A 10 year old boy died a few days ago. Why? Because he ate some chocolate. The chocolate contained hazelnuts to which he was apparently allergic. And he knew that. He knew he wasn't supposed to eat hazelnuts and so did his entire class. In fact, his classmates tried to stop him from eating it by reminding him, in case he's forgotten, about him being allergic to hazelnuts. But did he listen? No. He said his mother allowed him to eat them. Somehow, I doubt that. I highly doubt his mother said it was OK for him to eat something that might actually kill him. And it's not that he was only 10 years old and didn't know any better. If that was so, how did all the other kids know he shouldn't eat the chocolate? They are 10 as well. It's not that 10 year olds are unreasonable. It's just that they don't listen to their parents any more.
I watched The Little Mermaid today again. I'm sure you're familiar with the story: a stubborn teenage mermaid does what ever she wants, disobeys her father, almost causes the deaths of herself and her prince, and it all ends with a happy end. Right? Actually, wrong. That's not how the story originally ended. See, the original story, the one by Hans Christian Andersen, doesn't end with a happy end. The little mermaid doesn't get the love of her life nor is she allowed to go back to her family. No, she dies. She didn't listen to the older and the wiser and she died. Children were able to learn from that story back in the day. And what do they learn today? That no matter what they do, it's OK, there's a happy end awaiting. But that's just not how life is. I blame Disney for selling fairy tales to kids. Life is not a fairy tale. And sometimes, not even a fairy tale is a fairy tale.
Happy with what she's done? Not so much.
7 spoke back:
Oh poor kid......
I guess most of 10 year old kids are reasonable and they know what they're doing.
I'm sorry for this kid.
Anyway, Little Mermaid was the first VHS film I had when I was a little girl.
I remember that I wanted my hair like her hair, lmao.
I didn't knew about the other Little Mermaid story...where she dies.
I guess I agree with you Krissie...Disney makes it all look easy and with a happy ending.
The original Mother Goose nursery rhymes are far different than what you see in todays books.
If you get a chance, its worth checking them out. Apparently as a global society we decided somewhere along the way that we need to desensitize everything.
Now Van, how can it be that you've never read H.C. Andersen??
Actually, Sgt, I think I already have been a bit freaked out with that, she eats them or something equally horrific, right?
Krissie,
As a teacher I salute you. You are right. Parents today sugarcoat everything and would go to extreme lengths to make sure their kid gets everything. But it is by NOT getting everything and by being faced with the consequences of one's actions that one learns to survive as an adult and learns to get one's priorities straight. You are righter than right about this.
Thank you. No, really, thank you.
WORD!
and coming from you, BRAT, means the world!
You are an model for other kiddos.
I salute you for your wisedom.
A'ight, Doc, sarcasm is my thing so knock it off.
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