Traditional Fairy Tales “not PC”

Political correctness has reached the children’s bookshelf is some homes.  According to an article in today’s Telegraph traditional fairy tales are too frightening and are politically incorrect.

I’d be the first to agree that there are some tales that should only be told to older children as they could be a little scary for the youngest, but let’s not wrap up the next generation in yet more cotton wool.  Children enjoy tales about heroes, princesses, strange creatures and monsters, and they won’t benefit from the censorship of over-protective parents.

What’s more worrying however is the perception in some parents’ minds about the characters in some tales.  Some thought that Cinderella was being treated as a slave and that the references to dwarves in Snow White was not policially correct.  Good grief.

By all means keep the story telling soft and gentle up to the age of five or six, but don’t let this nonsense prevent you from telling traditional fairy tales to children as they develop the maturity to understand the strong morality message that many contain, or the fun and excitement that can be generated as they enter the imaginary world.