We tackled it head-on, and dragged that toxic influence out into the open where we could poke and prod it and torture it until it confessed that it was after DD's self-worth. wink
She's wise to it-- and I have no regrets whatsoever.
Since there's no hiding DD from this kind of unhealthy messaging, our role is to drag it out into the light of day, and show it to DD in all its ugliness. Here again, the internet has been a helpful tool, particularly the results of the search terms "photoshop fails."
Yes, all this. It's all an ongoing conversation and it started really young over here. Parental modeling is pretty huge, too. What is mom saying about her appearance and the appearance of other women? (best answer: nothing)
Their daughters are so young, yet they want make up, high heels, and their only goal is to be a princess.
How old are these girls? IME, most American girls go through a "princess" phase around 3-6 that then goes away. (Mine didn't, but she's odd.) Princess/pink stuff may even be considered really babyish and uncool. My daughter and her friends currently have no interest in princesses, though there's starting to be some age-typical interest in clothes and makeup.
But Anaconda doesn't even register relative to the ubiquitous images of eating disordered teen role models featured in every square inch of media, coupled with clothing for young girls which is-- frankly-- bordering on OBSCENE in terms of modesty and, well-- coverage.
Frankly, I'm not even that worked up about modesty in many ways (example: school dress codes are getting out of hand) but it drives me crazy when young girls' clothes and SHOES are too impractical to be active and PLAY in. I have had shoe rules forever. Yes, okay, you can have a pair or two for dressy occasions, but for everyday, you have to be able to RUN in them, scuff them up, etc. No heels! No tiny straps! And your clothes better not fall off your shoulder or down your butt when you move, either. Miniskirts for preschoolers are a nonstarter. I have seen too many girls under age 10 who were decked out like 20yo sorority girls, unable to play on the playground. Or, they do anyway and wreck their clothes and mom yells.
