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Home > Blogs > Springfield Schools News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > February > 16 > Entry
Snow White and Sleeping Beauty: Too scary for bedtime?
I’m heading out to South Vienna Elementary school Tuesday morning where the students are wearing their pajamas to mark National Bedtime Story Day.
We’ll have more on that later, including what bedtime favorites the children were treated to, but for now, I’m thinking about a survey I saw of British mothers a month or so ago about the decline of classic fairy tales at bedtime.
In the U.K., at least, parents are picking The Very Hungry Caterpillar or The Gruffalo over Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel or Hansel and Gretel.
According to the survey, the reasons parents cited for dropping the old tales include that the Wicked Witch in Snow White is too scary, Rapunzel is too dark, and Cinderella has to do all the housework.
Some parents said they wouldn’t read the fairy tales at all to their children, but others said they were just too inappropriate for bedtime.
What do you think? Are fairy tales too scary for bedtime?
Oh, and if you’re really in the mood for a spook, try googling “Original fairy tales.” Trust me - those aren’t the fairy tales my mother (and probably yours) told.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Parenting
Comments
By Jessica Costello
February 16, 2009 1:15 PM | Link to this
I love the ‘Disney’ fairy tales… but when you talk about ‘original fairy tales,’ they are definitely scary! The ones by the Brothers Grimm were more cautionary tales than fantasy… either eat your vegetables or your head will fall off (not sure that one made it in, but it’s not too far off the mark!) I don’t think parents should cut out Snow White or Cinderella, though — those are classics and definitely a part of my childhood. And I turned out ok… :)By flipper
February 17, 2009 10:39 AM | Link to this
What about the Grand Theft Auto X-box game and the “R” rated CD mom & dad forgot to remove from the player? May as well go ahead and trash Wizard of OZ while we’re at it. We can’t scare the little darlings it might damage their fraile psyche.