Sunday, March 28, 2010

I Am A Girl Like You

For whatever reason, when my oldest was young, I had sworn against everything that was Barbie. Movies, dolls, clothes, sleeping bags, hair accessories. Everything. Why? I have absolutely no idea. I had Barbies. In fact, I've given my kids my Barbie dolls. Go figure.


When Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses came out, I really didn't see the point in keeping her from the toys, books, games, movies, etc. There really wasn't anything wrong with them. And the movies are actually super cute. *cough* Yes, I said it. The Barbie movies are cute.





The songs are sweet and uplifting and the stories are actually fun to watch. They're some of the only cartoon movies that I can watch with my kids over and over again.

Yeah, I get that Barbie doesn't look like a normal human being. She's a doll. Dolls aren't always supposed to look human. They're just toys. Well, in some cases they're apparently movie stars too, but that's beside the point. Who cares if Barbie's proportions aren't that of a normal person. Does the stupid doll REALLY promote a negative body image in little girls? Or is it just parents buying in to the "Barbie promotes a negative body image" blah. I used that as my excuse when I wouldn't let Alanna play with the dolls.

Funny thing was though, I didn't even believe it.



Now both my kids pretty much own every single Barbie movie you can think of. Both of them have an ARMY of dolls. Because they're fun to play with. What little girl doesn't wish that she could be a ballerina princess. What little girl doesn't fantasize about being a faerie or a mermaid at some point in her life. I mean honestly, there's nothing wrong with the movies.

I'm not ashamed to admit, I know the words to almost every song in every movie that we own... some even better than my kids. :-P And I sing them even when the girls aren't singing with me.


(ok so this isn't a video from the movie, but the song is from Barbie in The Princess and the Pauper, I love it!)




The movies are adorable. The songs are uplifting. If you ask me (and I know you haven't, but I'm going to tell you anyway) I think they're the types of movies that make girls feel GOOD about who they are. Not the opposite.

When my kids watch these movies, they believe that they can be anything. Even if right now anything means faerie princesses and surfer girls that turn in to mermaids.

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