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The Princess Problem: Guiding Our Girls through the Princess-Obsessed Years
How to raise empowered girls in a princess world
It's no secret that little girls love princesses. Behind the twirly dresses and glittery crowns, however, sits a powerful marketing machine, encouraging obsessive consumerism and delivering negative stereotypes about gender, race, and beauty to young girls. So what's a parent to do?
The Princess Problem features real advice and stories from parents educators, and psychologists, and children's industry insiders to help equip every parent with skills to navigate today's princess-saturated world. As parents, we do our best to keep pop culture's most harmful stereotypes away from our kids, but contending with well-meaning family members and sneaky commercials can thwart us.
The Princess Problem offers language to have honest conversations with our kids and shows us how to teach them to be thoughtful, open-minded people.
It's no secret that little girls love princesses. Behind the twirly dresses and glittery crowns, however, sits a powerful marketing machine, encouraging obsessive consumerism and delivering negative stereotypes about gender, race, and beauty to young girls. So what's a parent to do?
The Princess Problem features real advice and stories from parents educators, and psychologists, and children's industry insiders to help equip every parent with skills to navigate today's princess-saturated world. As parents, we do our best to keep pop culture's most harmful stereotypes away from our kids, but contending with well-meaning family members and sneaky commercials can thwart us.
The Princess Problem offers language to have honest conversations with our kids and shows us how to teach them to be thoughtful, open-minded people.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
20 people are currently reading
875 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Hains
3 books26 followersDr. Rebecca Hains is a children’s media culture expert. She is a professor of media and communication at Salem State University in Salem, Mass.
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July 17, 2017
It’s September, and in a matter of weeks, my first daughter will be born. In a rush of summer cleaning and nesting, reading parenting books and planning-planning-planning, I have also found myself searching for books to begin my daughter’s library, as well as books and resources that may assist in raising my daughter in the best way possible in the midst of today’s expectations. I wish I only meant researching the best schools and starting a college fund; but, unfortunately, what I’m researching extends into far more personal territory: how my daughter will potentially measure her self-worth . . . and even how she may measure others’.
Dr. Rebecca Hains, author of The Princess Problem: Guiding Our Girls through the Princess-Obsessed Years, offers a thorough and insightful text which presents research surrounding the princess mentality that has infiltrated our culture; the pleasures and problems this mentality presents; and how we as parents, guardians, and mentors can teach our children to better navigate and overcome the shortcomings of this mentality, without completely dismissing the fun of princessdom.
The book is systematically divided into two parts. The first focuses on Dr. Hains’ research methods surrounding the princess problem, as well as background and summative information in support of why this mentality is problematic and how we can begin thinking of correcting it. The second part breaks the princess problem down into subcategories, unpacks their meaning and role within the problem, and presents subcategory-specific solutions.
I was drawn to this text originally for a variety of reasons—being a declared feminist, having a background in Gender and Women’s Studies and Psychology, being a soon-to-be-mother (of a daughter, no less), and having my particular background as an onlooker (to friends raising their daughters)—but I was also interested in what it could teach me about what I did not experience as a child. While I have certainly witnessed the princess obsession that now appears to enslave childhood, I was not in the least way interested in dolls, Barbie or princesses; in fact, whenever I was given one, or given a gift that was glaringly pink, it often would remain in its original package or stored away on some unreachable shelf in my bedroom. Instead, I played with dinosaurs. And Hot Wheels cars. And more dinosaurs (Jurassic Park was huge when I was little and was the first movie I ever saw in theatres, so that ended up being more of my obsession). I guess I saw dolls and their equivalents as boring; there wasn’t all that much to do with them but dress and undress them, and playing dress-up was a hassle, not a joy. I wanted to run around outside, roll in the mud, and come back inside to scatter my cars and dinosaurs all over the room. I wanted to play with blocks and build things in kindergarten with the boys. And I wasn’t interested in all the mean things the girls said or the jewelry they played with at recess; I wanted and found kindness, comradery, and a healthy level of competition running around with the boys instead.
Perhaps “obviously” this led to problems in my relationships with other girls and my willingness to confide in them later on; dealing with boys was so much easier. What’s interesting, though, is that this all so largely stems from those earlier desires: I chose to play with dinosaurs and cars instead of dolls and clothing, which impacted who I played with and how I played, which led to potentially-different relationship and gender development. I witnessed a glaring princess obsession in other girls (though, I did not note it as a “princess obsession” at the time but, rather, noted their excessive pink clothes, jewelry, make-up and fascination with boys) and also made note of how those girls were treated differently than the girls who were more like me. Looking back, there was a hierarchy to navigate. By living outside of the princess obsession, I was able to progress in ways dissimilar from the other girls, focusing far less on appearance and romantic relations with boys (I didn’t fantasize about getting married until my husband proposed, and I didn’t worry about my appearance until midway through high school), though I did feel like an outcast and was largely shunned by those around me for being different, and still feel this shunning in other settings to this day.
I bring this up, because so much of this seems to correlate with the princess problem and our culture’s princess mentality. The subcategories of the princess problem include a fixation on romance and physical (outward) beauty, a lack of realistic gender and racial diversity and representation, as well as the overwhelming obstacle that is childhood marketing (toys, clothing, snacks, etc.). When considered from a psychological and sociological standpoint, this combination of shortcomings may dictate to young girls who they should be (in the sense of appearance and beauty), what they should do (by way of career) and who they should have relations with (emphasizing, often, popularity and romantic relationships of limited means). To look at this from a broader standpoint, much of what is presented by this princess mentality attempts to teach our girls what it means to be a girl, what she should value, and how she should measure others’ success as individuals and members of our society. Looking back on the girls who I grew up with and their behavior, I can see how their involvement with princesses and other-girl specified items (as well as how they were raised to view themselves as princesses, or were encouraged to view themselves as ‘of a higher variety’) might have influenced them, their behavior and their decisions. If less time had been spent on fairy tales, make-up and valuing outwardly-assets, as opposed to developing deeper and more meaningful relationships, these girls potentially would have been much more open-minded about who they could and would interact with, which very well may have impacted their later personalities and decisions.
I’m really not here to demonize girlie toys, make-up, princesses, or the color pink; nor do I feel that this is the goal of The Princess Problem. Though playing dress-up and wearing make-up and playing with dolls were not my first choices of entertainment, I have had enough friends over the years, watched enough family members get ready for going out and have babysat enough children to understand the appeal of these activities. I will even go so far as to say that I can see their merits, despite their potential limitations. Like many other things that we present to our children—perhaps questionable television, or video games, or even just spending too much time indoors—there are ways of striking a balance. I believe, as Dr. Hains does, that allowing our children to be exposed (at least somewhat) to the princess mentality not only presents us with teachable moments, in which we may teach our daughters (and sons) greater critical thinking skills, as well as methods of further navigating the media, but we can also fixate more so on those areas of princessdom that are actually of higher quality—as love, generosity, and giving of the self should not be viewed as negative attributes, assuming these are given willingly and for the right reasons, and to the right people (which could easily be discussed, and even debated, in some of our princess films).
