For reasons similar to those voiced in a recent CNN article, my family has been eagerly awaiting the opening day of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog animated movie. But beyond the social implications of the movie, I was just excited for a new Disney princess movie. Yes, I’m a hopeless romantic and a sucker for a good love story. Disney usually delivers and they definitely did with this movie.
The Princess and the Frog was an incredible movie-watching experience. The hand-drawn animation was inspiring, as were the lively songs. At one point, my four year old son leapt out of his seat and started wiggling his hips to the music. Meanwhile, I sat back entranced by the vivid colors splashing on the screen (I might’ve been drooling), then suddenly noticed my toes tapping and head bopping to the tunes.
But what really struck me, beyond the celebration of Disney’s first African American princess, the entertaining musical score and the meticulous animation, was the strong message in the story.
Tiana comes from a hard-working family who may not have outwardly been the wealthiest family in the city, but by standards beyond material wealth, were rich in the strength of their family and love. Despite this, Tiana grew up with a staunch focus on hard work as she pursued her dreams.
I couldn’t help but to see the parallels between my work ethic and Tiana’s – hard work drives success. The only issue for Tiana, and I believe for myself and many other hard-working moms, is the belief that hard work alone is enough to achieve your dreams and create a fulfilling life.
As I traverse the unpredictable journey of working motherhood, my focus is most always on my work or on my family. I put a lot of effort into my career with the intent to create a positive lifestyle for my family. Yet, in the busyness of working hard, I sometimes lose sight of the true importance of my family, similar to Tiana in the movie. I realize when this is happening because the time spent with my family becomes more functional, than feeling. My focus shifts from creating a loving experience for my family to “let’s just get it done.”
So while I walked into the theater feeling grateful that Disney had finally presented a princess that my daughters can relate to, I left feeling even more grateful that Disney created a movie that told a powerful story about the importance of family and love, alongside a strong work ethic. It’s an important reminder for all hard-working families as we aspire to achieve dreams and build lives of meaning for ourselves, and our children.
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From a fellow working mom, I very much appreciate your thoughts on time spent becoming functional instead of feeling. When we get caught up and distracted by all the tasks, it’s always connection that is sacrificed. Connection is the foundation for the family and the emotional development of children. Great post!