Not-So Snow White: Are Fairytales Too Violent for Your Children?

May 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Are fairy-tales too violent for children?

Sean Buvala, professional storyteller since 1986, has heard this question before. With the upcoming release of the “Snow White and the Huntsman” movie, the issue of violence in fairytales comes up again in the minds of parents.

Buvala, the founder and director of Storyteller.net, says, “It is often suggested to me that there is no difference between hearing a violent fairytale from a storyteller and seeing a violent movie made from the same fairytale. That’s simply wrong.”

He says, “Fairytales are not too violent for children when properly told to them in an emotionally safe environment by a trusted adult. There is a big difference between the snuggle of a parent telling a story and the  inescapable audio and visual assault of a big movie based on a fairytale.”

Buvala, the author of the parent-as-storyteller resource book, “DaddyTeller” says that most people are asking the wrong question about fairytales. “The correct question is: ‘Are fairytales in some movies too violent for children?’ That answer is simple: Yes, movies that create violent images based on fairytales are too violent for young children.”

Buvala suggests that parents need to remember that children do not experience fairytales told by a storyteller in the same way they see and hear a movie playing before them. In the storytelling experience, they know something “bad” could happen but they also know that they are safe. This safety along with their brief life experience creates the filter for children to understand the story at a level their minds find acceptable. Children will see what their minds want them to see.

“A movie,” he continues, “is an overwhelming experience of sight and sound to the child. In the movie theater, there is no place for the young child to escape the images and noise. Their fear-filter is overrun and it is no longer in control.”

In an article on his Daddyteller.com site, Sean shares that fairytales help a child to learn the life-lesson of “I (or we) can get through this.” Actually, isn’t that a good lesson for people of any age?

Full interview at http://daddyteller.com/2012/05/snow-white-and-the-huntsma...