Is it because I'm old, or because it's deplorable? You make the call ...

This story bugs the heck out of me, makes me squirm and want to throttle someone at the same time, and scares the padooky out of me just thinking of the ramifications.

Here's the open:

At the recently opened Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Cinderella's castle in Walt Disney World, hordes of young girls in ball gowns jostle every day to get their hair coiffed, their nails painted and their faces plastered with make-up to imitate their favorite princess.

Really? Parents are taking their daughters to this place and paying big bucks to get them "Princess makeovers"?

Yikes.

And do da name "Britney Spears" ring no bells at all?

At the same time, this story out of the UK is suggesting that 8 to 13 year olds need "more support" due to the difficult adjustments that must be made in the 'tween years.

How much harder that will be if a kid's started down the makeover road at three and couldn't imagine being a princess without the full gear.

I mean, really! Yes, it was the Dark Ages, but I can easily recall convincing myself beyond doubt that I was any Prince Charming's ideal when draped in one of my mother's silky slips while clopping along in a pair size 8 pumps and dripping the contents of mom's costume jewelry box.

My friends and I just shoved the saurapods out of our way as we primped and pranced our way around the neighborhood, sometimes dragging younger siblings along in attendance ... someone had to keep our trains from getting grass stains, after all ... and occasionally granting favors as we went.

We were beautiful, and the fact that our jeans peaked out from under our ball gowns didn't matter one bit, and if we really wanted to glam up, we'd take our mothers old nylon hose ... not panty hose in those days ... and put six legs on our heads, then braid them, tie ribbons on the ends and know we were Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel rolled into one.

Now, however, a girl can't be a princess without their parents buying into a $4 billion Disney princess franchise?

I'm appalled.

Once again ... is it because I'm old?