Freedy

I think every little girl (and big girl) wants to be treated like a princess. These stories capture a girl's heart because someone wants to be with her enough to pursue her. Someone thinks she's pretty and smart and fun and yes, even so young they 'get' that.

Unfortunately, real life hits you in the face about junior high when that boy you like won't even speak to you, or the boy you're going out with sends his friend to break up with you. All of a sudden the world becomes real. People may not like you, people may not think you're pretty or smart or fun. And then you're at a turning point. Unfortunately many girls in junior high have never met the true Prince Charming and they continue to struggle with issues of beauty, size, shape, diet, smarts, and self-worth. They don't know that Jesus loves them enough to pursue them and that He sees their beauty, their potential and everything they can be.

I was lucky enough to know my Prince Charming before I started noticing/caring about boys. And growing up was still awful.

So personally, I let my little girl (5 yrs) watch princess movies and enjoy the stories and pretend to be a princess. But I'm also waiting for the day where I can introduce her to Prince Charming; who will pursue her breathlessly and sweep her off her feet into eternal life in the Kingdom.

As far as reality goes, I hope I can help her become confident in the princess she was designed to be and encourage her to find a husband who will love her the way Prince Charming does.
My recent post Wow.

Sleeping beauty still freaks her out every once in a while (it is a bit dark).

We do cover some issues while watching these things, good vs evil etc, but not so much the gender roles.

She is convinced that she is a princess by birth (cause some of them only become princesses by marriage, and yes the knows the difference), but that is cool because in her books that makes me a king. I just hope the sentiment lasts way past her fourth birthday.