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Continuing Adventures of Nivid
May 21, 2007
There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.
-Willa Cather
When last we looked in on our favorite Mumbai preschooler, Nivid ("Parent Alarmed by KFC"; ExchangeEveryDay, July 18, 2006), he was fascinated by KFC's plastic toy prizes. Now we encounter Nivid on summer vacation. His mother, to keep him occupied, is playing for him the DVD of Cinderella. Here is his mother's story of what followed:

"First of all Nivid 'did' see the whole film but looked disinterested and impatient. I hoped he would be more enthusiastic, firstly because Cinderella was one of my favourites as a child, secondly it's a classic and every kid around the world has usually loved the story of Cinderella, and thirdly, I had spent a 100 bucks on it!

"On seeing no positive reaction from him, I prodded him a little bit about what he felt about the film...here's what he said:
'It's a girly film, I didn't like it, and secondly, the story is all wrong!'

"Girly film ...I understand, but why did you say the story is wrong? What is wrong?" I asked, curious. (What could be wrong anyway, it's a classic, and classics are classics, not wrong!, I thought)

"'It's fully wrong! The part where the clock strikes 12, and everything goes back to how it was before..the carriage turns back into a pumpkin, the horses into mice, her party clothes into rags...only her glass slippers don't turn into anything nor dissappear...YOU KNOW WHY?' he said, hands on his hips, and chin up, his most militant posture.

"Why?, I asked...realising he seemed right...

"'Because, if they did, the story would not go ahead and they wouldn't be able to find Cinderella the way they did, and whoever wrote the story (and is probably turning in his grave right now) couldn't think of them finding her any other way... so they kept the glass slippers. It's wrong... totally wrong...' he muttered and walked away, leaving me blinking in bewilderment."

Both the mother and Swati Popat, who shared this story, added their commentary, but I prefer to let everyone interpret this on their own. Please share your comments below.


Karen Stephens has written 180 Parenting Exchange articles which provide practical advice for parents on the joys and challenges of the contemporary family. You can have this entire library of articles at your fingertips to use in your newsletter, to print or e-mail, and share with staff and parents whenever your parents need advice: The Complete Parenting Exchange Library! And this week only, the entire collection is on sale, at more than a 20% discount.

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Comments (10)

Displaying 5 of 10 Comments   [ View all ]
Honey Tang · May 25, 2007
Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia


sigh...children are not as 'gullible' as they used to be. My 4-yr old (when he was younger) used to give me the strangest look when I 'animated' a stuffed toy animal by holding it in front of him, making what I thought were appropriate sounds. When he could speak, it was a 'Mama...that's not a Reeeaal dog...'. Nowadays we use our swords to slay 'pretend dragons' & fight 'pretend bad knights'

Carol Hilliard · May 23, 2007
Educational Consulting
Cambridge, MA 02140, United States


Nivid is a fascinating child who thinks about things in very sophisticated ways. How wise of his Mother and teacher to talk to him and to encourage him to express his thoughts rather than correcting him. I hope and pray he has teachers who give him interesting and challenging lessons and materials; he will not be satisfied with basics that can be memorized. He already is demonstrating metacognition skills. He'll profit from real conversation, such as his Mother had with him. I hope to hear more about him! What a guy!

mukti a oza · May 22, 2007
bombay cambridge gurucool malad
mumbai, maharashtra, United States


Nivid is todays child who uses all the 6 wise man..after all he is swati mam's student...
its time for us as part of the base to think beyond the line..and be more creative..
thanks to Nivid

Constance Porteous · May 22, 2007
Choices for Children
Evanston, IL, United States


This is like the story of the Emperor's new clothes. A child, from one point of view, sees something that is so obvious. Why didn't the shoes change.
Well, as said, it is a fairy tale. It is fiction, not a documentary. Suspending belief at times is okay.
For Nivid, that is not where he is.
Maybe later on, he can write his own story.

alecsandria · May 22, 2007
child develoment inc.
Huntington Beach, CA, United States


Not only do I agree with the son's realistic approach, I would further the notion that the Cinderella story is extremely outdated with sexist and racist overtures. Disney continues to revive the story for each new generation of girls to fall in love with the notion that a great "white prince" will save you if you just wait around. Find a new story to create great memories with.



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