Line #161 Main/TheParentTrope


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7	->'''Socrates:''' ''My friend, I am a man, and like other men, a creature of flesh and blood, and not 'of wood or stone,' as Creator/{{Homer}} says; and I have a family, yes, and sons, O Athenians, three in number, one almost a man, and two others who are still young''
8	-->-- '''Creator/{{Plato}}''', ''[[Literature/ApologyOfSocrates Apology]]''
9
10	Of course, mothers and fathers can be important in fiction, whether or [[ParentalIssues not]] they are actually around.
11
12	For the other side of things, see SonOfTropeDaughterOfIndex.
13
14	[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] SuperTrope or ''Film/{{The Parent Trap\|1961}}''.
15	----
16	!!Tropes:
17	[[index]]
18	[floatboxright:
19	Related:
20	+ AdoptAnIndex
21	+ OrphanedIndex
22	+ ParentalIssues
23	+ PaternityTropes
24	]
25	* AbandonedWarChild: Women are left single mothers during or after a war.
26	* AbsurdlyElderlyFather: Fathers are too old to have children.
27	* AbsurdlyElderlyMother: Mothers are too old to have children.
28	* AbsurdlyYouthfulMother: Mothers are too young to have children.
29	* AbusiveParents: The parents are cruel and abusive.
30	* ActionDad: A father who is an ActionHero.
31	* ActionMom: A mother who is an ActionGirl.
32	* AdoptivePeerParent: The parents adopted a child who appears too old to be their biological offspring.
33	* AlmightyMom: A mother who succeeds in telling off anyone, even the worst antagonists.
34	* AmbiguouslyAbsentParent: A character has an absentee parent, but it's never explained or addressed.
35	* AmicableExes: A split couple who are still friends.
36	* AncestralName: A parent named their child after themselves, their parent or their more distant ancestors.
37	* AndYourRewardIsParenthood: Games give your character a child as a reward for completing some task or requirement.
38	* AntagonisticOffspring: TheHero's kid is their nemesis.
39	* AnticsEnablingWife: A wife or mother who does nothing to stop the antics of a BumblingDad despite knowing better.
40	* AnticlimacticParent: A parent is revealed to have a bad rep.
41	* AntiEducationMama: Parents that frown upon their child getting an education.
42	* AntiSmotherLoveTalk: Someone tries to talk a parent concerned for their child's safety into letting them take risks.
43	* AppealToFamilialWisdom: Quoting something your parent once said to you.
44	* ArchnemesisDad: The villain is the protagonist's father.
45	* AsianBabymama: The male lead discovers he has a child and the mother is an ex who is an "exotic" Asian lady.
46	* BabiesEverAfter: The story ends when the main couple has kids.
47	* BabyDollBaby: Looking after a baby doll like it's your actual son or daughter.
48	* BabyFeverTrigger: Seeing someone else's child makes someone want to be a parent themselves.
49	* BastardBegetter: A character has a lot of children outside of their relationship.
50	* BecauseISaidSo: Someone says that their inferior (often their child) should obey "just because".
51	* BecauseYouCanCope: A character (usually a child) is ignored by a loved one because said loved one has decided to look after someone else.
52	* BirthDeathJuxtaposition: Someone is born shortly after someone else dies.
53	* BreakingTheCycleOfBadParenting: A parent or parental figure who is shown as a better parent than their own.
54	* BoyfriendBlockingDad: A father who strongly opposes boys who try to date his daughter.
55	* BumblingDad: A klutzy and/or unintelligent father.
56	* CallingParentsByTheirName: Someone calls their parents by their given names, rather than "Mom", "Dad", or what-have-you.
57	* ChangelingFantasy: The hero's "real" parents are different, more interesting people than the ones who raised them.
58	* ChildrenRaiseYou: CharacterDevelopment comes from looking after a kid.
59	* ChildSupplantsParent: A child wants to overthrow, replace, or supersede their parent.
60	* ChosenConceptionPartner: Someone wants a child and picks someone who is not their spouse to be the other parent.
61	* CubCuesProtectiveParent: The human characters find a baby wild animal and are chased by its parent.
62	* DadsCantCook: When the father has to take on cooking duties, things go badly.
63	* DadsOffFightingInTheWar: A parent who is absent due to being in the military.
64	* DadTheVeteran: A parent who is a retired military person.
