girl roles-playing princess, etc.

[sarahspins]

I haven't read all of the replies, but I think kids will be what they want to be... regardless of influence from parents. I am so not a girly girl... but my 4 year old however, yikes... she is totally girly. She tells me she wants to be a ballerina (she's never taken dance classes) and she LOVES shopping for all manner of girly things (I hate shopping). It's rediculous almost... she loves dolls and ponies and dress up all kinds of things that I just don't "get" because I was just never interested in them as a kid (I was a serious tom boy, as was my sister).

Where does this come from? I have NO idea. I think it's cute, and I do think on some sort of level I may encourage it because it is cute, but on the flip side, she's just as at home playing with toy cars and legos... or going out and getting dirty in the yard, and my boys are just as at home playing tea party with her or playing with otherwise "girly" things.. because I try not to push much gender-bias on any of them and nothing really has a "label" attached to it - if it's fun, imaginative play, it's fair game in this house

[northstar]

To kind of add a dimension to this thread...

I just finished reading Alfie Kohn's book, Unconditional Parenting, and it really is about being engaged in your children's lives and letting them be who they are. I thought it was a great read. We just really need to be in tune with what might be influencing our kids' interests and make sure that it's for their own good.

[limewave]

DH just forwarded me this site.

[shootingstar]

DH just forwarded me this site.

Perhaps this is what my brother-in-law would not like to happen-- daughter wanting stuff to bought on the Disney theme.

Princess stuff is ok especially when it's homemade stuff and creative, harmless (non-hurtful to other children in terms of status) role playing that the kids make up on their own. Based on fairytales they might have read or seen in a movie. At least they are creating their own imaginative world, a good thing instead of relying on Disneyifed stuff..that costs money..and more money.

Guess when it gets to the little girl beauty pageants with tiara crap...to me, from a family of 4 sisters and 1 brother, it's just parenting in the wrong direction.

Due to poverty, we only had um..2 dolls amongst all us kids. None of them Barbies. 1 of the dolls was actually.....doll with rough curly blonde hair, blue eyes and wearing....a dirndl. Given as a gift and now I realize, how coincidental that was...since I grew up in German-based Ontario city!