Disney princesses have gotten a lot of flack lately for all of the negative things they teach girls. I for one, believe the opposite is true. I believe that we learn a lot from these princesses. They have spunk, courage, beauty, kindness, and manage to save the day and solve problems when it seems like all hope is lost. I for one love the Disney Princesses and what they teach us to be.  Each one has a unique take on the world, and while I cannot possibly write everything we learn from them, I have taken one point from each princess that I believe is worth sharing. 

SNOW WHITE – Attitude is Everything

Snow White, the classic and first princess had a heart of gold.  She found herself alone and frightened in the middle of the woods after her mother (granted, step-mother) just tried to murder her. She sings a song to cheer herself up, and from there she picks herself up and keeps going. 

“There’s no use in grumbling
When the raindrops come tumbling
Remember, you’re the one
Who can fill the world with sunshine.”

When she arrives at the dwarves cottage, she immediately gets to work. She cleans, makes it habitable, and befriends the seven men and works out a deal that they will give her room and board if she will take care of the estate. She is not a helpless little thing, she does what she can with what she has. 

CINDERELLA – A Kind Heart Makes All the Difference

Whether you are a fan of the classic or love the remake, the message is the same “Have courage and be kind.” Cinderella is probably the most gentle princess, she even manages to scold Bruno (and even Lucifer) in a way that is both loving and stern.  Her heart remains soft even though she is surrounded by so much malice. Her fairy godmother steps in after all that she can do, and helps her go to the ball.  Some people argue that Cinderella  had everything handed to her, and without her fairy godmother, she would be nothing. If you are one of those people, go watch Cinderella III, a Twist in Time. I believe that it was her kind, unique heart that won over the prince, not her poofy dress. Although it was stunning. Especially the new one…. Yes, we all want one.  

AURORA – Everything Will Work Out

The story of Sleeping Beauty is a complicated one – a witch curses an innocent child that she will die on her 16th birthday.  In the traditional film, this would seem completely unmotivated, but I do like the backstory that they give her in the new Maleficent movie.  Anyway, the kingdom then does all they can to protect the child, giving her to the care of the fairies, burning all of the spinning wheels in the kingdom, etc.  Aurora grows up, a vision of beauty and grace, raised in the woods, unaware of her royal status.  She meets a young man in the forest, falls in love, and then learns of her backstory.  She goes to the castle, as per her destiny, a little dejected.  She then pricks her finger, and falls into the endless sleep. 

This is where the story diverges.  In the traditional cartoon, her Prince Philip comes and wakes her from her sleep, and as fate has it, he was the boy she had met in the woods.  The kingdom is awoken, the day is saved, and everything works out, even though it didn’t look like it would.In the new live-action film, it too, works out.  Prince Philip is not her rescuer, rather, Maleficent herself.  And Aurora is made queen not in her own kingdom, but in the forest as well.

For Part 2 check out this link