As children, most of us grew up listening to fairy tales with morals
and lessons attached to them. For the most part, the make believe
stories involve a prince, princess, villain, hero, plot, climax and a
happy ending. However, something else is missing.
Night after night stories about beautiful damsels in distress being rescued by handsome knights in shining armor are being told to children right before they fall asleep. These fairy tales reassure children that everything is going to be alright, after a pumpkin turns into a Mercedes that takes them to a palace with maids and butlers that use to be house rats. Maybe I have my fairy tale facts mixed up, but that's the story I'm sticking to.
Let's take a look at how "Prince Charming" is typically portrayed. He is described as being handsome, strong and he has some sort of a savior complex. Oh yeah, he usually rides a white horse too.
On the surface, those attributes sound like a guy every woman wants to marry or at least date. However, there's so much more to Prince Charming. How many of you have ever told your daughters that along with being cute, he needs to have a job? Like my father always told me, "There's no romance without the finance!"
Out of curiosity, during story time, have you ever mentioned that he should be faithful, respectful, a critical thinker, honest, loving, a good husband and a good father along with anything else that makes him well rounded? I know some of you are probably thinking, "Is she serious?" Yes, I'm dead serious because unfortunately, some women grow up with delusions of grandeur while expecting their mates to be just like the Prince Charming they've heard so much about as a child. Oh that is such a rude awakening.
Cinderella and her girlfriends need a description update too. When the princesses are introduced in the fairy tales, they are depicted as helpless and beautiful victims. Unless a fairy godmother or a talking teapot gives them a pep talk, they are clueless as to how they are going to fix their dilemmas.
Sure, being with a physically attractive woman is probably the desire of most men, but what about her non visible assets? Parents, do your sons know that the princess should know how to cook, do laundry and I'm just kidding! I was joking people!
But seriously... She should be loving, kind, faithful, respectful, a critical thinker, a good wife, a good mother and yes, she should be able to help out financially too, among other things. If boys are not told these things, some of them end up with women who are just pretty.
So what am I saying? When we recite fairy tales to children, especially the ones that involve relationships between princes and princesses, we should tell them the truth about men and women. They should know that their potential mate needs to be more than just a facade. We should make sure they know that once Prince Charming and his princess rides off into the sunset, it's going to take more than a kiss and a glass slipper to help them live happily ever after. Now when it comes to telling them the story about the birds and the bees, you're on your own with that one. Good luck!
Night after night stories about beautiful damsels in distress being rescued by handsome knights in shining armor are being told to children right before they fall asleep. These fairy tales reassure children that everything is going to be alright, after a pumpkin turns into a Mercedes that takes them to a palace with maids and butlers that use to be house rats. Maybe I have my fairy tale facts mixed up, but that's the story I'm sticking to.
Let's take a look at how "Prince Charming" is typically portrayed. He is described as being handsome, strong and he has some sort of a savior complex. Oh yeah, he usually rides a white horse too.
On the surface, those attributes sound like a guy every woman wants to marry or at least date. However, there's so much more to Prince Charming. How many of you have ever told your daughters that along with being cute, he needs to have a job? Like my father always told me, "There's no romance without the finance!"
Out of curiosity, during story time, have you ever mentioned that he should be faithful, respectful, a critical thinker, honest, loving, a good husband and a good father along with anything else that makes him well rounded? I know some of you are probably thinking, "Is she serious?" Yes, I'm dead serious because unfortunately, some women grow up with delusions of grandeur while expecting their mates to be just like the Prince Charming they've heard so much about as a child. Oh that is such a rude awakening.
Cinderella and her girlfriends need a description update too. When the princesses are introduced in the fairy tales, they are depicted as helpless and beautiful victims. Unless a fairy godmother or a talking teapot gives them a pep talk, they are clueless as to how they are going to fix their dilemmas.
Sure, being with a physically attractive woman is probably the desire of most men, but what about her non visible assets? Parents, do your sons know that the princess should know how to cook, do laundry and I'm just kidding! I was joking people!
But seriously... She should be loving, kind, faithful, respectful, a critical thinker, a good wife, a good mother and yes, she should be able to help out financially too, among other things. If boys are not told these things, some of them end up with women who are just pretty.
So what am I saying? When we recite fairy tales to children, especially the ones that involve relationships between princes and princesses, we should tell them the truth about men and women. They should know that their potential mate needs to be more than just a facade. We should make sure they know that once Prince Charming and his princess rides off into the sunset, it's going to take more than a kiss and a glass slipper to help them live happily ever after. Now when it comes to telling them the story about the birds and the bees, you're on your own with that one. Good luck!
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