Princess and the Frog: My 4 year old taught me something tonight!

[scuba]

I must admit, everytime I walk around Disney World I see children from many different cultures and races dressed up as princesses, frankly I've always felt that a it looked out of place, a child dressed up as Cinderella clearly not being the same race or culture as Cinderella, It just looked "OFF"................Until tonight

We were finishing up some of our shopping at a local department store and felt that it was time for a quick run up the toy aisles with our DD2 and DD4 The eldest ran up and down pointing to this and that in hopes that Santa is hearing her. last aisle, the aisle with all the Tinkebell, Cinderella and Disney merchandise. I round the corner only to see her loading her arms with Princess Tiana dolls, shoes, playsets and the such. She shows me one of the dolls and points out her crown, her shoes and her beautiful dress and then, It hits me like a sledge hammer. My DD4 just taught me a very important lesson, to her she's a Princess, It doesn't matter if she is black, or white, or yellow, green or pink.......she is a Princess. I'm going to look at alot of things in a different way from now on. Halloween is now just a speck away, I wouldn't be surprised if she identifes Princess Tiana as her 2010 costume.

It would seem that It's "ME" that has been somehow out of place all this time.......I know that Disney has recieved some criticism initially from this movie but from whom? certainly not my child.....this Dad with be waiting in line for Princess and the Frog......only seeing 2 Princesses, Tiana, and my DD4 in a new way, a new light this Holiday season........I cannot wait....regards Scuba

 

[Cadiewampus]

Another DD here. Whats the saying A child will lead the way. Your story is a great reminder of how sometimes we adults place way to much importance on appearances. It seems like when I need to learn something its usually one of my sons that teaches the lesson.

 

[SnowandMittens]

That's really sweet. Give your daughter a huge hug from me, because that is really precious.

 

[thebeesknees]

How sweet! My daughter is Indian Asain/Caucasian and chances are, there will never be a princess who resembles her, and yet, she loves to dress up like any one of the princesses, depending on what she feels like that day. I love that little kids don't see people as different races, they just love them because of who they are. I wish more adults could think this way, too.

 

[gr8leg8]

Our pediatrician told us her husband is only afraid of 3 things:

Barnie,
Barbie,
and
Bikini

I am excited to see the movie and hope it is a success!

 

[bas71873]

So sweet and my DD is the same way. She sees no color whatsoever (except I do chuckle a little when she refers to "Cameron w/the brown skin" and "Cameron with the skin like me" when she talks about 2 boys in her class).

We walked into TRU a few weeks ago and I hear this GASP come out of DD's mouth and when I turn around she is falling all over the Tiana doll. We can't wait for the movie (especially since we just moved back to VA from New Orleans).

Kids are so innocent and I love it!

 

[Stasieki]

My DD3 was tranformed into Tiana at BBB last week and got to meet her, too. She is a new favorite for us, too. We can't wait for the movie to come out.

BBB was out of her tiara and wand and didn't know when they would get it back in. They said Disney didn't anticipate a big rush for her stuff at first, so it was even hard finding the dress up items at Disney World. We did see other merchandise, just not the dress up items. The dress we got from BBB was gorgeous.

 

[geauxpink63]

we live in the metro NOLA area and we CANNOT wait for the movie to come out!! I know that Disney had a lot of fallout with the race of the princess (who cares, a princess is a princess no matter what the color of her skin) and the fact that they distorted the accents.

I have heard some of the music and it is great!! Even my DH (who could care less for musicals) was enjoying the clips we were able to find.

Its a great movie and there will be tons of little girls all over the world who will aspire to be Princess Tiana!!!!

 

[LexisAuntieLala]

I was just having this same discussion with my mom tonight. My niece is in love with Tiana and can't wait to meet her in Disney in a couple weeks. It is just so wonderful and refreshing that she all she sees is a beautiful princess!

 

[jpeka65844]

Strange....I totally disagree with OP's comment about Cinderella/race.....I never think that it looks odd or out of place to see that.......

BUT

I saw a picture of a Caucasian girl dressed as Tiana and felt it seemed a little....OFF, too.

Odd how we're a one-way street sometimes, huh? Even more interesting when I find myself coveting Tiana's green and white dress. I want it!!!!

 

[skip323]

It is a funny thing isn't it? I love kids!! We are african american and my daughters have always LOVED the princesses and we have pretty much every outfit including Pocahantas (sp) and Mulan however.....I think they noticed that there were no princesses that looked like them...they just never said anything. Why do I believe that? Because dd8 has never been more excited about a movie or doll in life!!!! I always have my kids give their top 3 things they want for xmas so that I can make certain they get one of those. She wants the Tiana barbie that comes with the frog more than anything! she wants to see that movie more than anything!! I am amazed at how excited she is and thrilled that she has this opportunity!