This relates specifically to Dr. Hains’ central idea and solution against the negative aspects of princess mentality—that is, our ability to better-navigate, critique and use the media, our pop culture, and even the deviations between the values presented by the princess mentality and our current cultural ideals. Dr. Hains refers to parents, guardians and mentors as “pop culture coaches,” who are able to look at the stories and films presented to our children, as well as the items sold to our children (and what they suggest about a child’s ideal behavior), and the values and goals that are suggested by these products—and teach our children how to look at all of these things with a critical eye, question their merit, and adjust their acceptance of the products and their messages based on the values and perspectives preserved in their own home. These are abilities that can only strengthen our children’s later critical thinking skills, and it gives them the opportunity to begin questioning moral ambiguity, as well as seeing the “gray” in what the media often tries to present as “black and white”. In addition to her unpacking of the subcategories of the princess problem in Part 2, Dr. Hains also unpacks potential solutions for each of these subs (for girls and boys), and she also has a variety of tools and resources available on her website, which include parent-child discussion guides for each of the Disney princess films, as well as pop culture coaching tips for beyond the princess problem, which includes other areas of media-fixation.
Being a soon-to-be mother and having the academic background that I have, I cannot recommend this book and its supplemental resources enough. There are obviously potential social and psychological problems that can arise from presenting princess stories (and their equivalents) to our children; but because of the overwhelming presence of princesses in our culture, our children will be exposed to these stories whether or not we are the ones who share them: in their schools, when with friends, by their friends’ parents, etc. So in the long run, then, it seems to me that it would be better to somewhat-expose my children to these ideas, but only alongside the appropriate critical thinking skills. I do not mind the idea of my children enjoying a story if they can also point out its specific merits, why they like it, and where it might fall short. If they have a clear understanding of how beauty is over-emphasized, how gender and race need better and more-frequent representation, and that being a princess is not everything, then that opens the door to sharing with them the actual merits of these stories: overwhelming love, a positive relationship with nature (that’s always been my favorite part about princess tales—wanting to sing with birds and clean my home with a whole herd of forest friends), having confidence in personal beauty (though, again, striking that balance!), as well as love and respect that are at times awarded and valued between the princess and supporting characters. I love this idea of being able to share this large aspect of our culture with my daughter, while also seeing her as able to move beyond it and find empowerment despite her involvement with it—measuring her success in actual successes, rather than in beauty and popularity and the like. That, to me, is beautiful: that possible middle-ground of embracing something so large from our culture, but also challenging it and moving beyond its limitations.
Dr. Rebecca Hains, author of The Princess Problem: Guiding Our Girls through the Princess-Obsessed Years, offers a thorough and insightful text which presents research surrounding the princess mentality that has infiltrated our culture; the pleasures and problems this mentality presents; and how we as parents, guardians, and mentors can teach our children to better navigate and overcome the shortcomings of this mentality, without completely dismissing the fun of princessdom.
The book is systematically divided into two parts. The first focuses on Dr. Hains’ research methods surrounding the princess problem, as well as background and summative information in support of why this mentality is problematic and how we can begin thinking of correcting it. The second part breaks the princess problem down into subcategories, unpacks their meaning and role within the problem, and presents subcategory-specific solutions.
I was drawn to this text originally for a variety of reasons—being a declared feminist, having a background in Gender and Women’s Studies and Psychology, being a soon-to-be-mother (of a daughter, no less), and having my particular background as an onlooker (to friends raising their daughters)—but I was also interested in what it could teach me about what I did not experience as a child. While I have certainly witnessed the princess obsession that now appears to enslave childhood, I was not in the least way interested in dolls, Barbie or princesses; in fact, whenever I was given one, or given a gift that was glaringly pink, it often would remain in its original package or stored away on some unreachable shelf in my bedroom. Instead, I played with dinosaurs. And Hot Wheels cars. And more dinosaurs (Jurassic Park was huge when I was little and was the first movie I ever saw in theatres, so that ended up being more of my obsession). I guess I saw dolls and their equivalents as boring; there wasn’t all that much to do with them but dress and undress them, and playing dress-up was a hassle, not a joy. I wanted to run around outside, roll in the mud, and come back inside to scatter my cars and dinosaurs all over the room. I wanted to play with blocks and build things in kindergarten with the boys. And I wasn’t interested in all the mean things the girls said or the jewelry they played with at recess; I wanted and found kindness, comradery, and a healthy level of competition running around with the boys instead.
Perhaps “obviously” this led to problems in my relationships with other girls and my willingness to confide in them later on; dealing with boys was so much easier. What’s interesting, though, is that this all so largely stems from those earlier desires: I chose to play with dinosaurs and cars instead of dolls and clothing, which impacted who I played with and how I played, which led to potentially-different relationship and gender development. I witnessed a glaring princess obsession in other girls (though, I did not note it as a “princess obsession” at the time but, rather, noted their excessive pink clothes, jewelry, make-up and fascination with boys) and also made note of how those girls were treated differently than the girls who were more like me. Looking back, there was a hierarchy to navigate. By living outside of the princess obsession, I was able to progress in ways dissimilar from the other girls, focusing far less on appearance and romantic relations with boys (I didn’t fantasize about getting married until my husband proposed, and I didn’t worry about my appearance until midway through high school), though I did feel like an outcast and was largely shunned by those around me for being different, and still feel this shunning in other settings to this day.
I bring this up, because so much of this seems to correlate with the princess problem and our culture’s princess mentality. The subcategories of the princess problem include a fixation on romance and physical (outward) beauty, a lack of realistic gender and racial diversity and representation, as well as the overwhelming obstacle that is childhood marketing (toys, clothing, snacks, etc.). When considered from a psychological and sociological standpoint, this combination of shortcomings may dictate to young girls who they should be (in the sense of appearance and beauty), what they should do (by way of career) and who they should have relations with (emphasizing, often, popularity and romantic relationships of limited means). To look at this from a broader standpoint, much of what is presented by this princess mentality attempts to teach our girls what it means to be a girl, what she should value, and how she should measure others’ success as individuals and members of our society. Looking back on the girls who I grew up with and their behavior, I can see how their involvement with princesses and other-girl specified items (as well as how they were raised to view themselves as princesses, or were encouraged to view themselves as ‘of a higher variety’) might have influenced them, their behavior and their decisions. If less time had been spent on fairy tales, make-up and valuing outwardly-assets, as opposed to developing deeper and more meaningful relationships, these girls potentially would have been much more open-minded about who they could and would interact with, which very well may have impacted their later personalities and decisions.
