| By the age of three, children are beginning to define | | | | carriage and horses, and Ariel the "Little Mermaid" |
| themselves, both in terms of gender and as | | | | princess. Then, of course, there is the "king" of all |
| individuals. Little boys dream of power, strength and | | | | things princess - the Disney company, with films |
| skills beyond their current capabilities, in short about | | | | featuring princesses such as "Cinderella", "Sleeping |
| being some sort of super hero. Little girls, on the | | | | Beauty" and "Snow White". Recent additions to the |
| other hand, dream of being princesses. The princess | | | | Disney princesses are "Mulan", an Afro-American |
| phenomenon has now reached fever pitch and has | | | | princess, Tiana and the movie "The Princess and the |
| been dubbed "the princess syndrome", with sales of | | | | Frog". |
| everything pink, jewelled and sparkly, from princess | | | | There is a strong counter-argument that the princess |
| costumes to Sleeping Beauty's castle in the playroom, | | | | stage is a normal part of growing up and one of |
| reaching new highs. | | | | many stages girls go through. For generations, little |
| It has been argued by some pediatric experts that | | | | girls have liked to imagine themselves as princesses, |
| parents, in pampering their daughters like royalty, are | | | | although it is only relatively recently that it has been |
| placing their little princesses on to pedestals, never | | | | possible to buy princess costumes and all the |
| criticising, giving in to their every whim and turning | | | | attendant paraphernalia. As long as little girls |
| them into little divas with a hugely-inflated sense of | | | | understand that being a princess is a make-believe |
| entitlement. The worry is that such traits may follow | | | | situation and the children are not indulged to excess, |
| them out of the actual princess costume stage and | | | | then such worries are groundless. Such imaginative |
| into adulthood. Such parenting has been labelled | | | | play constitutes a natural part of childhood and little |
| "princess parenting". | | | | girls love dressing up in princess costumes as a part |
| With princess paraphernalia now ubiquitous, some | | | | of their fantasy world. |
| parents are becoming uneasy with the whole | | | | Some parents try to strike a happy medium by |
| phenomenon and questioning whether the princess | | | | finding positive ways to use their daughters' |
| message is a good thing. These days, that message | | | | obsession with princesses. A good piece of advice |
| begins from birth with everything from baby princess | | | | for parents worried about possible diva-like |
| costumes, princess bibs and slippers, to | | | | tendencies in their daughters, is to focus on positive |
| princess-themed books, photo frames and even cribs. | | | | princess traits, such as being compassionate and |
| By the time these babies are toddlers, they are | | | | trustworthy. In the end, "moderation in all things" is a |
| attracted to princess costumes, sparkly crowns and | | | | maxim worth taking note of and, as long as the |
| even make-up. As the children get older, they will be | | | | princess fantasy is not acted out to extremes, then |
| drawn to princess themed dolls, such as Barbie in one | | | | it is a harmless and fun activity. |
| of her many guises, along with her fairytale castle, | | | | |