As you may have noticed, I'm a sucker for all things Disney, so it's no surprise that I'm into Dina Goldstein's Fallen Princess photography, which depicts Snow White and her fairy tale friends in modern day environments. Last week we talked about The Problem with Princesses and questioned if they were realistic role models for our kids. But how about these images of Jasmine at war and Belle getting botox? You'll definitely want to check out the whole collection and read about what inspired the artist (her daughters.)

Over on The Root, Monique Fields laments the fact that her girly girl daughter is into princesses and sparkles, declaring, "Enough with the princesses!"

Whatever in the world do princesses do? More importantly, how do they get paid? Real life is not a fairy tale, and few folks live happily ever after. So just what are we telling our girls when we dress them up in frilly dresses, dust them with makeup and put glitter in their hair before they really know who they are?

I went through stages of obsession with all of the Disney princesses as a little girl, but I can assure you that I never wanted actually be a princess, and I knew this wasn't reality. Kids are pretty smart -- they know the difference, and they know that fairy tales are just for fun. We should let them have that fun while we can, as reality will set in all too soon. (I still want to dress up in frilly dresses and put glitter in my hair, but since it's less socially acceptable for an adult, I'm glad I got it out of my system as a little girl.)

What do you think? Is Fields right, or are princesses harmless?

Plus:
When Boys Like "Girly" Things
The Real Difference Between Boys and Girls
Boys Vs. Girls: Who's Harder to Raise?

Need a new way to get your kids moving? Try dancing. Across the country, dance studios and community groups are offering great ways to get involved—from free workshops to performances—to celebrate National Dance Week.

In most major cities, you can find performances and classes nightly. There’s a dance studio near our office that offers daily drop-in classes. Each time I walk by, I tell myself I’ll eventually go.

As a young ballerina, I anticipated our spring recitals each year. We’d fidget anxiously while our mothers carefully applied piles of makeup, then we’d pull on our glittery costumes and twirl and spin onstage.

I soon realized I’d never be graceful—I slipped, tripped, stumbled, and tumbled more than I danced. And, so I gave it up.

But now, when my apartment is empty or I’m stuck cleaning, I crank up my iPod and begin a well-choreographed routine, spinning with a broom or mop. I’ll never be the Dancing Queen I thought I would grow into at age 10. Maybe, though, I’ll walk into that dance class one day.

I’m so excited to be having a boy. I’m also a teeny bit petrified. What if I get a wild man, prone to leaping off the kitchen table and beating on his older sister?

Turns out some of the tired cliches I’m falling back on above are founded -- and yet not. A new piece in Working Mother sheds new light on stereotypes about girls and boys. Studies bear out that boys and girls think and behave differently almost from birth (uh oh: one study contends that infant boys aren’t as good at self-soothing), but then there’s a huge individuality wild card. The best thing parents can do is try to pay attention to their kid’s unique talents – whether it’s a nail polish-loving boy or a hockey fan girl – and go from there.

We’d like to know: how have you seen gender stereotypes play out among your kids?

Plus:
Boys or Girls: Who’s Harder to Raise?
What Are You Having? Fun Ways to Guess Baby’s Gender
More on the Differences Between the Sexes

The first time I was pregnant, I didn’t find out the sex. Somehow, though, I felt strongly I was having a girl. In fact, when they pulled my Chloe out, they first announced her as a boy. Instead of exclaiming “Wow” or bursting into tears as you might expect, my first reaction was “Really??” They figured out her gender five seconds later -- guess she was a little messy.

You might be waiting for a delivery surprise too, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun trying to guess. That’s why we pulled together all the old wives’ tales about baby’s gender, including the ancient Chinese birth chart, the ring swing and even the wonderfully weird Drano test.

I didn’t put too much stock in this stuff, but this pregnancy most of these tests point to me having a boy – and I am!