I've recently seen a lot of articles floating around that proclaim some kind of damage is being done by calling our little girls "Princess". Statements like, "You're hurting your daughter's future." (like Forbes did here), or directing us to other labels to more perfectly fit our children (like Huff Post did here)...it's just nitpickingly silly to me. That's not to say I don't go through a list of virtues with my daughter in addition to calling her a princess every day, but I think I can sum all those descriptive words into one: PRINCESS. I already see these virtues in my daughter, and I'd be a dunce to let any article or opinion guilt me out of fostering them in her. I do think a large part of instilling these virtues is pointing them out in others; strangers we meet in public, family and friends we know, and yes!, even in those princesses on TV. I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with calling our little girls Princess. It's endearing, it's powerful, and it's positive.
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prin·cess
[prin-sis, -ses, prin-ses] noun
sɪs, -sɛs, prɪnˈsɛs
-a woman considered to have the qualities or characteristics of a princess.
1-Temperance. Kind and open-minded, a beacon for fair treatment and justice. (think Belle)
2-Patience. Practicing quiet, steady perserverance. Listening to learn, not to react. Using your own judgement to decide when the appropriate method and moment to act is. (think Diana)
3-Humility. Not vanity, not selfishness, and certainly not perfection. Learning from your mistakes and putting your own wants aside to do what you know is right. (think Mulan)
4-Kindness. Especially when others are cruel or thoughtless, this means taking responsibility for offering assistance (be it in words or gestures), that make someone else's life a little easier. (think Esmeralda, and how she treated Quasimodo)
5-Diligence. Working hard for what you want. Never quite giving up on the hope that miracles will happen for you, but always keeping in mind that you have to do your fair share of work to achieve your dreams. (obviously, think Tiana)
6-Charity. Giving your time or talents to those in need, even when the need isn't extreme, this means making yourself useful at every opportunity. (think Giselle)
7-Chastity. Chastity of your body, but also of your spirit. It is a physical and moral purity that you retain by choice despite what you see around you. (think Pocahontas)
8-Creativity. Allowing yourself to think with originality and imagination. Being fearless in your expression, making way for this phenomenon to create something new and amazing. (think Rapunzel)
9-Beauty. Not just physical beauty (though I dare any parent to deny their child is beautiful in their own way!). I mean an inner beauty that radiates into the environment around you. It affects and infects the people you come into contact with, changing the ways they see the world themselves.(think Snow White, and how she changed the Huntsman's heart without even trying)
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While I'm here, I'd also like to address the issue of not wanting our little girls to think they need to be on the search for their shining prince. True, I don't want her to think she can't do it on her own, but I am very certain that any boy who tries to court her had better be a shining prince or he can just keep on wishing from far away. I do want her to be on the look out for her shining prince! You see, boys have their own virtues to live up to:
prince
[prins] noun
-a man considered to have the qualities or characteristics of a prince.
1-Bravery. Courage. This doesn't mean fighting. This means making sound decisions in difficult situations and facing the results of those decisions, despite wanting to run away.
2-Strength. Like the princess' beauty, this doesn't have to be physical strength. This also means an internal strength. Strength of mind.
3-Loyalty. Keeping your promises, saying what you mean, and following through with your responsibilities.
4-Honesty. TELLING THE TRUTH.
5-Kindness. Especially when others are cruel or thoughtless, this means taking responsibility for offering assistance (be it in words or gestures), that make someone else's life a little easier.
6-Caring. Holding others in high regard. Making sure the people around you are comfortable and taken care of.
7-Trustworthiness. Being a dependable person whom others know they can count on to follow through with tasks and promises.
8-Humility. Not vanity, not selfishness, and certainly not perfection. Learning from your mistakes and putting your own wants aside to do what you know is right.
9-Patience. Practicing quiet, steady perserverance. Listening to learn, not to react. Using your own judgement to decide when the appropriate method and moment to act is.
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Adults may have hangups when it comes to nicknames, but you have to undersand that these are nicknames that are universally known to be an empowering and treasured title to have. Let's not mar that for our kids, eh?
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