65	* DatingWhatDaddyHates: An adolescent girl or young woman living with her parents brings home her boyfriend, whom her dad disapproves of.
66	* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: The GoodParents die.
67	* DeliverUsFromEvil: An evil person [[HeelFaceTurn turns good]] after starting a family.
68	* DelusionsOfParentalLove: Parents are ''supposed'' to love their kids, so the children cling to this belief despite evidence to the contrary.
69	* DepartmentOfChildDisservices: Child Services works stupidly.
70	* DesignatedParents: A group of friends have two people the same age who are more mature, acting like the parents of the others.
71	* TheDiaperChange: Changing a baby's diaper.
72	* DisappearedDad: A dad is not present.
73	* DisownedParent: A child (of any age) disowns one or more of their parents.
74	* DivineParentage: A child of one or two gods.
75	* DoesntKnowTheirOwnChild: A parent's knowledge on their own children is so small or so outdated that it is clear they don't know them.
76	* DontTellMama: People do bad things but want to keep their mothers from knowing about the bad things they do.
77	* DotingParent: A parent who believes their kid is the best child in the world.
78	* EducationMama: A parent who worries a lot about their child's education.
79	* EggSitting: Learning about parenting by having to care for an egg, or a doll, or a sack of flour.
80	* ElderAbuse: When the now-old parent is abused.
81	* EmbarrassingOldPhoto: When someone (often their parent) shows the protagonist a photo of them as a child which, for whatever reason, embarrasses them.
82	* EmptyNest: A couple whose children have left home, miss them.
83	* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Tough or even bad guys being affectionate to their mothers.
84	* EvilMatriarch: A villainous mother.
85	* EvilParentsWantGoodKids: Villains want their children to be good.
86	* ExtraParentConception: Someone is somehow the biological child of ''three'' people.
87	* FamilyMan: A man who's very loyal to his family.
88	* FantasyForbiddingFather: A parent or guardian forbids their kid to take part in any hobbies outside their job because they view the hobbies as a "distraction" or a "waste".
89	* FathersQuest: A parent (mostly a father) goes to rescue their child.
90	* FeminineMotherTomboyishDaughter: A daughter is much more tomboyish than her mother.
91	* FinancialAbuse: Someone needs money but another character is keeping it away from them.
92	* FirstFatherWins: A divorced father is the lead and the mother takes custody of the kids, but then the stepdad turns out to be evil and gets killed off or otherwise "loses".
93	* FosteringForProfit: Someone fosters a child purely for business.
94	* FreudianExcuse: The villain is the way they are because something bad happened to them somewhere along the line.
95	* FunnyConceptionStory: A baby was conceived in an amusing way.
96	* GenerationXerox: Kids have very similar lives as their parents or even distant ancestors.
97	* GiftForAnOutgrownInterest: A gift-giver's idea of what the recipient (usually a parent to their child) would like is based on ''very'' outdated memories.
98	* GiveHimANormalLife: Superheroes have kids and give them up for adoption to protect them.
99	* GiveTheBabyAFather: A man who isn't the father proposes to a pregnant woman.
100	* GlamorousSingleMother: A single mother whose kids are never inconvenient.
101	* GlorifiedSpermDonor: The father left after impregnating the mother, but all's well when he shows up again.
102	* GoodParents: Parents who are good to their children.
103	* GoodStepmother: A stepmother who loves and supports her stepchildren.
104	* GoToYourRoom: A child is sent to their room as punishment, often by one or both of their parents.
105	* GroundedForever: A child is grounded (often by their parents) for a ridiculously long time like "a million years" or "forever".
106	* HandsOffParenting: Parents generally let their kids do whatever they want.
107	* HappilyAdopted: A person knows they are adopted and is happy with it.
108	* HappilyMarried: A successful marriage.
109	* HelicopterParents: An overbearing and/or overprotective parent who interfere with their children's personal lives.
110	* HiMom: A character who is on camera greets their mother, who may or may not be watching.
111	* HippieParents: A hippie couple with kids.
112	* HonorThyParent: Parents are seen as deserving deferential treatment; people who don't render this are called out for it.
113	* {{Househusband}}: A married man who takes care of the housework.
114	* {{Housewife}}: A stay-at-home wife who looks after the house and does most of the parenting.
115	* HowDadMetMom: A story detailing how two parents met.
116	* IAmNotYourFather: A reveal that the protagonist's "parents" are not their real parents.
