Love at first sight and a good kiss goodnight is the “happily ever after” that the entertainment industry has put into not only in our heads but the heads of our children.

Growing up I watched the Disney princess movies and that is how I grew up thinking that love should be, that one day my prince would come and sweep me off my feet, we would fall in love and live happily ever after, the end.

So when it came time for dating I was let down.

As a little girl you watch these movies and get false expectations of how love should be. You dream of being the princess of your own fairy tale wedding with the big dress.

In reality over 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, hearts get broken and homes are torn in two. How many Barbie, Disney, or other movies do we see portraying real life and real problems?

I am not saying that we smash our children’s hopes and dreams of having a love that is fulfilling. We need to be honest with ourselves and our children about what real love looks and feels like.

Real love is respect, honesty, compassion and always having your partner’s back. Real love has its ups and downs and its moments of incredible passion and anger.

Real love takes work and does not happen overnight. It is a hard process, but it is always worth it. Real love is helping your partner be all that they can be.

My happily ever after is the old man and woman holding hands looking into each other’s eyes with more love today than they had when they first met. That is true love.