I have to admit, I like it too. I like the storyline, the characters, the songs (Pilar's favorite is "We are One; mine is "Love will Find a Way -- " yes cheesy I know but so what?? If you don't get at least a little tug on your heartstrings when you hear them you have either not raised a child or you are dead inside.)
The only beef I have with this cartoon - and I am using the term "beef" here pretty lightly - is the language used. It's not like it's got swear words or anything like that. Just that it's got some words that are pretty BIG in terms of childhood vocabulary.
Okay okay so that probably is a good thing - Pilar's word knowledge just upped tremendously; and she's being introduced to concepts she'll eventually have to familiarise herself with anyway, if she is to be at all human and alive. But I wonder if it's too early and if she's ready? How do I know? What's the gauge? How does a parent tread the line that very finely separates over-parenting from just good ol' keeping- the- kids -safe- and- innocent of things they aren't supposed to know just yet? Dear God, where is the warning label that says not suitable for 6 year olds???
(for that matter God, who ever said I was ready for any of this?? What was YOUR gauge, just out of curiousity?)
If those existential questions weren't enough, Pilar's asking me what certain words meant made me feel quite inadequate, because while I knew what they DID mean, I couldn't for the life of me provide definitions I thought would a.) make sense b.) not frighten her or c.) deter her from asking even more questions I couldn't answer.
(aaargh! anyone else get this dilemma???)
Well, what kind of words am I referring to anyway? Let me see....
there was:
- Avenge
- Lurking
- Rogue
- Pound of Flesh (bit too early for Merchant, I reckon??)
- Conniving
- Exiled
- Persecuted
- Banished
- Deception
- Disgrace
Do you think this is too much? Or pretty much on the same level as the story of Christmas and Easter anyway? Is this a case of too much too soon, or best to get it over with already? Should I keep the lions at bay for just one more day? Or isn't it that we are never quite ready for anything anyway, and it's better our kids learn tricky things from us, than from anyone or anywhere else?
In any case, here at least is one thing I know for certain my kids picked up from watching the Lion King 2:
If you don't find THAT cute, you really are dead inside. :P
Til next time, cheers everybody.
