So here’s the deal: I’m one of those anti-princess types. I’ve never taken my girls to Disneyland, they haven’t seen the princess movies, and when a princess book is gifted to them I edit the hell out if it, changing words like “pretty” to “smart” or “kind”. Then, after I’ve kissed them goodnight, I toss it in the recycling bin. When my oldest daughter was born I made it very clear to friends and family that there would be no princesses in our house. I flat-out lied and said we didn’t know the baby’s sex to avoid a barrage of pink at the shower. Since she was born I have guided her towards building toys and alternative dress up characters: superheroes, doctors, animals. One day I even came home from Home Depot with a hard hat.
You laugh, but you know what? It’s worked. I truly believe that part of the reason my daughter is a well-rounded individual is because of this mindful curation of cultural influences. Continue Reading…
