Anita Jacob

So I know if you’re a parent you’ve probably watched your fair share of princess movies. The ending is always predictable, especially with the classics, even if there’s a twist or two before it gets there. I expect you think I’m going to say how they are all fairytales and things like that don’t happen in real life – but I’m not going to say that. Yes, in real life things take a lot more hard work, and though we don’t often run into sorcerers or poisoned apples, we still have our fair share of obstacles to overcome.

I actually believe that we can end up living a sort of fairytale life if we adjust our expectations and consistently do the work it takes to be in a healthy relationship! Afterall, what are the components of ‘happily ever after’ anyway?

• Find someone you love and who loves you
• Be able to get through hard stuff together
• Have fun together
• Have people around you to support you

These are the things I consistently see in many of the princess movies I’ve seen. Rarely do the happy couple end up by themselves on a desert island or a mountaintop as they often have family or a village to encourage and support them.

In all of these movies the couple works together through some horrible events or obstacles, and usually with a lot of humour and an animal sidekick, they bicker, argue and appear to hate each other, but then figure out a way through the difficulties and find their way back to each other. No matter what tragedy or monster they encounter, they make it through as partners.

If there were sequels to these movies, they’d probably include further spats and disagreements, challenges and tragedies, but they would also include talking about stuff and working together, finding a way to be happy in the end. Does this really sound like a fairytale?

Sure, in the movies we don’t see the day to day money troubles and stresses that come with parenting. They don’t cover everything, but my point here is that you and your partner can make ‘happily-ever-after’ a reality for you. Determine what that looks like for you and work toward it together.