117	* IAmXSonOfY: Someone boasts "I am [their name], son/daughter of [one or both their parents' names]!"
118	* IHaveNoSon: A family member disowns another one out of shame.
119	* IllegalGuardian: Someone adopts children to reap some illicit financial benefits at the kids' expense.
120	* ImmigrantParents: Someone has parents who immigrated from another country.
121	* InterracialAdoptionStruggles: Parents adopting a child of a different racial background or ethnicity than themselves, leading to struggles or cultural clashes.
122	* InvisibleParents: A character whose parents are never seen.
123	* IsThatCuteKidYours: An adult is mistaken for the parent of a young child.
124	* IWantGrandkids: An adult's parent wants grandchildren and annoys their son or daughter to get them some.
125	* JacobAndEsau: Each parent favours a different child or each child favors a different parent.
126	* JealousParent: The mum or dad competes with their child for their spouse's affection.
127	* JewishMother: The stereotype of a nagging, overprotective mother who's also Jewish.
128	* JoblessParentDrama: A family struggles due to a parent lacking a job.
129	* JockDadNerdSon: The father is very athletic. The son is nerdy but not athletic.
130	* KidsPlayMatchmaker: A child tries to find a new partner for their parent, and by extension a new mom/dad.
131	** KidsPlayMatchBreaker: When the kids try to scare away any potential suitors for their single parent.
132	* LamarckWasRight: Inheriting traits which shouldn't ordinarily be genetic.
133	* LearningToRideABike: Parents teaching their children to ride a bike is a common milestone moment.
134	* LetHerGrowUpDear: The father doesn't want the child (often a girl) to have romance, but the mother doesn't mind.
135	* LikeFatherLikeSon: A person resembles one of their parents.
136	* LikeFatherUnlikeSon: A child doesn't resemble at least one of their parents, in fact, they may be exact opposites.
137	* LineageComesFromTheFather: All of the character's significant lineage is on their father's side.
138	* LovingParentCruelParent: One parent is loving, the other is abusive or violent.
139	* LukeIAmYourFather: TheHero finds out the BigBad was a relative, often their dad.
140	* LukeYouAreMyFather: Someone reveals that they are the child of the person they're talking to.
141	* MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter: A MadScientist has a daughter who's their only child, is somewhere between sixteen and twenty-four, and is beautiful.
142	* MandatoryMotherhood: Women who don't want kids are demanded to have them.
143	* MamaBear: A mother whose kids you'd better not mess with.
144	* MarryTheNanny: A single parent gets with a hired parental substitute.
145	* MeetingTheParentsSequel: The hero of a work's first installment has their parents introduced in the sequel(s).
146	* MissingMom: A mom is not present.
147	* AMistakeIsBorn: A child is considered a "mistake" for their parents.
148	* MommyMobile: The boring family-hauler vehicle (typically a minivan, station wagon, or SUV) that signifies that someone's given up on being cool in favor of becoming a parent.
149	* TheMomVoice: A character, usually female, will lecture, discipline, command, or even comfort someone with a tone of voice that is reminiscent of a mother.
150	* MonsterIsAMommy: A menacing creature's behavior turns out to be justified, often because it's a mother or father protecting its kids or eggs.
151	* MotherMakesYouKing: Someone's mother makes them come into power.
152	* MotherOfAThousandYoung: A monster who is the parent of most of the other monsters.
153	* MuggleFosterParents: Someone with powers is raised by people without them.
154	* MumLooksLikeASister: Someone's mother looks like their sister.
155	* MyBelovedSmother: A bossy, overprotective, clingy mother.
156	* MyDadCanBeatUpYourDad: Children boasting about how their fathers are cooler than their rivals' fathers.
157	* MyParentsAreDead: A departed acquaintance or relative (often one the character was close to) is brought up and the character responds that the person is dead.
158	* MysteriousParent: When the reason for ParentalAbandonment is revealed and the parent is an important character.
159	* {{Nephewism}}: A character's aunt and/or uncle acts as their parental figure/s.
160	* NoBloodTies: Parents are not expected to raise their kids.
161	* NoFathersAllowed: Fatherhood is optional in this society.
162	* NotUnderTheParentsRoof: Children are not allowed to have sex at their parents' home.
163	* NotWantingKidsIsWeird: Wanting to have kids is the norm, and not wanting them is unusual.
