My parents told me I was adopted in what I always thought was the best way. From as early as I could remember, my mom would tell the story of how they wanted a baby so much, then one day she got the phone call at work that said there was a baby for them! She called my dad, and he was so excited that by the time she got home, he was showered and was wearing a suit and was waiting out by the curb. They waited at the hospital and every time they heard a baby that hoped it was the one they were waiting for, and after a really long time they finally got to meet me ☺
I was adopted, and I can not remember the “first time” I was told. My parents would tell the story of my adoption to me as a bedtime story. And I never once wondered about their love for me, or my place in the family. I always felt supported and loved
That was how it was with my folks, too. "Your birth parents loved you enough to give you up so you could grow up in a better place than they could give you, and we loved you enough to give you that place! We're all your parents. We all love you."
Would you please give a summary of how they made your adoption a bedtime story? That just sounds so sweet and I'd love to hear it if you're willing to share
@@marahbaker8615 I would ask for my adoption story, and then they would generally start with “mommy always dreamed of having a baby from Korea”…they would then tell how they would had to wait for the agency to call. How my mom got the call when my dad was at work and she called him in a frantic excitement. They told me how hard it was to wait for me. How they traveled to Korea to get me. Obviously with tons more details.
My parents and I always celebrated Adoption Day like a second birthday, but one for the whole family. They made it as positive and happy as possible. My parents are wonderful and I’m so so grateful for them.
I was adopted at birth. It was a closed adoption, but my parents never tried to hide it. They did always tell me, from the time i was old enough to understand, "we adopted you, and it doesn't mean your birth mother didn't want you. She wanted what was best for you and her. We'll always love you." That was the best way to confront the subject for me
I will never forget watching this movie in the theater. The moment Po said “I’m your son” to his goose dad, you could hear a sea of kids sniffling and crying in the audience (and let’s be honest, probably most parents too) it was so sweet and moving.
My cousin is adopted and ever since she was a toddler my aunt would tell her that she was a child that came from her heart and not from her belly like the other child but from her heart because she was loved from the very first sight, and they would elaborate more while she was growing
That’s such a beautiful way of putting it. I’m a big proponent of not lying to children about anything. There are ways of telling children the truth without traumatizing them, it’s just a matter of getting down to their level and explaining things in a way they can understand, and I’m so glad your aunt found the sweet spot for such a delicate topic :) kids are smarter than adults give them credit for, there’s no need to lie to them.
I gave up my daughter for adoption. Her adoptive parents were always honest with her and explained that she was lucky because she has two sets of parents who love her and care about her well-being. When we met (my daughter and myself), that made it so much easier for us to have a good relationship. Her mother did a wonderful job caring for her and raising her. But when she came to WA to visit the first time, she said that she felt like she was "home" when she got off the plane. She loves the music that I listened to when I was pregnant with her. So nature and nurture are prevalent in who she is.
I never got to meet my mum, as she died 9 years before I got back in touch with my family. But I've since met others who knew her and they say I'm a lot like her - similar taste in clothes, music and also I'm the tomboy of my adoptive family, just as she was the tomboy in hers. The weirdest thing is I developed an interest in motorcycles at age 10 out of nowhere. None of my adoptive family, even extended/distant relatives were into them and I've only ever appreciated bikes on an aesthetic level, but my semi-obsession lasted over 20 years. When I finally got to learn about my parents it turned out motorbikes were a mutual interest for them, in their younger days.
I've personally always felt that your "real parents" are the parents who raised you, were there for you on off days, cheered with you on your good days, knows what comforts you and loves you unconditionally. Anyone can donate DNA, but real parents will stand by you no matter what.
I’m adopted and I totally agree! My real parents are my adoptive parents that raised me, taught me, loved me and supported me. Not my biological parents, they created me but that’s it.
i hate opinions that blood is the only thing that matters .. when its not .. its about how they behave, how good they are. Its kinda insane that almost 80% of families are some kind of bullies, hate their kids and kids are even unwanted because they had unprotected sex. I hate when movies sell this stupid opinion that you have to know your real parents, family, or that you have to accept your insanely bad family who tortures you and makes your life miserable. It feels so idiotic.
So, my sister has always been my best friend. Hands down, full stop. But then in my final year of high school she was getting married. I was jealous and hurt and angry at myself for feeling this things because I was happy for her and should have JUST been happy for her. Then I watched this movie and I got it. It didn't mean less for me it meant more for her. Love is the fastest way to kill envy. I was still kind of sad for me, and our relationship did change, but because I accepted that we still HAVE a relationship. We're still super close and now I know how to celebrate other people's success.
I so hope this is something I can remember and apply if/when my close ones get into a relationship, as though I don't have many in my circle the ones that are there I cling onto very much. Awesome that you were able to learn to celebrate others :D
@@CinemaTherapyShow you guys said that normally people adopt kids because the parents are dead. But sometimes they are alive but can't or don't want to keep the child. Like in the original book and some movie versions of the count of monte cristo, where bertuccio (a former smuggler turned servant of the protagonist) finds a baby that was being stuffed in a box by his birth father for being born illegitimate and raises the boy as his own son. He names the kid benedetto despite the kid not ending up with a good or even decent personality.
My adoption wasn't as wonderful or good for me as any of this, but hearing other people's adoption stories that were loving or even seeing fantasy versions makes me feel like there are still so many good people out there. I crave stories of families that get along and support each other even through the mistakes and jealousies. I will always be grateful for people like you that keep me inspired to find the good in people!
I have no idea what you’ve gone through but it sounds so hard and my heart just breaks for you. It’s so admirable that you’re able to see and hold on to hopeful stories to help you get through your bad times. Whatever you’re going through, you got this! Life will get better. And if it doesn’t? You’re strong enough to make it better and see the brightness in the world🙂
Same here (but without the adoption), I’ve recently realized that I unconsciously look for tv-shows with great families and parents, and that I weirdly enough feel comfort in them in how they show me how a somewhat functional home would look like and that I deserved more as a kid. The shows ad films and books are parenting me, and make me feel my worth, as an adult😅
One thing that didn't make it into this cut which absolutely crushes me is the scene of Po coming to terms with his past. Throughout the series, whenever Po is fantasizing or dreaming, it's done in 2D animation. But when the reality of what happened finally sinks in for him, the flashback in that scene shifts to 3D, signifying that Po finally sees these memories as reality. That might be the most powerful visual tool I've ever seen in animation.
YES! Ungh, it's such a good sequence. And it goldshifts too, right before the switch to 3D animation. (Gold being the color of heroism that is shown haloed around Po's mom as she sacrifices herself for him and also heavily associated with Po, to contrast the red of Shen's wrath.)
These movies hit every note I needed. I recently found my birth parents. I can tell my adopted mom isn't happy about it. Thanks this cane at the perfect time!
I was adopted as a baby from China and my parents are white, living in Australia, so the conversation had to happen sooner since there were very noticeable differences XD They told me as soon as I started noticing they were different. And in grade 1 when we had to give a presentation about our families (very awkward for not as conventional families), I told the teacher I was "from a different person's tummy but my (adoptive) mum is the only one I need", and it made them cry
Yeah, I wasn't adopted, but I was raised by my grandparents, with my "actual" parents being minimally, if at all, involved, and if I remember correctly, I did not like the family tree projects as a kid because I knew even then that the people who are the real parents are the ones who put in the time and effort, and are always there for the kid.
This whole family tree thing is stupid for schools to show off anyway. I get if it’s showing different cultures but it just comes off as “I’m related to this person”.
@@ShendonV Seriously. If it was a celebration of different cultures, it would be one thing, but it's not. It's very much an assignment that is given with an expected result.
I could hear the emotion in Li Shan's voice when he thanked Mr. Ping for raising his long lost son He spent two decades feeling empty deep down knowing his wife died, and believing his son was dead too To see him alive, I can imagine that he's never, ever felt happier
In Confucian teachings we have this line “One should not bring disgrace to their foster mother, as she is responsible for the upbringing of many children as if they were her own.” And I think it’s a beautiful thing that teaches people to show filial piety towards the people who raised them even if they are not related by blood because the people who raised you raised you like they would’ve raised their own kids even though they have no absolute reason to.
I always hear about parents crying during The Pursuit of Happyness, or Good Will Hunting, but you don't hear a lot about children crying over a parent's death in movies. Po's flashback scene with his mom sacrificing himself imbedded itself deep into my childhood brain. It showed no mercy
I cry over parents' death in movies all the time. Land before time and grave of the fireflies were traumatic because of that. And more recently train to busan....
I was adopted and I knew that I was adopted the way I knew my name. My parents repeated it over and over to me as a baby. But they also repeated the phrase 'we love you, you are loved, we're your family, you're home' and since I heard both on repeat neither contradicted each other.
I genuinely get extremely emotional at the end of the second movie. Mr ping asks if his son has discovered himself and Po replies back in a heartfelt way, “I’m your son.” I’m adopted myself and I have no clue how this anthropomorphic animated movie captured the love shared between adopted kids and their families so perfectly and spot on.
My parents told me my dad wasn't my bio dad when I was a freshman in high school after I made a joke about them not being my real parents. When I wanted alone time to process, my mom tried to beat down my door because I "Couldn't' process something like this without her." I still have some bad feelings about that, and our relationship never really recovered from that. She also subsequently blocked me from finding out anything about my bio dad, and guilted me any time I brought it up. We are no contact now as adults.
