31 Days of Repetitive Parenting: Day 28 "Do you want to be like Cinderella or the wicked step-sisters?"

When our kids are young we need to use creative ways to teach them lessons.  Sometimes that means we may have to speak in a language they can understand: Disney princesses!

Aspiring young princesses: Rapunzel (3) and Cinderella (16)

If we wanted to praise Darlin' growing up all we had to do was point out her similarities with some of her favorite Disney princesses.  We would encourage her to read like Belle; learn to swim like Ariel; be as helpful as Cinderella; be as sweet as Sleeping Beauty!

Conversely, if she was not sharing her toys, getting bossy with her playmates or refusing to tidy up all we needed to do was ask her one simple question: "Do you want to be more like Cinderella or the wicked step-sisters?"

She was usually horror struck at the thought that she could act anything like those two horrid sisters.  It certainly put into perspective for her the behavior she was exhibiting to others.  Most definitely, she wanted to be seen as Cinderella and not the evil step-sisters.

Even her little brother knew to invoke the name of princesses when it came to expressing his frustration with her.  I will never forget the time when she had been rather mean and he turned to her, enraged and screamed, "Today is opposite day and you are a pretty princess!" (Ouch!  Pretty creative slam for a little kid.)

Cupcake has certainly inherited Darlin's love of all things Disney princesses.  She is always asking me to sing the various princess songs.  Now that she is beginning to understand being kind or mean, helpful or hurtful, I think we can encourage her to emulate some of the good qualities we seen modeled by the Disney princesses.

So next time Cupcake hits a friend, throws a fit or refuses to share, you can be sure I'll be repeating, "Do you want to be like Cinderella or the wicked step-sisters?"


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