164	* OffingTheOffspring: Killing your children.
165	* OpenMindedParent: A son or daughter lies to parents that are actually open-minded.
166	* OrcRaisedByElves: A character from an evil origin raised by good people, usually with a Heel-Face Turn.
167	* OrphanageOfFear: A torturous orphanage.
168	* OutlivingOnesOffspring: A parent outlives their children.
169	* OverlordJr: The EvilOverlord's kid is also evil.
170	* PapaWolf: When a dad gets ''really angry'' that you messed with his kids.
171	* ParentalAbandonment: The character's parents are missing or dead.
172	* ParentalBetrayal: Someone betrays their child.
173	* ParentalFashionVeto: Parents object to their child's fashion choice.
174	* ParentalHypocrisy: Parents did exactly what their children do now when they were that age, but now they disapprove of it.
175	* ParentalIncest: Sex between a parent and their child.
176	* ParentalLoveSong: A love song between a parent and their child.
177	* ParentalMarriageVeto: Parents not letting their kid marry their boyfriend or girlfriend.
178	* ParentalNeglect: A parent is aloof, careless or otherwise uncommitted to child-rearing.
179	* ParentalObliviousness: Parents seem oblivious to everything.
180	* ParentalSavingsSplurge: Your parents spend your college fund for unscrupulous reasons.
181	* ParentalSexualitySquick: Someone is {{squick}}ed out by the idea of their parents having sex.
182	* ParentalSubstitute: Someone who is not a parent raised a character.
183	* ParentChildTeam: A parent and child team up together.
184	* ParentExMachina: Parents that only exist to bail their children out.
185	* ParentNeverCameBackFromTheStore: A parent tells their family they're just going out when they're really abandoning them.
186	* ParentPreferredSuitor: When a parent supports one of their offspring's LoveInterests over another.
187	* ParentService: {{Fanservice}} in a kids' show.
188	* ParentsAreWrong: Parents need to let go of tradition so their kids can be free.
189	* ParentsAsPeople: Parents with proper character traits besides their parenthood.
190	* ParentsForADay: A baby or something like it is raised by one or two main characters for a day and leaves by the end of the episode.
191	* ParentsInDistress: The parents are in danger and the children must save them.
192	* ParentsKnowTheirChildren: A parent can identify their kid who's in disguise, surrounded by look-alikes, an impostor, or even if they haven't seen them for many years.
193	* ParentsSuckAtMatchmaking: Parents just can't pick someone who's right for their kids.
194	* ParentsWalkInAtTheWorstTime: A parent walks in on their child when the child is in a romantically compromising position.
195	* ParentWithNewParamour: A parent gets a new LoveInterest.
196	* PermissiveParents: Parents that encourage their kids to do adult stuffs.
197	* PervertDad: Fathers who come off as perverted towards their children (often their daughters).
198	* PiningAfterProtagonistsParent: A character carries a torch for the main character's (usually dead) parent.
199	* PlatonicCoParenting: Parents that aren't romantically involved with each other.
200	* PlayboyHasADaughter: TheCasanova experiences CharacterDevelopment after having a daughter.
201	* PlayingCatchWithTheOldMan: A (possibly surrogate) parent, their child, and their relationship are succinctly characterized by a simple game of catch.
202	* PromotionToParent: The oldest sibling takes charge of the parenting.
203	* PullingYourChildAway: Someone is marked as an outcast when a parent pulls their child away from them.
204	* PushoverParents: Parents who don't discipline their offspring.
205	* RaisedByGrandparents: A character who was raised by their grandparents.
206	* RaisedByNatives: An orphan child from a foreign land finds themselves in another land and is raised by that land's natives.
207	* RaisedByOrcs: A character is raised by evil characters.
208	* RaisedByTheSupernatural: A character was raised by supernatural beings.
209	* RaisedByWolves: A character was raised by animals.
210	* RefusedReunion: Parents who are missing or believed dead choose to remain missing or believed dead because their children would be better off not knowing they're really alive.
211	* RemarryingForYourKids: A widowed character with children remarries.
212	* ResentfulGuardian: A character hates suddenly having to raise a child.
213	* SharedFamilyQuirks: Two otherwise different family members share one quirk.
214	* ShootingLessonsFromYourParents: Having been taught how to handle a gun by dad or mom.
215	* SingleMomStripper: A single mother who moonlights as a stripper.
