now i know i may have offended some mama’s with definition #3 of a modern mama so let me try and shed some modern mama light on the subject. i have NO PROBLEM with other kids who wear licensed characters, nor with other mamas who buy them for their kids, I just don’t like them for MY KIDS! when dressing my kids, my rule of thumb is - if the article of clothing were ‘adult sized’, would an adult look ridiculous wearing it (see part I)? Infants are another story…winnie the pooh is cute and cuddly for an infant, but the winnie the pooh clothing line should stop at size 9-12 months. why should i pay $18.00 for a bob the builder t-shirt when i can pay the same amount for quiksilver, hurley, nike, or puma? bob the builder is a wonderful toy and tv show - and even as a pajama that can be worn behind closed doors at home, but not so cute as a warm-up suit for public consumption!

now, don’t get me wrong - I love disney and its characters as much as the next person, and my kids are big fans of toy story, cars, etc. so, let me share with you some wasy to bring the magic of disney ‘home’ (but not in your kids’ dresser drawers)!

disney characters or a disney-themed room would be a big hit for any young child. not only are there countless products available ranging from bedsheets, to wall decor, to room accessories, but it also an easy theme to DIY it. the best thing about most children’s characters is the fact that they originated as cartoon characters so are simple ‘line-art’ subject to create as murals in your room of choice. with only a few dollars spent at your local craft store on some acryllic paint tubes (craftart, apple barrel, etc), you can add disney characters to your walls or any paintable surface in your kids’ rooms. any of you mama’s out there - have you done any ‘custom designs’ in your kids’ rooms? if so, please POST them on this site and share your creativity with all the other fab mamas out there!

…and if you just GOTTA do the license character thing for your kid’s wardrobe - go with something timeless like curious george, hello kitty, or paul frank!