One of my favorite movies is Inside Out. I love how each emotion is depicted and shown in a way where parents and kids can relate. I also appreciated that it wasn’t just a linear plot where it is very predictable on the first watch (at least not for me!) and that it was an unexpected hero that used something the world actually needs more of (the power of listening!).

My 5 year old daughter and 3 year old son did a rewatch of Inside Out since at some point, we will be watching the sequel. Originally, my son did not want to watch it because he is scared of Anger and the fire that comes out of his head. He has watched the movie a few times before, but this is the first time he has been so scared that he didn’t want to sit on the couch for the movie. Eventually, he warmed up after peeking around the corner to watch the first 10 minutes of the movie that he made his way to the couch. I could see Fear dominate his head, but curiosity got the best of him and he was proud that he was so brave throughout the whole movie.

My daughter on the other hand was excited to see the movie again. She especially likes the abstract scene where everyone gets mixed and jumbled up. It is by far the funniest part where she can’t stop laughing throughout the whole scene. Like her brother, she has seen the movie a few times and has not reacted emotionally to it other than getting slightly scared of the clown scene (which we skipped since I don’t want her having nightmares at night about it) and Anger getting angry (which she has not been afraid of for a while). I remember when I first watched Inside Out that I almost teared up after what happened to Bing Bong. It was so unexpected for me in the movie and he really wanted the best for Riley (the main character). My daughter started crying after seeing this scene again and I guess she is starting to really understand what happened to Bing Bong (and maybe appreciate what he did). It’s not easy to do the right thing, especially when it is the hardest decision you have to make.

Seeing Bing Bong be so courageous really brought out the emotions in my daughter and it gave me flashbacks to how I felt the first time I watched the movie. If anything, I hope it helps her (and all of my kids) understand emotions a lot better and realize that each emotion is important. They all have their places and we should t neglect the other emotions just to feel joy. It’s ok to feel angry, sad, disgusted, or scared. They are equally valid and we have to listen to what is going on while not suppressing how we feel. Understanding that is the best part of watching Inside Out and I can’t wait to see what they have drawn up for Inside Out 2.