I don't understand the point of the article, or I don't agree with her premise that parents try to gloss over the issue of beauty. From a very young age, babies already form preferences over what they are attracted to, in terms of facial features. I think the point of The Ugly Duckling story is that there is inner beauty. That's the same thing as saying that outer beauty is only one facet of a person's character. In the fairy tales, it's not that people grow up to be beautiful, it's that they grown up to appreciate the beauty on the inside. On the other hand, it's not necessary to be so candid about ugliness either. Unless it's an outlier case like the example of the guy she's writing about who has a birth deformity, the issue isn't all that clear cut. As the child grows and finds a bigger community, the child's looks may appeal to more people in the larger community.