History Main / ParentsAreWrong

* ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'': Say what you will about Romeo and Juliet's own mistakes, but the blame for the tragedy falls heavily on their parents, who have [[YoungLoveVersusOldHate perpetuated the bloody feud that stands between the lovers]], and in particular Juliet's parents, who try to force her into an ArrangedMarriage, verbally abusing and threatening to [[IHaveNoSon disown her]] when she resists. In the end, both fathers accept the blame for having caused their children's deaths and make peace in their mutual grief and guilt.

--> '''Sebastian''': It's like I always say, your Majesty. Children have got to be free to lead their own lives.\\

* One episode of ''Series/{{Touch}}'' involves a Saudi teenager who aspires to be a doctor, but whose parents have earmarked her for an ArrangedMarriage. After she runs away from home with a friend and they end up delivering a woman's baby in the middle of the desert, her dad decides to let her go to medical school after all. It probably helps that in the same episode, her betrothed ends up marrying a woman overseas, making the arranged marriage moot anyway.

* In ''Film/DeadPoetsSociety'', Neil has forged a letter that misrepresents his father as starring in the play. When he does, his dad is so shocked, he withdraws Neil from Welton and enrolls him in a military school, telling him that he won't let Neil squander the opportunities of being a doctor. Neil looks back at his one big enjoyable moment on stage before he decides to commit suicide and end his father's hopes. {{Averted}} because one of Mr. Perry's primary expectations is that Neil won't disappoint him by pursuing acting, so he can become a doctor. Mr. Perry angrily takes Neil out of Welton and enrolls him in a military academy, which would delay Neil's becoming a doctor by a few extra years, which his dad disregards as irrelevant in contrast to Neil experiencing greater opportunities as a doctor, which would have been achieved sooner if Mr. Perry didn't insist on putting Neil into military school. Mr. Perry's hopes are crushed when Neil commits suicide, and he asks Dean Nolan to conduct an investigation into Keating's activities and involvement that may have led to Neil's death.

** In ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'', the sultan insists that Jasmine must marry a prince, in keeping with law and tradition. But Jasmine falls in love with Aladdin, and at the end of the movie, [[ForgotICouldChangeTheRules the sultan changes the law to allow Jasmine to marry whoever she wants]].
** In ''Disney/{{Moana}}'', Moana wants to explore the ocean but her father is overprotective and forbids it. Eventually Moana proves herself as a capable explorer, and the entire tribe starts exploring the surrounding areas. (Moana is actually reviving an old forgotten tradition here, as the tribe used to explore all the time. But the trope still applies because she's in conflict with her father and eventually her father is proven wrong.)
** In ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'', Mulan's parents expect her to be traditionally feminine so she can be a good bride. Mulan eventually proves her mettle as a soldier (and finds a love interest along the way), and her family relents.
** In ''Disney/TheLittleMermaid'', Ariel wants to live on land and marry a human. King Triton vetoes this, but he relents in the ending when he sees how much she does love him.

* In Disney's ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'', the sultan insists that Jasmine must marry a prince, in keeping with law and tradition. But Jasmine falls in love with Aladdin, and at the end of the movie, [[ForgotICouldChangeTheRules the sultan changes the law to allow Jasmine to marry whoever she wants]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'', Merida is approached by three suitors and her mother says that she has to marry one of them. Merida turns them all down, insisting that marriage should be her own choice. Eventually, Merida's mother agrees to break tradition for Merida's sake.
* In Disney's ''Disney/{{Moana}}'', Moana wants to explore the ocean but her father is overprotective and forbids it. Eventually Moana proves herself as a capable explorer, and the entire tribe starts exploring the surrounding areas. (Moana is actually reviving an old forgotten tradition here, as the tribe used to explore all the time. But the trope still applies because she's in conflict with her father and eventually her father is proven wrong.)
* In Disney's ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'', Mulan's parents expect her to be traditionally feminine so she can be a good bride. Mulan eventually proves her mettle as a soldier (and finds a love interest along the way), and her family relents.
* In Pixar's ''WesternAnimation/{{Ratatouille}}'', Remy is a rat who wants to be a chef, but his dad wants him to eat garbage like all the other rats. Eventually Remy proves himself as a chef and his Dad learns to accept it.
* In ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'', Nemo wants to be more adventurous but his dad Marlin is overprotective. Nemo ''does'' find himself in risky situations, but nevertheless the aesop of the climax is that Marlin needs to let go and allow Nemo to have more freedom.
* In Disney's ''Disney/TheLittleMermaid'', Ariel wants to live on land and marry a human. King Triton vetoes this, but eventually relents and realizes that "children should be free to live their own lives."

* In Disney's ''Disney/TheLittleMermaid'', Ariel wants to live on land and marry a human. King Trident vetoes this, but eventually relents and realizes that "children should be free to live their own lives."

* "Where the Lilies Bloom" by Bill and Vera Cleaver. After the death of his wife, a dying Roy Luther left daughter Mary Call with these requests: One, do whatever is necessary to hide the fact that he's dead. Otherwise, the government will come along and split the children apart. Two, prevent her older sister Devola from marrying that no-good Kiser Pease. Mary Call gradually comes to see that her father was wrong about both of those things. The story closes with Kiser and Devola's wedding, and it's assumed that the older siblings will now help look out for the younger ones. Mary Call even comes right out and states that father was wrong.

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* "Where the Lilies Bloom" by Bill and Vera Cleaver. After the death of his wife, a dying Roy Luther left daughter Mary Call with these requests: One, do whatever is necessary to hide the fact that he's dead. Otherwise, the government will come along and split the children apart. Two, prevent her older sister Devola from marrying that no-good Kiser Pease. Mary Call gradually comes to see that her father was wrong about both of those things. The story closes with Kiser and Devola's wedding, and it's assumed that the older siblings will now help look out for the younger ones. Mary Call even says in the commentary that her father was wrong.

* In Disney's ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'', the sultan insists that Jasmine must marry a prince, in keeping with law and tradition. But Jasmine falls in love with Aladdin, and at the end of the movie the sultan changes the law to allow Jasmine to marry whoever she wants.