When Lorde sang that “we’ll never be Royals,” it was immediately clear that she’s not yet a parent. If she were, then she’d fully realize that it’s not only possible, but incredibly likely to become Royals on a fairly frequent basis – a transformation that can occur several times a week, or during some phases – every, single day. You see, my wife and I are raising a pair of daughters – each of which occasionally displays traits that reflect the true spirit of a Disney Princess. The kindness of Snow White… the heroic spark for adventure of Merida… the grace of Sleeping Beauty… the wonder of Sofia the First, the attitude of Princess Leia (hey, she’s Disney now!) and even, the cleaning skill of Cinderella. Yes, that, too. It’s not just one thing that represents a Princess in The Kingdom of Rock Fatheria™, but a lot of elements that come together for a series of regular Royal Adventures.
This past weekend, King James (that’s me, speaking in the third-person like a professional athlete) and Queen Jen (my better half) took Princesses Adalyn and Finley to Walmart to grab the new SLEEPING BEAUTY Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Combo Pack, just-released from the Disney Vaults (which I’ve actually visited) for a limited time. Funny thing is, I remember buying that movie on VHS (in that hulking “clamshell” packaging) back in the day, and again on DVD back in 2003, when my wife and I were already beginning our Disney collection in an era long before kids. There’s a lot of movies that you tend to re-buy on various formats over the years, and this “Diamond Edition” fits the bill, with SLEEPING BEAUTY attaining legendary status long ago, and having inspired the recent Angelina Jolie-starrer, MALEFICENT.
Making our weekend a little bit more special, the Princesses were treated to a little shopping spree of sorts, picking up an assortment of new Princess gear from the toy department: the Merida Bow & Arrow by JAKKS Pacific; a pair of Palace Pets by Blip Toys; a Petal Float Cinderella; and a few residents of Enchancia from Mattel’s SOFIA THE FIRST collection.
Thing is, I didn’t just give these toys to my Royal daughters… they had to work for them a bit… and follow the rules.
King James of Rock Fatheria’s 6 Princess Rules:
- Be Kind to All.
- Be Helpful to Others.
- Be True to Yourself.
- Seek Adventure, Always.
- Never Be Afraid to Try New Things.
- Listen to Mommy & Daddy (The Queen & King)
Yeah, they break those rules pretty frequently (they’re just 2 & 5), but we’re working on it. Just remember, “whistle while you work…”