I’m really not here to demonize girlie toys, make-up, princesses, or the color pink; nor do I feel that this is the goal of The Princess Problem. Though playing dress-up and wearing make-up and playing with dolls were not my first choices of entertainment, I have had enough friends over the years, watched enough family members get ready for going out and have babysat enough children to understand the appeal of these activities. I will even go so far as to say that I can see their merits, despite their potential limitations. Like many other things that we present to our children—perhaps questionable television, or video games, or even just spending too much time indoors—there are ways of striking a balance. I believe, as Dr. Hains does, that allowing our children to be exposed (at least somewhat) to the princess mentality not only presents us with teachable moments, in which we may teach our daughters (and sons) greater critical thinking skills, as well as methods of further navigating the media, but we can also fixate more so on those areas of princessdom that are actually of higher quality—as love, generosity, and giving of the self should not be viewed as negative attributes, assuming these are given willingly and for the right reasons, and to the right people (which could easily be discussed, and even debated, in some of our princess films).
This relates specifically to Dr. Hains’ central idea and solution against the negative aspects of princess mentality—that is, our ability to better-navigate, critique and use the media, our pop culture, and even the deviations between the values presented by the princess mentality and our current cultural ideals. Dr. Hains refers to parents, guardians and mentors as “pop culture coaches,” who are able to look at the stories and films presented to our children, as well as the items sold to our children (and what they suggest about a child’s ideal behavior), and the values and goals that are suggested by these products—and teach our children how to look at all of these things with a critical eye, question their merit, and adjust their acceptance of the products and their messages based on the values and perspectives preserved in their own home. These are abilities that can only strengthen our children’s later critical thinking skills, and it gives them the opportunity to begin questioning moral ambiguity, as well as seeing the “gray” in what the media often tries to present as “black and white”. In addition to her unpacking of the subcategories of the princess problem in Part 2, Dr. Hains also unpacks potential solutions for each of these subs (for girls and boys), and she also has a variety of tools and resources available on her website, which include parent-child discussion guides for each of the Disney princess films, as well as pop culture coaching tips for beyond the princess problem, which includes other areas of media-fixation.
Being a soon-to-be mother and having the academic background that I have, I cannot recommend this book and its supplemental resources enough. There are obviously potential social and psychological problems that can arise from presenting princess stories (and their equivalents) to our children; but because of the overwhelming presence of princesses in our culture, our children will be exposed to these stories whether or not we are the ones who share them: in their schools, when with friends, by their friends’ parents, etc. So in the long run, then, it seems to me that it would be better to somewhat-expose my children to these ideas, but only alongside the appropriate critical thinking skills. I do not mind the idea of my children enjoying a story if they can also point out its specific merits, why they like it, and where it might fall short. If they have a clear understanding of how beauty is over-emphasized, how gender and race need better and more-frequent representation, and that being a princess is not everything, then that opens the door to sharing with them the actual merits of these stories: overwhelming love, a positive relationship with nature (that’s always been my favorite part about princess tales—wanting to sing with birds and clean my home with a whole herd of forest friends), having confidence in personal beauty (though, again, striking that balance!), as well as love and respect that are at times awarded and valued between the princess and supporting characters. I love this idea of being able to share this large aspect of our culture with my daughter, while also seeing her as able to move beyond it and find empowerment despite her involvement with it—measuring her success in actual successes, rather than in beauty and popularity and the like. That, to me, is beautiful: that possible middle-ground of embracing something so large from our culture, but also challenging it and moving beyond its limitations.
March 5, 2015
I won this book from a giveaway on Goodreads to review.
While I am completely aware of the whole "I'm a princess" issue we seem to have today in America, I am a fan of Disney and so of course, allow my daughter to watch the movies/tv shows. She even has the wall decals of each "princess" or girl from Disney, including Tink and her friends.
I don't completely agree with everything in this book. I don't see how this Dr goes on and on about how Disney forces these "princesses" on girls yet doesn't see the issue with Frozen. It has completely toppled all other princesses it seems. Every little girl wants to be Elsa, the snow queen; who in my opinion is actually mean. She does mention how there was no need to have Elsa suddenly become sexy in the movie (my shocked look when that happened watching it was just priceless). Why doesn't she ever say how all queens tend to have power issues, whether they crave it, or like Elsa, who can't seem to control hers.
I do think it's a great tool for people looking to find ways to show their kids other toys/products that don't include princesses. I have actually always been this way with my daughter. I don't like all of her toys being pink or just princess themed. She loves pirates just as much.
Something else that does drive me nuts that she drones on about is how Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella are all submissive women who wait for a prince to come save them. These were made in a time where that was the norm for women. Getting married was the main priority. The future princesses of course were going to be completely different.
While I am completely aware of the whole "I'm a princess" issue we seem to have today in America, I am a fan of Disney and so of course, allow my daughter to watch the movies/tv shows. She even has the wall decals of each "princess" or girl from Disney, including Tink and her friends.
I don't completely agree with everything in this book. I don't see how this Dr goes on and on about how Disney forces these "princesses" on girls yet doesn't see the issue with Frozen. It has completely toppled all other princesses it seems. Every little girl wants to be Elsa, the snow queen; who in my opinion is actually mean. She does mention how there was no need to have Elsa suddenly become sexy in the movie (my shocked look when that happened watching it was just priceless). Why doesn't she ever say how all queens tend to have power issues, whether they crave it, or like Elsa, who can't seem to control hers.
I do think it's a great tool for people looking to find ways to show their kids other toys/products that don't include princesses. I have actually always been this way with my daughter. I don't like all of her toys being pink or just princess themed. She loves pirates just as much.
Something else that does drive me nuts that she drones on about is how Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella are all submissive women who wait for a prince to come save them. These were made in a time where that was the norm for women. Getting married was the main priority. The future princesses of course were going to be completely different.
September 8, 2016
If you loved Peggy Orenstein’s, 'Cinderella Ate my Daughter,' then you will relish Rebecca Hain’s, 'The Princess Problem.' Where Orenstein looks at “the dark side of the girlie-girl,” Hains expands the exploration of princess culture by turning toward its marketing and how it has affected consumerism long term. While the princess obsessed culture can be tricky to navigate, this book does not chastise the idea of little girls wanting to be princesses. However, it does offer insight into where Disney and other companies have fallen short in their representation and how parents can address these inconsistencies with their children. Even if you don’t have children Hain’s research gives the reader pause, and in many cases a sobering reality check about how girls see themselves and how they are represented.
