There are a lot of people who are against Disney and believe the message the establishment portrays is not something we should be teaching our children. It is true that the 'perfect world' where even your enemies end up being your friends (Mickey never falls out with Peter in Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse, despite endless provocation) and everyone gets their dream come true isn't very realistic, but does that mean our children shouldn't learn these teachings?
I watched Disney as a kid, particularly the Disney classic animation films featuring the Disney princesses, such as
Beauty and the Beast
and
The Little Mermaid
. When I grew into my teenage years I blamed the teachings of the one true love and the perfect soul mate for my disillusionment with the world. During those awkward years when boys didn't take a second glance at me and yet all I wanted was to be loved, it was a hard realisation that the Disney film lessons were somewhat misleading. However looking back as an adult I believe that blaming one concept for a whole belief doesn't quite seem fair. I think there is a lot to be said for parental input as well as a variance in what a child is shown.
That being said, shouldn't children be left to be children? If they dream of being a film star or an astronaut should we nip those dreams in the bud so as not to cause any upset further down the line? Or should we encourage their childish fantasies and let their imaginations run riot. After all
Neil Armstrong
and
Angelina Jolie
reached their lofty ambitions.
My feeling is that kids are not kids for long enough, so why not indulge them as long as possible? In a world where girls are wearing make up and straightening their hair long before they are in high school and bringing home one hour of homework a night at five years old (yes that's the guidelines for schools in England, see the
DirectGov website for more information), it is my opinion that if my daughter wants to make believe she is a beautiful princess, where is the harm in that? One day in the not-so-distant future she will be paying a mortgage, juggling household jobs and going out to work, so for the time being my little girl will be just that. Even if that means I have to watch Mickey Mouse on repeat!
With all that said that does not mean I am not open to other opinions or that I feel my opinion is completely decided. There are many sides to every story, so please feel free to share your opinion with me. For an alternative view, please visit Meghan at Meghan Conrad to see why her daughter doesn't watch Disney movies.
