The other day, as I was preparing dinner at a client's house, five year-old Rapunzel (as she likes to be called) came running into the kitchen.
"Do I smell croutons?" She tilted her head back and sniffed at the oven.
"Maybe..." I replied. Then I stared at the bowl of fresh croutons I'd just placed on the kitchen table.
"Croutons!" she squealed and scrambled up on a chair at the table, twisting her princess gown all around her. (Rapunzel's love for my croutons makes me think I should package and sell them, but that's another story.)
"So, Rapunzel, what's happening in your kingdom today?" I asked as I stirred creamy broccoli soup.
"I think I'm going to marry the prince," she said between munches.
"Ooo! Really? Then today is a big day."
"Suzanne, who are you married to?" she asked.
"I'm not married," I said.
Rapunzel dropped her crouton and gasped. Her gorgeous brown eyes bulged as she said, "You don't have to?!"
I quickly turned away from her and stifled my laughter in the soup pot. Then I took a deep breath, wiped the amusement off my face and looked at her.
"No. You don't have to."
She grabbed another crouton from the bowl and gnawed on it thoughtfully.
"So why didn't you get married?" she asked.
"Well, I guess I haven't met anyone who's good enough."
"Oh," she said. Then she grabbed a handful of croutons and ran out into the backyard.
I have no idea if she married the prince or not. But the shock and relief that she didn't have to get married if she didn't want to will stick with me forever.
What moment with a kid will stick with you forever?
xoxo,
Suzanne
About Me
- Suzanne Casamento
- Author of Fingerprints, Choosing Tally, and All the Moments in Between. Tweet me @suzannecasamento
Wow. That story hits on many levels. Human history and the fairy tales we hand down do teach that marriage is a goal that leads to happiness. But kids should know there are other goals and options. How wonderful that you opened a door for her. (As an aside, my WIP gets into this, too)
ReplyDeleteGreat moment! A door opened. Kind of like in the movie The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy first looks out onto Oz, it's all in color. Oh! There are more colors than black and white.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cute! I have so many moments so I keep some in a journal.
ReplyDeleteMy older sister isn't married, and my kids first asked lots of questions about it and my daughter even wanted to set her up with her gym teacher (who is a foot shorter and 15 yrs younger than my sis). But she says the same thing to them that you do (waiting for the right guy!).
When my sister was student teacher in NYC, I "guested" in her class in 1962? There was a little girl named Yolanda that was, I guess, in great distress. She said to me "Miss K... I have a hang nail". I didn't know how to respond.
ReplyDeleteTo this day, my sister and I have only to say to each other "I have a hang nail" and we crack up.
To many moments to share from my kids and my niece, who feels like my kid. But I do have a kid neighbor story. She was about eight and we were walking on the beach together (my home is Virginia Beach). She found a bucket handle and was carrying it along. When I asked why, she said that there must be a bucket that had washed up too. Ah, optimism.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of one because I'm thinking of TWO books you MUST read to Rapunzel--"The Paper Bag Princess" and "Princess Smarty Pants."
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