Mommy's Little Princess

[SDFgirl]

I know I'll catch heat for saying this, but surely there are some people out there who agree with me.

I'm having a baby soon and I have put my foot down about NO "Little Princess" stuff for this kid! Unless I was truly royalty, I would find it a bit self-indulgent to call my child a prince or a princess, yet I see it everywhere, including the (ahem) Disboards. I don't want my kid to grow up feeling or acting like they are this entitled little diva. I think we give our kids a false sense of entitlement when we call them "Mommy's Little Prince" or "Daddy's Princess."

Sorry, my child will be a regular kiddo, not royalty. Rant over.

 

[Microcell]

My DD was very princessy and loved to dress up and dance and watch all the princesses, and play with her barbies in her light purple room with the curtains with the flowers on them (like real fabric flowers).

My SIL got my little girl and I got hers, I am convinced of that. Her DD is just like I was, no time for dolls, pink things etc....

I was not going to have a princess either, no pink frilly things for my kid, nope.

But please PM me when your little girl is three and her eyes light up at the scene where Cinderella gets her dress from Fairy Godmother, or when she stops you in the toy store to look at the latest barbies when she is five! Call me when she sings to every female singer's songs and dances piroettes for no good reason in front of the TV when she is 9!

I was never going to have a girly princess girl either. Not me. Turns out she is the best little girl ever, kind, loving, funny, smart.... and a princess!

 

[becka]

I see no harm in it and we call DD Princess Allie at times. She loves to pretend she is a real princess and calls herself Princess Allie as well. It is fun make believe. I also call my son a Power Ranger because that is what he loves to play. It makes them happy that I pretend with them and that I am showing interest in what they are interested in.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Since coming home from WDW Avery has decided she is a Pirate Princess. She and my niece were adorable at Spectromagic with their Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Fairy-Tale Princess hairdos and their pink pirate eye patches.

 

[Microcell]

On the flip side, funny story I think you might enjoy about my DS at Disney last year. He is 5 and still points at things with, you guessed it, his middle finger.

One night at Epcot we were walking out, and had DS in a stroller (he was a young four at the time, and besides, shouldn't all of you be flaming for the princess stuff, not stroller on this thread?) and a Norwegan woman bends down to look at DS and says "Good night Prince" then stands straight up and looks at us disapprovingly. We were confused until we look down, and he is pointing at a toy in the distance he wants.... with his middle finger!!!!!

He must have done it just as she bent down! Theres your mommy's prince for you!! We could not stop laughing, heck I am laughing right now!

 

[Nancy]

All I can say is never say never!

I don't necessarily think that calling your son or daughter Mommy's little princess or prince is going to instill a sense of entitlement in them unless you treat them as a prince/princess. I called my oldest my little peanut for quite a bit when she was little but she sure doesn't think she is one. My 3 girls also loved the Disney princesses...as toys. They dressed up as Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine and also Tink, Pooh, Minnie and Peter Pan. Of course they also dressed like power rangers and southern belles...but they never acted like any of them because I wouldn't put up with them acting that way. They were probably the most deprived children in my neighborhood because we didn't give them everything they wanted.

Now I do know what you are saying because there are plenty of kids out there that are running around with that sense of entitlement, but I'm guessing it's more due to how they are being raised not cause they were called little prince or princess.

Teach your child to be a good person, teach your child that there is a big difference between want and need, teach your child manners and how to respect others and it won't matter what little nicknames you have for them.

 

[SDFgirl]

Now I do know what you are saying because there are plenty of kids out there that are running around with that sense of entitlement, but I'm guessing it's more due to how they are being raised not cause they were called little prince or princess.

Teach your child to be a good person, teach your child that there is a big difference between want and need, teach your child manners and how to respect others and it won't matter what little nicknames you have for them.

I agree with this. And, I also know you can't stereotype everyone who calls their kid Princess.

I'm not really talking about kids who love girlie things and like to pretend or play dress up.

I'm talking about the whole mentality of "You're Mommy's little Princess, aren't you?" even before the kids can talk. The onesies, the baby decorations...the mentality that the kid is somehow royalty and above everyone else, can do no wrong...It just rubs me the wrong way.

And yes - I am aware that the world's best parents don't have kids and are experts on raising children! I know that I'll eat a lot of my words in the next few years...

 

[jonestavern]

I think it's just what the 'princess' means to you.
For me, it's not so much what you call 'em it's how you train them up to act and what values you instill.
Your little one is going to be fine, not spoiled or indulged


Now whether she likes pink, lots of dolls & frilly things is pure luck of the draw.

On the other hand DNnow23, loved pink, dollies, frills & sequins.
She was also scouted in T Ball! Darn kid could hit farther than any of the boys
She remained in sports & played on all star teams in high school.
She's still one heck of a competitor, even if she is all dolled up in pastels

BTW, her older sister, is a petite (maybe 4'10"), delicate thing with a will of iron. She never liked frills & fluff and her taste is classic & understated. As a child she preferred Legos over dolls.
Same parents!

