During a week long family reunion, we all wrote our names on plastic cups with sharpies to avoid mixing up our drinks. I asked my daughter if she wanted "Sophia" (her name) or "Sophie" (what we call her) on her cup.
"PRINCESS Sophia" was her response.
"Oh, of course", I acknowledged and wrote it on her cup as requested. Her red (solo) cup, because there were no PINK cups as she really wanted, but red was the closest to pink.
Out of 10 pajama choices she has every night, we are relegated to three. The nightgowns that "spin" are the only acceptable choices right now. The frillier the better. Ruffles and lace. Sugar and spice.
She loves to play with my makeup. She begs me to paint her nails. She admires my jewelery. She stands in my closet looking at shoes and pointing out her favorite pairs, saying in a valley girl voice."Oh Mah Gawsh, those are beeyootiful".
She wants to grow her hair as long as Rapunzel's. She likes Barbie, and Hello Kitty and Disney Princesses.
She is a girly girl. And I love it. I stuck bows to her head before she even had hair. I had our pediatrician pierce her ears just after her 1st birthday, and she has donned little pearls ever since. I love shopping for girly clothes. Even her tennis shoes sparkle and light up.
She totally embraces her femininity. She LOVES being a girl. And I encourage it every opportunity I can.
I tell her she is adorable, cute, beautiful all the time. I also tell her she is smart and sweet. And she is all of the afore mentioned. She is so smart and well spoken. She is a sweet cuddler. And she is totally adorable.
Some people are offended by marketing that targets a specific gender. Others oppose anything that plays into gender stereotypes. This blows my mind. What is so wrong with a little girl being girly? Especially since she enjoys it and gravitates to it.
If she wants to play softball or soccer, I will certainly let her and encourage her and cheer her on whole-heartedly, but if she dreams of being a ballerina I will support that enthusiastically, tu-tu and all. If she wants to be a fairy princess for every Halloween the next five years, wonderful. If she wants to be zombie, too bad.
She is a tough little girl, who can wrestle her brothers and kick a ball across the yard. She is messy and sloppy. She doesn't mind dirt, and will seek out a mud puddle to jump in. She'll just have a big bow in her hair while she does it all.
Amen to girl power! Embrace what they love, it's all good.
ReplyDeleteShe gravitates to it BECAUSE you've been encouraging it since her birth. Since you sound girly, too, it's a point of bonding between you. I love when my kids love the things that I love, too, although they are different things. My own objections to much girly stuff/marketing are the undercurrent messages in some that girls are weak, dim-witted, silly, helpless, and most of all LESS THAN all things male. But there's nothing wrong with sharing what you love with your kids.
ReplyDeleteI agree, but even having two brothers, she has always been keenly aware and attracted to things that are "girly". Some of it is ingrained and some learned I am sure. I just think it is sad if girls are not told to value and appreciate being a girl. Being girly does not mean you cannot accomplish things or that you are limited. Embracing who you are makes your options limitLESS.
DeleteI am happy your daughter is a girly girl. She is bright, articulate and fancies her pink princess-y "stuff"...good for her!!
ReplyDeleteGod, I wonder what it would be like to just be able to write a blog, not meant for anything but pure entertainment, and not be schooled about it.....
Love you dearly and you keep doin YOU, just as you are.
Sounds like she's a well-rounded "Girly-Girl".
ReplyDeleteI always was a girly girl, born into a family that (gasp) wanted me to know that there was more to being a girl than the frill. I still loved it. Now I have a little girl who sounds just like your daughter, she loves everything pink and princess and will happily get dirty with her brothers, play ball and climb a tree, just so she can do it in pink. I think that's what it's all about, the choice to be who we want to be in all our glory! Thanks for an interesting post!
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