This day was so SO much better than yesterday. One of my favorite things about small kids is how quickly they forget how much they hate you. I know we can’t count on that short term memory to last forever, but right now my kids are like Dory from Finding Nemo.
They get upset for a second and it’s heart breaking and you wonder if this time they’re really going to remember what an asshole you were, but five minutes later they’re all, “Hey! Watch what I can do!!”
Needless to say, none of them woke up in a deep dark depression after I yelled at them last night.
However, one of them did wake up with something that really made me think for once.
Maile was all, “Hey Mom, you know the movie Aladdin?” and I was all “Yeah?” mentally preparing for another mindless conversation with an 8 year old, but then she said something that blew. me. away.
She said, “Well…how come they don’t call the movie ‘Jasmine’?”
And at first the thought was silly. Because the movie was from Aladdin’s perspective. It was about Aladdin’s journey, Aladdin’s monkey, Aladdin’s genie…not Jasmine’s.
But THINK about it.
She’s totally right! Jasmine is a Disney princess. You don’t see Aladdin plastered on lunchboxes and furniture and little girl t-shirts.
ALL of the other princesses movies were named after THEM.
Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Mulan, Pochanatas…you name it!
Princess Jasmine doesn’t even get the courtesy of a co-title like Beauty and the Beast or The Princess and the Frog.
What gives Disney?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
You know, I think she’s right! Glad you had a better day.
Maile’s a smart one. I don’t think I’ve ever thought about that like that. Huh. Even the sequels are named after Aladdin and Jafar. Raja gave me babies IS KILLING ME!
Glad your next day was better.
Because the original stories are about Aladdin, there is no Princess Jasmine (although he does marry the daughter of the Emperor)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aladdin
What a great point!!!! I love it when kids say something profound when you don’t expect it at all! It makes you realize, they really are thinking…they really get it! Um, well sometimes…
She is so right. She is so smart to realize that. So awesome!!!
When the movie first came out (’92), they didn’t have all this Princess hype by Disney. The stuff out there *was* about Aladdin, not Jasmine (as far as merchandise). I had an Aladdin lunchbox for school (yes, I was in high school, but kids’ lunch boxes were the rage at the time), and Jasmine was just in the background with her dad, while Aladdin, Abu, Genie, and Jafar are in the forefront. :-)
It’s only since the Princess phenomenon started that suddenly it’s about Jasmine. :-)
Okay, that is adorable, and GOOD POINT Maile!
Now that is a very interesting point.
Jasmine totally got the short end of the stick.
Deep.
Heck ya! C’mon, Disney!
I actually was looking through old pictures of me growing up and there’s one of me at Christmas, I’m probably close to your girls’ ages. And it’s of me and my Princess Jasmine Barbie. Man that thing was sweet. :)
Huh, your daughter is a smart one!
Glad this was a better day for you!
She’s totally right! I love the simple way kids think. Now I feel bad for Jasmine. Glad you had a better day!
Wise girl, your Maile. I love these spoof magazine covers — my sister sent me the link to several and they crack me up on every read. Especially because we were all Disney girls when we were little.
Very smart girl you got there and she is totally right! Makes you wonder why she was left out hmmm…..
Happy you had a better day.