The old adage "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it" turns into a cliche come true for our young heroine Sarah. She tires of Toby's crying and retreats to her fantasies, from which she pulls the beginnings of a romance (with the Goblin King as suitor) and a way to gain freedom from the thankless task of babysitting her step brother.

Having, in my teen years, been forced to babysit step-relatives on numerous occasions without thanks or recompence, I must wonder if I might not have taken advantage of this powerful wish, had I known of its existence at that time. I would most likely have found myself regretting such a wish, as Sarah did, and attempting to recover a child, though I would probably have been doing so more from fear of punishment than love for the banished child.

Being, at present, the parent and primary caretaker of two young children who enjoy this movie immensely, I have been asked (by my daughter - more than once) if I would ever wish her or her brother away. The question is always asked with sincerity and probably a bit of fear. Now, any of you who are parents of preschoolers know how frustrating they can be at times, and while I often wish they would go away (or that I could get away from them) for a while, I can honestly answer her by saying no and reassuring her that I love them and would never want them to go away - especially not to be turned into goblins.