Beyond Entertainment: Children’s Media Reflects Real-World Family Issues
The story was originally published by The Observer with support from our 2025 Child Welfare Impact Reporting Fund.
Cobra Bubbles, right, is a social worker voiced by Ving Rhames in “Lilo & Stitch.”
Generally, dealing with sensitive subjects for children can be challenging. Experience has shown parents and caregivers that keeping quiet about “adult” subjects or ignoring problems doesn’t mean young people are unaware of them.
For its part, the entertainment industry has explored a wide range of approaches to topics such as sex, sexual abuse, death, divorce, and family separation due to child welfare system involvement. Creators frequently use cartoons, animation and other children’s programming to address these issues, making system exposure seem normal and encouraging open discussion about related experiences.
‘The PJs’ (1999-2001)
In an episode of “The PJs” a runaway needs to find a place to stay after her parents go to jail.
“Can we keep her?” Once upon a time in the projects, Eddie Murphy’s stop-motion animated sitcom introduced a young character, Sharique, a runaway whose parents were in jail. Sharique doesn’t want to stay with “strangers who don’t care about me.” In the third-season episode “It Takes a Thurgood,” two 10-year-old boys try to hide Sharique in the boiler room of their apartment building. Upon discovering her, Thurgood, the building superintendent, wonders if the teen has anyone who can take her in.
The episode pokes fun at television’s historically unrealistic treatment of foster care and adoption when Thurgood asks if a wacky neighbor (“Punky Brewster”), a sassy Black maid (“Gimme a Break”) or a white millionaire (“Diff’rent Strokes” and “Webster”) could step in. Overall, “It Takes a Thurgood” is a scathing social commentary on public housing and the child welfare system. At one point Thurgood says, “I don’t know that foster guy, but I’ve heard some crazy things.” During a surprise housing inspection, an elderly neighbor offers to foster Sharique to get “an extra check.” Tired of their shenanigans, the inspector hurries them along because “he has other families to break up.”
‘Despicable Me’ (2010)
Dru, a criminal supervillain turned secret agent, adopts sisters Margo, Edith, and Agnes from Miss Hattie’s Home for Girls, where wards are treated badly, including being put inside a “box of shame” when they don’t meet their forced cookie sale quotas.
‘Stuart Little’ (1999)
A young mouse is adopted by a human family. The story centers on Stuart’s search for his birth parents, and ultimately his place in the world.
‘Meet the Robinsons’ (2007)
The Disney film follows Lewis, who was abandoned at an orphanage as a baby. Over the next 12 years, Lewis has numerous failed adoption interviews, as his inventive nature and passion for building things scare away potential adoptive parents. He meets an eccentric family who accepts him in all his unique glory.
‘Sesame Street’
Sorry 47, “Sesame Street” has and always will be a champion for diversity and inclusion. In May 2019, during National Foster Care Month, the landmark show introduced Karli, a young, green “monster” character. In a segment titled “A Place for You,” Elmo and Karli’s “for-now parents” talk to her about her feelings of belonging as she deals with being in foster care. Elmo sings “You Belong” to help his new friend feel welcome. In later episodes, Karli reveals that her mother struggled with addiction and recovery. Karli, Elmo and a few of their human friends discuss Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, realizing that kids of addicts are not alone and that it’s OK to open up about their feelings. “Sesame Street” has also had “topical characters” take on autism, divorce, parental incarceration, and homelessness (although Oscar the Grouch was the first in my opinion).
‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ (2011)
If you ever wondered how a crane could have a panda as a child, it’s this film. In it, the panda in question, Po, searches for his birth family after his father reveals a bombshell, that he was “kind of adopted.” The movie depicts how biological and adoptive families can both love children.
‘The Tigger Movie’ (2000)
Though Tigger normally hops to the beat of his own drummer, preferring his independence, in the film he embarks on a journey to find his birth family and, alongside Winnie the Pooh and his companions from the Hundred Acre Wood, learns the real definition of family.
‘Lilo & Stitch’ (2002)
“Ohana” means family. In the 2002 Disney favorite, Lilo is a little Hawaiian girl whose sister, Nani, becomes her guardian after they lose their parents in a car accident. Lilo and her emotional support dog/alien, Stitch, get into all kinds of mishaps and misadventures, all the while being visited by child protective services. Throughout their journey, they learn about the importance of family and connections. Released earlier this year, a live-action version stirred up controversy, in part due to a story-line change that has Nani agreeing to give up custody of Lilo, rather than tirelessly fighting for her as she did in the original animated film.
‘Doc McStuffins’ (2012-2020)
He wanted to name the new sibling Spooky Baby Alien Eyes, but thankfully they went with Maya instead. The widely popular series introduced adoption themes with a five-part storyline focused on the McStuffins family adopting to add to their family. The episodes use positive adoption language to help young viewers understand and embrace the concept. To ensure an accurate and sensitive portrayal, Disney Jr. collaborated with experts. The story covered different parts of the adoption experience, including preparation for the new child and dealing with siblings’ worries and questions.
‘Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends’(2004-2009)
Phil LaMarr holds a toy version of his character Wilt from “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.”
The award-winning Cartoon Network show tells the story of where imaginary friends go after “their children” don’t need them anymore. It used imaginary friends to explore themes of abandonment, the need for care, and the hope for a new, loving family. Black voice actors Phil LaMarr (“Mad TV,” “Futurama,” and “Static Shock”) and Kevin Michael Richardson (“Lilo & Stitch” series, “Teen Titans” and “F Is for Family”) are among those who bring the imaginary friends to life.
Parental Controls
The narratives presented by these movies and television programs help normalize adoption, foster care and family separation experiences, and encourage open discussions. By representing diverse family structures and the emotional complexities of adoption and foster care, these offerings provide children with relatable characters and situations, while also educating parents and caregivers. While children should be taught that TV isn’t always real, recognizing the significant impact media has on children’s development, it is essential that art imitates life.