Dear Spike:
My office is just across the street from the downtown sports arena, which means awful traffic on NBA game days, a yearly parade of elephants and clowns when the circus comes to town, and then, yesterday...
... an army of princeses.
It took me a while to understand exactly what was happening. I was walking to my car when I saw two young girls in tiaras. Then, as I rounded the corner, there were two more — these ones sporting tiaras and brightly colored ballroom dresses.
That's when I looked around and realized that I was completely surrounded by little girls in pink, yellow and blue gowns, prancing merrily toward the arena gates with their parents in tow.
Finally, it struck me...
Disney on Ice.
I mentioned this to a friend today, and I guess I must have had a bit of a scowl on my face.
"Oh, you just wait — that'll be your daughter soon enough."
I doubt it.
I've got nothing against Disney, really. Your mother and I have a pretty sweet collection of Disney movies, in fact — everything from 1937's Snow White to 2007's Ratatouille. I grew up watching Disney's Rescue Rangers and Duck Tales in the afternoons after school. And Disneyland may really, truly, genuinely be the happiest place on Earth.
So why would I put my foot down on Princesses on Ice? Call it intuition.
Playing princess is one thing. I hope we do. I'd like to pretend to be your Prince Charming and help you slay a dragon or two. Or maybe you and your mother could be a crime-fighting princess duo — like Cagney and Lacey, but with ball gowns.
But given that my paramount duty is to help you grow up to be a strong, unspoiled and independent woman, I guess I'm just not sold on the idea of letting the whole princess thing go too far.
Thing is, I'm still trying to figure out how to know what, exactly, is "too far" — so for now I'm sticking to a simple rule:
Princesses on Ice?
Probably not.
Nobel Laureates on Ice?
I'll get us front row seats.
Love,
dad
5 comments:
Hold to your decision on Disney on Ice. Don't back down - no matter how sad the eyes or big the tears. I'm with you all the way. Call if you ever need backup or an intervention. You just can't give in!
Monster Truck show - oh yea!
I, too, am an "anti-princess" mommy. I fought it with all my might. No "I'm a princess" T-shirts. In fact, I even created the "NOT a princess" scrapbooking page. But, lo and behold, who does my daughter love? Princess Jasmine and Mulan. At least she picked two princesses that don't quite fit the princess mold. What's a mommy to do? :-)
I personally like Mercedes Lackey's take on princesses from her Valdamar series and the 500 Kingdoms series. Independent princesses who do what's right and aren't spoiled... Good Luck ... I'm right there with you when our Lentil is big enough to play "princess" too! And I'll totally be there in the front row for Nobel Laureates on Ice ... :)
Time for the X-Men.
Hugs,
K
Could that baby get any cuter?
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