Disney movies are phenomenal. There was a time I got annoyed with the Cinderella , Snow White and Sleeping beauty kind of movies. There is always a damsel in distress and while I do want my daughter to know about these fairy tales, and I do want her to watch it for the phenomenal animation and great music, I do not want her to believe she needs a Prince Charming. A regular guy could make her life perfect too.
And then Disney started to change with the times. I love Tangled. Rapunzel is just so classy. I love Frozen for how it shows the relationship between sisters and how the ‘regular’ guy could actually be your true love and the charming idiot was actually the bad guy. I love Mulan that showed how daughters too can be brave and strive for their parents. I love Pocahantas for the brave princess that will do anything for peace. I love Nala in Lion King and I love princess Jasmine for being so darn firm in Aladin.
We watched ‘Zootopia’ on Monday evening and I am so thankful to Disney for yet another fantastic hero!
Officer Judy Hopps! Yes a female lead. A strong one that does not need a Prince Charming. Being a mother of a little girl I am looking towards raising her to being able to follow her dreams. The sky is the limit. While I do want her to have long flowing hair like Rapunzel (and my little Z has never cut her hair since birth) I also want her to have a classic sense of humor and a touch of craziness.
Here are the reasons moms with little girls should watch Zootopia
1. It starts with how we as parents put our fears on our children. We want them to be safe and careful and so we try our best to restrict them. We believe we are giving them ‘other’ options, but sometimes we are killing their dreams
2. Little girls need to be trained to be brave! Going with the TED talk presentation of teach girls bravery and not perfection, Zootopia takes the cake.
3. Little girls need to be taught that’s it’s OK to fail, but it is not OK to quit. Officier Judy Hopps kicks the butt of her peers in police academy to become valedictorian!
4. Little girls need to be taught to make friends with people more than those just like them! Officer Hopps teams with a FOX! Yes a bunny and fox. We live in a world where we train girls to hang out with girls. We iron that condition out by making sure the rich play with the rich and the cool kids don’t mix with the uncool ones!
5. Little girls need to be taught to persevere. Even in the male dominated Police force, Officer Hopps keeps going taking up the craziest challenges.
6. Little girls need to be taught dignity of labor. We often tell our kids that certain jobs are too undignified for them. We do it in the name of career guidance. I once had a friend who was a physical trainer and got a lot of grief from her in-laws for her profession. She was constantly compared to her husband who was an engineer. She one day snapped back ‘I make more money than him’! In Zootopia, Officer Hopps has her first post as a meter maid. She does not reject it! She takes up the job as a challenge and is determined to do far more than is expected from her as a meter maid.
7. Little girls need to be taught to be a little sly and use their brains! Officer Hopps has this classy little carrot pen and she uses it well. ‘It’s called a Hustle, sweetheart’
All in all Zootopia was a lot of fun! Disney has outdone itself again and I just cannot wait for more.