I think Yandu said it best “He may be your father, but he isn’t your daddy.” I, and all my siblings (except one), were adopted at birth, some of us even shared biological parents. I was fortunate to know I was adopted, and could have contact if I wanted to. I think my parents did it right, they let us know “where we came from” but they also lovingly reinforced where I am now. My legal parents ARE my parents. Family isn’t about blood it’s about ties.
I maybe a grown man but I will always tear up at hearing "I'm your son". Not only is it a beautiful moment but I know that feeling as an adopted child.
I lost my best friend due to the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in February. We were studying at different universities in different cities. We were working hard so we had the opportunity to meet at long intervals. We had made a lot of plans for this summer; we were going to have fun together and travel the country, but none of them will come true. I still remember our memories from high school occasionally during the day and I cry. I know I have to accept this situation and move on with my life. I feel a great emptiness because my best friend is suddenly cut off from life. Please do not delay the plans you made for your loved ones. Because we don't know what will happen to us tomorrow.
I am adopted, and I always knew. It was part of our family vocabulary. I grew up hearing stories about how my family started out as my fosters and then moved on to adoption. I had a friend once ask how to talk about it with a child in "everyday conversations", and I told them it's easy. Almost every child grows up hearing stories about "when I was pregnant with you..." or "When you were born..." For an adopted child, you just change it to, "The first time I saw you..." or something along those lines. I was blessed in the fact that my mother (adopted) had also been adopted by her stepfather, and she was never really allowed to ask questions about her biology. So she never took my questions as me rejecting her as my mom. In talking to other adoptees, I have come to the realization that the majority of people who have issues with their adoption are the ones that it was kept a secret. (With the caveat that their adopted families are warm and loving.) I think when you keep it a secret, you are unconsciously telling that child that there is something about them that they need to be ashamed of.
“Your story may not have such a happy beginning but that does not make you who you are, it is the rest of it… who you choose to be” That quote is my favourite of all time. I was bullied a lot for being autistic when I was a child and today I have experienced a lot of discrimination and ignorance as an adult. That quote reminds me that I have control of my story and I can be the person I want to be despite what others tell me I can and can’t do. That quote helped me get into nursing. So far, with the friends I have made, the family I have always had and love and the experiences I have had, both good and bad, I like my story so far.
I'm not the kind of person who comments on videos but, I never realized how much this channel meant to me until I actually ran into Johno in person over the weekend. I was able to tell him thank you and tell him that he and Alan have helped me a ton. I was so overcome with emotion. (Thanks again for your kindness in that moment ♥️ I'm sorry I couldn't stop crying lol) You guys have made me a better sister, daughter, wife, and overall person over these last couple of years and I can't thank you enough. I can't wait to continue to learn and grow with you guys in the coming years. Thank you so much for all you do!!
I would’ve broken too, our emotions and our lives have been uplifted and we’ve found understanding and guidance from them. To meet that person who has helped us so much would be overwhelming and exciting! ❤
When my grandfather's health declined, my Mom sat me and my siblings down and told us he wasn't her biological father. She didn't want us to be surprised if someone said something insensitive at his funeral (her side of the family sucks). Talking about her biological father was very painful for her and when she was done, my siblings and I gave her a big hug. I told her that man was nothing to us. We knew who our family was. Blood isn't everything and I deeply appreciate everything this movie series stands for.
I was 22 when I learned that my grandfather wasn't. He provided a bound copy to my family with his family tree, heck his ancestor came to the United States in the very first English colony, Roanoke. But when I looked in the book, it clearly stated that my mom was already born when he married my grandmother, and he never adopted her, which she learned sometime from the government, probably when getting her marriage license, that her maiden name was not Lacey but Jackson. I have found NOTHING about him in any history search. I haven't been able to find anything on my paternal grandfather either, he also abandoned his family in 1932.
My great uncle was adopted and my family never kept it a secret, which was exceptional for like 1947. My guess is they didn’t have much of a choice since he was adopted at 11 lol, but I still find it cool they never treated him differently during a time when polio was a thing and black people couldn’t vote.
My parents (likely unintentionally) created a very strange dynamic about my adoption; it was never hidden from me, but they also made it feel like an afterthought, like they did too good of a job acting like it wasn't important and that they were supposed to be my only family. Acknowledging it in any way that made it seem to matter or contribute to who I am was off-limits. I became who they made me, until I woke up and decided I didn't want to be that person. I spent years unlearning bad habits and figuring out the kind of person I wanted and could be, and then when I finally felt emotionally stable enough I reached out to my bio-family. Caused some tension at first, but they came to accept that both of my families would be active parts of my life.
I think a lot of parents deal with that fear of their child leaving them or not wanting them in adulthood. It really seems like the fears children have are the exact same fears in their parents, but with this extra layer of “am I going to ruin this person before they even figure out who they are.”
So I don't know if this is exactly what you guys wanted but I'm an interesting adoption case. My brother and I were adopted together from birth (my adopted parents took us home from the hospital and were there in the room when my brother and I were born) but I've always known that I wasn't biologically related to my parents. It was something my birth mom insisted on, being a part of our lives, and so my brother and I just grew up knowing we were adopted. And I've never once doubted my parents love, biological or adopted, and it's always confused me why people would lie about it because I've never understood the reason to. It's also interesting because unlike Po, I don't see my birth mother as 'mom'. My family, yes, and I love her and she's taught me a lot of things, but my parents are my adopted parents. When I think of 'mom' and 'dad' it's them I think of. They raised me, took care of me, helped me become the person I am today in a way that my birth mom simply didn't. But I know that all of them love me and I'm grateful they're in my life.
How the whole sequence is laid out where Po finds inner peace, from the way he recalls past memories, the words spoken by the soothsayer and the tone of the music, it's difficult not to get emotional.
As an adult sibling (25+ year age gap) of four young children who my mom fostered and has adopted, these movies always hit home. They're very young (under 6), but they have always known and been shown how much we love them and that they are a part of a much larger family. They still remain in contact with their biological mother (she's in prison) and their aunts and cousins from their mother's side are always invited to their major events and parties. They've been such a blessing in our lives.
I was adopted (along with two other kids that weren't my biological siblings) and then my adoptive parents had a biological son. They explained it to us when we were around 5 or 6 years old, until we were old enough to fully understand it, and I don't think we ever saw it as something negative. I believe than adoption is a beautiful act in both ways: a parent who hopes for a better future for their kid than what they have to offer, and a parent who has love to give to a kid who needs it. The ability to procreate doesn't make us parents, looking after someone a kid who needs protection, education and love does.
I am a foster parent and our little girl called us mama and daddy and they told us not to correct her. When they had to take her away she was in the car crying for us as mommy and daddy… it was heart breaking.
Edit @ the bottom. Yeeeaaa... I was adopted and wasn't told until a week after I buried my abusive, neglectful, narcissistic adoptive mother... when I was 19... I started asking when I was FIVE and was told that I was crazy or asked who put that idea in my head (because kids couldn't possibly have their own original thoughts/ideas). The sheer amount of anger, hate, and resentment I have is staggering and no counselor yet has been able to help me let go of those feelings... I begged for siblings as a kid... Come to find out, I had 10 total, 8 of which had been around the whole time.. my bio family literally lived in my city.. I'll never get to meet my biological father because he died when I was 10.. Not telling kids THEIR OWN ORIGIN is messed tf up. One huge problem is the fact that you grow up not knowing what your actual medical history is.. I grew up in fear that I would get lupus, diabetes, osteoporosis, and many more because thats what my ad mother had.. Not knowing led to me accidentally dating my half-sister in freshman year... My own bio-cousin was my best friend in high school... Many parents want a baby, and not a PERSON to raise... Once I turned 8 and started showing snipets of the parts of my personality that are exactly like my bio-mom's, I was disowned. I have been told my countless people to write a book because the dark side of being adopted is DARK AF; I survived and endured so much bs that would have broken many people.. I'm 30 now, both of my adoptive parents are dead and I'm trying to salvage a relationship with some of my actual family that I literally would have been better off being raised with. My adoptive parents being gone only helped those scars stay open longer... Because I'll never get the closure they, at minimum, owed me... I would like to say thank you for those that took the time to read the snipet of my story. Most of the time I swipe away notifications for comments since I've gotten some pretty mean feedback in the past. All of your kind words really mean a lot and I'm glad I worked up the nerve to read your comments. My story isn't all bad though, I'm at least able to learn from my upbringing so that I can help others in their journey. I wish you all the best, you're amazing and appreciated.
You could try writing your adoptive parents a letter telling them about how what they did hurt you and whatever else you want to say to them. That might help you feel a bit better and give you a bit of closure even though you can't tell them how you feel directly. Although I'm not too sure being able to confront them would have gotten you anything other than more pain.
I have so much empathy for your pain; that sounds awful. I hope you'll keep trying different counselors & types of counseling, & even different therapeutic techniques you can do on your own. It took 19 years to make all that anger, hurt & resentment inside you, so it'll take a long time & a lot of hard work to get rid of any of it, but you don't have to live with ALL of it for the rest of your life...
