Jasmine Cinderella

Kids are funny, even in Cambodia. One of my sweet little girls in Kindergarten informed me a few weeks ago that she, along with her mom, was going to change her name. This particular one is adopted by a Swedish woman, so her English is quite good, and the words that I will use to recount this story are pretty accurate to what was really said.

When she came to my desk one day and announced that she would change her name, I was interested to hear what she had to say because she is adopted, so a name change was well within the realm of possibilities. She proceeded to tell me that she was changing her name to Jasmine, and that everyone at school needed to start calling her this. I kind of took her seriously and told her that if that was the case, then her mom needed to come to the office and fill out certain forms.

Then, the next day, my student again came to tell me that she was changing her name, and that I needed to call her that and change her name on all her things in the classroom. Except this time, her name wasn’t to just be Jasmine, but “Jasmine Cinderella.” I then began to understand what was going on here. So I just told her again that her mom needed to come tell the office if she wanted me to call her something other than her original given name.

AND THEN, the next day, my student came bouncing in the classroom with a lovely piece of paper with the words “Princess Jasmine Cinderella” enscribed in flourishing letters with lovely flowers and fairies, and what have you. This child is convinced that she shall from henceforth be known as “Jasmine Cinderella” to all her friends, family, and teachers. I kindly told her that while it was a lovely choice of name, we weren’t going to call her that at school.

It makes me smile to know that the wonder and joy of Disney princess spans the globe.