Why did I watch the film Inside Out Again?
A few months ago Inside Out 2 came out and I was very excited to watch it with my wife. We remembered when we watched Inside Out 1, realising that adults too can take so much away from it. Back in 2015, newly married and not parents yet, we found the concept so unique and visual. We resonated with the opening line "What is going on inside their head?" With that, the film just grabs you in.
After watching Inside Out 2 (a detailed review on that in later articles), I felt urged to watch Inside Out 1 all over again. Not as a repeat viewing for fun, but as a parent. I wanted to see if there were elements that hit me differently, now that I'm father to an 8-year-old daughter.
Inside Out is a Disney-Pixar animation film that takes us inside the mind of Riley, an 11-year-old girl. Five emotions rule her mind: ever-optimistic Joy, blue Sadness, red Anger, purple Fear and green Disgust. Joy leads the group in "headquarters", a bright control room where they guide Riley's feelings. When Riley's family moves to a new city, Joy and Sadness get lost in her mind, adversely affecting Riley. They embark on an adventure through colourful memory shelves, a make-believe theme park, and a dream movie studio, trying to get back to help Riley adjust.
I'm not here to tell you HOW the film is but WHAT I, as a dad, took away from it.
Our brains remember negative experiences more vividly, that is the concept of Negativity Bias, in my opinion that was the underlying message of the film. Understanding this helps me be more patient when my daughter dwells on negative experiences, and more intentional about reinforcing positive ones. Optimism, embodied by Joy, is powerful. But mind you, it's not about forcing positivity always. It's about finding silver linings in tough situations.
Happiness isn't a constant; the idea is to be content through optimism and manage negative thoughts. Being happy and staying happy are different states of mind. This realisation has been crucial in helping my daughter understand that ups and downs are normal, and true contentment comes from accepting all emotions.
Emotional management is as important as time and people management. The film beautifully illustrates how different emotions work together. It's encouraged me to help my daughter identify and express her feelings, rather than suppressing them. The film reinforces that it's okay to emote, sometimes even cry and let it all out. In our household, we've started to embrace all emotions more openly. I've learned to be more comfortable showing my own vulnerability, teaching my daughter that expressing feelings is strength, not weakness.
Making core memories is crucial. For a child to bloom and develop, she needs strong memories to anchor to. As a parent, I realised how important it is to create positive experiences for my daughter. These aren't just fun moments, but building blocks of her personality. It made me more mindful of the memories we're creating together. But we have to remember that while growing up you have to let some childhood stuff go, and that’s sad. Watching Riley struggle with this reminded me that my daughter will go through the same process. It's bittersweet, but it's helped me appreciate each stage of her childhood more fully.
So,
Why did I watch the film Inside Out Again?
Rewatching Inside Out as a parent was like seeing it with new eyes. It's more than just a cute animation; it's a powerful tool for understanding the complex emotional world of our children - and ourselves. It's encouraged me to be more emotionally aware and present in my parenting journey. Who knew an animated film could be such a profound parenting guide?
