There is no doubt that Disney films have a unique place in our culture. They are truly generational; the films we watched as children are the same ones that we show to our kids now. Unlike so many other aspects of culture, they don't lose their magic over time - today's kids love Cinderella just as much as the original watchers back in the 1950s did. The stories get updated, take on a new meaning and inspiration for a new generation, but they never lose their gloss.
Given that many of us who are now parents were raised on Disney films, it's fun to look back at them. You know you have crossed the adulthood Rubicon when you hear Ariel's speech to her father from The Little Mermaid:
"I'm 16 years old! I'm not a child anymore!"
And you find yourself thinking: "are you kidding me? 16 and able to make a life-changing decision? Yeah, that'll go well..."
So what lessons have our generation learned from Disney films? It's worth thinking about, given the continued presence of the genre in our lives. We inundate stockists for information on Frozen merchandise (and have the occasional meltdown on social media when they run out), we strap our kids into the Minnie Mouse stroller, and we pack lunches into Tangled lunchboxes. Disney is still ever-present. So what does it have to say about parenthood?
