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Grandparenting

Disney Princesses

(66 Posts)
Foxgloveandroses Sat 01-Nov-25 22:15:37

Two of our granddaughters aged under 5 are obsessed with Disney Princesses and it drives me crazy! I feel that it could take their interest away from other interesting, educational things. Luckily our daughters are great at also including many other activities, conversations, toys, and books that steer them away from the subject. Hopefully they will grow out of it.
Does anyone else any experience of this?

Millie22 Sun 02-Nov-25 11:26:21

#let it go 🎶

Allira
Yes definitely and that includes anybody being rude to you on another thread.

I still love all the Disney princess dolls.

ViceVersa Sun 02-Nov-25 11:33:55

eddiecat78

Just be thankful they're not boys and spending all their time turning everyday items into weapons

Oh, my daughter was more than capable of doing that too! grin

imaround Sun 02-Nov-25 17:20:34

I am laughing at the Taylor Swift comment. So true. Mine were a bit to old to go through that phase thankfully.

Maremia Sun 02-Nov-25 17:24:49

Aw Allira, spoilsport!
I was going to sing that.
But it's true. They do move on.

Maremia Sun 02-Nov-25 17:25:19

And Frozen has a good message about sisterly love.

Sar53 Sun 02-Nov-25 18:41:23

I'm sitting with my 7 year old granddaughter at the moment watching Harry Potter.
She is interested in all sorts of things including girlie toys.
They all grow up and change, let them be young whilst they are.

Allira Sun 02-Nov-25 22:52:56

I'm ashamed to say I went to a sing-a-long showing of Frozen with the DGD and their other Granny. The girls refused to sing (they'd grown out of it, they said) but other Granny and I joined in 🎶🎶🎵🎵🎶

Perhaps I was deprived of Disney when I was a child. Apart from Bambi.

BlueBelle Mon 03-Nov-25 09:46:19

Blimey Sar53 I took two much older grandkids to see one of the Harry Potters (can’t remember which one I m far from a fan) and it had such nasty violence in it that surprised me
Out of curiosity I looked up the ratings for Harry P and they are all 12 plus with the latter ones being 13 plus ‘due to increased violence, frightening imagery and mature themes’

I think I d rather have a bit of the Disney princesses

Lovetopaint037 Mon 03-Nov-25 10:46:42

So why deprive them of a happy fantasy? Imagination is all part of the creative process. It’s with most people all of their lives which is why adverts work. It lifts us from the mundane and provides hope and escape.

Missiseff Mon 03-Nov-25 13:37:56

Aah, it's lovely, may they never grow out of it

Jojo1950 Mon 03-Nov-25 13:44:17

It’s a faze!
Remember all children learn through play. Imaginative play is so good for young children.
I worked with reception classes for 20 years.
Dressing up was part of their day.

leeds22 Mon 03-Nov-25 14:16:12

Glad I had boys. I was a tomboy so not interested in dolls, princesses, etc. I really don't know what I would have done with a girlie daughter!

Chocolatelovinggran Mon 03-Nov-25 14:20:23

When I was a Reception teacher, I have known quite a few boys who dressed up as princesses et al.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a little bit of a Swifty - she's a generous donor to charities, visits sick child fans, and annoys Mr Trump: what's not to love?

Diplomat Mon 03-Nov-25 14:25:46

DGD in her Elsa dress in full Frozen voice, her younger brother (nearly 3) not to be out done in mermaid dress in the garden with me recently, magical!

Allira Mon 03-Nov-25 14:26:36

The thing about Disney Princesses is that, in the main, they can be positive rôle models for young girls.
They're not all simpering, helpless girls, waiting for a Prince to come and save them. Some of them are confident, brave and fearless as well as kind!

FranP Mon 03-Nov-25 14:31:39

Princesses are no longer the victim/passive that they were when we were small, they are strong capable women role models.

I ran a Rainbow Guide group for nearly 40 years. I loved frozen because instead of almost every child turning up to parties in pink, we suddenly had whites and blues too. Moana had an effect on clothes too

AuntieE Mon 03-Nov-25 14:46:13

Have a heart! you say they are under five, so there will be plenty of time later for educational things.

Let them dream of fairy tale princesses. They will grow out of it, of that you may be sure.

love0c Mon 03-Nov-25 18:48:18

It is called childhood. Let children enjoy it!

Grams2five Tue 04-Nov-25 04:26:03

Almost all grow out is it. I love the phase myself , gd aged five and I just dressed up and has the most magnificent tea the other day discussing her ice powers lol 😂

I will say almost all outgrow it. However my daughter now age 30 will tell you “but im a princess “ with a wink and a pout and a laugh often 😆. She’s still very much a “girly girl” who never fully outgrew her dress wearing pink loving princess persona. She’s also an incredibly smart , incredibly compassionate , incredibly hard working doctor.

WithNobsOnIt Tue 04-Nov-25 05:17:41

No worries with thr Princess and Fairy phase for little girls.

Normal part of growing up.

But have big beefs with awful mega companies like Disney with all.their tat at massive prices. And very manipulative marketing.

I wanted to be Aqua Marina from Troy Tempest when l was a young girl. Then Cathy Gale and Mrs Peel from the Avengers as a young teenager.

Thought Honor Blackman really rocked in all that tight leather gear.

And Diana Rigg's jumpsuits were to die for

Happy Days.
😻
X

Luckygirl3 Tue 04-Nov-25 07:31:13

My DD WAS The Little Mermaid for a year or so .... how she loved it all!!

That was after she stopped being a dog! smile

keepcalmandcavachon Tue 04-Nov-25 08:36:45

Chocolatelovinggran

When I was a Reception teacher, I have known quite a few boys who dressed up as princesses et al.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a little bit of a Swifty - she's a generous donor to charities, visits sick child fans, and annoys Mr Trump: what's not to love?

Me too Chocolatelovinggran, both of her albums Red and Evermore are just so perfect for this time of year.

NotSpaghetti Tue 04-Nov-25 09:01:13

Withnobsonit - I think that really is a problem - the "Disney Tat."

Our family had a lot of dressing up things - and made masks and outfits regularly. We had rabbits and Alice, caterpillars and bats, princesses and jungle explorers, tin men, pirates (one with his own song), magicians and witches and cats... and Tom (who always won games with captain Najork)
Alongside this we had "ordinary" people who had amazing adventures

Princesses aren't the only imaginative play you know - though I accept you can be a pirate princess up the tree/climbing frame if you take the frilly skirt off!

keepingquiet Tue 04-Nov-25 09:15:43

It isn't inevitable that all little girls like Disney Princesses. They just like Princesses- the Disney label is what we put on it, and because the merch is everywhere we buy it.

My GD also loves unicorns and mermaids, but they don't have to be Disney either.

Iam64 Tue 04-Nov-25 10:00:20

My youngest grandson spent a couple of years in a princess frock, playing younger, less powerful princess sister to his older female cousin