My parents were always very open with me about my adoption, and I’m very thankful for that. A friend of mine was adopted too but wasn’t told until she was a teen, which is already such a hard period of life, and she had a little identity crisis over it. I can understand maybe telling them they’re adopted but not sharing the reason why until they’re older if it’s something unfavorable, but I think it’s definitely healthier to at least let them know about being adopted earlier rather than later. If you make it normal as a young kid I think it’ll be easier for it to remain normal as they get older, rather than springing it on them later when they already have so much of their identity set in their mind and now they think they’re life is a lie.
Eh it depend on the kid. A former boss of mine had a friend who had adopted kid, the friend told her (kid is pretty young I think 1st grade.) The kid didn't took the news well and confide to my former boss.
I love that you included that scene from Easy A. Those two were such good parents. My mom was adopted, and for her, parents are who raised you, period, end of conversation. She actually gets a little angry at parents who make a distinction between their biological & adopted kids "They're all your kids - you raised them"
"And from that moment on, both my soup and my life have been that much sweeter" Always makes me cry Also when Tigress says "He'll be back before you can say noodles", and he says it immediately 😭😭
As a 20-year-old adoptee, I saw Kung Fu Panda when it came out in cinemas (I was 8, then), and although I didn’t understand the themes fully then, I found myself in tears over Po’s story on finding peace with him being adopted. It helped me be at peace with finally being adopted - as a child I asked my mom (adoptive mom, but she’s my mom now) where I came from and suffered a mental breakdown when I learned what being adopted was the year before. I cannot thank Dreamworks enough for making this movie. PS: I hope Cinema Therapy pins this comment 🥺
Waaaait I’m a Chinese adoptee and I’ve been waiting for this episodes for SO LONG!! Kung fu panda 2 hits so hard for me, and I love how his dad is so sweet and supportive and gives him space and time to find his roots
I got adopted at birth because my birthmom was a teenage pregnancy and knew she couldn’t keep care of me as well as some others did. My parents never had a “day” or a sit down talk to break the news from me they were just blunt and honest whenever i asked questions. When i was a child they would always casually say “when your birthmom did this” “got you from your birthmom” etc. i think this method is great because it didnt make me reconsider their love for me (and i love my parents deeply) and i never had to rethink my trust in them, they always told me the whole story about why a mom had to give away her baby because she probably wouldn’t have has the money or time to care for me as much as i deserved or as much as she wanted too HUGE FAN of the show guys!!
Normalizing it before it gets a chance to be seen as anything but normal is the way to go. Changing people’s minds is much more difficult than just teaching them first.
@@Justanotherconsumer Aye, you aren't born with any preconceptions of the world. If you're told the truth the whole way through, you're so much more likely to just accept it.
I was told when I was very young. In a bedtime book about going on an airplane and adopting a little girl. The mommy couldn't keep me so my parents came and helped and raised me. They always gave me a choice to find my biological parents if I wanted to. I got more details as I got older on every step they took to adopt my brothers and me.
I was adopted from birth and my parents told me I was adopted when I was still a child. I knew my birth mother and her family for my whole life and I thought they were the good family friends that we call aunt, uncle and cousins. I know the reasons for the adoption and have come to peace with everything and everyone involved.
I was adopted as a baby and I was raised aware that I had a birth mother. I don’t even remember having a special talk, I just *knew* and we talked about it casually in my home. Po’s story resonated for me in particular because of the way he uncovered his adoption story. He started out with fragments and started realizing there’s a darkness to his past that he may not like hearing when it comes out. Finding out the truth is horrible and heartbreaking, but it’s still something important to Po. He grew as he learned his adoption story just like I got more of the details as I got older. While some parts of my story upset me, it still made me who I am now, and like Po, I’m grateful for that part of my life. It gave me the family I love and granted me opportunities that are a part of my identity today! I definitely noticed my mom, at least, has acted uncomfortable when I mention wanting to find my birth mother. While I know she has her reasons to be cautious on a personal level, I don’t think I’ve seriously considered the way a birth parent may feel like a threat to an adoptive patent’s relationship with their child. I really hope to hear more about this side of the story in part 2! It may help me with future conversations with my parents.
I'm adopted and as early as I can remember my parents were very up front about it and were always willing to answer any questions I had. I've never felt like they weren't my parents. I never felt like I wasn't apart of my family
I was adopted as a baby, I'm still in the same family. My mom is "technically" my cousin. My mom told me when I was around 5 or so that I was adopted. Or maybe I brought it up myself, asking her "I wasn't in your belly" kind of thing. I've known my mom wasn't the woman who carried me in her belly, but as a native person, I've always been spiritually connected, and I knew for my entire life that we chose each other. My cute little kid brain imagined it like we were beings in a pod, and I chose her, then it was her turn to choose someone else to be in human bodies with, and she chose me. I'm 19 now, 20 in a few months. We've been struggling to connect and get along and adapt to the changes that come with becoming an adult. I've never doubted whether or not I was loved until I was 16, but there is some sadness that still came with wondering why my real, biological mother and father chose to not be in my life. Few times I was able to see my mother and little brother before she started to do drugs and struggle with addiction. My father isn't... A healthy or stable man. Regardless of whether or not you tell a child they are adopted, unless it's a very healthy home with healthy and balanced communication and understanding and nurturing, we, as kids, are bound to wonder why we weren't good enough for them.
As someone who is half adopted myself I always loved how it shows how wonderful blended family’s can be. Too many Reddit stories today show the ugly side of them but this film shows the beautiful side. I love my blended family and wouldn’t have it any other way.
I know the analysis of KFP2 is about adoption... but as these lessons tend to be, they can speak to people in different ways. For me, it wasn't about familial relationships, it was about my own romantic connection with a friend I have. We've been friends for a very long time, and I was waiting to properly confess to them because they were still struggling from a prior relationship. When I thought I was ready... I found out they already found someone else. ( 10:55 - 11:11 ) Hit me incredibly hard because I'm scared that all that time I spent with him would mean nothing. But yet... in spite of it all, how much I was hurt, how much I was broken... I still want to be his friend. He still means a lot to me even if I don't think that love would be reciprocated anymore. It's weird that I'm opening my heart out to the comments section of a RUclips video, but these types of videos help a lot of people in ways most probably don't expect. So thank you.
I have had no similar experiences that I can relate to, but I sincerely hope that you are able to move past your feelings and remain friends with him. Maybe find someone else, take time for yourself, or just do something you enjoy. I think you waiting to confess until they were ready is such a kind thing to do, and I applaud you for it.
I’m adopted from China and I love that I never gotten the “Your adopted” talk I’ve always grew up knowing and you hit right of the park when you said parents of afraid of losing their child to find their biological parents but I don’t think abt it I’m extremely grateful for what my parents did to get me
My mom discovered at 56 that she had been adopted. My uncle had always thought he had been adopted, so he started to press everyone for answers. As it turned out, my mom (who had no clue that maybe she had also been adopted) got caught in the storm. She is the one who got hurt the most. I am gently trying to convince her therapy is a good idea.
I love positive representation of adopted families. I have several adopted family members (my mother included) and I love ALL of my family. Though I am sad to learn and see how some in my family don't feel that way. So seeing such loving and positive adopted family and one that remains in the story after the quest to find "who they are" makes me so happy. Media often makes the adopted family disappear or lesser in some way to the birth family which just kind of makes me sad. So the fact that King Fu Panda doesn't do that makes me really happy about that.
The kung fu panda trilogy has always been a source of comfort for me. I'd always watch it whenever I feel down, need a confidence boost, need reassurance that everything will be okay, or if I just need a good laugh/cry. I'm already tearing up, and I'm only a minute in the video xD
19:45 Man, i feel like what Jonathan said has actually made me stop and think about myself since he perfectly described how I see myself. I've never had faith in myself to ever complete anything or be anything greater, so I end up settling in where I already am because i probably cant achieve anything more than this but then, if I managed to reach this spot of where I am now then maybe I do have what it takes to try and reach another level
I always cry when Mr. Ping says "you taught me how to be a family" bc my dad left us when my little brother was really young, so my older brother, my mom and me took upon us to make sure that he felt protected, loved and cherished, we took upon us to make sure that we were a family and that we support us on every aspect possible. ❤ Love Kung fu panda and love you guys. 😊😊
Since I'm not adopted I just want to share my appreciation for these films. I saw these movies when I was younger and even today it brings me comfort even if I'm at that point in life where I struggle to understand who I am as a person. It just felt very personal to me back then and even more these days I feel, I have hit a road bump that has swerved me off my usual rhythm much like how many times Po tackles these changes in life.
They balanced the wisdom with humanity. No one has the perfect words, the perfect answers, but if you grow and heal and try to communicate from your heart to another, the message can still get through.
I love Kung Fu Panda 2 so much! I still cry every time his memory of his mother comes up when she left him in the radish basket to protect him. I wanted to be Po when I was younger and throw light balls at a bird. Never worked out well for me though 😅
I'd love for you guys to talk about Wolfwalkers, not only because it's a beautiful story, but the hand-drawn 2D animation is absolutely breathtaking. HIGHLY recommend it. And great job with Kung Fu Panda 2 and 3. As always, I love hearing the discussions you guys have regarding the themes and stories of these awesome movies.
I'm adopted by the same people who adopted my birth mother, and then when I was 12 went through foster care after being given up by my adoptive family... These movies absolutely destroy me emotionally, in the best way 💖 so healing.
