It is a law of nature that all parents find their children the most beautiful and intelligent. And it is the truth: nobody knows a child as well as their doting parents, who see better than anyone else how smart and loving their child can be as they fuss over them.
As the child grows up, parents explain a lot of things in the world in the form of stories. Children love nothing more than hearing the great adventures of other children their age, and getting inspired to go on fresh adventures again. This is the reason behind the success of cartoons and movies with child heroes. So, we take a look at some of the most popular and endearing child heroes parents love talking to their children about.
In India, the clear favourite was, is and always has been the young Krishna. Naming children Krishna is a common practice, such was the regard for the god. He is portrayed as a loving, carefree, curious and extremely mischievous little boy who grows up in Govardhan, among woods and cows. The stories of Krishna in this dream land have always entranced the young, and helped adults explain how good would conquer evil, and to be loving and kind to everyone.
Another child hero that parents in the West introduce to their children is Peter Pan, the boy from Neverland, who is forever young and free. The way the story portrays Peter Pan, as a boy who goes where he wants to, eats what he wants to and sleeps whenever and wherever he chooses, is very popular with children, who dream of doing just that. It is also said that the idea of a “forever young” boy god has existed for a long time, seen as a part of Greek myths, and representing life, growth and freshness.
Apart from these two major symbols of childhood, there have been several others along the same lines, like Hanuman, Tom Sawyer and Mowgli. All of them represented what adults think is the best part of being a child: a carefree and limitless life. Adults respect the curiosity of a child, and their determination to do whatever they’re doing till they succeed. We always associate stubbornness and curiosity with children. Let us continue to draw such insightful lessons from our little ones so we set a better example for them than fictional characters in stories.
