Cinderella’s story is the classic formula for happiness. A beautiful young woman grows up amid neglect and abuse only to one day experience love and honor in the arms of a prince. This fairy tale and other such stories 1)transcend culture and language. All over the world there are variations of Cinderella and other popular fairy tales.
I cannot deny the number of times I’ve dreamt about the fairy-tale visions of life and the happily ever after—the glass slippers, the handsome guy, and the way we’d ride off on his 2)well-groomed3)steed—when lying in bed. Yet, at the same time, I can’t help but wonder about how we are educating our children. When we 4)tuck our daughter into bed at night, are we equating her to Cinderella by telling her fairy tales about the handsome, charming prince who will ride in on a big white horse and sweep her away to a distant castle, where he will wed her and worship her until eternity as they become the King and Queen of the faraway land? Sure, those stories reflect parents’ dreams for their babies, but have we given any thought to the unintentional damage those fairy tales may be doing to our daughters by creating potentially unrealistic expectations?
I speak from a position of authority regarding what I call “5)The Cinderella Syndrome,” which occurs when well-meaning parents set up an unrealistic expectation for their children, especially daughters—that they can depend on the Prince and be taken care of. My parents tried to do everything right: They worked hard, taught me right from wrong, 6)imparted strong moral values, and showered my brothers and me with love and all of the material possessions their income could provide. So, unfortunately, from my earliest memories, I always knew I was the “Princess.” My “loyal subjects” included not just my parents, but also my grandparents. All that attention does wonders for a young lady’s ego, but it also sets her up for a 7)rude awakening later in life when she ceases to be the Princess and becomes just another 8)belle at the ball, looking for a ride home from whatever pumpkin 9)coach happens past.