@Cinema Therapy as above, I've recently found you guys and love your videos, you always make excellent points and I agree with most everything you say. Particularly so for me were the videos on DID in Moon Knight, trauma in Serenity and First Contact based on my own knowledge of such from listening to others. You do great stuff and it provides me with insights on how to improve myself. ❤️
Meet the Robinsons is another great one for the adoption conversation. I can't recall if you all have covered that one too. My brother and I were both told very young that we were adopted and it has always been just normal. I recently connected with part of my biological family and it was, thankfully, an amazing experience and so cool to meet people that are so similar to me even though we didn't grow up together.
I am adopted from Brazil by my parents in NY. I had an older sister, also adopted from Brazil 2 years earlier (no biological relation). My parents always told our birth story to us from the time we were so little I have no actual recollection of being told anything, just always knowing. They also filmed the entire journey in Brazil as well as had pictures so I could see my birth mother and see the area I was born in and their time before and after adopting me. It's always been the best. They never tried to hide anything or had to have a "sit-down" talk about it. Brazil also has something called a birth story as part of my birth certificate which includes court transcripts about my birth mother's family and the reason she had to put me up for adoption. Honesty is the best policy and I personally have had no yearning to learn more about my birth family because what I have fulfills me completely. I can understand those who want to know their birth parents/families but that just hasn't felt necessary for me. Love the channel!
I rewatched Kung Fu Panda 3 por the xth time yesterday and not surprisingly it made me cried like the first time. And being a fan of yours for how long now, I seriously wanted you to bring this topic here. ❤❤❤❤
Alan, I learned this from watching someone else and this is the reason why the movie can flex in its tone, animation has the flexibility by the very nature of its medium for us to not only enjoy but expect joy and comedy in otherwise serious matters
This episode really got me thinking about how often our siblings, our friends, our coworkers, our bosses, our teachers and mentors can all act like surrogate parents to us. Thank you, Dreamworks, for portraying that beautifully, and thank you Jono and Alan for bringing this to light. I'm so grateful for the work that both of you do.
I love the way the Furious Five react to Po's situation. When he tells Tigress that he was adopted she doesn't know how to react (among other things she obviously can't believe that this is news to him because... y'know... goose dad), but she just tries to listen and be sympathetic. And then when Po finds his biological father the others are annoyed with him at causing a ruckus with the artifacts, but as soon as he tells them what happened they are just so obviously happy for him.
You have to do a villain therapy video on Lord Shen!! Such a surprisingly complex character. He’s one of my favorite animated villains if not my favorite.
I'm a Chinese adoptee living in the Netherlands and the Kung Fu panda movies left a big impression when I saw them. In my case I don't even remember how I found out I was adopted because my parents were so open about it from such an early age. And I think that really is the way to go. I never thought it was weird and I never felt different when I was at home. The downside was that being confronted by other people's reactions (a lot of racist slurs) really impacted me and I do wish my parents would've prepared me a bit more for that. But overall I'm really thankful for my parents for always being open and giving me so much love and support ❤ Thank you guys for doing all the KFP movies, I really love your videos!!!
I may not be adopted but turns out i had different father but my parents never told me that and till this very day, they never told me that after 25 years. I found out via my relatives with photos and stories of my biological father. It doesn't really matter to me whether or not my current father is my biological one, but i do feel hurt to know that people that raised me never wanted to tell me nor going to at all. My advice to those who has child from different parent. Just tell them when they are kids. You'd be surprised just how many questions that might answer to them
"when you are a classic under achiever because you don't really believe in yourself"... God that's me. As someone with undiagnosed learning disorders when I was still in school especially. It was easier to pretend I didn't care and put in half my effort in than to put all my effort in and fail. School, social settings, love interests, sport... All things I would put in a sub par effort or even self sabotage to avoid the embarrassment of failure
I loved the entire Kung Fu Panda franchise. Honestly, this franchise helped me find myself in a way. It inspired me to not only ask the question "Who am I?", but to genuinely search myself for the answer. A true, objective answer. It shattered so many of my unrealistically bad misconceptions of myself. Because of this journey of self discovery, when I won a game tournament among some friends and was asked to come up with a nickname for myself, I decided on "The Dragon Warrior." Not because I saw myself as some champion or mighty warrior, but because of how much my journey of self improvement meant to me. And it all started with the question from the movies: "Who am I?"
Grandma always told me that life is like skating uphill. If you stop battling that hill, if you stop pushing yourself forward, you will start sliding back down again.
I am 34 years old and I am adopted. I can’t remember a moment in my life when I didn’t know. My parents were upfront with me and always encouraged questions. My mom even made a photo album of all the pictures they took when they went to pick me up in Colombia. My parents always made it very clear that they loved me regardless of my beginnings and that I was their daughter. My entire family welcomed me and has loved me with open arms and hearts. The running joke in the family is that I was my Nonna’s (grandma) favorite grandchild and that no one else compared. Always having this information made it so my adoption could never be weaponized against me or my parents. My mom has always told me that if I wanted to go back and try and find my birth mother she would go with me. And in recent years she’s given me all the original documentation so I could look over it. I have a complicated relationship with my parents, but they are my parents, my only parents and I love them. My birth mother gave me the chance to thrive and live a better life and my parents gave me one. I consider myself blessed.
22:43 I think the same thing. That one pig in the middle doing not only a back-and-forth, but doing a quick one right at the end, is just SO GOOD! In other word, they aren't all in sync making the same motions/gestures. They seem so individual.
What I think is exceptionally beautiful about non-biological familial love is the element of choice. They chose to invite and accept that child into their lives even though they don’t have any social obligation to raise or love them. That kind of love comes from a very selfless place (and I don’t shame anyone who can’t have that kind of lifestyle, it’s not for everyone and requires a lot of sacrifice and energy). My son and I are so very lucky to have my partner in our lives. It’s a rare gift that we don’t take for granted. 💖
I was told by my parents when I was 9 that I was adopted. It never truly bothered me and I was happy to know that they still loved me. I never cared about it until I was confronted by someone who claimed to be a sister from one of my biological parents. Since then, and also being around people who have ‘family traditions’ and ‘family ties’, I’ve been wondering more about my own. Po asking the simple things like, “Who am I,” and “Where did I come from,” have been entirely relatable, and understanding who I am from that has been that much more prominent as I’ve grown into adulthood. It hasn’t been entirely easy, but I’ve found a way to view it that does help. When thinking about my past and my biological family ties and traditions, I’ve seen it as is being a blank canvas: sure, I don’t have anything to define me, but that also means that I can *make* who I am. I don’t know about them, but I can know me. And nobody can take me away from me.
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"Having you in his life doesn't mean less for me. It means more for Po." Kung Fu Panda 3 was wonderful and this line always stuck with me
Mr Ping is underrated... might be one of the best father figures in animation.
That's precious.
@@alejandronieto4212 Yes!
That part literally made me cry, Ping is such a good dad
Such an impactful line!
My parents told me I was adopted in what I always thought was the best way. From as early as I could remember, my mom would tell the story of how they wanted a baby so much, then one day she got the phone call at work that said there was a baby for them! She called my dad, and he was so excited that by the time she got home, he was showered and was wearing a suit and was waiting out by the curb. They waited at the hospital and every time they heard a baby that hoped it was the one they were waiting for, and after a really long time they finally got to meet me ☺
That's so sweet! I'm so glad you have them!
Thats absolutely beautiful
If I think too hard about this later I might actually cry, that's so touching!
Beautiful story and thank you for sharing.
That is so sweet.
I was adopted, and I can not remember the “first time” I was told. My parents would tell the story of my adoption to me as a bedtime story. And I never once wondered about their love for me, or my place in the family. I always felt supported and loved
that's sooo sweet 🩵🩵🩵
That was how it was with my folks, too. "Your birth parents loved you enough to give you up so you could grow up in a better place than they could give you, and we loved you enough to give you that place! We're all your parents. We all love you."
Aww that's great I'm glad for you!!
Would you please give a summary of how they made your adoption a bedtime story? That just sounds so sweet and I'd love to hear it if you're willing to share
@@marahbaker8615 I would ask for my adoption story, and then they would generally start with “mommy always dreamed of having a baby from Korea”…they would then tell how they would had to wait for the agency to call. How my mom got the call when my dad was at work and she called him in a frantic excitement. They told me how hard it was to wait for me. How they traveled to Korea to get me. Obviously with tons more details.
My parents and I always celebrated Adoption Day like a second birthday, but one for the whole family. They made it as positive and happy as possible. My parents are wonderful and I’m so so grateful for them.
That's lovely. Thanks for sharing!
My parents do the same thing for my brother
Each of my siblings and I (we’re all adopted) call the day we were adopted our “Gotchaday”, like it’s a second birthday.
That's so sweet. I plan to adopt kids in the future, I need to remember this when I do.
@@CinemaTherapyShow Gotta love the Austin Powers joke.
I was adopted at birth. It was a closed adoption, but my parents never tried to hide it. They did always tell me, from the time i was old enough to understand, "we adopted you, and it doesn't mean your birth mother didn't want you. She wanted what was best for you and her. We'll always love you."
That was the best way to confront the subject for me
I will never forget watching this movie in the theater. The moment Po said “I’m your son” to his goose dad, you could hear a sea of kids sniffling and crying in the audience (and let’s be honest, probably most parents too) it was so sweet and moving.