October 25, 2016
Society is heavily affected by princesses and their messages to little girls, and women. The Princess Problem by Rebecca C. Hains, PhD (copyright 2014) is a third wave of feminism guidebook that addresses the issue of princesses in our culture. She notes the impact of the princess culture and its effects on little girls, as well as grown women. Rebecca C. Hains in The Princess Problem supports the feminist movement, and hopes that feminism in our culture will further develop.
The Princess Problem includes analysis of various princesses and how they affect feminism. Rebecca C. Hains does this by connecting princess issue to her own personal life as a professor, and a princess at birthday parties in order to study princess culture from a new perspective. She would also interview the parents of the child and get their opinions. “On one hand, many moms have nostalgia for the princesses of their own childhoods, and compared with other popular girls’ toys and media, like the edgy Monster High dolls, parents see princesses as innocent and safe” (xiv). Hains analyzes the information she gets from these parties, and gives parents advice on how to avoid the issues that she discovers.
Through her studies, Hains finds issues with princess culture such as, size, appearance, race, and women's’ strength. She organizes this information by issue and then adds what parents, her intended audience, can do to fix it. When writing, Rebecca C. Hains includes many checklists for parents to help them keep their children from this negative influence. For example, when schooling parents about media, Hains says “ Talking with your children about media can feel awkward or forced if you’re not used to it. To begin, try making simple declaration statements to share your reactions to what’s on-screen (48). Not only does Hains try and help parents, she also tries to help society by showing the controversy in various famous princesses and their movies. “But otherwise, stories about princesses- from Cinderella to Snow White to Princess Peach- have long underscored the presumed weakness of females and implied that helplessness is romantically desirable” (161). By doing this, Hains is effectively drawing attention to the problem with princesses that has for too long gone unnoticed.
The Princess Problem, which is the categorized in the third wave of feminism, is a book which effectively displays the issues with princesses in our culture. It shows how princess culture negatively affects the morals and ethics of our society's children. The author, Rebecca C. Hains, believes that this needs to change in our society, because it is holding back the growth of feminism.
The Princess Problem includes analysis of various princesses and how they affect feminism. Rebecca C. Hains does this by connecting princess issue to her own personal life as a professor, and a princess at birthday parties in order to study princess culture from a new perspective. She would also interview the parents of the child and get their opinions. “On one hand, many moms have nostalgia for the princesses of their own childhoods, and compared with other popular girls’ toys and media, like the edgy Monster High dolls, parents see princesses as innocent and safe” (xiv). Hains analyzes the information she gets from these parties, and gives parents advice on how to avoid the issues that she discovers.
Through her studies, Hains finds issues with princess culture such as, size, appearance, race, and women's’ strength. She organizes this information by issue and then adds what parents, her intended audience, can do to fix it. When writing, Rebecca C. Hains includes many checklists for parents to help them keep their children from this negative influence. For example, when schooling parents about media, Hains says “ Talking with your children about media can feel awkward or forced if you’re not used to it. To begin, try making simple declaration statements to share your reactions to what’s on-screen (48). Not only does Hains try and help parents, she also tries to help society by showing the controversy in various famous princesses and their movies. “But otherwise, stories about princesses- from Cinderella to Snow White to Princess Peach- have long underscored the presumed weakness of females and implied that helplessness is romantically desirable” (161). By doing this, Hains is effectively drawing attention to the problem with princesses that has for too long gone unnoticed.
The Princess Problem, which is the categorized in the third wave of feminism, is a book which effectively displays the issues with princesses in our culture. It shows how princess culture negatively affects the morals and ethics of our society's children. The author, Rebecca C. Hains, believes that this needs to change in our society, because it is holding back the growth of feminism.
January 12, 2015
Princesses everywhere. How can parents neutralize the negative impact princess culture can have on young kids while still allowing the kids their autonomy in the interests they pursue? This book has some great advice. It's really a book about raising media literate kids and how parents can establish open communication with their children.
I'll write a longer review later.
I'll write a longer review later.
October 25, 2016
I raised two boys and two girls, so I know firsthand how ruthless marketing can be to children (and parents) of all ages. I also know that marketing to boys is different from marketing to girls as is product placement and the amount of merchandise available to boys vs. girls. We watched many Disney movies with the kids, and too often I was frustrated with the passive, beautiful princesses in the movies. My girls liked to play dress up, but they grew out of their princess fixation at a young age. However, they were still bombarded with what society told them a young girl should be and how she should act, and I witnessed many of my daughters' friends being raised to be princesses who relied on others to fend for their needs. Like Hains, I see nothing wrong with princess culture IF we educate our children and have meaningful conversations with them about what the movies and products are portraying. Over thirty years ago, I wrote a research paper about sleeping princesses in fairytales who could not be awakened without a man's kiss (their awakening being much more than merely physical), so this princess problem is not a new topic for me.
We frequently (and too easily?) trust Disney and others to get it right. Why would someone want to harm children, right? The harming is perhaps not (usually?) intentional but it occurs anyway with racial and gender prejudice along with stereotypes of beauty and personality. (Have you ever seen what Disney movie princesses look like if their eyes were not oversized? Research it; it will make you think. Here's one example: https://www.buzzfeed.com/jenlewis/if-...
We condemn Barbie for her proportions, but we overlook this "subtle" change in the movies.)
Hains is not saying that children's love of princesses is wrong. She claims that we need to have frank conversations with our children about what it means to be a princess and determine what their inferences are based on what they view. Don't believe me when I say children's interpretations are startling? Just watch this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjUop...
I like that Hains challenges readers to think about our own biases, shaped by media's influence. Hains also breaks the information down into age groups and provides titles of books that families should read together (and this librarian certainly appreciates that). In fact, Hains offers many additional readings, and her works cited is quite extensive. With plenty of advice and a break down of many of the Disney movies, Hains offers insight into the media and marketing world of the princess culture and provides tools that parents can use. You don't have to be a parent to find this book interesting and engaging; this book is illuminating on many levels.
We frequently (and too easily?) trust Disney and others to get it right. Why would someone want to harm children, right? The harming is perhaps not (usually?) intentional but it occurs anyway with racial and gender prejudice along with stereotypes of beauty and personality. (Have you ever seen what Disney movie princesses look like if their eyes were not oversized? Research it; it will make you think. Here's one example: https://www.buzzfeed.com/jenlewis/if-...
We condemn Barbie for her proportions, but we overlook this "subtle" change in the movies.)
Hains is not saying that children's love of princesses is wrong. She claims that we need to have frank conversations with our children about what it means to be a princess and determine what their inferences are based on what they view. Don't believe me when I say children's interpretations are startling? Just watch this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjUop...
