Parenthood is filled with nostalgic moments that can transport you back to your childhood with a strong emotional impact. Like Proust’s famous madeleines, these encounters with familiar objects, sounds, or smells have the power to evoke forgotten memories.
Interestingly, Proust originally intended to use toast as his metaphor, which I find just as evocative. The image of a schoolboy clutching a slice of toast on a September morning reminded me of my mother hurriedly giving me toast as I ran late for the bus.
Just this week, I had another nostalgic moment, this time with Disney. The familiar intro sequence with the castle, fireworks, and the enchanting melody of “When You Wish Upon a Star” transported me back to my childhood living room, watching The Jungle Book on repeat. It’s incredible how these simple things can instantly make you feel like a child again.
Disney is a master at capitalizing on adult nostalgia, and it’s a big part of their success. However, I’m aware that there is a certain disdain toward “Disney adults,” who are adults that genuinely love Disney. Despite my own childhood connection to Disney, I had a more balanced upbringing with feminist alternatives to counter the traditional princess narrative. I’m well aware of the problematic aspects of older Disney princess films and the whitewashing and racial stereotypes seen in movies like Dumbo and Aladdin.
As a parent now, I find myself willing to overlook some of these aspects because of the happiness it brings to my child. Every parent has their own red lines, and mine happen to be toy guns and slogan-laden kids’ clothes. But Disney? Well, they have made some improvements in terms of representation, and I even found myself moved by the recent film Mary Poppins Returns.
Parents often wonder, “When does it get easier?” And the truth is, there’s no definitive answer. But there does come a point when your child can sit through a whole Disney movie, allowing you to have some time to yourself. Of course, the challenge then becomes not getting lost in their smile throughout the film.
On a separate note, one thing that made the weaning phase easier for me was batch-cooking tomato sauce and freezing it. It’s been a time-saving hack that has made my life a little bit simpler.
However, toddler tantrums are now starting to show up, and it can be frustrating when my child refuses to sit in his high chair or get out of the swing or go in the bath. But I have a feeling that he knows exactly what he’s doing and finds it entertaining, just like the little girl in the book “My Big Shouting Day!” who rolls around the floor yelling “NO BED NO NO NO NO BED NO NO!”
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