I have an almost 4yo dd. We tried to keep her away from the Princess stuff after seeing our neice go through that phase. But somehow dd ended up with a wardrobe of princess dresses, princess shoes, princess purses, princess everything (thank to grandma and grandpa who have declared "there are no rules in their house!").

It bothered DH but I didn't really see the harm. Until . . .

She started getting a prissy princess attitude. And it was BAD. We took all of her princess things away and stashed them in the attic. We told her when she could start behaving like a "real" princess, she could have them back.

Now we talk alot about the characteristics of a princess: kind, uses her manners, thinks of others before herself, etc.

We have not given her princess dresses back yet. But we do get dressed up in pretty dresses. We practice having royal tea parties and go to the ball. It's all fun and fantasy, but we also learn proper ettiquette. DD doesn't even ask about her princess stuff anymore.

DD has a much better attitude. We are surprising her with a trip to Disney World this winter and doing the Princess Tea Party We even plan on giving her back one of her princess dresses She's earned it.