I like that Hains challenges readers to think about our own biases, shaped by media's influence. Hains also breaks the information down into age groups and provides titles of books that families should read together (and this librarian certainly appreciates that). In fact, Hains offers many additional readings, and her works cited is quite extensive. With plenty of advice and a break down of many of the Disney movies, Hains offers insight into the media and marketing world of the princess culture and provides tools that parents can use. You don't have to be a parent to find this book interesting and engaging; this book is illuminating on many levels.
March 16, 2015
I could summarize the “Princess Problem” as the negative impact of the overall princess culture that is so pervasive today and that translates into stereotypes of gender, beauty, race and culture that ultimately shape what girls think of themselves and the world at large. The book explains the concepts and then provides valuable tools for parents to act as “pop culture coaches” to their children. As such, parents get actively involved in the entertainment choices their kids make and help them think outside the obvious, building a critical thinking about all things media and marketing related. The book quotes academic papers, conversations with parents and draws from the author’s own experiences as princess in kids parties. The combination is good. It’s not too academic, but it’s not just opinion either. It has a good balance.
I liked the overall tone of the book. I was expecting a holier-than-thou, condescending attitude usually found on parenting reads, but the author quickly asks you to setup the foundation for your discussions with your child: your own family values, which she encourages you to discuss at length and even write down. You can then use the tools and ideas she provides to guide your children according to your family values. She doesn’t tell you what those values should be. I enjoyed highlighting some interesting observations and tools and then discussing them with my wife. I plan to come back to these comments in the future, as I work on becoming my kid’s pop culture coach.
Note that all those tools require you to be very active, but I suppose that should not be an issue for parents picking up this book. You have to be there, with your child, watching the shows and providing your thoughts. Then you have to follow up and constantly discuss. So plan to spend some time on it. One good thing is that the discussions the author proposes are not joy kills. You won’t ruin your child’s entertainment time, but get her/him more engaged.
At the end I got lost with the section about race and all the stereotypes the likes of Disney perpetuate. While I agree with the overall idea, I think the section was reading too much into the movies and princess stories. In one part it turns out that the fact that a black character has a job is racist, but that the other black character does not have a job is also racist. Which one is it then? I skimmed through this section and moved to the end.
I really liked this book and will be coming back to it in the future.
You can follow the author's blog and Facebook page for more interesting thoughts and discussions.
I liked the overall tone of the book. I was expecting a holier-than-thou, condescending attitude usually found on parenting reads, but the author quickly asks you to setup the foundation for your discussions with your child: your own family values, which she encourages you to discuss at length and even write down. You can then use the tools and ideas she provides to guide your children according to your family values. She doesn’t tell you what those values should be. I enjoyed highlighting some interesting observations and tools and then discussing them with my wife. I plan to come back to these comments in the future, as I work on becoming my kid’s pop culture coach.
Note that all those tools require you to be very active, but I suppose that should not be an issue for parents picking up this book. You have to be there, with your child, watching the shows and providing your thoughts. Then you have to follow up and constantly discuss. So plan to spend some time on it. One good thing is that the discussions the author proposes are not joy kills. You won’t ruin your child’s entertainment time, but get her/him more engaged.
At the end I got lost with the section about race and all the stereotypes the likes of Disney perpetuate. While I agree with the overall idea, I think the section was reading too much into the movies and princess stories. In one part it turns out that the fact that a black character has a job is racist, but that the other black character does not have a job is also racist. Which one is it then? I skimmed through this section and moved to the end.
I really liked this book and will be coming back to it in the future.
You can follow the author's blog and Facebook page for more interesting thoughts and discussions.
May 28, 2015
I liked the book. This is something that I'm fairly well educated in and I don't mind reading more time to time.
What I liked.
1) I love the emphasis on media literacy. It's important and she does a wonderful job addressing this in detail.
2) I loved that she pointed out that StrideRite and underwear are marketed differently between the todder genders.
3) Chapter 6 was my favorite. I feel like race is something that isn't discussed much. We've been looking for a Middle Eastern baby doll to add to our collection. We can't find one anywhere.
What I hated.
1) She touched on this but I wish she went into more details about how the boy movies merchandise isn't even available to girls. My daughter's favorite movie is Cars. We cannot find a single article of clothing that fits her right. Also, when we went to Disney there was a whole building dedicated to Princesses. There was only a small shelf for Cars. She ended up picking out a mickey bracelet as her souvenir.
2) The book got long in a few chapters. I think part of this is that I've read a lot on this subject.
3) I can't stand is how Frozen is painted in such a positive light when it displays so much of what she talks against. It's the only Disney Princess movie that is absolutely not allowed around my child in any shape or form.
What I liked.
1) I love the emphasis on media literacy. It's important and she does a wonderful job addressing this in detail.
2) I loved that she pointed out that StrideRite and underwear are marketed differently between the todder genders.
3) Chapter 6 was my favorite. I feel like race is something that isn't discussed much. We've been looking for a Middle Eastern baby doll to add to our collection. We can't find one anywhere.
What I hated.
1) She touched on this but I wish she went into more details about how the boy movies merchandise isn't even available to girls. My daughter's favorite movie is Cars. We cannot find a single article of clothing that fits her right. Also, when we went to Disney there was a whole building dedicated to Princesses. There was only a small shelf for Cars. She ended up picking out a mickey bracelet as her souvenir.
2) The book got long in a few chapters. I think part of this is that I've read a lot on this subject.
3) I can't stand is how Frozen is painted in such a positive light when it displays so much of what she talks against. It's the only Disney Princess movie that is absolutely not allowed around my child in any shape or form.
August 18, 2015
Anyone with a child in their life (parents, grandparents, caregivers, etc.) should read this book. It's not bashing princess culture, but it provides practical advise for helping your children become media savvy. Boys can also learn from this!
We are inundated with marketing ploys in every facet of life and much of it is directed specifically to children, starting at age 2. Companies want to create "customers for life" and the Disney princess juggernaut is the perfect example.
Imaginative play is perfectly fine and encouraged but it's important to balance it with realistic ideals and expectations.
This book touches on how to address the unrealistic appearance of cartoon princesses (eyes bigger than their wrists) and race relations (very limited options for children of color).
In a time when Black Lives Matter and Transgender Rights are current talking points, this is especially poignant. We want to empower our young girls and yet the "Princess Culture" so focused on waiting for "Prince Charming to come to the rescue" is working against that.
Let your daughters know that pink and glitter are absolutely fine, but that doesn't mean they can't be a Princess Firefighter and rescue her own castle. Teach them how to navigate the bombardment of advertisements they face. Do Spaghetti-O's really taste better with Elsa on the label? I doth protest!
We are inundated with marketing ploys in every facet of life and much of it is directed specifically to children, starting at age 2. Companies want to create "customers for life" and the Disney princess juggernaut is the perfect example.
Imaginative play is perfectly fine and encouraged but it's important to balance it with realistic ideals and expectations.
