7 Reasons You Should Take Your Child To See 'Cinderella'

An article popped up on my news feed a few times today and after seeing it for a third time, I decided I should check it out. It was titled "7 Reasons I Can't Take My Daughter To See 'Cinderella'" Did I use that punctuation correctly? Being a huge Disney fan, I felt that this article was a bit much, but regardless of how I felt I still respect this mom for raising her princess-loving daughter how she wants to. Really that's how parenting should work (most of the time) but I actually went and watched the movie a few hours after reading the article and want to share some things (don't worry, I won't post anything you don't already know about the plot of the Disney classic) that I realized while watching the film and with this article in the back of my mind.

1. Dead Parents - While I don't think a child should have to sit and watch people die to understand that it happens, I do think it's a very important conversation parents can have with their children. The movie does not portray the death of Cinderella's parents as something that it is not, and it doesn't draw out the scenes so that it makes you uncomfortable. It shows that death is a real thing that can happen unexpectedly to anyone. So why do I think that this conversation should be had at some point? Please see two sentences before this one. Death is real and your child will encounter it at some point. Rather than shielding or keeping your child in the dark about it, have the conversation now so that hopefully if and when it happens, they can know that things will be okay. I lost many pets growing up, but I didn't truly understand the significance of death until my father died when I was 7. My parents had not told me about death, so when one day I came home to a house full of mourning family members and no dad, it was a little confusing. I am not saying to run and grab your kids out of bed to tell them how death works, but be the parent that you are and know when they (and you) are ready for this conversation and then have it. I would actually recommend having this conversation after watching the new (ironic, eh?) Cinderella. Show your child that even when something unexpected happens, you can continue moving forward. Oftentimes, and in Cinderella's case, you can take something negative and unfortunate and transform it to use it to be the best person you can be. I think that we often find strength in tragedy, but even if we don't know what to do next, that is perfectly fine. We are okay right this very second, and when you think about it, that's all we really need to be.

2. Mean Girls Behavior -  While it is unfortunate that Cinderella faces so much bullying from her step-siblings, I don't think this is a reason to not let your child see the movie. Throughout the movie Cinderella is constantly being treated like she is less than the others in the household simply because they can get away with treating her that way. This can be multiple conversations to have with your child, ranging from being nice to everyone you meet to what to do if you are being bullied. Bullying is a huge issue throughout the world and it's not something we only see in movies. Your child might not ever be bullied, but they will probably have the opportunity to show someone else kindness and compassion when they are the victim of someone else. Teach them what to do and who to talk to. Let them know just how strong they can be if the words of others try to cut us. We have so many opportunities in life to make others feel emotion, both good and bad. I try with my everyday encounters to give others something to smile about, be it because of a compliment, buying their coffee, or just being silly so it gives them a perfect reason to smile. Foster happiness and kindness in your children so that others don't see them like the step-siblings in the movie. Let's all try to be the Cinderella of our lives. (Please go see the movie. There's more to her than a happily ever after.)

3. Step-Families Get a Bad Rap - In this movie Cinderella's step-family is far from nice. They treat her like the dirt beneath their feet and there is nothing Cinderella can do to stop that. So how can you make this a conversation for your child if they don't have any step-siblings? Let your child know that while they have a brother, there is someone with a step-brother. Let them know that they have a mom and dad but there is someone with only one dad because their mom died. Let them know that while they only have one dad someone else has two. Let them know that while everyone in their family is white, some families have white and black members. Let them know the beauty in diversity and show them that it is so perfectly normal to have a family of any type, size, or color.

4. The Passive Princess - While it is very clear that modern princesses possess a lot more of an independent woman approach, I think Cinderella teaches us something that these modern princesses cannot; content. I know it's a little strange to hear (trust me, it's strange to say,) but this is something I noticed I could easily be working on. While there is a lot to gain from being independent and doing the damn thing yourself, there is also a lot to gain from living your life with contentment. I found Cinderella throughout the entire movie being happy with what was in front of her. Live in the attic? Okay. It has great floors. Go to the ball but leave before midnight? Okay. I only wanted to go for five minutes. Cinderella has a very unique way of looking at life, and it is something I am working towards adopting for my own life. We will always want more for ourselves and for others, but seldom do we stop wanting and start appreciating all that we have at this exact moment. While it does appear that Cinderella is just waiting to be rescued by someone else, I think it has more to do with her being okay with just being okay. There are those who seek new and exciting things for themselves, and there are those who are okay with just being okay and both options are perfectly fine. (I would encourage you to not be just okay for too long, push yourself to learn and to grow, but do so at your own pace.)

5. Unrealistic Body Image - I did notice Lily James' waist a few times in the movie, but I noticed her heart and positive attitude a lot more. In a perfect world we would have a princess of every shape, color, and size and children would have so many to look up to and know that they are beautiful. This might come to you as a surprise but we don't. So what can we do to help our children out? My first suggestion would not be hide them from tiny waists because that is a backhanded way of saying "don't be too skinny." I think we should be teaching our children that bodies are weird and there are days where we like them and days where we don't, but regardless of how we feel we should strive to be healthy and appreciate all body types. The prince doesn't fall in love with Cinderella because of her tiny waist, he falls in love with her for her huge heart.

6. It Might Be Too Grown-up -I think that movie has just the perfect balance of real-life scenarios and cartoon-like situations. Yes the step-siblings are way bitchier in this movie compared to the classic, but I think that it's important for your child to know that people outside of the movie can say and do worse. A lesson I learned a few years back that I wish I knew all along is this; we will never be able to control the situation, but we will be able to control how we react to it. I know this is a little off from the actual category itself, but the only way I can prove to you that it's not "too grown up" is to just let you watch it yourself. You know your child better than I or anyone else. If you don't think they would enjoy the movie, don't take them. I only ask that you make your decision based on what you know, not what you think will happen in the movie or what characters might be left out.


7. Love at First Sight is Not the Only Kind -With the original article, I must say that I agree with this. I think that it's important to show emphasis that everyone's journey is different and we should respect that, not sit on the sidelines and criticize. I think it's important to show your child finding a significant other is not everyone's cup of tea. Look at Elsa, she doesn't have a single prospect and she's perfectly fine with that. Love comes when we often least expect it, so when it does happen you should enjoy it.

Okay. If you didn't go look at the other article I've been referencing, you might not have known that the numbered items were actually all from the original post. Spoiler alert; they were. My intentions for this was not to criticize how one woman is choosing to view the movie or raise her child, but to show that you can take a "negative" and help turn it into a positive. I also feel that the movie was beautifully executed, and whether you're 7 or 72 you can find something to appreciate about it, and more importantly something to learn. Which leads me to a surprise eighth reason why you should take your child to see 'Cinderella.'

8. Have Courage and Be Kind - This is Cinderella's motto throughout the entire movie and she so perfectly reminded us in both large and small ways. One of the most influential parts of the movie (and the part that made me cry) is towards the very end when the prince finally has found the foot to match the glass slipper. The prince and Cinderella express their love and acceptance of each other and are about to leave Cinderella's current life behind, but as she's walking out of the door she stops to let her step-mother (who has treated her like a caged animal) one thing; Cinderella forgives her. I've been promoting forgiveness on social media these last few days and this moment in the movie made me realize there was so much more I could be doing for forgiveness. I think this is a lesson many children miss out on because we are too focused on teaching them other important things. I encourage you all to watch the movie and work towards forgiving yourself and others more frequently. Watch the movie and have these conversations when you and your child are ready. Watch the movie and enjoy the beauty that it holds. Watch the movie and remember one thing;

I love you all beyond measure.