My cousin is adopted and ever since she was a toddler my aunt would tell her that she was a child that came from her heart and not from her belly like the other child but from her heart because she was loved from the very first sight, and they would elaborate more while she was growing
That’s such a beautiful way of putting it. I’m a big proponent of not lying to children about anything. There are ways of telling children the truth without traumatizing them, it’s just a matter of getting down to their level and explaining things in a way they can understand, and I’m so glad your aunt found the sweet spot for such a delicate topic :) kids are smarter than adults give them credit for, there’s no need to lie to them.
I’m adopted and my mom put it the same way.
I gave up my daughter for adoption. Her adoptive parents were always honest with her and explained that she was lucky because she has two sets of parents who love her and care about her well-being. When we met (my daughter and myself), that made it so much easier for us to have a good relationship. Her mother did a wonderful job caring for her and raising her. But when she came to WA to visit the first time, she said that she felt like she was "home" when she got off the plane. She loves the music that I listened to when I was pregnant with her. So nature and nurture are prevalent in who she is.
I never got to meet my mum, as she died 9 years before I got back in touch with my family. But I've since met others who knew her and they say I'm a lot like her - similar taste in clothes, music and also I'm the tomboy of my adoptive family, just as she was the tomboy in hers. The weirdest thing is I developed an interest in motorcycles at age 10 out of nowhere. None of my adoptive family, even extended/distant relatives were into them and I've only ever appreciated bikes on an aesthetic level, but my semi-obsession lasted over 20 years. When I finally got to learn about my parents it turned out motorbikes were a mutual interest for them, in their younger days.
I've personally always felt that your "real parents" are the parents who raised you, were there for you on off days, cheered with you on your good days, knows what comforts you and loves you unconditionally. Anyone can donate DNA, but real parents will stand by you no matter what.
I agree with you there
I’m adopted and I totally agree! My real parents are my adoptive parents that raised me, taught me, loved me and supported me. Not my biological parents, they created me but that’s it.
As Yondu said, "He may have been your father boy, but he wasn't your daddy. I'm sorry I didn't do none of it right, I'm damn lucky you're my boy."
@@jaydenklaus so true
i hate opinions that blood is the only thing that matters .. when its not .. its about how they behave, how good they are. Its kinda insane that almost 80% of families are some kind of bullies, hate their kids and kids are even unwanted because they had unprotected sex.
I hate when movies sell this stupid opinion that you have to know your real parents, family, or that you have to accept your insanely bad family who tortures you and makes your life miserable.
It feels so idiotic.
So, my sister has always been my best friend. Hands down, full stop. But then in my final year of high school she was getting married. I was jealous and hurt and angry at myself for feeling this things because I was happy for her and should have JUST been happy for her. Then I watched this movie and I got it. It didn't mean less for me it meant more for her. Love is the fastest way to kill envy. I was still kind of sad for me, and our relationship did change, but because I accepted that we still HAVE a relationship. We're still super close and now I know how to celebrate other people's success.
Thats amazing 🥰
I so hope this is something I can remember and apply if/when my close ones get into a relationship, as though I don't have many in my circle the ones that are there I cling onto very much. Awesome that you were able to learn to celebrate others :D
As an adopted kid, This was so healing to watch thank you guys so much!
Agreed, my younger cousin is adopted, and she really related to these films.
I agree! Both my sister and I were adopted and these movies started a lot of good discussions with our parents.
heyo, adopted gang!! you from china as well?
That means so much. Thanks for watching!
@@CinemaTherapyShow you guys said that normally people adopt kids because the parents are dead. But sometimes they are alive but can't or don't want to keep the child. Like in the original book and some movie versions of the count of monte cristo, where bertuccio (a former smuggler turned servant of the protagonist) finds a baby that was being stuffed in a box by his birth father for being born illegitimate and raises the boy as his own son. He names the kid benedetto despite the kid not ending up with a good or even decent personality.
My adoption wasn't as wonderful or good for me as any of this, but hearing other people's adoption stories that were loving or even seeing fantasy versions makes me feel like there are still so many good people out there. I crave stories of families that get along and support each other even through the mistakes and jealousies. I will always be grateful for people like you that keep me inspired to find the good in people!
I have no idea what you’ve gone through but it sounds so hard and my heart just breaks for you. It’s so admirable that you’re able to see and hold on to hopeful stories to help you get through your bad times. Whatever you’re going through, you got this! Life will get better. And if it doesn’t? You’re strong enough to make it better and see the brightness in the world🙂
@@terryperson6050 Thank you! I appreciate the kindness! I wish you nothing but the best in life. Take care and enjoy!
Same here (but without the adoption), I’ve recently realized that I unconsciously look for tv-shows with great families and parents, and that I weirdly enough feel comfort in them in how they show me how a somewhat functional home would look like and that I deserved more as a kid. The shows ad films and books are parenting me, and make me feel my worth, as an adult😅
One thing that didn't make it into this cut which absolutely crushes me is the scene of Po coming to terms with his past. Throughout the series, whenever Po is fantasizing or dreaming, it's done in 2D animation. But when the reality of what happened finally sinks in for him, the flashback in that scene shifts to 3D, signifying that Po finally sees these memories as reality. That might be the most powerful visual tool I've ever seen in animation.
I completely agree! I have chills just thinking about it. It’s SO well done.
YES! Ungh, it's such a good sequence. And it goldshifts too, right before the switch to 3D animation. (Gold being the color of heroism that is shown haloed around Po's mom as she sacrifices herself for him and also heavily associated with Po, to contrast the red of Shen's wrath.)
I might be wrong, but they might have covered this scene in the extended cut in their Patreon.
It started as a story and ended as a memory
That part made me tear up
These movies hit every note I needed. I recently found my birth parents. I can tell my adopted mom isn't happy about it. Thanks this cane at the perfect time!
You're welcome!
I was adopted as a baby from China and my parents are white, living in Australia, so the conversation had to happen sooner since there were very noticeable differences XD
They told me as soon as I started noticing they were different. And in grade 1 when we had to give a presentation about our families (very awkward for not as conventional families), I told the teacher I was "from a different person's tummy but my (adoptive) mum is the only one I need", and it made them cry
Yeah, I wasn't adopted, but I was raised by my grandparents, with my "actual" parents being minimally, if at all, involved, and if I remember correctly, I did not like the family tree projects as a kid because I knew even then that the people who are the real parents are the ones who put in the time and effort, and are always there for the kid.
This whole family tree thing is stupid for schools to show off anyway. I get if it’s showing different cultures but it just comes off as “I’m related to this person”.
Oh my God, that’s so cute
@@ShendonV Seriously. If it was a celebration of different cultures, it would be one thing, but it's not. It's very much an assignment that is given with an expected result.
Awww. That's so cute
I’m Chinese adopted and this has always been a comfort, I know I’ll never know my parents but Po taught me to more forward and just live.
Pgnlyno
Aimptnnoyno😊😢
I could hear the emotion in Li Shan's voice when he thanked Mr. Ping for raising his long lost son
He spent two decades feeling empty deep down knowing his wife died, and believing his son was dead too
To see him alive, I can imagine that he's never, ever felt happier
Bryan Cranston never lets down with his performances. He can make us laugh as much as he can bring us to tears.
In Confucian teachings we have this line “One should not bring disgrace to their foster mother, as she is responsible for the upbringing of many children as if they were her own.” And I think it’s a beautiful thing that teaches people to show filial piety towards the people who raised them even if they are not related by blood because the people who raised you raised you like they would’ve raised their own kids even though they have no absolute reason to.
I always hear about parents crying during The Pursuit of Happyness, or Good Will Hunting, but you don't hear a lot about children crying over a parent's death in movies. Po's flashback scene with his mom sacrificing himself imbedded itself deep into my childhood brain. It showed no mercy
I cry over parents' death in movies all the time. Land before time and grave of the fireflies were traumatic because of that. And more recently train to busan....
Two words: Bambi's mum
Mufasa
Children cry over parents Dying in a movie all the time
@@muchanadziko6378 I know, but I feel like it's not talked about nearly as much
I was adopted and I knew that I was adopted the way I knew my name. My parents repeated it over and over to me as a baby. But they also repeated the phrase 'we love you, you are loved, we're your family, you're home' and since I heard both on repeat neither contradicted each other.
I genuinely get extremely emotional at the end of the second movie. Mr ping asks if his son has discovered himself and Po replies back in a heartfelt way, “I’m your son.” I’m adopted myself and I have no clue how this anthropomorphic animated movie captured the love shared between adopted kids and their families so perfectly and spot on.
wow! 100% I cry my eyes out at that moment - well I cry my eyes out many times in this movie - but this moment, gosh the heart just melts
My parents told me my dad wasn't my bio dad when I was a freshman in high school after I made a joke about them not being my real parents. When I wanted alone time to process, my mom tried to beat down my door because I "Couldn't' process something like this without her." I still have some bad feelings about that, and our relationship never really recovered from that. She also subsequently blocked me from finding out anything about my bio dad, and guilted me any time I brought it up. We are no contact now as adults.
I’m so sorry you had to deal with that.
My heart breaks for you and your situation. I hope you are able to find folks who are supportive, whether blood-family or a community ❤
I think Yandu said it best “He may be your father, but he isn’t your daddy.”
I, and all my siblings (except one), were adopted at birth, some of us even shared biological parents. I was fortunate to know I was adopted, and could have contact if I wanted to.