This book touches on how to address the unrealistic appearance of cartoon princesses (eyes bigger than their wrists) and race relations (very limited options for children of color).
In a time when Black Lives Matter and Transgender Rights are current talking points, this is especially poignant. We want to empower our young girls and yet the "Princess Culture" so focused on waiting for "Prince Charming to come to the rescue" is working against that.
Let your daughters know that pink and glitter are absolutely fine, but that doesn't mean they can't be a Princess Firefighter and rescue her own castle. Teach them how to navigate the bombardment of advertisements they face. Do Spaghetti-O's really taste better with Elsa on the label? I doth protest!
October 11, 2014
Admittedly, this book was preaching to the choir. I already read the author's blog regularly, and agree with most (not all!) of what she says, and consider myself a feminist mother of two young girls. That is the grain of salt to take with this review.
The Princess Problem was an incredibly insightful read with many tips I plan to use with my children as I help them to navigate through childhood and to develop media literacy.
In this book, Hains addresses some of the key problems of "princess culture," namely (1) the emphasis on consumerism and gendered marketing, (2) the narrow standards for beauty, (3) the gender stereotypes, and (4) race representation/lack of diversity. For each set of problems, Hains offers guidelines and tips for identifying your family's values and opening dialogues with your children about these issues. For me, the tips ranged from the self-evidence to things I hadn't thought of at all.
This book is focused more on tips and less on critique. For critique, I would point readers to Peggy Orenstein's Cinderella Ate My Daughter, which I also enjoyed immensely. But for parents who (like me) don't plan to insulate their children from Disney princess movies but also are concerned about raising media-literate children, this book is a must-read.
The Princess Problem was an incredibly insightful read with many tips I plan to use with my children as I help them to navigate through childhood and to develop media literacy.
In this book, Hains addresses some of the key problems of "princess culture," namely (1) the emphasis on consumerism and gendered marketing, (2) the narrow standards for beauty, (3) the gender stereotypes, and (4) race representation/lack of diversity. For each set of problems, Hains offers guidelines and tips for identifying your family's values and opening dialogues with your children about these issues. For me, the tips ranged from the self-evidence to things I hadn't thought of at all.
This book is focused more on tips and less on critique. For critique, I would point readers to Peggy Orenstein's Cinderella Ate My Daughter, which I also enjoyed immensely. But for parents who (like me) don't plan to insulate their children from Disney princess movies but also are concerned about raising media-literate children, this book is a must-read.
August 18, 2020
Well, it's not like I didn't know this stuff already. I mean, as someone who has a daughter that adores princesses, glitter, sparkly dresses and all of that but has also managed to balance that with enjoying many things that are not particularly princess-like, there is already a pretty good balance in our house, nothing particularly new in this book. I did appreciate that it doesn't demonize the feminine, but advocates for the expansion of the feminine for all genders. I really appreciated the framework for teaching about how to be an effective media/societal critic to be useful and applicable. She does repeat it throughout the book so maybe I didn't need so much of that. And also, I think I would have liked to hear more from people with daughters as the main narrator. Not that parents of sons shouldn't be thinking about this or advocating for diverse, nuanced media, it just made some of her personal stories feel forced into the narrative and flattened some of the examples she used from other people. But as an intro to this issue for concerned parents and a template for some good basic steps to helping kids develop well-rounded interests and the ability to think critically about media, this is a good place to start.
January 25, 2015
I absolutely loved this book. Not only is it filled with practical advice for parents who are navigating the princess-obsessed years, but it is solidly grounded in research. Dr. Hains, a professor of media studies, is well equipped to lay out the issues in a way that parents can easily understand, while at the same time providing professional analysis that goes beyond what is typically found in the blogosphere. This book has depth and gravitas while being, at the same time, extremely accessible and entertaining. Princess culture is analyzed and explained but not bashed. For parents who are searching for positive ways to guide young daughters through our sexualized and stereotyped Princess World, this book is an invaluable resource. Even if you don’t have a little girl, the book is a fascinating exploration of corporate America, exploitative marketing and consumerism, especially of the ways these things negatively affect the female gender and target girls. Highly recommended!
September 10, 2016
Will definitely be referencing this book many times in the years to come! The best part about it is the very practical suggestions to identify our family's media values, to teach our child about creating her own media (and therefore learning about the decision making process all Media creators undertake), and ideas for creating family dialog around these topics. Grown-ups may have the ability to place Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, etc., into historical context and understand the financial motivations behind a studio's or a consumer products department's decisions but a practical guide to age appropriate discussions for helping children develop their own understandings of those factors is invaluable.
September 26, 2017
The author talks about being a pop culture coach, helping kids engage critically with movies, toys, and other areas of pop culture. I love this–you can’t protect your kids from all questionable media (although one of the earlier chapters walks you through creating a suitable media diet for your child), but you can give them the tools to deal with the hurtful messages our culture often presents. So important, so interesting, and definitely worth a read if you’re a parent or educator.
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/adult-non...
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/adult-non...
January 19, 2015
I think there is some good information in this book but you would have to be a complete idiot to not know the basics in this book. I also think that she make some Disney things way worse than they actually are.....They are cartoons... If we think about what we had as our tv growing up....not any better...I think there are some good dialogue suggestions on what to discuss with your girls but not much more than that as a take away for me.
September 14, 2015
I think the Princess Problem is real. But I don't think Hains does a good job of addressing it. Mostly she points out every where it is and why it was put there. Eighty percent of this book is anecdotes (and not even interesting ones!) and Hain's opinions. There isn't really ANY of the "guiding girls through the princess years" in this book.
August 22, 2019
This book describes a variety of problems with “princess culture” and how to navigate those problems without taking away something your child is enamored with. There are a variety of strategies presented to increase your child’s (and your own) media awareness.
January 14, 2016
This book did a good job covering the bases of the problems with Princess Culture, from impossible beauty standards to lack of racial representation.
September 13, 2017
A guidebook to revisit year over year on how to discuss and empower our daughters (and sons by extension) to become confident, smart, realistic women. This will be useful as my daughter gets older.
December 1, 2020
Offers helpful tools for coaching kids in media consumption. Focused on Disney Princess but applicable more generally.
May 7, 2015
I borrowed this book from the library and unfortunately, only got through the first three chapters before needing to return it. That said, what I was able to consume was great! This book contains not only thoughtful analyses, but proactive measures that parents can take to empower their children, especially girls.
Hains central thesis is that since individual parents have little ability to affect the prevalence of a princess culture, what they can do to counter its potential negative effects on their daughters - and sons - is to teach “media literacy.” If we teach our children how marketing manipulates, they’ll have the best chance to resist and determine their own self and values, independent of images, messages, and products they’re being ‘sold.’
