Any way to delay or avoid the Disney princess obsession?

[Anonymous]

Kind of tongue in cheek but also kind of serious, ladies. My DD is 27 months and has only ever watched PBS Kids educational shows or Cocomelon learning song shows (she doesn’t watch every day). My husband has started showing her Disney princess songs while potty training and now she asks for Jasmine and Belle every day. I’d been hoping to delay (and ideally avoid haha) this stage until she was older. I don’t like her watching stuff that’s not educational and def haven’t wanted to get on the Disney train and all that comes with it at such a young age. She doesn’t have character clothing or themed and branded play figures either from other shows or movies. It’s just not my thing He doesn’t think it’s a big deal and that she is learning all the time so can watch fun things too. I get it, let a kid be a kid, and if she likes it she likes it, but I just don’t want her consuming Disney junk until she’s older, like 4 when other kids will be watching it and dressing up and we will get into that stage. Anyone with me? Or am I an outlier?

[Anonymous]

We never went through it (my daughter is 9 now) but I’m not really that into Disney so it wasn’t in our house much, so she never really asked for it. I have an older son who is 12 and I’m kind of wondering if I managed to skip the $$$$$$$ of a Disney trip too! #fingerscrossed. I’d way rather go to Hawaii (post pandemic of course).

[Anonymous]

Just give into it but have discussions with her about being a critical viewer / consumer. And some princesses are better than others in our household and we highlight them more. We prefer Mulan the warrior princess over Aurora the sleeping beauty for example.

[Anonymous]

Get over yourself and your wokeness. It might bring joy to your child. What’s wrong with that?

[Anonymous]

It’s not a big deal, and it quickly passes. No need to buy all the crap. If someone gets her something as a gift, no big deal. My kid likes the movies but never had clothing, toys (except for the random few acquired at birthday parties) or trips to Disney. We did go to DIsney on Ice with a friend once. Most of the times it’s parents who fuel these obsessions, so don’t!

[Anonymous]

Read the book Cinderella ate my daughter.

[Anonymous]

If you’re not into the princess programming, just stopping showing it to her and her interest will fade at this age. She’ll ask for it for a while, but if you just redirect to something else she always enjoys, she’ll let it go. This happened to us when we had to leave or 2.5 yr old with grandma for a weekend while we went to a funeral. Grandma showed her some Disney stuff she liked, but when I tried watching it with her later, I was bothered by the message (the white princesses lived in a castle and had servants, and their commoner friends, one of whom was black, oohed and she’d over it all and didn’t have manners— WTF?). So we just didn’t allow her to watch it anymore, and if she asked, we suggested something else. It faded.

Not a guarantee that she won’t go through a Princess phase later (obviously she likes it, so she probably will) but at 2 you actually have a lot of control over what she’s exposed to and can guide it a little more.

[Anonymous]

My youngest is my only girl. We didn't play princess movies. We didn't have any princess toys. We didn't have anything pink. She went to preschool with all boys. One day at age 3, she came home and wanted her room painted pink and from that point forward, wanted nothing but dress up princess outfits. It lasted awhile. We never did figure out where she got introduced to it. I too wasn't a fan, but I wasn't opposed either - it was almost serendipitous that she wasn't introduced earlier because she was in daycare.

[Anonymous]

God you’re insufferable.

Disney isn’t junk — especially not the newer movies. It has brought joy to a lot of kids.

I feel sorry for your daughter.

[Anonymous]

Oh, please. Allow your daughter the joy of going through this stage. Biology, nurture - who knows, but you will never see a little girl as happy as a little girl going through this phase.

[Anonymous]

I know a family that tried to prevent this. The girls were not allowed to wear pink. Now one of the daughters is a literal Disney Princess as her job. She longed for it her whole life and it was denied to her so much that it became an obsession. Also, the boys were not allowed to have nerf guns or do any pretend play involving guns -- one son joined the military at age 18. Broke his pacifist mothers' heart.

[Anonymous]

OP, it’s a phase that passes quickly in the scheme of things, just like Paw Patrol and Pokémon and all the other crap kids get interested in. You don’t have to embrace it, but your daughter is an individual who’s allowed to like what she likes, whether you do or not. Not worth overthinking.

[Anonymous]

It’s sad to me that people are calling these shows crap or junk.

They’re just kids’ shows. Maybe approach this stuff with a little love. It’s what your kids enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kind of tongue in cheek but also kind of serious, ladies. My DD is 27 months and has only ever watched PBS Kids educational shows or Cocomelon learning song shows (she doesn’t watch every day). My husband has started showing her Disney princess songs while potty training and now she asks for Jasmine and Belle every day. I’d been hoping to delay (and ideally avoid haha) this stage until she was older. I don’t like her watching stuff that’s not educational and def haven’t wanted to get on the Disney train and all that comes with it at such a young age. She doesn’t have character clothing or themed and branded play figures either from other shows or movies. It’s just not my thing He doesn’t think it’s a big deal and that she is learning all the time so can watch fun things too. I get it, let a kid be a kid, and if she likes it she likes it, but I just don’t want her consuming Disney junk until she’s older, like 4 when other kids will be watching it and dressing up and we will get into that stage. Anyone with me? Or am I an outlier?

Let your daughter go through this phase as she will and don't make it about yourself and your wokeness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get over yourself and your wokeness. It might bring joy to your child. What’s wrong with that?

Mic drop. End thread.