As a little girl I dreamed about my Prince Charming. He was strong and handsome and would protect me from everything bad in the world. We would live in a castle in a forest where the birds sang and butterflies followed us wherever we went.
Many girls dream of their Prince Charming. Unfortunately, he only exists in Disney movies and books. If you’re not careful, once grown you can fall victim of the fantasy character and sabotage a great relationship and your own happiness by chasing an imaginary prince.
Here are seven reasons why real life romances are nothing like Disney movies.
1. Your suitor will not save you from an angry pack of wolves before his 21st birthday.
Image via Flickr by Amaz
Beast rescues Belle from a pack of wolves and then takes her back to his castle where she is held prisoner until they fall in love and live happily ever after.
If he is wealthy, unemployed, and under 21, like Beast, you can forget about him saving you from a pack of wolves, unless you and the wolves are a part of a video game and he receives extra lives for saving you.
2. A successful romance is not built on lies.
Image via Flickr by Hector Vargas
Aladdin and Jasmine both have issues with telling the truth. If Jasmine isn’t pretending to be a street rat, then Aladdin is pretending to be a rich suitor. Once they find out the other is lying, they fall in love and live happily ever after.
Successful relationships never begin on lies. A good relationship is based on honesty. When both people are honest about who they are, they create a solid foundation for a real-life relationship that will last.
3. You should not have to strive for perfection to be loved.
Image via Flickr by Loren Javler
Ariel lusts after Prince Eric and he is so superficial he only wants a perfect girl. Ariel makes a deal to give up her voice if she can have legs to be the perfect girl and live happily ever after with Prince Eric.
If Prince Eric cannot love Ariel when she is a mermaid, then he is not worth the time or effort. No one should ever have to change something about themselves to be loved. Happy relationships are not built on lust and perfection.
4. You should never fall in love with someone who steals from you.
Image via Flickr by Brett Jordan
In Tangled, Flynn is a bad boy and good girls are attracted to bad boys. Their sly smiles and charisma puts butterflies in our stomachs. If we love them enough, they will change for us, right?
Face it: Flynn is conceited and steals your stuff! He may be tempting but he will strip you of your “self” and the happiness you deserve. Good girls who fall for bad boys end up with broken hearts.
5. Wanna-be gods will not give up power for you.
Image via Flickr by Joe Andy Mendoza
Hercules gives up his powers to be with Meg, even though she lied to him. Does this sound like any guy you know?
Most guys I know would prefer the god status. Never-ending power and girls galore, or give it all up for one girl? If a guy is offered the chance to be with you or be a god, they should pick you but they are probably going to choose the god status every time!
6. People living in the jungle do not look like Tarzan and Jane.
Image via Flickr by Loren Javler
These two have been digging holes in the jungle to bury their waste. Do you really think they are going to be clean with perfect hair and clothes? Swinging on vines and hunting for food is dirty, sweaty work!
Think of Survivor. Those people look like they smell bad. Some real life romances have come from the show and even they say kissing in the jungle with no toothpaste was pretty gross.
7. If you are woken up by a stranger’s kiss, your first reaction would be to scream.
Image via Flickr by Keiichi Inoue
In Sleeping Beauty, a handsome prince wakes Sleeping Beauty from her long slumber. When she opens her eyes, she is delighted to see the prince and falls in love.
First of all, if you have been sleeping that long, your breath has got to be awful. No prince is going to want to kiss you. Secondly, if you are woken in that manner by someone you don’t know, your first reaction is probably going to be a little more violent than kissing them back.
Disney movies and the romance they portray are great stories for creating a perfect world. They are a needed escape from an imperfect reality. It’s important to remember their purpose and not fall victim to believing these fairy tale romances can be created in real life.
Reality will never be like a Disney movies. A perfect man is flawed and a happy relationship is one that grows from honesty and mutual respect. To fulfill your own happiness, watch Disney when you need to retreat to the fantasy world of princes and princesses, but remain grounded for a happy ever after.
Featured photo credit: Cinderella and Prince Charming/Andy Sabis via flickr.com