Below are my notes from each chapter for my own reference / later referral. But if anyone else find helpful, awesome.
Introduction
Hains introduces the notion of parents as “pop culture coaches,” where parents define their values, engage in media-consumption with their children, ask questions to encourage children to think critically about their consumption, and identify how the media does or does not align individual / family values.
Chapter One: The Problems with Princess Culture
Princess culture:
Enforces gender-segregated marketing
Emphasizes physical appearance
Portrays regressive gender and racial stereotypes
The critique of princess culture went mainstream with Orenstein’s “What’s Wrong With Cinderella” article in The New York Times Magazine. And the films that followed - The Princess and The Frog, Brave, Tangled, and Frozen - featured improvements in the *films* but not the *products* created as collateral to the films.
Chapter Two: Raising Media-Literate Children
Step 1 : Identify your family’s values - i.e. how much tv, movies, video games, internet? With or w/o commercials? With what - or w/o what type of - content? Making a conscious choice between *protecting from* in lieu of *preparing for* content… Think of your values, write them out, share with the kids.
Step 2 : Establish a healthy “media diet.” Monitor screen time, establish what content is / is not permissible and/or under what conditions. Write a “prescription” - e.g. “no more than 3 tv shows per day and the first two have to be PBS; third is kid’s choice” OR “1) If Theo watches TV, he must begin with an episode of Sesame Street. 2) After SS, he may watch one show of his choosing. 3) If he wishes to watch add’l tv, he must choose between Mister Rodgers, Super Why, etc. 4) He may than watch one last show of his choice.” Pro tips: Parent with “warmth and consistency.” “Studies show that children are more likely to accept their parents’ values when those values are communicated with warmth and good humor.” … “Studies indicate that 96% of teenagers lie to their parents, often about the really big issues. [But the teens that lie the least are] those whole parents that consistently enforce rules while being the warmest and having the most conversations with their kids.” Being consistent doesn’t mean the “diet” can't change with feedback/time. Also, it’s ok to ban “toxic” media - i.e. if white-supremicist rock, then “You are a member of this family. That’s a community. You have a responsibility as a member of this community not to hurt people in the community, and I deem this to be so upsetting it’s hurtful. You can’t have this here.”
Step 3 : Watch and talk about on-screen content with your kids. Note viewing not enough because it you see something upsetting, unfair, unjust, unrealistic and don’t call it out, you are giving tacit approval.
Step 4 : Teach children about media creation. (The thinking being: if they understand *how* media is created, they’ll have a better sense of how it is used as a tool of manipulation. And children have an innate sense of fairness - with this understanding, they easily grasp how positioning, promotions, placement, etc are used to “trick” them, which they inherently dislike. Example: looking at promotional material, ask “why do you think they chose this picture?”
Chapter Three : The Problem with Princess Making
“…why is princess marketing so effective? The answer is simple but infuriating: it exploits a developmental stage of childhood” that occurs in the pre-school / early elementary years where kids are trying to figure out who they are by sorting things into boxes and by association, trying to figure out what box they fit in. Princess culture exaggerates gender segregation and enables “appearance rigidity," making the boy/girl boxes more immutable, appealing to young minds in that developmental stage.
Recommended Viewing / Reading:
Films
Mickey Mouse Monopoly: Disney, Childhood & Corporate Power
Children’s Books
Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV
Box-Head Boy
Mama Rex and T Turn Off the TV
Mouse TV
How a Book is Made
The Bionic Bunny Show
Arthur’s TV Troubles
The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Commercials
The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies
The Berenstain Bears’ Mad, Mad Toy Craze
It’s Not What You’ve Got
More
Nothing
Those Shoes
The Berenstain Bears Think of Those in Need
Too Many Toys
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich
The Berenstain Bears Trouble with Money
Just Saving My Money
The Gift of Nothing
Joseph Hade a Little Overcoat
Same and the Lucky Money
When I Was Young
Parenting Books
Her Next Chapter: How Mother-Daughter Book Clubs Can Help Girls Navigate Malicious Media, Risky Relationships, Girl Gossip, and So Much More
Redefining Girly: How Parents Can Fight the Stereotyping and Sexualizing of Girlhood from Birth to Tween
Hains central thesis is that since individual parents have little ability to affect the prevalence of a princess culture, what they can do to counter its potential negative effects on their daughters - and sons - is to teach “media literacy.” If we teach our children how marketing manipulates, they’ll have the best chance to resist and determine their own self and values, independent of images, messages, and products they’re being ‘sold.’
Below are my notes from each chapter for my own reference / later referral. But if anyone else find helpful, awesome.
Introduction
Hains introduces the notion of parents as “pop culture coaches,” where parents define their values, engage in media-consumption with their children, ask questions to encourage children to think critically about their consumption, and identify how the media does or does not align individual / family values.
Chapter One: The Problems with Princess Culture
Princess culture:
Enforces gender-segregated marketing
Emphasizes physical appearance
Portrays regressive gender and racial stereotypes
The critique of princess culture went mainstream with Orenstein’s “What’s Wrong With Cinderella” article in The New York Times Magazine. And the films that followed - The Princess and The Frog, Brave, Tangled, and Frozen - featured improvements in the *films* but not the *products* created as collateral to the films.
Chapter Two: Raising Media-Literate Children
Step 1 : Identify your family’s values - i.e. how much tv, movies, video games, internet? With or w/o commercials? With what - or w/o what type of - content? Making a conscious choice between *protecting from* in lieu of *preparing for* content… Think of your values, write them out, share with the kids.
Step 2 : Establish a healthy “media diet.” Monitor screen time, establish what content is / is not permissible and/or under what conditions. Write a “prescription” - e.g. “no more than 3 tv shows per day and the first two have to be PBS; third is kid’s choice” OR “1) If Theo watches TV, he must begin with an episode of Sesame Street. 2) After SS, he may watch one show of his choosing. 3) If he wishes to watch add’l tv, he must choose between Mister Rodgers, Super Why, etc. 4) He may than watch one last show of his choice.” Pro tips: Parent with “warmth and consistency.” “Studies show that children are more likely to accept their parents’ values when those values are communicated with warmth and good humor.” … “Studies indicate that 96% of teenagers lie to their parents, often about the really big issues. [But the teens that lie the least are] those whole parents that consistently enforce rules while being the warmest and having the most conversations with their kids.” Being consistent doesn’t mean the “diet” can't change with feedback/time. Also, it’s ok to ban “toxic” media - i.e. if white-supremicist rock, then “You are a member of this family. That’s a community. You have a responsibility as a member of this community not to hurt people in the community, and I deem this to be so upsetting it’s hurtful. You can’t have this here.”
Step 3 : Watch and talk about on-screen content with your kids. Note viewing not enough because it you see something upsetting, unfair, unjust, unrealistic and don’t call it out, you are giving tacit approval.