 

[bas71873]

It is a funny thing isn't it? I love kids!! We are african american and my daughters have always LOVED the princesses and we have pretty much every outfit including Pocahantas (sp) and Mulan however.....I think they noticed that there were no princesses that looked like them...they just never said anything. Why do I believe that? Because dd8 has never been more excited about a movie or doll in life!!!! I always have my kids give their top 3 things they want for xmas so that I can make certain they get one of those. She wants the Tiana barbie that comes with the frog more than anything! she wants to see that movie more than anything!! I am amazed at how excited she is and thrilled that she has this opportunity!

I just wish Dec 11 would hurry up and get here! My DD is about to drive me nuts wanting to see this movie and she's already asked if she can be Tiana for Halloween next year. I'm excited for the movie too partly because I have never seen a Disney Princess movie on the big screen I'm 36 and princesses just weren't a big deal when I was growing up!

BTW, have you seen some of the Tiana stuff that Target has. I saw a color your own purse (they had one for Sleeping Beauty too). It's about the size of square soft sided lunch bag and it comes with markers and has Tiana's face on it, with woods around her maybe. It was around $10. I have almost picked that up a few times (but I'm done Santa shopping and trying real hard to stick to that). It looks really cute!

 

[ogreenlee]

I'm of mixed race; Asian/Caucasian.

I have always felt bad that the darkest skin of the princesses belonged to Pocohontas. When I found out about Tiana, I was so excited and happy. One of those things that irked me about Disney has finally been taken care of. Then I saw the cutest little African American girl at the Disney Store with her parents, and she was beside herself with excitement standing in front of the Tiana display. Her parents were having a hard time holding back their excitement. I just busted out in tears standing right there.

 

[holden]

Our DD2 is biracial (African American and Caucasian) and we are so excited that there will be a princess who looks a little bit like her. It makes talking about her background a little easier. We are all Caucasian, so she does look different from us, but she has very Caucasian features with darker skin.

DD6 is so excited about Tiana that we are having her birthday party at the movie!

 

[kpgriswold]

Cute story! Sometimes I think our kids are smarter than we are about these things.

I'm curious as to what flack Disney has gotten on this film? Are people offended that there is an African American princess or that it took so long for them to get to it?

We got to see a pre-screening of this movie at our local theater last month, and I thought it was the best thing since Beauty and the Beast (my personal fave). Be warned that the scary parts are VERY scary, or were for my DS 7. I can't wait to see it again!

 

[skip323]

I don't know what all of the issues are over the movie but I have heard that some were offended that prince Naveen is not African American. I have also heard that some were offended that they had placed this in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. As a person who, though not from Louisiana, has one full side of her family in Louisiana, I can say that I think it is wonderful to focus on the positive of New Orleans and also many folks of Creole origin do not look like what "we" (meaning America) try to typecast as "traditional african american" (my mom is creole) so I am fine with it all. But, that is just me!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I think it's about time that they have an african american princess!

That's so adorable about your daughter... I have seen that in my DD too, that she sees no color, and it gives me that warm fuzzy feeling that maybe, just maybe, I'm doing this "mom" thing right!

 

[kpgriswold]

I don't know what all of the issues are over the movie but I have heard that some were offended that prince Naveen is not African American. I have also heard that some were offended that they had placed this in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. As a person who, though not from Louisiana, has one full side of her family in Louisiana, I can say that I think it is wonderful to focus on the positive of New Orleans and also many folks of Creole origin do not look like what "we" (meaning America) try to typecast as "traditional african american" (my mom is creole) so I am fine with it all. But, that is just me!

Thank you! This also helped me: http://hollywood-animated-films.suite101.com/article.cfm/frog_princess_damage_control

Sounds like a tempest in a teapot to me. Singing crabs and mice are OK, but singing alligators are offensive?

 

[DrRae2B]

We live in a very small rural town that is 99.7% Caucasian (no exaggeration-- CityData confirms this) and my daughter and I are blondes, with blue eyes [I tell everyone we are of the Casper race (as in, burn anytime we so much as think of sunlight!)]. For these reasons, I've always been somewhat nervous about the race issue and if/when it comes up.

But to my surprise, it never has been an issue whatsoever! And I think it's because neither I nor my husband EVER make it an issue! Our DD3 notices EVERYTHING, so I know she can tell something is different-- but she has never brought it to anyone's attention because we have simply brought her up-- from the very beginning-- to understand and ACCEPT that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.

(Now... the woman in the craft store with no teeth took some explaining, but thats another story for another time!)

It's a precious and beautiful thing when a child helps to teach us something about life. My DD3 hasn't even noticed that princess Tiana is any different from any other princess-- to her they're ALL different! (Belle's hair is brown, Ariel's a redhead, Cinderella's a blonde, etc).

I'm so glad your girls have managed to retain that quality. ... Give me warm fuzzies... Sigh...