Ok, so I'm not a fan of the princess crap marketed to little girls. At the same time, I'm not about to deny my daughter the silly fun of glittery shoes, pink frilly skirts, etc. I'd let her -- even encourage her-- to get that stuff dirty in the sandbox if she wants to wear it.
So what's a mom to do? I decided I'm teaching Paloma to say "head of state" instead of "princess." Why? Because the marketers make it seem like princess=wear floaty dresses and do whatever you want all day. And it's totally not true! A princess has duties, yo. These days she's got to know whether to send in the troops, what the fiscal deficit is, how to greet other heads of state in seventeen languages, not to mention be familiar with other cultures, represent her culture well, be well read and scientifically literate. She might become the queen and I know you all saw "Elizabeth." Cate Blanchett wasn't sitting on her butt drinking tea all day, that's for sure.
Sure, wear the crown-- while you do your math homework. You have to be able to count if you're going to know what to do with the the Census numbers for your kingdom.
Here's an example of real women in politics, including a real princess. It's a fun celebration and all, but... you get where I'm going with this.
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 08: (L to R) U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands, kick-off festivities celebrating the NY400 Week at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on September 8, 2009 in New York, New York. NY400 Week, which runs from September 8-13 marks the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson�s arrival on a Dutch ship to New York harbor in 1609. New York will celebrate the event with Dutch festivals, boat races, dance parties, museum exhibitions and more. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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