As kids, we don’t know any better, so of course, we find the life of the princesses from childhood stories very appealing. In fact, they even turn into role models for some of us and we dream of becoming just like them.
The original poster (OP) loved Snow White and she wanted to dress up like her for Halloween, but her mom blackmailed her into wearing a hot dog costume which turned into a humiliating memory for her. Years later, the mom brought this up in front of her daughter’s boyfriend, but she clapped back!
More info: Reddit
As kids, we often fall in love with the fictional princesses and even dream of becoming like them
Image credits: bigguys45s / Reddit (not the actual photo)
The poster was obsessed with Snow White as a kid and wanted to dress up like her for Halloween and she had told everyone about it
Image credits: ThrowRAhalloweendred
Image credits: Walt Disney Productions / Walt Disney (not the actual photo)
Her mom didn't like this, so she got her a hot dog costume and blackmailed her that if she didn't wear it, she would never watch Snow White again
Image credits: ThrowRAhalloweendred
Image credits: Tuan PM / Pexels (not the actual photo)
It was a very humiliating memory for the poster, and years later, her mom told it to her boyfriend but twisted it that the kid had wanted to be a hot dog
Image credits: ThrowRAhalloweendred
The poster snapped, told the real story, and said that her mother was the evil queen who made her wear rags, leaving her mom in tears
Once upon a time, Reddit user ThrowRAhalloweendred was obsessed with Snow White to the point where she would do chores just like the princess and kept watching the movie with her dad. She also dreamed about dressing up as her for Halloween in a princess dance at her ballet where she had booked her slot well in advance.
The kid had also told everyone about it, but mommy dearest had other things in mind as she didn’t think Snow White was a good role model for her daughter. All because she had attempted to make hot dogs like the princess did for the dwarves and ended up making a mess, so her mom “surprised” her with a hot dog costume!
Now, you might ask how the kid agreed to put it on; it turns out that her mom blackmailed her into either wearing it or never watching Snow White again. When she donned the hot dog costume, the mom clicked a lot of pictures of her, and the poor child was teased about it a lot, turning it into the most humiliating memory for her.
Now, fast-forward to the present, the mom narrated this incident in front of her daughter’s boyfriend, but she twisted things saying that the kid wanted to be a hot dog while other children wanted to be princesses. However, her daughter had had enough and narrated the true story, claiming that her mom was the evil queen who dressed her in rags, which was the “garbage meat costume”.
Later, her brother told her that after they left, their mom took out pictures from that Halloween and was crying looking at them. OP mentioned that she didn’t want to make her mom cry but neither did she want to be humiliated in front of her boyfriend, so she vented online and sought people’s advice.
To get more perspective on the matter, Bored Panda interviewed Eden Lobo, a counselor and psychology professor. She mentioned that fairy tales and princess narratives often present a straightforward dichotomy between good and evil, and Snow White’s character represents purity and innocence, making it easy for children to grasp and emulate these traits as desirable.
It’s no surprise that just like other kids, OP also fell in love with Snow White and wanted to dress up like her. In the comments, OP explained that her mother wanted to mold her into a “counter-culture girl” so that she would be smarter and better than the other kids, and she generally hated everything that the poster liked.
Prof. Lobo explained, “When parents push children into roles or personalities that don't match their true interests or desires, children can struggle to develop a clear sense of self. This confusion can persist into adulthood, leading to difficulties in making decisions, forming relationships, or setting life goals.”
Image credits: Timur Weber / Pexels (not the actual photo)
During childhood, Prof. Lobo noted that we are in a formative stage of emotional and psychological development, so humiliations often stick with us for years because of the emotional intensity and vulnerability associated with early experiences.
She also added that these humiliating moments can shape how we view ourselves, how we relate to others, and how we navigate the world—often requiring conscious effort and healing to overcome their lingering effects. Well, no wonder she finally clapped back after her mom tried to humiliate her in front of her boyfriend as well, and many people applauded her for doing so.
We also reached out to the poster, but she mentioned that everyone was hard on her mom. “We clashed when I was a kid, but she's still my mom, and I do love her. I know she was bullied by more traditionally feminine girls when she was young, and she isn't a monster, she just did a shitty thing. I love her a lot,” she added. This definitely gives a clear perspective on her mom's actions.
Many people were also curious about how OP's boyfriend reacted to this, and she said that they watched Snow White together. She also told us, “He says that when we get married, we should have red, white, and black be our wedding colors, which was the sweetest thing, but I said let's add blue and yellow accents too to keep it from being too creepy. I love that we're talking about wedding stuff honestly.
"It's a long way off, but I do want to marry him someday. For this year, we're psyched to go as Barbie and Ken for Halloween! It's so much fun!"
Prof. Lobo ended the interview with a few wise words that the key to a healthy parent-child relationship is fostering the child’s unique identity, encouraging their natural interests and passions, and allowing them the space to develop a sense of autonomy and self-worth.
Even OP claimed, “There's nothing wrong with being ordinary, and nothing wrong with things made for little girls. I think a lot of the time, people treat things traditionally loved by young women and girls as though they're subpar or worthy of scorn, and things traditionally loved by young men and boys as enlightened or superior.”
She added that in her mind, that's just misogyny. OP also advised, “Let girls love pink, and princesses, and don't try to turn your daughters into something they're not.” With that brilliant advice, we conclude our thoughts and hand things over to you, so feel free to express your opinions in the comments section!
Folks online were horrified by the mother's actions and applauded the poster for standing up for herself
