[Elizabeth Richmond]

I read this article today, cant share the link cause new to the site, but it's on parentingpod.com and it's talking about all the disney princesses and why they are bad role models!! Anyone see it and can post link?

found it so funny but also a bit worrying! I think about the bad guys, but not usually the good ones!

Do you ever discuss this stuff with your kids before/while they watch? Or do any of you ban it altogether cause of it? :serious:

 

[philomom]

We pick and choose the Disney we let into our home.

Winners..

Beauty and the Beast Belle loves books, Belle does good
Mulan Mulan is protecting her father
Treasure Planet Jim grows up
Tarzan this Jane is do-able
Robin Hood Likable but with more typical gender roles
Atlantis hero is a skinny scholar, the princess is a rebel

 

[moominmamma]

We have avoided almost everything Disney in our house, partly because the helpless-female role model stuff and partly because of the distorted body image stuff, but more than anything because it's such a huge marketing machine for licensed trash and spin-offs. For many kids it's the first major hook into branded content and merchandising. We have simple-living hippie tendencies; we really wanted to avoid exposing our young children to the world of consumerism until they were old enough to have the mature critical thinking skills required to see how marketers try to play their consumer base for profit.

Ironically enough although my kids (youngest now 13, oldest now 22) grew up almost entirely Disney-free and very savvy about the marketing, they have two cousins who are professional Disney princesses. As in, they work on Disney cruise ships as in-character performers. One spent several years as Cinderella and is now Elsa, another plays Belle. And their mom, my sister-in-law, describes her daughters as "living every little girl's dream." I never quite know what to say :mischief so I just smile and say nothing. We live far apart, so we only see them every couple of years. Family ... gotta love 'em.

Miranda

 

[kathymuggle]

Meh. I would probably let them watch any Disney movie they wanted to. There is something to be said for letting kids have similar cultural experiences as their peers, and not attaching to much importance to something by banning it. I did (and still do on occasion, lol) talk about the inappropriate messages of some of the Disney nonsense, but not during the film. I don't want to ruin it for them, I just used it if I could (subtly) as a teaching moment.

 

[moominmamma]

Not sure if you assumed I was banning it, but I didn't. My kids weren't exposed by peers, and I didn't make a point of purposely exposing them. Where I live you have more in common with your peers if you snowboard, sing in choir or have helped deliver a lamb than if you've watched Finding Dory.

Miranda

 

[kathymuggle]

Not sure if you assumed I was banning it, but I didn't. My kids weren't exposed by peers, and I didn't make a point of purposely exposing them. Where I live you have more in common with your peers if you snowboard, sing in choir or have helped deliver a lamb than if you've watched Finding Dory.

Miranda

I wasn't. I posted after you, but I did not quote you. The OP brought up banning, fwiw.

I was making the point that sometimes kids clamour for what they can't have, and that refusing things often makes them more attractive. My eldest wanted to read The Giver at one point (he was about 10 or 11) and I felt it was too old for him. I actually put it away and he searched for it, found it and read it without my knowledge.

I would not deliberately introduce kids to Disney (umm..well I might...we have enjoyed going to the movies as a family) but I would not refuse to let my kids watch it if they requested it. I understand not all kids are exposed to Disney by peers (shrug). I also live in a farm area - I know plenty of kids who have helped deliver animals - but they still have watched Finding Dory. Nonetheless, I believe you if you say it is uncommon for kids to be exposed to Disney early in your area. I also suspect your area is not typical. Disney is ubiquitous in most places.

 

[Chirina]

It's a matter of how you communicate about the situation in the movies with your children. Keeping it from them won't help them.

 

[Kristina White 2]

Absolutely not. Talking with them through situations and guiding how they interpret them is key

 

[jrobertson1984]

I read many reviews about it and one study showed that watching Disney characters help one another, inspired children to help their own friends. Another study by Coyne revealed that Disney films are rich in so-called “prosocial” behavior, such as sharing, helping others, or offering compliments or encouragement. My children watch it all the time and they didn't become aggressive or closed in themselves. Moreover, I give them a disney quiz and they like to make it. They are social and they help me around the house ( to clean, to prepare food, and many others).

 

[Nelen]

I don't think so :nerd:

 

[momcreates]

I agree it's a matter of how you will communicate with them because I noticed that my daughter is learning deep words from the movies but still, it is kid-friendly.

 

[Tweety_Bird]

Perhaps I have just not really grown up completely. Even at my age, I still love Disney.

This scene has all the princesses together:

This is my favourite princess:

 

[boomboy]

It seems to me that what was laid down in the original Disney cartoons is no longer relevant.