This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
Fairy-tales are hazardous and deceiving
Read on to know how fairy-tales are deceiving and delusional and what exactly should you read out to your children that would really inspire them.
This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
I’ll tell you why.
Geeta, a young mother to a 6 year old daughter, has a hard time making her go to sleep. She insists on hearing bed time stories and Geeta doesn’t have much of that. She reads out fairy-tales to her. And like always the story ends with…and the princess married her prince charming and they lived together in the castle happily ever after…
And when her daughter naively asks,” Will I get a prince charming too?” Geeta promptly replies, “Of course, hopefully not through tinder!
What, are you kidding me? What sort of wrong unpractical knowledge are you giving to your children?
Do you still use fairytale stories to make your children go to bed? We are adults and we better understand that life is nothing even close to fairytales. The reality is far more harsh and practical. What notions are they growing up with in their minds hearing all these bedtime fairytales!
Why no fairy-tales?
We have grown up hearing all sorts of fairy-tales about Cinderella, Rapunzel, snow white, sleeping beauty, little red riding hood to name a few. The fantasy characters they contain, don’t even exist. Dwarves, dragons, talking animals, mermaids, fairies, goblins, giants, unicorns and witches. On which utopian world do you find them exactly? Who knows they are even legit or not. They date back to thousands of years ago.
Its 2017 and the world has progressed so much in terms of technology and science. The stories that you read out to your children are polarized and delusional. Fairytales are lazy misinterpretation of events that people have based their entire life around for generations. They are a propaganda by manipulative male writers. You might argue that these stories are just fiction and that no one takes them seriously. But have you wondered why girls in fairy tales have to be fair, skinny, docile and agreeable? They clearly send out a wrong message. Why can’t they be dark skinned, curvy, bold and self-sufficient? Why can’t they raise their voice over a concern instead of being agreeable all the time?
Fairy-tales are filled with empty and outdated phrases such as ‘once upon a time’ and ‘happily ever after’ and ‘love at first sight’.
You might argue that you need a good story to read out to your child. And that fairy-tales fuels their imagination. But that’s not valid. Talking about a more realistic approach. Take on this quiz.
So you are going to a fancy party. Do you wear tight glass heels or a comfortable footwear? Comfortable shoes isn’t it or just heels. Who wears glass heels to a party? Like Cinderella! You are stuck with 7 idiotic dudes, do you cook for them all day, or do you earn a living? Obviously earn a living right. And that is just opposite to what snow white did. What would you prefer? Getting kissed by a stranger without consent or by someone you love? Your answer is obvious. Getting kissed by someone you love, unlike sleeping beauty. Would you prefer living a life on someone else’s whims and fancies or would you prefer living a life on your own terms? The answer is surely the latter option.
Fairy-tales set unrealistic standards and expectations of us. You need to read your daughters, stories of strong, independent women and warriors.
Because what you read to them today will determine the young women she grows up to be tomorrow!!! Basically you just have to find a better fairytale to read to your children. Look in the real world. There are so many inspiring stories around. Like Madam curie, Rani Laxmi bai, Michelle Obama, Kalpana Chawla, Malala Yousafzai and JK Rowling and, and Beyoncé.
Give them a better understanding of the world that is, not of something that has passed and holds no truth. Make them look up to real life heroes instead of fairy tales.