公主病：童話故事教壞小朋友？

Given that most little girls love to dress up as princesses, it is difficult to imagine what might be wrong with that.
大部分小女孩都喜歡打扮成公主，很難說這有什麼不好。

But one author has written an entire book on how she believes the fairytale fantasies send a dangerous message.
但有作家寫了本書，認爲童話故事會教壞小朋友。

Jennifer L Hardstein is behind the recently-published Princess Recovery: A How-To Guide to Raising Strong, Empowered Girls Who Can Create Their Own Happily Ever Afters.
這本新書叫《擺脫公主病：女孩怎樣自強自立、追尋自己的幸福》，作者是詹妮弗·哈德斯坦。

The child and adolescent psychologist believes that children as young as two are taking away unrealistic ideals from fairytale books and Disney cartoons that can affect their self esteem later on.
兒童和青少年專家認爲，兩歲大的兒童就可以離開童話書和迪斯尼卡通中的虛幻世界，否則可能會影響到他們日後自我認知的形成。

In her book, Dr Hardstein theorizes that traditional stories like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella promote the idea that if a girl is pretty enough and has fancy clothes and shoes, she find love and popularity.
哈德斯坦在書中寫道：像《睡美人》和《灰姑娘》這些經典童話，可能會讓小孩相信，只要擁有美貌和漂亮衣物，她就能找到真愛、受人歡迎。

The author refers to this phenomenon as the 'Princess Syndrome'.
哈德斯坦將這種現象定義爲“公主病”。

These kind of messages, she says, have a huge impact on a girl's self-confidence and make it hard for children to understand as they grow up, that intelligence, generosity and passion are more important values.
她說，這些潛在含義可能會挫傷小孩的自信心，使她即便成年之後也很難相信勤奮、大方和熱情要遠比美貌更重要。

During an appearance on CBS' Early Show, Dr Hardstein explained: 'Girls are getting this message everywhere that... what their worth is based on is how they look and the things that they have and it's very superficial.'
在哥倫比亞廣播公司的一期節目中，哈德斯坦解釋說：“周圍到處都是這樣的信息……相貌和打扮就是女孩子的一切。這很愚蠢。”Her book teaches parents how to let their toddlers enjoy the Disney movies and their teenagers watch reality figures like the Kardashians while encouraging a discussion about the messages projected by the media.
她在書中還告訴父母怎樣指導小孩看迪斯尼動畫，以及如何引導青少年正確看待電視真人秀中諸如卡戴珊姐妹這樣的人物。

Speaking on the show she said: 'Parents think their kids will understand the messages that they are bombarded with all the time and they don't.'
她在節目中說：“父母想當然以爲小孩自己都能正確看待這類信息，但事實並非如此。”

Discussing the influence of Kardashian sisters Kim, Kourtney and Khloe, she told the anchors: 'They might be good examples of what we're trying not to be.'
提起卡戴珊姐妹的影響，哈德斯坦表示：“或許可以把她們定爲反面教材吧。”

As well as warning of the dangers of 'Princess Syndrome', her book advises parents how to guide and empower their children from an early age.
爲了防止“公主病”的發生，哈德斯坦在書中還建議父母如何趁早引導自己的小孩，讓她們學會自強自立。

Dr Hardstein warns of the influence of toys like scantily-clad Barbie dolls and teenage celebrities who might wear heavy make-up.
哈德斯坦認爲，那些永遠衣着暴露的芭比娃娃以及濃妝豔抹的年輕明星對兒童和青少年有不少負面影響。

She adds that it's not just magazines, TV shows and online media that is giving our children the wrong ideas about what is important. Aggravating the issue further, Dr Hardstein told CBS, is the distressing reality that these days padded bras and crotchless underpants are available for children as young as five.
而且，容易誤導小孩的不僅僅是雜誌、電視秀、網絡媒體。更爲嚴重的是，現在5歲大的小孩都能買到襯墊胸罩和丁字褲了！——哈德斯坦在節目中感嘆道。

Princess Recovery, she assures parents, will bring 'balance, confidence, and self-sufficiency into your daughter’s life while giving her a modern, vibrant childhood.'
她強調，這本書肯定有助於父母引導女兒“學會平衡、樹立信心、正確認識自我，從而營造一個多姿多彩的童年生活”。