Contos de fadas tradicionais: preconceito ou legítimos valores morais?

"The Enchantment of Snow White",  Tim Rogerson

Alguns pais acreditam que os contos de fadas tradicionais como Branca de Neve e os Sete Anões, Cinderela ou Rapunzel são demasiado violentos e transmitem esteriótipos e preconceitos sobre minorias. Optam então por histórias para crianças mais modernas e politicamente correctas. Mas uma especialista em desenvolvimento infantil vem defender que estes contos do "Era uma vez..." que têm passado de geração em geração são fundamentais para o crescimento da criança pois transmitem valores morais. Leia agora o artigo:

Once upon a time, there was a moral code... Fairy tales ARE better for children than modern books, expert claims

Parents who shun traditional fairy tales in favour of 'more politically correct' modern books are missing vital chances to teach their children a moral code of life, an expert has claimed.

Increasing numbers of parents in recent years have avoided traditional fairy tales such as Cinderella and Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs.

They believe that the books can stereotype people from minority groups and have instead chosen to read their youngsters more modern books.

But a leading child development expert believes that traditional stories passed down through generations are vital to a child's development.

Sally Goddard Blythe said that the traditional tales show children how good can triumph over bad and that they can foster kindness and generosity.

Mrs Goddard Blythe argues in her book, The Genius Of Natural Childhood, that the seven dwarfs show children the physical diversity of life.

'When you don't give children these stereotypes, you don't give them a moral code on which to develop their own lives.

'Fairy tales help to teach children an understanding of right and wrong, not through direct teaching, but through implication.

'Far from demonising the dwarfs, the story of Snow White shows that underlying the physical diversity there can be greater kindness and generosity than is found in the stereotypes of beauty and wealth so lauded by celebrity-worshipping cultures.'

A survey last year found that some parents are ditching fairy tales, believing they are politically incorrect or 'too dark' to read to children.

One in four mothers abandoned the likes of Cinderella and Rapunzel in favour of The Gruffalo or The Very Hungry Caterpillar, written in 1969 by Eric Carle.

One in ten parents even said Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs should be re-titled - because 'the dwarf reference is not PC'.

Rapunzel was considered 'too dark' and Cinderella outdated, because she is forced to do the housework.

But the poll of 3,000 British parents revealed 66 per cent believe traditional fairy tales have stronger morality messages than modern equivalents.

Daily Mail Reporter, em 15 de Março de 2011