? A photo studio where they will dress up your child in fictitious royal fashions? And yet on the other hand, I have been hearing about how kids who are in a fantasy world get all screwed up and weird. Shoot, look at me. I played pretend as a child and now I’m writing novels…which is basically selling my own dreamlands for profit. I do not wish this on her. I’d much rather see her become a doctor or an engineer.
I don’t know. I’m happy to see her exercise her imagination, because I believe kids are so censored (and dulled by TV, video games, etc.) that they no longer bother. I’m not pleased to see Disney take so much money out of people’s wallets, though–MY wallet specifically. :) I don’t blame them for it, because I’d do the same in their position, but I know it’s going to be really, really hard not to send this child home terminally spoiled….
(Princess snowglobe shot taken at the World of Disney store)
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I do think a lot of it is WAY over priced, but then again where else could you possibly be able to do this at? Except for maybe CA… :)The cost is probably mostly profit - but think about how many kids want to do it and are willing to do things like show up at 7:00am!
I don’t particullarly care for the princess thing, but there is one thing that I wish: why don’t they ever focus on some of their more self-reliant female characters?