Confidence, kindness and resilience are the traits all young girls need, research finds

A POLL of 1,250 young women, mums and grandmothers found 98 per cent believe these qualities are important to help young girls prepare for the modern world as they grow up. Grandmothers (76 per cent) and mothers (65 per cent) rated kindness as the number one quality they wanted to pass down to their granddaughters and daughters, to equip them for modern life. Moana repeatedly came out on top as the best role model princess Credit: SWNS IMPORTANT TRAITS YOUNG GIRLS NEED TO NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGES OF THE WORLD TODAY: Confidence Kindness Resilience Independence Emotional Intelligence Courage Problem-solving skills Compassion Creativity Curiosity And 90 per cent agreed TV shows and films influence young girls’ behaviour, with 94 per cent saying it’s important for young girls to have strong female role models. Meanwhile 79 per cent of mothers believe Disney Princesses seen on screen shape young girls’ traits and how they behave as they get older. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! And they most want their daughters to emulate Moana (26 per cent). Lee Jury, SVP, marketing for The Walt Disney Company EMEA which commissioned the research, said: “Stories have always been a powerful way for children to learn about the world and this research confirms those lessons endure well into adulthood. Ariel and Rapunzel were two close contenders for popular princesses Credit: SWNS DISNEY PRINCESSES MOTHERS AND GRANDMOTHERS MOST WANT THEIR (GRAND)CHILDREN TO EMULATE Moana Belle (From Beauty and the Beast) Merida (From Brave) Cinderella Snow White Mulan Rapunzel (From Tangled) Pocahontas Jasmine (from Aladdin) Ariel (from The Little Mermaid) “Women of all ages draw on the values learnt from their favourite princesses growing up to navigate the world today – and in time pass those values onto the next generation. “It’s inspiring to see these characters play such a meaningful role across a lifetime.” The study also found grandmothers believe showing courage in the face of adversity (36 per cent) is what being a Disney princess means today, while 39 per cent associate this with kindness, and 30 per cent with being a confident leader. Respondents also felt kindness (71 per cent), confidence (61 per cent) and resilience (50 per cent) are traits that are apparent in characters in Disney Princess films. Most read in The Sun Mothers have passed down their enjoyment to their daughters too, with 78 per cent engaging in activities related to the franchise with their children at least monthly. And 95 per cent of mums who took part in the study by OnePoll.com, have noticed young girls copying the behaviour or attitudes of a heroine from the franchise. A further 81 per cent agreed traits learned from watching these protagonists as young girls continue to be relevant as they grow up. Overall, 30 per cent of Millennials and 27 per cent of Gen Zs said the iconic characters helped them be kinder to others. Meanwhile, 31 per cent of mothers said the franchise has helped them improve their confidence. Dancer and TV presenter Motsi Mabuse, ambassador for Disney’s World Princess Week, added: “Music and dance have shaped my whole life, so Tiana, who follows her dream with warmth and determination, will always have a special place in my heart. “I adored princesses as a child and now it’s a true joy to share that with my own daughter. “Whether we’re dancing around the living room or lost in a story together, I love knowing the qualities I hope she carries through life are the very ones she finds in the characters we love so much.” Comment now