Everything I Needed To Know About Parenting, I Learned From Disney

This is Crush's advise to high-strung helicopter parent Marlin in "Finding Nemo." Crush’s son Squirt has just been bumped out of the sea current and instead of rushing immediately to his aid, Crush waits and watches. And guess what? Little Man works it out! He survives, and in that moment he also learns that he is capable and that his Dad trusts him. I personally tend to be a bit of a Marlin, but I am not ashamed to admit I learned a good lesson about parenting from an animated sea turtle.

Bonnie Hopps says, “Of course it’s okay to have dreams.” Her husband Stu adds, “Just as long as you don’t believe too much in them.”

Can I get a woot-woot for Disney’s first mediocre parents? I mean, they aren’t damaging your trove of treasures, but they also aren’t lighting thousands of lanterns in your memory. They are so . . . normal. And I kind of love them for that.

Would I ever say this to either of my boys? I sure hope not. But it does make me stop and think about my level of honesty with my kids. How does a parent find the right level of honesty without becoming a dream crusher?

Monsters University is slowly becoming one of my favorites. The Momster of the Oozma Kappa boys drops them off at a party and then says to them, “Have fun kids! I’ll just be here listening to my tunes.” Then she rolls the window up and we hear muffled heavy metal screaming. It makes me laugh every time, without fail. But I also love the message here: Keep being you Don’t lose yourself completely to parenting, keep parts of your personality alive. Your children will love you for it, and you will be happier in the long run.

I think one of the most important parenting lessons and personal lessons I have learned from Disney comes from the Lion King. Simba has lost his way in life and he is reminded in a vision of his father to “Never forget who you are.” Five very powerful words. It is important to remind our children, and ourselves, who we are and where we came from. We are more than this moment, than this mistake or that win. If we can remember who we are and always try to improve, we will find happiness.

Every time I write an article about Disney and parenting, I always think of this quote. In “The Little Mermaid,” Sebastian says, “Children have got to be free to lead their own lives.” Yes, I know Sebastian isn’t Ariel’s parent, but I picked him on purpose. Sebastian is the key to Ariel’s success, and every time I think about him I am reminded of the impact I can have on all the children in my life.

Before we adopted, I put all of my mother energy into being the world’s greatest aunt. I am not sure I succeeded, but I love each and every one of those kids. I love their individual personalities. I am grateful that in those waiting years I got to watch my siblings allow their kids to choose their own paths. They helped them to find their joy, they allowed them to be free to lead their own lives.

Like Uncle Sebastian reminds us, our goal should be to support our children and love them for the incredible people they are and are working to become.

I've written an entire series of articles about Disney and parenting! Check 'em out:

Parenting Lessons From Disney's Big Hero 6
Parenting Lessons From Disney's The Little Mermaid
Parenting Lessons From Disney's Brave
Parenting According To Fa Zhou From Disney's Mulan
5 Incredible Parenting Tips From Disney's The Incredibles
Parenting Lessons From Disney's Sleeping Beauty