I think my parents did it right, they let us know “where we came from” but they also lovingly reinforced where I am now. My legal parents ARE my parents.
Family isn’t about blood it’s about ties.
The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.
I maybe a grown man but I will always tear up at hearing "I'm your son". Not only is it a beautiful moment but I know that feeling as an adopted child.
I lost my best friend due to the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in February. We were studying at different universities in different cities. We were working hard so we had the opportunity to meet at long intervals. We had made a lot of plans for this summer; we were going to have fun together and travel the country, but none of them will come true. I still remember our memories from high school occasionally during the day and I cry. I know I have to accept this situation and move on with my life. I feel a great emptiness because my best friend is suddenly cut off from life. Please do not delay the plans you made for your loved ones. Because we don't know what will happen to us tomorrow.
I am adopted, and I always knew. It was part of our family vocabulary. I grew up hearing stories about how my family started out as my fosters and then moved on to adoption. I had a friend once ask how to talk about it with a child in "everyday conversations", and I told them it's easy. Almost every child grows up hearing stories about "when I was pregnant with you..." or "When you were born..." For an adopted child, you just change it to, "The first time I saw you..." or something along those lines. I was blessed in the fact that my mother (adopted) had also been adopted by her stepfather, and she was never really allowed to ask questions about her biology. So she never took my questions as me rejecting her as my mom. In talking to other adoptees, I have come to the realization that the majority of people who have issues with their adoption are the ones that it was kept a secret. (With the caveat that their adopted families are warm and loving.) I think when you keep it a secret, you are unconsciously telling that child that there is something about them that they need to be ashamed of.
“Your story may not have such a happy beginning but that does not make you who you are, it is the rest of it… who you choose to be” That quote is my favourite of all time. I was bullied a lot for being autistic when I was a child and today I have experienced a lot of discrimination and ignorance as an adult. That quote reminds me that I have control of my story and I can be the person I want to be despite what others tell me I can and can’t do. That quote helped me get into nursing. So far, with the friends I have made, the family I have always had and love and the experiences I have had, both good and bad, I like my story so far.
I'm not the kind of person who comments on videos but, I never realized how much this channel meant to me until I actually ran into Johno in person over the weekend. I was able to tell him thank you and tell him that he and Alan have helped me a ton. I was so overcome with emotion. (Thanks again for your kindness in that moment ♥️ I'm sorry I couldn't stop crying lol)
You guys have made me a better sister, daughter, wife, and overall person over these last couple of years and I can't thank you enough.
I can't wait to continue to learn and grow with you guys in the coming years.
Thank you so much for all you do!!
Cringe
I would’ve broken too, our emotions and our lives have been uplifted and we’ve found understanding and guidance from them. To meet that person who has helped us so much would be overwhelming and exciting! ❤
When my grandfather's health declined, my Mom sat me and my siblings down and told us he wasn't her biological father. She didn't want us to be surprised if someone said something insensitive at his funeral (her side of the family sucks). Talking about her biological father was very painful for her and when she was done, my siblings and I gave her a big hug. I told her that man was nothing to us. We knew who our family was. Blood isn't everything and I deeply appreciate everything this movie series stands for.
I was 22 when I learned that my grandfather wasn't. He provided a bound copy to my family with his family tree, heck his ancestor came to the United States in the very first English colony, Roanoke. But when I looked in the book, it clearly stated that my mom was already born when he married my grandmother, and he never adopted her, which she learned sometime from the government, probably when getting her marriage license, that her maiden name was not Lacey but Jackson. I have found NOTHING about him in any history search. I haven't been able to find anything on my paternal grandfather either, he also abandoned his family in 1932.
My great uncle was adopted and my family never kept it a secret, which was exceptional for like 1947. My guess is they didn’t have much of a choice since he was adopted at 11 lol, but I still find it cool they never treated him differently during a time when polio was a thing and black people couldn’t vote.
My parents (likely unintentionally) created a very strange dynamic about my adoption; it was never hidden from me, but they also made it feel like an afterthought, like they did too good of a job acting like it wasn't important and that they were supposed to be my only family. Acknowledging it in any way that made it seem to matter or contribute to who I am was off-limits. I became who they made me, until I woke up and decided I didn't want to be that person. I spent years unlearning bad habits and figuring out the kind of person I wanted and could be, and then when I finally felt emotionally stable enough I reached out to my bio-family. Caused some tension at first, but they came to accept that both of my families would be active parts of my life.
I VIRTUALLY SPRINTED WHEN I SAW YALL AND KUNG FU PANDA TOGETHER
my two favorites in one 😭😭😭😭
Alan looking at the camera while tearing up like "well here I am, back on my bs" absolutely priceless
I think a lot of parents deal with that fear of their child leaving them or not wanting them in adulthood. It really seems like the fears children have are the exact same fears in their parents, but with this extra layer of “am I going to ruin this person before they even figure out who they are.”
So I don't know if this is exactly what you guys wanted but I'm an interesting adoption case. My brother and I were adopted together from birth (my adopted parents took us home from the hospital and were there in the room when my brother and I were born) but I've always known that I wasn't biologically related to my parents. It was something my birth mom insisted on, being a part of our lives, and so my brother and I just grew up knowing we were adopted. And I've never once doubted my parents love, biological or adopted, and it's always confused me why people would lie about it because I've never understood the reason to.
It's also interesting because unlike Po, I don't see my birth mother as 'mom'. My family, yes, and I love her and she's taught me a lot of things, but my parents are my adopted parents. When I think of 'mom' and 'dad' it's them I think of. They raised me, took care of me, helped me become the person I am today in a way that my birth mom simply didn't. But I know that all of them love me and I'm grateful they're in my life.
How the whole sequence is laid out where Po finds inner peace, from the way he recalls past memories, the words spoken by the soothsayer and the tone of the music, it's difficult not to get emotional.
As an adult sibling (25+ year age gap) of four young children who my mom fostered and has adopted, these movies always hit home. They're very young (under 6), but they have always known and been shown how much we love them and that they are a part of a much larger family. They still remain in contact with their biological mother (she's in prison) and their aunts and cousins from their mother's side are always invited to their major events and parties. They've been such a blessing in our lives.
I was adopted (along with two other kids that weren't my biological siblings) and then my adoptive parents had a biological son. They explained it to us when we were around 5 or 6 years old, until we were old enough to fully understand it, and I don't think we ever saw it as something negative.
I believe than adoption is a beautiful act in both ways: a parent who hopes for a better future for their kid than what they have to offer, and a parent who has love to give to a kid who needs it. The ability to procreate doesn't make us parents, looking after someone a kid who needs protection, education and love does.
I am a foster parent and our little girl called us mama and daddy and they told us not to correct her. When they had to take her away she was in the car crying for us as mommy and daddy… it was heart breaking.
Couldn't you just adopt her?
Edit @ the bottom. Yeeeaaa... I was adopted and wasn't told until a week after I buried my abusive, neglectful, narcissistic adoptive mother... when I was 19... I started asking when I was FIVE and was told that I was crazy or asked who put that idea in my head (because kids couldn't possibly have their own original thoughts/ideas). The sheer amount of anger, hate, and resentment I have is staggering and no counselor yet has been able to help me let go of those feelings... I begged for siblings as a kid... Come to find out, I had 10 total, 8 of which had been around the whole time.. my bio family literally lived in my city.. I'll never get to meet my biological father because he died when I was 10.. Not telling kids THEIR OWN ORIGIN is messed tf up. One huge problem is the fact that you grow up not knowing what your actual medical history is.. I grew up in fear that I would get lupus, diabetes, osteoporosis, and many more because thats what my ad mother had.. Not knowing led to me accidentally dating my half-sister in freshman year... My own bio-cousin was my best friend in high school... Many parents want a baby, and not a PERSON to raise... Once I turned 8 and started showing snipets of the parts of my personality that are exactly like my bio-mom's, I was disowned. I have been told my countless people to write a book because the dark side of being adopted is DARK AF; I survived and endured so much bs that would have broken many people.. I'm 30 now, both of my adoptive parents are dead and I'm trying to salvage a relationship with some of my actual family that I literally would have been better off being raised with. My adoptive parents being gone only helped those scars stay open longer... Because I'll never get the closure they, at minimum, owed me...
I would like to say thank you for those that took the time to read the snipet of my story. Most of the time I swipe away notifications for comments since I've gotten some pretty mean feedback in the past. All of your kind words really mean a lot and I'm glad I worked up the nerve to read your comments. My story isn't all bad though, I'm at least able to learn from my upbringing so that I can help others in their journey. I wish you all the best, you're amazing and appreciated.
Unfortunately adoption is sold as beautiful and stories that contradict the society narrative are ignored.
I'm so sorry you went through that.
Whoa, I can't imagine what that must be like. I'm sorry you went through so much of that.
You could try writing your adoptive parents a letter telling them about how what they did hurt you and whatever else you want to say to them. That might help you feel a bit better and give you a bit of closure even though you can't tell them how you feel directly. Although I'm not too sure being able to confront them would have gotten you anything other than more pain.
I have so much empathy for your pain; that sounds awful. I hope you'll keep trying different counselors & types of counseling, & even different therapeutic techniques you can do on your own. It took 19 years to make all that anger, hurt & resentment inside you, so it'll take a long time & a lot of hard work to get rid of any of it, but you don't have to live with ALL of it for the rest of your life...
Girl ...
