In the world of Disney, there are many characters who can teach us valuable lessons about empathy and emotional attunement, but one stands out as a true icon of this message: Ariel, the Little Mermaid.
As a character, Ariel embodies empathy and emotional attunement in her relationships with others, particularly with her father King Triton. Throughout the film, she is constantly seeking to understand and connect with others on a deeper emotional level, and is willing to go to great lengths to do so.
This lesson on empathy and emotional attunement is particularly relevant to parenting, where the ability to connect with and understand your child’s emotions is critical to building a strong and healthy relationship.
To explore this topic, let’s take a look at some of the key moments in The Little Mermaid where Ariel demonstrates her empathy and emotional attunement, and how other characters in the Disney universe can help us understand this lesson even further.
One of the most poignant moments in The Little Mermaid is when Ariel sings “Part of Your World”, expressing her desire to understand human culture and connect with the world beyond her own. This song is a powerful demonstration of empathy, as Ariel is trying to step outside herself and understand the feelings and experiences of others.
This message is echoed in other Disney films as well, such as Beauty and the Beast, where Belle expresses her desire to connect with the Beast, even though he appears frightening and untouchable. This desire to understand and connect with others, even those who seem different or scary, is a central tenet of empathy and emotional attunement.
Another key moment in The Little Mermaid is when Ariel pleads with King Triton to let her go to the surface and explore the human world. In this scene, Ariel is expressing her desire for empathy and emotional attunement with humans, who she sees as misunderstood and undervalued by her own society.
This message is echoed in other Disney films as well, such as The Lion King, where Simba must learn to understand and empathize with the hyenas, who he previously saw as enemies. This lesson about the importance of empathy and emotional attunement in understanding and connecting with people from different backgrounds is an essential one for parents to learn as well.
One final moment we’ll explore from The Little Mermaid is when Ariel is transformed into a human, and she and Eric fall in love. In this scene, Ariel is practicing emotional attunement, as she is able to see and connect with Eric’s emotions and needs in a deep and meaningful way.
This message is echoed in other Disney films as well, such as Inside Out, where the main character Riley learns about the importance of understanding and connecting with all of her emotions, including those that are difficult or uncomfortable. Teaching children to be emotionally attuned and empathetic towards themselves and others is a critical part of parenting, and something that Ariel’s story can help us understand even better.
In conclusion, we can learn a great deal from Ariel, the Little Mermaid, about the importance of empathy and emotional attunement in parenting. By understanding and connecting with our children’s emotions, we can build strong and healthy relationships that will last a lifetime. So the next time you watch a Disney movie, take some time to reflect on the lessons about empathy and emotional attunement that are embedded in these stories, and think about how you can apply them in your own life and relationships. Because, as Ariel’s story teaches us, there’s nothing more powerful or transformative than the ability to truly connect with and understand the emotions of those around us.
Ariel from The Little Mermaid embodies empathy and emotional attunement, particularly in her relationship with King Triton. Other Disney films like Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King echo this message about understanding and connecting with others from different backgrounds. Teaching children to be emotionally attuned and empathetic towards themselves and others is a critical part of parenting.
“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.” – Walt Disney.