My worst nightmare

Okay well it's not exactly my worst nightmare. My worst would be anything happening to my children, husband, family or friends.  But this.... this is right up there!

I know that you might be sick of me saying it but I AM NOT A FAN OF PRINCESSES!  Don't judge, raise your own little princesses and adore all things Disney. Whatever. De-friend, Delete or Dump me but I am just not a fan. It's hot button topic for me. Something that make me cringe and clench my jaw and just go...well.... a little suffragette.

Tonight at dinner I asked Gigi about school, What she learned, who she played with, what she did.  She told me that she played Princess on the playground.  This is a game that I have been hearing about quite a bit lately from her. She and a few other boys and girls play on the playground. The girls are Princesses and one of the boys is a dragon and another boy "rescues" the Princesses.  These last several weeks that I've been hearing about this game I have said nothing.  I am raising Gigi to be well rounded. Hubby and I play baseball and soccer with her in the backyard. She plays with the boys on the playground and rough-houses with her friends.

So tonight I finally ask about this game. There is really no point that I can see, but children's games don't need a point. It's a lot like tag {as far as I can gather} and so I ask:

Do the girls ever get to rescue the boys from the dragon?

{laughs}
No Mommy. Girls can't rescue the boys, we're princesses.

{gulp, gasp, vomit} Did my child really just say that? MY child???
Gigi, of course princesses can rescue the boys. Girls can do anything boys can do!

{more laughs}
Silly mommy!  Girls can't rescue boys because boys can rescue themselves.

Yes Sweetie, and girls can rescue themselves too! AND sometimes girls have to rescue the boys too!

{eye rolls and giggles as if I am pulling her leg}

{Cold sweat, Panic, Frustration} How did a bunch of 3 and 4 year old children do this to my child??  They only get to influence her 3 hours a day two days a week. I spout girl power - My girlfriends spout girl power - my close knit family of Mamas at Stroller Strides embody girl power - there are so so many forces and influences and strong women in this child's life everyday that speak and live and show what women can do.  How? Why?

STOP!

I know what you are thinking:
-She's only 3
-It's just a game
-It's make believe


Don't judge!  If it were just a game and the girls and boys took turns slaying the dragon - Fine! But she is telling me, No when I am telling her that girls can fight their own dragons and rescue the boys. Not cool!

So I excuse myself from the dinner table, sprint upstairs to the bookshelf and grab the Paperback Princess return to the dinner table and read to the girls. When I was done with the story, a story we have read a number of times before by the way, Gigi said: That's not a very good story.
{argh!} Wanting to tear my hair out I gave up and changed the subject.  I am still so very not okay with this!

So to my husband ,who sat next to me a few weeks ago wondering "Why?" I was so perturbed at the parents and a handful of the children in the Documentary Kick Like A Girl. THIS IS WHY!  I was appalled that 7 and 8 year old children had archaic views about "gender rolls". I was appalled when 7 and 8 year old  boys and girls were putting each other into tiny boxes; and I was furious at the parents in this day and age that supported and perpetuated these small minded, infuriating, ideas. That, was 7 and 8 year old children. My daughter is playing with 3 and 4 year old preschoolers. Kids I like very much by the way; With parents that I have grown to know and like very much over this past 8 months. So where is this coming from???

Looks like I am going to have to be a bit more on top of the Women's Lib here at home. As for right now..... I am climbing into bed and crying myself to sleep. And..... I suppose if I cannot teach the Damsel in Distress out of Gigi, I can always rely on Lula to pound the Princess out of her!

{Project Simplify}