We have not pushed the concept of The Princess in our house. It’s mostly because Savannah hasn’t really shown any interest in the classic Disney movies. It’s also partially because I think it’s an outdated concept.
I loved Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and the like, and in general, they are harmless, sweet films. When you think about it, though, the messages in those movies are not the greatest for the modern little girl. Be sweet and good, wait around long enough and some dude with a crown will sweep you off to a castle to….do what exactly? Marrying a Prince is not the goal in this house. A happy fufilled life that includes a great marriage – absolutely. This is not to say I am anti-man. I love men! Hi men I love!! I just feel a big responsibility to raise Savannah knowing that she can do anything.
However, when you have a four year old girl and she has four year old girl friends, The Princess is going to come up. The other day we were out with a friend and her daughter at the playground and they met another little girl and started playing princesses. I asked them who they were and Savannah said ‘Rosa is Belle, Sofie is Snow White and I am Sleeping Beauty’. She then whispered to me ‘I don’t know who that is though.’ Then she smiled and ran off. Very cute.
She was asking me to tell her the story of Sleeping Beauty and I told her the normal version: mean step-mom, potion, sleeping forever, prince kissses her and wakes her up, happily ever after. I didn’t think much of it until a few days later when she was playing, and I tried to ‘rescue her’ and and she said ‘Oh no, Mama, a BOY has to rescue me.’ Ummmm….I don’t think so.
So to broaden our horizons, I have been telling Savannah ‘updated’ versions of Sleeping Beauty. They usually involve her friends performing science experiments to figure out a way to wake her up. Sleeping Beauty is also very smart and friendly in addition to beautiful. There is a Prince involved, but he is already part of the group of friends and is not the MAIN solution. Last night, in what I believe was my favorite ending so far, Sleeping Beauty woke up, went to grad school and started her own company with venture capital funding.
GIRL POWER!