three acts
1.
This is Jane, a Playmobil knight who can pass for a girl thanks to her plastic pageboy hairdo and magenta accoutrements:
Jane and the Dragon, the story of a girl who wants to be a knight instead of a lady-in-waiting, is our latest diversionary tactic from the cult of the beautiful princess. Iris loves her. True, she is usually wearing one of her princess costumes when she suits her up to take on the (secretly wimpy and lovelorn) dragon, but still. It's something. Apparently there is a TV show, too – has anyone seen it?
So in the end, the Madeline costume arrived in the nick of time for Halloween, but Iris stuck to her original plan to go out as a goddess. Every time she met a princess, which was often, she said, "I like your dress!"
I appreciate all your comments and counsel on the subject of princess vs. anti-princess. I found it especially heartening to hear that someone as creative and self-determined and generally admirable as Amy was into princesses as a child, and I am definitely going to start tacking "and then she went to college and traveled the world" to the end of all princess stories, as Kelley does – I love that! I also love the attitude of two dads who threw a full-on Disney Princess birthday party yesterday for their little girl, one of Iris' preschool cronies. "She's mixed race and being raised by two dads," they told me. "She can be conventional in any other way she wants." I wish I could be so relaxed.
Another friend, who is raising a lovely little boy, emailed me that maybe there are just as many traps for boys, what with all the action figures and war games. Her own son possesses a figurine named Action Man (don't ask me - they live in France – I wonder if his arch-enemy is Passive Man? Yes, come to think of it, surely it was Passive Man who taught Clint Eastwood to say, "Go ahead, make my day.") Anyway, his mother has told him that his gun shoots weedkiller – you know, because Action Man is a gardener. I am still laughing about that!
2.
I went to the Handmade Arcade yesterday, unencumbered this year by my spin-the sparkly-earrings sidekick. I missed some of my favorite vendors from last year, but there were some good new ones too, and I'm happy to say that the squid people were back and better than ever. I somehow resisted shelling out $80 for a squid nativity, and also nobly resisted spending any money on jewelry for myself, though I was sorely tempted. This felt "painting" by Jennie Stephens, however, I could not resist:
3.
And now, from the Department of Non Sequitors:
"I love you. Even when I'm mad at you. Even when you're mad at me."
"When you're mad at me, like when you say I have to take a break from Jasper, I just want to run away and say I won't be your little kid anymore because I don't like how you're being mean to me."
"When someone is mad at you, you get upset and feel like being alone? I understand those feelings."
"And I understand the feeling of wanting to take a bath in your Halloween clothes."
This is Jane, a Playmobil knight who can pass for a girl thanks to her plastic pageboy hairdo and magenta accoutrements:
Jane and the Dragon, the story of a girl who wants to be a knight instead of a lady-in-waiting, is our latest diversionary tactic from the cult of the beautiful princess. Iris loves her. True, she is usually wearing one of her princess costumes when she suits her up to take on the (secretly wimpy and lovelorn) dragon, but still. It's something. Apparently there is a TV show, too – has anyone seen it?
So in the end, the Madeline costume arrived in the nick of time for Halloween, but Iris stuck to her original plan to go out as a goddess. Every time she met a princess, which was often, she said, "I like your dress!"
I appreciate all your comments and counsel on the subject of princess vs. anti-princess. I found it especially heartening to hear that someone as creative and self-determined and generally admirable as Amy was into princesses as a child, and I am definitely going to start tacking "and then she went to college and traveled the world" to the end of all princess stories, as Kelley does – I love that! I also love the attitude of two dads who threw a full-on Disney Princess birthday party yesterday for their little girl, one of Iris' preschool cronies. "She's mixed race and being raised by two dads," they told me. "She can be conventional in any other way she wants." I wish I could be so relaxed.
Another friend, who is raising a lovely little boy, emailed me that maybe there are just as many traps for boys, what with all the action figures and war games. Her own son possesses a figurine named Action Man (don't ask me - they live in France – I wonder if his arch-enemy is Passive Man? Yes, come to think of it, surely it was Passive Man who taught Clint Eastwood to say, "Go ahead, make my day.") Anyway, his mother has told him that his gun shoots weedkiller – you know, because Action Man is a gardener. I am still laughing about that!
2.
I went to the Handmade Arcade yesterday, unencumbered this year by my spin-the sparkly-earrings sidekick. I missed some of my favorite vendors from last year, but there were some good new ones too, and I'm happy to say that the squid people were back and better than ever. I somehow resisted shelling out $80 for a squid nativity, and also nobly resisted spending any money on jewelry for myself, though I was sorely tempted. This felt "painting" by Jennie Stephens, however, I could not resist:
3.
And now, from the Department of Non Sequitors:
"I love you. Even when I'm mad at you. Even when you're mad at me."
"When you're mad at me, like when you say I have to take a break from Jasper, I just want to run away and say I won't be your little kid anymore because I don't like how you're being mean to me."
"When someone is mad at you, you get upset and feel like being alone? I understand those feelings."
"And I understand the feeling of wanting to take a bath in your Halloween clothes."
posted by angelique at 11:52 AM
8 Comments:
that felt painting is gorgeous!
squidtivity is amazing. :) and yes i have seen the jane and the dragon show and it's quite cute. I was the girliest of girls when i was little and too grew out of it. So never fear!
http://www.ytv.com/programming/shows/jane_dragon/#
As the aunt who was the consummate tomboy, I can't help but be dismayed too. BUt I married Amy, and I'm pretty sure she has some princess moments as a girl. And still grew up insanely independent and strong and became a Mt Holyoke woman. :) Still, I clicked on that Amazon link and had a sudden urge (I didn't do it) to buy every "people who bought ... also bought". :) Maybe I should get her a football helmet for christmas?
I don't take compliments well, but thanks. This is shaky ground for me since I decided to stay at home -- I have to actively decide not to be a stereotype. :)
I love Jane -- we'll have to get one of those! We aren't quite to the Playmobil stage yet because Elise is STILL eating small parts, and the toddler Playmobil stuff isn't as fun.
Jane and the Dragon is a revelation! I must track it down.
I have the opposite problem over here: trying to encourage a bit of girliness in my tomboy/action hero/sports obsessed 4-year old daughter. Why? I'm not entirely sure. As much as I crave an independent, confident and happy child I want her to have friends too. Little girls don't get her. As much as she doesn't get them. Princesses aren't the answer, but a sassy, dragon-fighting gal sounds like the kind of kid my kid might relate to.
Try The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munch. Another princess who saves herself and rescues the prince from the dragon. She also dumps the prince. It's charming and smart.
oops, thats Robert Munsch. Sorry.
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