Barbapapa! My old favourite! The lucky one who has possibility to change his shape so that he can be an aeroplane or a giraffe or whatever he wants to be...

Now as a mother I of course start to see everything in a new way. What kind of role model this Barbapapa-character is after all? He has four sons and three daughters. And all those daughters has a special ability. One of them can sing, other one likes to read and third one can... well, be beautiful. Was it because I read so many Barbapapa-books in my childhood that I somehow learnt to think that as a woman you can be either beautiful like Barbabelle or you can read like Barbalib  but you can't be both? That's kind of sad, especially when we all know who I indentified myself with...

Well, at least there's three possibilities for a girl in Barbapapa-world. It's not quite so good if you are a Smurf. If you happen to be a boy smurf you can be and do whatever you want. If you are a girl your only chance is to be Smurfette and her main ability is... well, to be beautiful.

By the way, Smurfs turn 50 years this week. Happy Birthday to you, strange little male chauvinists in white pants!