6 ways the ‘Incredibles 2’ shows us how much parenting has changed in 14 years
Mum is off saving the world while dad’s at home raising the kids? Not only does Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles 2 look brilliant, but it shows just how much parenting has changed in the 14 years since the first instalment hit cinemas.
The Incredible family
It was hard not to fall in love with Disney Pixar’s 2004 hit, The Incredibles. It was funny, cute, exciting and heartfelt — and the best part was that this family of supers all had powers that were incredibly relatable. There was the super-strong, protective dad; the flexible mum being pulled in all directions; the shy, invisible daughter hiding away; the son with too much energy, who was capable of running at breakneck speed; and then the crazy, mysterious baby.
The sequel promises to turn everything on its head with some new plot lines, and quite frankly we’re pumped about it (especially given that most of the fans of the original movie are now parents themselves). But if you look a little closer at the trailer for the Incredibles 2, you will notice it reveals just how much parenting has changed in the time it’s taken them to release a sequel.
1. Stay-at-home dads are now a thing
The premise of the new flick is that Helen (aka Elastigirl and Mumma Incredible) is hired by a big tycoon to bring superheroes back into the spotlight, and so Bob (Mr Incredible) is left looking after the kids at home. Feeding the kids, helping with homework, doing the laundry, reading bedtime stories – not just women’s work anymore, hey Pixar?!
2. Mum can be the breadwinner
Yes that’s right! Elastigirl gets to leave dirty nappies, cooking dinners and school pick-ups behind as she hoons around on a motorbike living out all of her wildest dreams, fighting bad guys and showing off her impressively stretchy skills. This plot line definitely encourages mums to have their time to shine outside the home – if they so please. And dads get a chance to enjoy the ups and downs of running the home and raising the kids. Today’s parenting requires partners to agree to balance and share the load between them, in order to support each other’s goals and keep the money coming in.
3. You won’t know how to do your child’s maths homework
Seeing Mr Incredible struggle with Dash’s maths homework is hilarious because it’s true. The education system is continually changing the way they teach certain subjects to our kids, and it’s incredibly confusing for parents who grew up doing it very differently. Basically we’re both totally useless when it comes to ‘helping’ our kids with homework.
4. Parenting is more exhausting than ever
Poor, tired Bob. What parent hasn’t tried to read their toddler a bedtime story to lull them off to sleep only to find themselves nodding off to the sound of their own voice? We’ve all been there. And why is that? Oh, it’s because we are all so darn exhausted. But why are parents these days so tired when compared to older generations? I guess life was simpler back then!
5. We’re muddling through the unknown
At the end of the first movie we were treated to a display of Jack Jack’s awesome super powers, and Incredibles 2 promises to reveal a whole lot more of just how powerful (and out of control) he really is. Like most parents of toddlers, Bob has no idea what Jack Jack will do – or turn into – next! Add to that the uncertainty of parenting little ones through the murky waters of screen time, social media and new technologies and we’ve all got basically no idea what the future holds for our kids.
6. “Parenting is heroic” – and you better believe it
Perhaps the best news we’ve had all week is that Edna Mode is back on board to share her straight-talking pearls of wisdom in the sequel. Our absolute favourite quote from the trailer is her comment to an exasperated Bob that “parenting done properly is heroic.” A truth that is all too easy to forget when you’re weighed down by nappies, baby food, and bone-tired. Society is finally beginning to understand just how difficult raising kids is, and recognise that it’s an important, full-time job that’s not to be taken lightly.
The #Incredibles2 trailer is here. See the film in theatres June 15, 2018. pic.twitter.com/cTZIkWeDK5
— Disney (@Disney) November 18, 2017
The Incredible 2 is set for release Australia-wide on June 15.
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