Romantic Movies/Books Etc

yes, but its not new. You can see this all the way back to the beginning of literature. It's fantasy. Meant for women. Just like all the stories of battle are meant to appeal to men. It's taking a desire we already have and feeding it. It doesn't create the desire. If anything, I think the role of men and what is expected of them has diminshed greatly over he last generation. Now, we take care of men, instead of the other way around. Notice all the "Everybody Loves Raymond, King of Queens, According to Jim" sitcoms. It's always a fat, bumbling, imbicile that is held together by his smart, beautiful, slim, well educated women that married way beneath her means.

J. - Thanks for making that statement. I am just entering the "Mom of Teenagers" phase of my life. I have a 14.5 and a just 13 year old, both girls.
We are having conversations about boys and love and romance etc. My oldest is into the dark brooders and my middle 1 is into the "Ron Weasley under dog" types. I always reitterare the fact that it is only like that in books and movies because someone wrote it that way. I get the "aww Mom" statement from the middle one who still keeps hoping anyway. But I have to agree with Tracy - This is nothing new - it is just wrapped up in different paper. How do we keep our children well grounded to avoid too many disappointments, but still allow their minds and spirits to fly? I must admit after my husband left us I am still pretty bitter towards most men in general and I always find fault somewhere :( because I will not settle for just any man. I hope my girls won't either when the time comes.

that's funny. i've thought the same thing for YEARS! i have read romance novels (thans to my mom introducing me to them) since i was in middle school. hence, never having a boyfriend throughout school, until i was about 21. i was always looking for the "perfect" romance novel man. never could find one. then i met my husband and while he's not a romance novel kind of guy, he's pretty close. and i think that if he didn't have his OCD issue he'd be even closer :). but i would agree that these girls are getting a skewed since of reality where men are concerned. ever read Lindsay Sands. her novels are hilarious because they are like my husband.

I just watched Charlie St. Cloud this week, because is was on HBO, and cried and cried in it... I need movies like that, I love the "Notebook", so what if there isn't a man out there like that, I need to believe there are, which I do believe somewhere he's there... I like to watch shows like NCIS, Covert Affairs and my husband makes fun of me, he says he watches cartoon because you know it's not real, just as fake... I don't care...
As for our young men living up to these guys, well, we all remember our husbands when we first met and feel in love with them... they were much nicer to us and did more, well at least mine did...
I need the fairy tale...