Step 4 : Teach children about media creation. (The thinking being: if they understand *how* media is created, they’ll have a better sense of how it is used as a tool of manipulation. And children have an innate sense of fairness - with this understanding, they easily grasp how positioning, promotions, placement, etc are used to “trick” them, which they inherently dislike. Example: looking at promotional material, ask “why do you think they chose this picture?”
Chapter Three : The Problem with Princess Making
“…why is princess marketing so effective? The answer is simple but infuriating: it exploits a developmental stage of childhood” that occurs in the pre-school / early elementary years where kids are trying to figure out who they are by sorting things into boxes and by association, trying to figure out what box they fit in. Princess culture exaggerates gender segregation and enables “appearance rigidity," making the boy/girl boxes more immutable, appealing to young minds in that developmental stage.
Recommended Viewing / Reading:
Films
Mickey Mouse Monopoly: Disney, Childhood & Corporate Power
Children’s Books
Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV
Box-Head Boy
Mama Rex and T Turn Off the TV
Mouse TV
How a Book is Made
The Bionic Bunny Show
Arthur’s TV Troubles
The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Commercials
The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies
The Berenstain Bears’ Mad, Mad Toy Craze
It’s Not What You’ve Got
More
Nothing
Those Shoes
The Berenstain Bears Think of Those in Need
Too Many Toys
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich
The Berenstain Bears Trouble with Money
Just Saving My Money
The Gift of Nothing
Joseph Hade a Little Overcoat
Same and the Lucky Money
When I Was Young
Parenting Books
Her Next Chapter: How Mother-Daughter Book Clubs Can Help Girls Navigate Malicious Media, Risky Relationships, Girl Gossip, and So Much More
Redefining Girly: How Parents Can Fight the Stereotyping and Sexualizing of Girlhood from Birth to Tween
July 13, 2017
The name of the book is a little misleading but I got so much more from it than if it had been about princess culture specifically. It's actually a guide to consuming media with your children - specifically daughters but most tips are not gender specific - and helping them to become critical viewers of all content, not just princesses. I liked how the information was broken out with tips by age group, with so many that work for the stage we are in right now. I liked the book suggestions, both by topic and for further reading at the end. I think I came in hoping for something more like Cinderella Ate My Daughter, but got a more substantial parenting tool to help my daughter at the start of our princess season.
December 26, 2019
I read this as part of a group read on FB with mom’s that are all pretty “normal” and have super girly girls. The book was easy to read and surprisingly reaffirming that my kid was developmentally normal, haha. But this didn’t need to be a full length book. I found it quite redundant and sometimes the anecdotal stories were a little cringe-worthy.
Most surprisingly/reassuring to me was that the princess phase is a 4-6 year old thing. I thought we were just getting into it....not about to be out of it! (Except my second what I thought was a tomboy daughter is now almost 4 and obsessed with Elsa 🤷🏽♀️).
We own a movie theater and the discussion of how to conscientiously consume media and teach people about media was also useful.
Most surprisingly/reassuring to me was that the princess phase is a 4-6 year old thing. I thought we were just getting into it....not about to be out of it! (Except my second what I thought was a tomboy daughter is now almost 4 and obsessed with Elsa 🤷🏽♀️).
We own a movie theater and the discussion of how to conscientiously consume media and teach people about media was also useful.
June 13, 2018
Definitely, recommend to any teacher friends or parents with young children. I never thought how detrimental Disney princesses can actually be to girls... It all makes sense now. C'mon Disney. Ya can do better!!!
July 11, 2019
We are deep in the princess phase in our house right now. This was an interesting read with a few practical suggestions. I wish it was written a little more recently. It felt dated even though it is only 5 years old.
April 22, 2024
Really wonderful tool for parents - helps to think outside the box and prepares you with tangible advice. I've started utilising some advice and it seems to be working to "turn on" my daughters thinking :) brilliant!
October 7, 2018
Parts were skimmable, but it has some good thoughts and helpful talking points in it that makes it worth at least a glance through for anyone with a princess-loving little girl
March 30, 2019
This book simultaneously scared the crap out of me and comforted me. Unfortunately there does not seem to be happy medium but I suppose we can take heart knowing how resilient children are.
July 15, 2019
I mean... a lot of it seemed fairly straightforward and obvious, but the book makes good points & offers helpful language.
December 5, 2014
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.
This book provides some useful insights for those looking to help their daughters navigate princess-related marketing and obsession. The author elaborates upon why princess-related culture is problematic in so many ways (which I won't get into here). I cannot say that there were any ground-breaking insights, but the author's research and opinions related to princess culture are clearly stated, easily understood, and probably right-on in terms of accurately capturing the subject.
A few issues that I had with the book:
- The book is clearly written for white mothers. If I were a father, or a non-white mother, I would certainly feel that the book was not written "for" me. For how much the author lauds diversity and inclusiveness, this is an unfortunate aspect of the book.
- The author provides no clear definition for what a "princess" really is. The definition does not have to be extremely strict, and I'm sure most readers have at least a general notion of what it means to be a "princess," but it nevertheless would have been useful to have been provided with the author's thoughts on this matter, considering that she is putting herself forward as an expert on the matter.
- The book becomes very repetitive in certain places. For instance, the same exact thought is repeated on three or four consecutive pages, but just in slightly different wording. This leads to the book being longer than necessary.
In summary: The book is not intellectually ground-breaking, but if you are a parent concerned about princess culture and children's exposure to insidious media in general, I recommend it for the guidance that it provides.
This book provides some useful insights for those looking to help their daughters navigate princess-related marketing and obsession. The author elaborates upon why princess-related culture is problematic in so many ways (which I won't get into here). I cannot say that there were any ground-breaking insights, but the author's research and opinions related to princess culture are clearly stated, easily understood, and probably right-on in terms of accurately capturing the subject.
A few issues that I had with the book:
- The book is clearly written for white mothers. If I were a father, or a non-white mother, I would certainly feel that the book was not written "for" me. For how much the author lauds diversity and inclusiveness, this is an unfortunate aspect of the book.
- The author provides no clear definition for what a "princess" really is. The definition does not have to be extremely strict, and I'm sure most readers have at least a general notion of what it means to be a "princess," but it nevertheless would have been useful to have been provided with the author's thoughts on this matter, considering that she is putting herself forward as an expert on the matter.
- The book becomes very repetitive in certain places. For instance, the same exact thought is repeated on three or four consecutive pages, but just in slightly different wording. This leads to the book being longer than necessary.
In summary: The book is not intellectually ground-breaking, but if you are a parent concerned about princess culture and children's exposure to insidious media in general, I recommend it for the guidance that it provides.
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