216	* SingleParentsAreUndesirable: Single parents have difficulty dating.
217	* SinkOrSwimFatherhood: A character unexpectedly becomes a parent and must learn on the job.
218	* SlidingScaleOfParentShamingInFiction
219	* SmallParentHugeChild: A parent is smaller than their child.
220	* SolomonDivorce: Divorced parents split custody of their children down the middle.
221	* SoMyKidsCanWatch: An actor/musician/director/etc. normally known for working in adult-oriented projects gets involved in a more child-friendly work ostensibly for their own children.
222	* SoProudOfYou: Everyone shows admiration for something good TheHero did, especially said hero's loved ones.
223	* SportsDad: A father who pushes his child into sports and other physical activities.
224	* StageMom: A mother puts her kid on the stage.
225	* Standard50sFather: A smart, reliable, neat dad, who often smokes a pipe.
226	* StandInParents: There is a father/child or mother/child event coming up and the kid enters but someone else pretends to be the parent.
227	* SternParentDotingParent: One parent is strict and the other parent is doting to their child.
228	* StrictParentsMakeSneakyKids: Restrictive parents just make their kids good liars.
229	* StrugglingSingleMother: A single parent, usually a mother, who struggle to support her child/children.
230	* SupernaturalProofFather: When a household starts experiencing supernatural events, the whole family except the dad experience them.
231	* SupernaturallyYoungParent: A child looks older than their parents due to supernatural causes.
232	* TakeYourChildToWorkDayPlot: A parent takes their child to visit their workplace for a day.
233	* TeamDad: The grumpy rule-enforcer of the team who acts as a parent.
234	* TeamMom: The surrogate mother to a group of friends.
235	* TeasingParent: Parent(s) teasing their children and/or playing jokes on them.
236	* TeenPregnancy: A teenage girl gets pregnant.
237	* TellMeAboutMyFather: Someone has no memories of one parent and asks the other to tell about the missing/dead one.
238	* ThatThingIsNotMyChild: A character is used to create offspring in a way that makes them refuse to identify as the child's parent.
239	* TimeOut: Misbehaving children or pets are grounded or put in time out.
240	* ToughLove: Doing things that seem mean but are ultimately kind or have good intentions.
241	* TheTrapParents: An orphan gains some parents that don't want them to hang around their friends.
242	* TrappedAtTheDinnerTable: Parents don't let children leave the dinner table until they've eaten everything on their plate.
243	* TrulySingleParent: Someone clones themselves if they want kids.
244	* TurningIntoYourParent: A grown child has an embarrassing realization that they and their parent aren't that different.
245	* TwerpSweating: When a teenage girl has a date and comes over to pick her up, he hangs out with the girl's BoyfriendBlockingDad.
246	* UncannyFamilyResemblance: Someone looks a ''lot'' like people related to them.
247	* UnflappableGuardian: A perfectly competent parent.
248	* UnnamedParent: The parents' names are not revealed.
249	* UselessBystanderParent: The parent enables bullying/abuse by doing nothing.
250	* VillainousParentalInstinct: Even evil people will protect their children.
251	* VisitByDivorcedDad: A separated parent visits the family.
252	* WackyParentSeriousChild: The child is often more mature than their parent.
253	* WellDoneDadGuy: A role model longs for the approval of their followers.
254	* WhenYouComingHomeDad: Someone's dad is almost too busy for them.
255	* WhereDidWeGoWrong: When a kid turns out different than the parents hoped, the parents wonder where they went wrong.
256	* WhoWillTakeTheKids: Parents wonder who would look after the kids if something bad happened.
257	* WhyAreYouNotMySon: Parents compare their son/daughter to their son's/daughter's friend. Jealousy ensues.
258	* WickedStepmother: A stepmother who is cruel to her stepchildren, at worst wanting them dead.
259	* WinningOverTheKids: When someone bonds with their LoveInterest's kids.
260	* WonderChild: A person who is supposed to be infertile ends up with kids anyway.
261	* YouAreGrounded: A parent grounds their child.
262	* YouKilledMyFather: Someone gets revenge on a baddie who murdered their family member.
263	* YourSonAllAlong: Alice thinks Bob is Carol's son, but he's actually hers.
264	* YoureNotMyFather: Someone rebuffs someone posing as a parent by saying something along the lines of "You're not my mother/father!"
265	[[/index]]

Context Main / TheParentTrope