Finding Dory Encourages Parents of Differently Abled Children

Finding Dory, which opened nationwide June 17th, is the long awaited sequel to one of my all time favorite Disney and Pixar films, ‘Finding Nemo’. In this movie, we learn more about the story and background of my favorite forgetful blue tang fish, Dory. 

 

 

Dory has a learning challenge which she calls, “short-term remembery loss.” In this movie we get to meet Dory’s parents and through flashbacks we get to see how they raised Dory. As a little fish in a big ocean, Dory’s parents must help her learn how to stay safe which can tend to be challenging due to her memory difficulties. They find creative ways to help her remember key safety rules and that allow her to “just keep swimming” safely and happily.

 

 

When I sat down for an interview with Eugene Levy who plays the part of Dory’s Dad, Charlie, he shared that he hopes that this movie will encourage and support parents of special needs children. 

 

He said, “I know a couple of friends who have autistic kids and I know how much energy it actually takes to get through a day or even part of a day…if you’re not at all familiar with that you would have no idea how much energy and perseverance and patience that it takes.”

 

In Finding Dory, Dory’s parents instinctively find their own ways to open up the world for her without forcing her to change who she is. Eugene shares that he feels that this is the case with many parents of differently abled children. 

 

He said, “I really think that parents who do have kids with disabilities…I think by in large they kind of know, what they have to do and how to do it.”

 

Eugene continues to praise these parents saying, “I think they’re doing the job. If they pick up [that message] from this movie, then that would be a wonderful thing.”

 

Parents of all children, who need a little reminder to “just keep swimming” and to just enjoy their children for who they are, should swim over to see “Finding Dory” in theaters everywhere now! 

 

I received an all expense paid trip, for the purposes of scoping out Finding Dory. All opinions are my own.

Interview photo credit to Sara Lundberg / BudgetSavvyDiva.com.