My parents were always very open with me about my adoption, and I’m very thankful for that. A friend of mine was adopted too but wasn’t told until she was a teen, which is already such a hard period of life, and she had a little identity crisis over it. I can understand maybe telling them they’re adopted but not sharing the reason why until they’re older if it’s something unfavorable, but I think it’s definitely healthier to at least let them know about being adopted earlier rather than later. If you make it normal as a young kid I think it’ll be easier for it to remain normal as they get older, rather than springing it on them later when they already have so much of their identity set in their mind and now they think they’re life is a lie.
Eh it depend on the kid. A former boss of mine had a friend who had adopted kid, the friend told her (kid is pretty young I think 1st grade.) The kid didn't took the news well and confide to my former boss.
I love that you included that scene from Easy A. Those two were such good parents.
My mom was adopted, and for her, parents are who raised you, period, end of conversation. She actually gets a little angry at parents who make a distinction between their biological & adopted kids "They're all your kids - you raised them"
We appreciate this series. Kung Fu Panda is a wholehearted animated film that everyone can enjoy.
"And from that moment on, both my soup and my life have been that much sweeter"
Always makes me cry
Also when Tigress says "He'll be back before you can say noodles", and he says it immediately 😭😭
As a 20-year-old adoptee, I saw Kung Fu Panda when it came out in cinemas (I was 8, then), and although I didn’t understand the themes fully then, I found myself in tears over Po’s story on finding peace with him being adopted. It helped me be at peace with finally being adopted - as a child I asked my mom (adoptive mom, but she’s my mom now) where I came from and suffered a mental breakdown when I learned what being adopted was the year before. I cannot thank Dreamworks enough for making this movie.
PS: I hope Cinema Therapy pins this comment 🥺
Waaaait I’m a Chinese adoptee and I’ve been waiting for this episodes for SO LONG!! Kung fu panda 2 hits so hard for me, and I love how his dad is so sweet and supportive and gives him space and time to find his roots
As someone with a step father, it really hit home. Po got what I had always wanted, for my dad coming back and loving me.
#CryingWithAlan I'm right there with you because I can NEVER watch Po telling Ping "I'm your son" and not have tears streaming down my face.
You and me both
Amen fellow human
I got adopted at birth because my birthmom was a teenage pregnancy and knew she couldn’t keep care of me as well as some others did. My parents never had a “day” or a sit down talk to break the news from me they were just blunt and honest whenever i asked questions. When i was a child they would always casually say “when your birthmom did this” “got you from your birthmom” etc. i think this method is great because it didnt make me reconsider their love for me (and i love my parents deeply) and i never had to rethink my trust in them, they always told me the whole story about why a mom had to give away her baby because she probably wouldn’t have has the money or time to care for me as much as i deserved or as much as she wanted too
HUGE FAN of the show guys!!
Normalizing it before it gets a chance to be seen as anything but normal is the way to go.
Changing people’s minds is much more difficult than just teaching them first.
@@Justanotherconsumer Aye, you aren't born with any preconceptions of the world. If you're told the truth the whole way through, you're so much more likely to just accept it.
I was told when I was very young. In a bedtime book about going on an airplane and adopting a little girl. The mommy couldn't keep me so my parents came and helped and raised me. They always gave me a choice to find my biological parents if I wanted to. I got more details as I got older on every step they took to adopt my brothers and me.
Was the book called tell me again about the night I was born? Cause I was read that book as a child cause I’m also adopted
I was adopted from birth and my parents told me I was adopted when I was still a child. I knew my birth mother and her family for my whole life and I thought they were the good family friends that we call aunt, uncle and cousins. I know the reasons for the adoption and have come to peace with everything and everyone involved.
Two Dads go! These films were fun and I love the journey of Po and finding his family!
I was adopted as a baby and I was raised aware that I had a birth mother. I don’t even remember having a special talk, I just *knew* and we talked about it casually in my home.
Po’s story resonated for me in particular because of the way he uncovered his adoption story. He started out with fragments and started realizing there’s a darkness to his past that he may not like hearing when it comes out. Finding out the truth is horrible and heartbreaking, but it’s still something important to Po. He grew as he learned his adoption story just like I got more of the details as I got older. While some parts of my story upset me, it still made me who I am now, and like Po, I’m grateful for that part of my life. It gave me the family I love and granted me opportunities that are a part of my identity today!
I definitely noticed my mom, at least, has acted uncomfortable when I mention wanting to find my birth mother. While I know she has her reasons to be cautious on a personal level, I don’t think I’ve seriously considered the way a birth parent may feel like a threat to an adoptive patent’s relationship with their child. I really hope to hear more about this side of the story in part 2! It may help me with future conversations with my parents.
I'm adopted and as early as I can remember my parents were very up front about it and were always willing to answer any questions I had. I've never felt like they weren't my parents. I never felt like I wasn't apart of my family
I was adopted as a baby, I'm still in the same family. My mom is "technically" my cousin. My mom told me when I was around 5 or so that I was adopted. Or maybe I brought it up myself, asking her "I wasn't in your belly" kind of thing. I've known my mom wasn't the woman who carried me in her belly, but as a native person, I've always been spiritually connected, and I knew for my entire life that we chose each other. My cute little kid brain imagined it like we were beings in a pod, and I chose her, then it was her turn to choose someone else to be in human bodies with, and she chose me.
I'm 19 now, 20 in a few months. We've been struggling to connect and get along and adapt to the changes that come with becoming an adult. I've never doubted whether or not I was loved until I was 16, but there is some sadness that still came with wondering why my real, biological mother and father chose to not be in my life. Few times I was able to see my mother and little brother before she started to do drugs and struggle with addiction. My father isn't... A healthy or stable man. Regardless of whether or not you tell a child they are adopted, unless it's a very healthy home with healthy and balanced communication and understanding and nurturing, we, as kids, are bound to wonder why we weren't good enough for them.
As someone who is half adopted myself I always loved how it shows how wonderful blended family’s can be. Too many Reddit stories today show the ugly side of them but this film shows the beautiful side. I love my blended family and wouldn’t have it any other way.
I know the analysis of KFP2 is about adoption... but as these lessons tend to be, they can speak to people in different ways. For me, it wasn't about familial relationships, it was about my own romantic connection with a friend I have. We've been friends for a very long time, and I was waiting to properly confess to them because they were still struggling from a prior relationship. When I thought I was ready... I found out they already found someone else. ( 10:55 - 11:11 ) Hit me incredibly hard because I'm scared that all that time I spent with him would mean nothing. But yet... in spite of it all, how much I was hurt, how much I was broken... I still want to be his friend. He still means a lot to me even if I don't think that love would be reciprocated anymore.
It's weird that I'm opening my heart out to the comments section of a RUclips video, but these types of videos help a lot of people in ways most probably don't expect. So thank you.
I have had no similar experiences that I can relate to, but I sincerely hope that you are able to move past your feelings and remain friends with him. Maybe find someone else, take time for yourself, or just do something you enjoy. I think you waiting to confess until they were ready is such a kind thing to do, and I applaud you for it.
While I don’t have a step dad, I grew up with a step grandfather. Honestly, he was more of a father figure than my dad ever was.
I’m adopted from China and I love that I never gotten the “Your adopted” talk I’ve always grew up knowing and you hit right of the park when you said parents of afraid of losing their child to find their biological parents but I don’t think abt it I’m extremely grateful for what my parents did to get me
Dude how many of chinese adoptes are in this comment section i already read like ten
@@dagexhd4966 lmao we are everywhere
My mom discovered at 56 that she had been adopted. My uncle had always thought he had been adopted, so he started to press everyone for answers. As it turned out, my mom (who had no clue that maybe she had also been adopted) got caught in the storm. She is the one who got hurt the most. I am gently trying to convince her therapy is a good idea.
I love positive representation of adopted families. I have several adopted family members (my mother included) and I love ALL of my family. Though I am sad to learn and see how some in my family don't feel that way. So seeing such loving and positive adopted family and one that remains in the story after the quest to find "who they are" makes me so happy.
Media often makes the adopted family disappear or lesser in some way to the birth family which just kind of makes me sad. So the fact that King Fu Panda doesn't do that makes me really happy about that.
The kung fu panda trilogy has always been a source of comfort for me. I'd always watch it whenever I feel down, need a confidence boost, need reassurance that everything will be okay, or if I just need a good laugh/cry.
I'm already tearing up, and I'm only a minute in the video xD
19:45 Man, i feel like what Jonathan said has actually made me stop and think about myself since he perfectly described how I see myself. I've never had faith in myself to ever complete anything or be anything greater, so I end up settling in where I already am because i probably cant achieve anything more than this but then, if I managed to reach this spot of where I am now then maybe I do have what it takes to try and reach another level
I have binged everything you could offer that I like... can proudly say you guys have passed the vibe check and got a new subscriber.
Welcome aboard!
I always cry when Mr. Ping says "you taught me how to be a family" bc my dad left us when my little brother was really young, so my older brother, my mom and me took upon us to make sure that he felt protected, loved and cherished, we took upon us to make sure that we were a family and that we support us on every aspect possible. ❤
Love Kung fu panda and love you guys. 😊😊
Since I'm not adopted I just want to share my appreciation for these films. I saw these movies when I was younger and even today it brings me comfort even if I'm at that point in life where I struggle to understand who I am as a person. It just felt very personal to me back then and even more these days I feel, I have hit a road bump that has swerved me off my usual rhythm much like how many times Po tackles these changes in life.
