Once upon a dream!

I know there are a lot of people who do not let their children watch Disney movies, for a lot of different reasons. Some are against the company for supporting gays and lesbians, and some don't like the movies, because they support rebellion against parents and immodesty, or teach girls to be weak and rely on men. And even if I don't agree, I have nothing against the people who believe that. Their children, their decision.

I will say that I am fully a fan of Disney movies, and I had the entire script of The Little Mermaid memorized by the time I was 2. And in perfect pitch (which I don't have anymore. Well, close. But not perfect. Music is the one thing I know I can do.)

But I realized something the other day. Mike and Katie and I were having a staying-in night while everybody else was away at their various activities, and we decided to watch Sleeping Beauty because neither of us had seen it in a lot of years. And it was beautiful and classic and I quite enjoyed it. But I realized that the Disney movies I watched as a kid have really affected the kind of person that I am.

For example: my favorite Disney movies are The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and Tangled. All the rebellious, strong-willed girls who (at least try to) stand up to the men around them. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not really a sit-back-and-watch-somebody-else-do-things kind of a person. Ask my freshman roommates how I felt about not having a career and getting married young and staying home with a bunch of babies (even if you all know that my views on that subject have since changed.)

But I also really like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. And they're the movies where the title character just put her head on her desk to cry and then got saved by a fairy godmother or handsome prince or both. My idea of what love should be like is rather old-fashioned, and I wonder if this is why. I think boys should ask girls on dates and open doors for them, and I think it's super romantic just when Mike kisses my hand.

And I think I've turned out pretty well, so I'm definitely going to let Katie watch movies about princesses.

Not to mention she's already seen The Little Mermaid and Tangled with me once or twice, so it's too late. Buaha.