Did Marlin Neglect Nemo

I wrote an article recently on child abuse protection and negligence as a sign of this occurring. While writing this article a movie came on television which caught my attention because my daughter had been asking me to get the movie for her. It was rather coincidental in that some of the issues that I was raising in the original of this article seemed to be raised in the movie. The point had to with overbearing parents who do not allow enough scope for their children to develop as mature individuals.

The movie was "Finding Nemo". For those few that may not have seen the movie it is about a young clown fish by the name of Nemo who was orphaned at birth and left to the care of his father. Because of the way in which Nemo lost his mother, Nemo's father becomes over protective and was not allowing Nemo enough scope for personal development including becoming an individual. Nemo in rebellion is caught up in a human trap and placed in a pet shop for sale. Nemo's father Marlin goes on search for Nemo and the two are finally reunited. At the end of the movie Marlin allows his son more scope to do what he wants to do.

Parents can sometimes place high expectations on their children and may over power them not allowing them enough scope to source out issues for themselves. They in fact become stifling over trivial matters. The reason why this becomes neglect is that these parents are neglecting to provide a warm caring environment where the child is allowed enough space to develop as a unique individual. Frequently in these circumstances children become rebellious and in need of child abuse protection because of the troubles they get themselves in to.


Of course this is not an easy issue because it is so very difficult for many parents to gain the balance between child discipline and allowing children to become independent and self reliant. Nevertheless there are many times when parents want to show the way for their children but their children want to go their own way and to find out things for themselves. In some of these occasions a wise parent needs to be able to work out the difference between important and not so important issues. There are times when parents need to accept that their children are able to make decisions for themselves and take acceptable risks.

In the case of "Finding Nemo", Nemo eventually works his own way out of his predicament and is reunited in to a loving relationship with his father. This is true to the life of many people. Young people have within them the drive to be independent and to make decisions for the direction their life goes. They rebel and often this is serious because so many bad decisions are made with disastrous consequences. However later in life the rebellious young person will turn around and be reunited with their parents. It is as the old saying goes. Let go and let God.

 
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