Photo: Disney-Pixar
Finding Nemo is fine?I?ve watched it 27 or so times and have never felt especially moved. But Finding Dory, Pixar?s just-released Nemo sequel, had me misting up within the first 15 minutes.
The new movie is swimming with memorable characters. I?ll dive into those soon. The ones who really got to me though, are the ones we see the least: Dory?s parents. The story centers around Dory?s search for Jenny and Charlie, from whom she is separated as a tiny blue tang fish. They appear mostly in short bursts and murky flashbacks. But what came through so clearly to me was the way they were with their kid.
We see from the start that Dory is different, as mom and dad coach her on how to explain her ?short-term remembery loss? to others. She forgets most everything, which makes conversations and friendships tricky. But ever so gently and extremely patiently, her parents reassure Dory when she forgets, nimbly suggest new and different ways to help her in the moment and encourage her always to move forward?keep swimming, they urge. Their love is complete, unconditional. They do despair, but only at night when they think Dory is sleeping?when parents do all of their best worrying?for the challenges that lie ahead for their daughter.
This resonates with me as I help my own kid understand her dyslexia?and wrap my head around it, too. Is it odd that a pair of cartoon fish are schooling me in the best ways to parent an exceptional kid" Jenny and Charlie are just so d...