I find it odd to say this, but yes, especially for young children. The Disney girls generally are kind, hard-working, generous and brave. As simple tales to children, they're fine. The more recent ones have relied a bit less on some male hero (a la Cinderella, Snow White) to rescue them from their plight. They're all pretty simple, formulaic tales. They put a bit too much emphasis on beauty as a criteria for success, but so do all media.

Criticisms point out that the princesses "traffic in stereotypes" (1) , and there is certainly truth to that. On the other hand, the stories are populated by singing teapots and fish as close friends. It's pretty easy to separate fantasy from reality. The marketing campaign and resultant drain on your pocketbook is harder to manage, but that part is ultimately in control of the adult.

That said, I would not rely on Disney to portray accuracy in history (Pocahontas? Please!). When she gets older, exposing her to the story of a real princess or queen - maybe Grace of Monaco, Diana of England, or Noor of Egypt - may be a nice transition from complete fantasy to reality, and that a princess is in a powerful position to do great things.

Disney supplies a generous menu of princesses from which to choose. It's conversational currency among her peers. Loving princesses is a stage that many little girls pass through, and probably more harmless than Barbie. I've added a link with additional insight (see 1 below) from an author more irritated with the Princesses than I am for additional perspective.

Enjoy your little princess while she's still little!
Source(s):
(1) Peggy Orenstein, December 2006. "What's Wrong with Cinderella?" at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/24/magazine/24princess.t.html?ex=1324616400&...

Communication Studies degree
Media studies

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