Jean

 

[lookingforward]

My daughter is princess of my castle. I just think the word is a term of endearment, not entitlement. After two boys she is and always will be my little princess.

 

[Nancy]

I agree with this. And, I also know you can't stereotype everyone who calls their kid Princess.

I'm not really talking about kids who love girlie things and like to pretend or play dress up.

I'm talking about the whole mentality of "You're Mommy's little Princess, aren't you?" even before the kids can talk. The onesies, the baby decorations...the mentality that the kid is somehow royalty and above everyone else, can do no wrong...It just rubs me the wrong way.

And yes - I am aware that the world's best parents don't have kids and are experts on raising children! I know that I'll eat a lot of my words in the next few years...

Oh yes, I was going to have the perfect children, always polite, never disobeying me, never talking back..etc. I was the one that said "my child would never do that" a lot. That is why I said 'never say never' it will always come back to haunt you. (But now that my kids are teens and almost adults I do think I have some pretty good kids even if they aren't perfect)

 

[littleteapot]

I think it's just what the 'princess' means to you.
Jean

We call our daughter princess and remind her that she is the daughter of the King of Kings. With her "royalty" comes great responsibility, NOT the lifestyle of a diva at all.

 

[freckles and boo]

Best of luck to you!

Seriously, this probably won't be important to you in a couple years, but I can see how it would bug you now. I was also a much better parent before I had kids.

 

[coltink]

Growing up my father called me Queen, still does in fact (and calls my mom the Queen Mother). Not now nor have I ever thought that I was a Queen or felt that I should be treated in a queen like manner or that I should be treated any different than any other man, woman, or child.
Regardless of what you call your child or what they pretend to be at any given time, it's the life lessons that you teach your that will affect your childs outcome. If you treat your child in your so called 'princess' manner then that is what she will become.

BTW being a princess doesn't mean you are a diva.

 

[kribit]

After you have the baby, this will probaby be so insignificant because you'll have a lot more to worry about.

 

[Ms Marigny]

You're not alone, OP... I feel the same as you do.

When I was having a girl, I requested no frilly pink princess stuff. Most people have complied, but a few have given me heat about it and give her pink princess stuff anyway- which I have given to her, I just don't buy it for her myself.

I don't have a problem with those who are into it, it's just not my style.
I'm surprised though sometimes by people's reactions when I tell them how I feel about the issue- they act like I'm a horrible mean mom who's trying to turn my daughter into some weird tomboy. That's not it at all- I just have a problem with the whole entitlement thing and I've never been a big fan of the color pink.

Now, if DD turns into a complete girly-girl and goes nuts over princess stuff, I'll certainly buy it for her- I just didn't want to start pushing it on her since birth. Different strokes for different folks!

 

[disykat]

I agree with the OP. If I had girls, I'd actually love it if they wore pink, had tea parties, and pretended to be princesses. However, none of that "mommies little princess" thing unless she happened to be pretending to be a princess at the moment.

I've seen parents who refer to their daughters as princesses and they don't mean they are dressing up - they mean they get anything they want because they think they are better than normal children.

We joke that our dog is our little princess, but we do lots of things to spoil our dog that would not be healthy to do to a child! I believe the OP is referring to the princess mentality, not whether the child plays make believe.

 

[kribit]

So I presume most of you won't be taking your daughters to Bibbidi Boppidy Boutique?

My daughter refuses to do it.

 

[Tinijocaro]

One thing that I learned very quickly in parenting, and that is to "Never say never" Seems that many of these theories we have before we are actually parents come crashing down when the little ones come.

I know I'll catch heat for saying this, but surely there are some people out there who agree with me.

I'm having a baby soon and I have put my foot down about NO "Little Princess" stuff for this kid! Unless I was truly royalty, I would find it a bit self-indulgent to call my child a prince or a princess, yet I see it everywhere, including the (ahem) Disboards. I don't want my kid to grow up feeling or acting like they are this entitled little diva. I think we give our kids a false sense of entitlement when we call them "Mommy's Little Prince" or "Daddy's Princess."

Sorry, my child will be a regular kiddo, not royalty. Rant over.

 

[Ms Marigny]

So I presume most of you won't be taking your daughters to Bibbidi Boppidy Boutique?

My daughter refuses to do it.

Well, I'm not planning to, but like I said, if she turns out princessy and swears she'll die unless she goes , I guess I have no choice in the matter.

 

[SDFgirl]

So I presume most of you won't be taking your daughters to Bibbidi Boppidy Boutique?

My daughter refuses to do it.

I have no problem with BBB. As I said, playing pretend and dressing up is one thing. If my daughter wanted to go, I'd love to take her as a special treat.

I'm talking about that mentality that my kid is entitled, royal, "it's all about me," etc. That's quite different from dressing up in frilly pink and pretending to be a princess for fun.

But when I see a little girl in a sparkley pink "Little Diva" or "Spoiled" or "Princess" t-shirt, it bugs me.