I love how your little trailers at the beginning of the video are sometimes better than the actual trailers for some movies
I've been waiting for you to reach this topic for the Kung-Fu Panda series.
They balanced the wisdom with humanity. No one has the perfect words, the perfect answers, but if you grow and heal and try to communicate from your heart to another, the message can still get through.
I love Kung Fu Panda 2 so much! I still cry every time his memory of his mother comes up when she left him in the radish basket to protect him. I wanted to be Po when I was younger and throw light balls at a bird. Never worked out well for me though 😅
The moment when Po comes back with the Radishes in each arm always makes me tear up a bit. I'm cryin with ya Alan!
I'd love for you guys to talk about Wolfwalkers, not only because it's a beautiful story, but the hand-drawn 2D animation is absolutely breathtaking. HIGHLY recommend it.
And great job with Kung Fu Panda 2 and 3. As always, I love hearing the discussions you guys have regarding the themes and stories of these awesome movies.
i love how po heard the word adopted, didnt care, still said dad, and the scene continued. i love that.
I'm adopted by the same people who adopted my birth mother, and then when I was 12 went through foster care after being given up by my adoptive family... These movies absolutely destroy me emotionally, in the best way 💖 so healing.
can we just talk about how they just hit us with the HARDEST intro ever? Litteral CHILLS
I just started watching these guys and wow they are awesome and funny AF I hope they don't stop these 😊
They really are a great channel and great couple of people! I found through watching analysis' on the awesome How To Train Your Dragon!
Wow, thanks so much! 😁
@Cinema Therapy as above, I've recently found you guys and love your videos, you always make excellent points and I agree with most everything you say.
Particularly so for me were the videos on DID in Moon Knight, trauma in Serenity and First Contact based on my own knowledge of such from listening to others.
You do great stuff and it provides me with insights on how to improve myself. ❤️
That scene in Easy A was one of my favorites of the movie! Thank you for including it here 😁
Meet the Robinsons is another great one for the adoption conversation. I can't recall if you all have covered that one too.
My brother and I were both told very young that we were adopted and it has always been just normal. I recently connected with part of my biological family and it was, thankfully, an amazing experience and so cool to meet people that are so similar to me even though we didn't grow up together.
I love Meet the Robinsons!!!
I am adopted from Brazil by my parents in NY. I had an older sister, also adopted from Brazil 2 years earlier (no biological relation). My parents always told our birth story to us from the time we were so little I have no actual recollection of being told anything, just always knowing. They also filmed the entire journey in Brazil as well as had pictures so I could see my birth mother and see the area I was born in and their time before and after adopting me.
It's always been the best. They never tried to hide anything or had to have a "sit-down" talk about it. Brazil also has something called a birth story as part of my birth certificate which includes court transcripts about my birth mother's family and the reason she had to put me up for adoption.
Honesty is the best policy and I personally have had no yearning to learn more about my birth family because what I have fulfills me completely. I can understand those who want to know their birth parents/families but that just hasn't felt necessary for me.
Love the channel!
I rewatched Kung Fu Panda 3 por the xth time yesterday and not surprisingly it made me cried like the first time. And being a fan of yours for how long now, I seriously wanted you to bring this topic here. ❤❤❤❤
We had so much to say that we've got more coming this Friday!
Alan, I learned this from watching someone else and this is the reason why the movie can flex in its tone, animation has the flexibility by the very nature of its medium for us to not only enjoy but expect joy and comedy in otherwise serious matters
This episode really got me thinking about how often our siblings, our friends, our coworkers, our bosses, our teachers and mentors can all act like surrogate parents to us. Thank you, Dreamworks, for portraying that beautifully, and thank you Jono and Alan for bringing this to light. I'm so grateful for the work that both of you do.
I love the way the Furious Five react to Po's situation. When he tells Tigress that he was adopted she doesn't know how to react (among other things she obviously can't believe that this is news to him because... y'know... goose dad), but she just tries to listen and be sympathetic. And then when Po finds his biological father the others are annoyed with him at causing a ruckus with the artifacts, but as soon as he tells them what happened they are just so obviously happy for him.
I started crying as soon as I pressed play and jono talked 😂😂 love you guys ❤
Aww thanks for watching! :)
Watching this video for the second time I’ve just noticed the shift from ‘I want you to make me not me’ to ‘I like who I am’ character development!
You have to do a villain therapy video on Lord Shen!! Such a surprisingly complex character. He’s one of my favorite animated villains if not my favorite.
22:53 those Alan hairflips, I can NOT, that is too smooth
I'm a Chinese adoptee living in the Netherlands and the Kung Fu panda movies left a big impression when I saw them. In my case I don't even remember how I found out I was adopted because my parents were so open about it from such an early age. And I think that really is the way to go. I never thought it was weird and I never felt different when I was at home. The downside was that being confronted by other people's reactions (a lot of racist slurs) really impacted me and I do wish my parents would've prepared me a bit more for that. But overall I'm really thankful for my parents for always being open and giving me so much love and support ❤
Thank you guys for doing all the KFP movies, I really love your videos!!!
I may not be adopted but turns out i had different father but my parents never told me that and till this very day, they never told me that after 25 years. I found out via my relatives with photos and stories of my biological father. It doesn't really matter to me whether or not my current father is my biological one, but i do feel hurt to know that people that raised me never wanted to tell me nor going to at all.
My advice to those who has child from different parent. Just tell them when they are kids. You'd be surprised just how many questions that might answer to them
"when you are a classic under achiever because you don't really believe in yourself"... God that's me. As someone with undiagnosed learning disorders when I was still in school especially. It was easier to pretend I didn't care and put in half my effort in than to put all my effort in and fail. School, social settings, love interests, sport... All things I would put in a sub par effort or even self sabotage to avoid the embarrassment of failure
I've been waiting for this ever since you guys did Kung Fu Panda 1. One of the rare series where the sequels are better than the original.
Original is preeeeetty good.
The sequels were definitely great movies, but the first was every bit their equal.
This episode was such a joy. And it was so deep that I think I’m going to need to watch it multiple times just to absorb it
I loved the entire Kung Fu Panda franchise. Honestly, this franchise helped me find myself in a way. It inspired me to not only ask the question "Who am I?", but to genuinely search myself for the answer. A true, objective answer. It shattered so many of my unrealistically bad misconceptions of myself. Because of this journey of self discovery, when I won a game tournament among some friends and was asked to come up with a nickname for myself, I decided on "The Dragon Warrior." Not because I saw myself as some champion or mighty warrior, but because of how much my journey of self improvement meant to me. And it all started with the question from the movies: "Who am I?"
Grandma always told me that life is like skating uphill. If you stop battling that hill, if you stop pushing yourself forward, you will start sliding back down again.
I am 34 years old and I am adopted. I can’t remember a moment in my life when I didn’t know. My parents were upfront with me and always encouraged questions. My mom even made a photo album of all the pictures they took when they went to pick me up in Colombia. My parents always made it very clear that they loved me regardless of my beginnings and that I was their daughter. My entire family welcomed me and has loved me with open arms and hearts. The running joke in the family is that I was my Nonna’s (grandma) favorite grandchild and that no one else compared. Always having this information made it so my adoption could never be weaponized against me or my parents. My mom has always told me that if I wanted to go back and try and find my birth mother she would go with me. And in recent years she’s given me all the original documentation so I could look over it. I have a complicated relationship with my parents, but they are my parents, my only parents and I love them. My birth mother gave me the chance to thrive and live a better life and my parents gave me one. I consider myself blessed.
God I love these videos and the therapy session they give while watching the movies they use for the session. It’s like we’re in therapy
I can totally understand that
22:43 I think the same thing. That one pig in the middle doing not only a back-and-forth, but doing a quick one right at the end, is just SO GOOD! In other word, they aren't all in sync making the same motions/gestures. They seem so individual.
What I think is exceptionally beautiful about non-biological familial love is the element of choice. They chose to invite and accept that child into their lives even though they don’t have any social obligation to raise or love them. That kind of love comes from a very selfless place (and I don’t shame anyone who can’t have that kind of lifestyle, it’s not for everyone and requires a lot of sacrifice and energy). My son and I are so very lucky to have my partner in our lives. It’s a rare gift that we don’t take for granted. 💖
The second movie hits so deep and you guys just covered everything 😭 ALSO WILL YOU GUYS EVER DO PUSS IN BOOTS AND THE LAST WISH ITS SO GOOD I PROMISE
That "Easy A" clips is one of my favorites. One of few teen movies with great parents.
I was told by my parents when I was 9 that I was adopted. It never truly bothered me and I was happy to know that they still loved me. I never cared about it until I was confronted by someone who claimed to be a sister from one of my biological parents. Since then, and also being around people who have ‘family traditions’ and ‘family ties’, I’ve been wondering more about my own. Po asking the simple things like, “Who am I,” and “Where did I come from,” have been entirely relatable, and understanding who I am from that has been that much more prominent as I’ve grown into adulthood.
It hasn’t been entirely easy, but I’ve found a way to view it that does help. When thinking about my past and my biological family ties and traditions, I’ve seen it as is being a blank canvas: sure, I don’t have anything to define me, but that also means that I can *make* who I am. I don’t know about them, but I can know me. And nobody can take me away from me.