Another Adoption Story: Lessons From The Animated Movie, Tangled


I bought my little girl the DVD of the animated musical fantasy Tangled a few weeks ago and since then, it was the daily movie staple every afternoon......up until yesterday.  Why the sudden change?  When I bought it, I knew it was a Rapunzel story but I did not know that it was a musical.  Now, my little girl is three and very bright.  As I was trying to explain the relationship of Rapunzel to the witch by saying that the witch was not Rapunzel's real mother, my 3 year old disagreed and kept insisting..."No, she is her mama".  I then realized that in the song "mother knows best", Rapunzel was an adult and my daughter could not relate this young woman to the baby that was kidnapped by the witch. That song showed a loving, concerned mother who wanted to protect her child.  And so to a young mind, theirs was a mother-daughter relationship.  Where is my problem in all these?  You see, my daughter is adopted and when I said that the witch was not the real mama...she asked, "where is her real mama"?  I suddenly saw myself in the witch role!  I know, I know...it is not the same thing but this is a young mind I am talking to.  What if she starts seeing foster/ adoptive moms as witches?  I learned too late that Tangled is rated PG: for brief mild violence (as if a stabbing and death scene can be considered mild violence).  I actually enjoyed the movie...I thought it was funny with great animation but then I'm a grown-up, not a 3 year old.  Aside from thinking adoptive moms might be witches, now my little girl also thinks horses are like dogs.  There is a lot I have to undo here, tsk, tsk.  Lessons learned?  One, always check the movie rating. Two, for little kids who take things literally, stick to the safe, simple cartoons like Dumbo, The Fox and The Hound, Winnie The Pooh.  Third and most important...Keep the ones with complex mother-daughter relationships for later.....much, much later....



Comments

  1. Hahaha! i had one of those Opppsy moment with my children. I realized a little too late, and the worse part is when i got the evil look from my husband :)

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  2. @Iris, Thanks for dropping by! I hid the DVD but this afternoon she got bored with Pocahontas...and looked for Rapunzel. When I tried to divert her attention she goes on all fours on the sofa and started sniffing and says "but I want to see the dog who is a horse!" hahahaha!

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  3. Wow, I've been so left behind with Disney. Think I'm not too old to crave for it. Haven't had a free time to catch up on Tangled. Will include this on my bucket list.

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  4. i like how you learned these great lessons in just one act, one single movie. i know vicariously how the adoptive mother and daughter relationships feel like, coz as a lawyer i help a lot in the court adoption process and it feels good to see the child find a great new home and identity in her/his new parents. But being taken by the witch is very similar to those "adopted" kids whose birth certificate were simulated (posing as mothers and registering as parents of the child in birth certificate to save on adoption fees and time). in these simulation of births scenario, the baby lost his/her true identity and status but is not given protection by law.

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    1. that's true, I know of many with simulated birth certificates. In fact, I reacted when one relative's adopted son whose birth certificate was simulated was included in our genealogy book bu the researcher but not my children kasi hindi blood daw...I got so angry and revealed all the simulated birth certificates I know in that book...hahahaha! Eh di now, my kids and all other adopted, fostered or whatever are now listed. I have warned relatives that in case they die, their child will have no rights if his or her birth certificate is challenged later by extended family who have no relationship with the child. That tragic scenario has happened so many times.

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  5. i have watched tangled 5 times, and yeah, i agree that this movie, though Pang-bata, needs guidance with parents..

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  6. haha these have been quite becoming more frequent the past few months...

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  7. Don't worry about it. I doubt she'll see you as a witch any time soon. It's good for kids to be exposed to different things at a young age.

    That psychedelic scene in Dumbo is more disturbing lol.

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    1. now that you mention it...yes it is....okay OFF with Dumbo!

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  8. Your little girl has an advanced thinking for a three year old I suppose. She must be a bright girl. I am not a parent but as a teacher I somehow have learned few parenting skills and your tips here would be helpful addition to that.

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    1. She is very bright and hyperactive and was born 10 weeks early. Grabe!

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  9. I totally enjoyed this movie, but yea, I have to agree w/ lonerzone, your kid is smart for a 3-years old. My niece didn't even tried understanding the movie. she just kept on laughing when the horse appears. lol :)

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    1. my kid insists that the horse had dog blood...hahaha

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  10. ..kelangan pa rin ng parental guidance kahit pambatang movie.. :)

    tangled is a good film..watched this for 3 times na..hehehe

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  11. I watched the movie last December. It was an awesome version of Rapunzel. Also liked Mandy Moore and Zack Levy's singing there.

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  12. I like this version. Our grandchildren love seeing this. Very entertaining!

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  13. First time I saw this animated movie, as in nanami-an gid ko and was excited to tell my kids about it, only to find out they already saw the movie and liked it too. (too late daddy)

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