We just saw Enchanted- a Disney send-up of Disney tales. My younger son was perplexed- Why did everyone end up with the wrong person? Explaining to him that life often means emphasizing contrasts versus similarities is pretty deep stuff for a boy of nine.
Girls grow up with fairy tale ideals more frequently than boys- we are weaned on princess stories, weddings, and happily ever after. How do I explain to my sons that girls expect them to be a prince, but happiness comes from mutual respect and interdependence- not one person depending on the other, but both supporting each other equally?
What fairy tales do boys learn growing up? And how do we make these innocent and artificial dreams ring true at the core? What dreams really do come true, and which are the stuff of movies and dime-store novels?
I feel so very lucky to be married to someone I admire; someone I love to be around for his kindness, his sense of humor, and for his realism. Even when we get bogged down by the mundane things like laundry and bills, I like that I can still see him as a prince at heart.