Do you make decisions based on your head or your heart? Sometimes, we can become so obsessed with reaching our goals that we will stop at nothing to get them. The new Disney film, Into the Woods, explores a few contemporary themes based on each of the film’s characters’ wishes, the actions and choices they make to obtain their wish, and the consequences of those actions and how it affects other people. From longing for a baby, to finding ‘The One’, and even trust issues that can affect your relationships.
Here, we explore some of these fairytale themes and how to manage them in the real world…
THE WISH: You Want to Fall Pregnant
The Fairytale Version Into the Woods centres around the Baker and his wife, who desperately want a child. In the film, it’s the Witch who has put a curse on them, and the only way the couple can revoke the spell is by fulfilling a series of tasks, from obtaining Little Red Riding Hood’s cloak, to Jack’s mother’s cow and more. Those actions then have repercussions for the film’s other characters.
The Real Life Story With more couple’s delaying having a baby, or finding a partner until later in life, we’ve seen a rise in people struggling to fall pregnant. This affects couples both emotionally and physically, with many relationships experiencing enormous pressure and disappointment as well having to undergo IVF and fertility treatments.
How to Handle Fertility issues can affect relationships in many ways, from the couples ‘love-making’ experience becoming clinical – suddenly their world is focused on having sex on ovulation day, or utilising medical services to help achieve that wish. It can also become extremely emotional, with one or both partners feeling responsible for not being able to have a child, and the disappointment women experience month after month, hoping for a positive pregnancy result. This is huge pressure on any relationship. Sadly, there is no magic solution. While many couples do conceive after undergoing fertility treatments, others will not, and may go on to consider other choices such as adoption or foster care. Speak to a trained therapist, relationship counsellor or your GP to get the right information, help and support for your personal situation.
THE WISH: To Marry Your Prince
The Fairytale Version Cinderella needs no introduction. We all know the story – she is ‘saved’ by a dashing Prince on a white horse, only in Into the Woods, our Cindy discovers her Prince may not be all he was cracked up to be.
The Real Life Story We all want to meet ‘The One’, but in real life, that ‘love at first sight’ and lust attraction does not necessarily equate to long term values, beliefs and compatibility. So before you accept that sparkling engagement ring and get ready to waltz your way down the aisle, there are a few questions you should ask yourself.
How to Handle Don’t get caught up in the big white wedding and lose sight of the serious commitment you’re making to one another. Successful relationships are based on more than just attraction. Couples should look at their core values and what they both want from life. Questions to explore together include:
- Family: Do you both want children? How many?
- Career: Are you, or your partner happy to stay at home with children, or is there an expectation that one person will withdraw from the work force for a period of time?
- Religion: Do you share the same religious beliefs, and if not, are you comfortable with your partner’s beliefs, or their desire to have future children attend religious schools, for example?
- Finances: Are you both happy to share and support one another financially? Or does one person want to keep their finances separate? Will your relationship be affected if one person earns more than the other? Or if one person withdraws from the workforce for a period of time to look after children?
- Dreams: Supporting each other’s dreams and aspirations, and sometimes compromising to find a middle ground, is important to clarify. Explore what your long term dreams are – do you want to travel the world, while he wants to buy a home and hang out with his mates on holidays? Are you a city girl at heart while he’d prefer a retreat in the mountains?
- Domestic duties: Are you both on the same page in terms of household responsibilities? If you expect to share the load and he expects dinner on the table at 6pm each night, you’ll need to have a chat!
THE WISH: You Can Trust Everybody
The Fairytale Version Little Red Riding Hood learns the hard way that there are Big Bad Wolves out there and not everyone is as sweet as the loving Grandmother who mollycoddled her.
The Real Life Story Innocence is a beautiful thing, and it’s heartbreaking when any person’s trust is broken, causing that person to develops trust issues moving forward. So how can you balance being wise and alert with trust issues that affect your relationships for years after?
How to Handle Whether your trust has been broken by a parent who continually lets you down, or a partner who cheated, or a best friend who lied, you are bound to be affected by the experience. It’s when these hard life lessons then go on to negatively affect your relationships moving forward that you need help. Speak to a trained expert who can help you work through the issues, and put them into perspective so you can develop healthy relationships moving forward.
WIN a Disney Into The Woods prize pack!
The Carousel, together with Into The Woods, are running a fantastic competition, where you can WIN a Disney Into The Woods prize pack!
Simply upload a photo of yourself on Instagram using the #DisneyIntoTheWoods hashtag, showing an outfit inspired by your favourite Into the Woods fairy tale and tag @carouselworld. You could be wearing your fave red coat, a la Little Red Riding Hood, a fantastic pair of Cinderella-esque shoes, wearing a Rapunzel style ‘do, wearing your cool dungarees Jack style, or chillin’ with your dashing Prince. Let your imagination go wild!
Check out the hashtag #DisneyIntoTheWoods so far and be inspired for your own entry!
How do you manage your fairy tale dreams in the real world? Tell us below!…