Nothing is Wrong with Cinderella!

Peggy Orenstein's article focuses a major part on how girls get the wrong message at a young age when they idolize Disney's princesses and "play princess". At a young age, I believe it is perfectly normal for girls to buy princess items and want to "be" princesses because what else are they going to do for fun? Sure, there are sports that they can play at a young age and there are other toys that they can play with, but most of the toys targeted for little girls are "girly" things. I'm not saying that girls should only play with girl toys; I believe that children at a young age should play with whatever makes them feel happy. I do believe however that because we live in a society that shows girls that playing dress up and pretending to be princess is accepted, then they should be allowed to go with their imaginations and do so. After all, it will just be a phase. How many teen girls now believe that they are princesses and play with barbies? The answer would be almost none. Children go through phases in their lives. One minute Sally is a princess and then the next minute she is teaching her stuffed animals the ABC's. The days when I thought I was princess hasn't had an effect on me growing up and the way I perceive women today; it was assumed after the age of ten or so that girls don't grow up to become perfect princesses because that is what we are taught even before the princess phase is over.