10 Great Movies for Adoption and Foster Families

The Greens have struggled with infertility. Later, they struggle with keeping secrets. This is a great movie for folks who are considering adoption, and for folks who have already adopted. The Greens process their grief over infertility in a healthy manner. They also eventually learn that keeping Timothy's story a secret isn't the best for him. This movie could also work for kids who've felt like they need to keep their life story a secret; it could help them talk about why they've felt that way, and what they wish they could share.

Po, a Panda, lives with his father, Mr. Ping, a goose. Po has questions about his identity. He and Mr. Ping almost talk about adoption, but don't get there (in this movie; they do in the sequel.) This is a great movie to start conversations with young kids about how they view themselves, what they like about themselves, and what they wish they could change.

In this movie, Po finds himself remembering snippets of his life before he was raised by Mr. Ping. He and Mr. Ping finally talk, and Po learns a little about his life before adoption. He continues his identity quest from the last movie, and ultimately has to answer the question, "Who are you?" He decides that he is Mr. Ping's son, among other things. This is a very positive movie; it has a strong, affirming message, and is very well-made. Watch it with your kids! I posted a discussion guide about this movie and Kung Fu Panda 1 on AdoptionLCSW.com that could help you get the most out of watching.

Issues of identity and belonging are important issues for kids who have been adopted or kids in foster care. This movie tackles both issues very well. I recommend this to adoptive families with children between the ages of 4-10.

Believe it or not, Disney's Tarzan has a really adoption-relevant scene. Tarzan's parents were killed by a jungle cat when he was an infant, but Tarzan was spared. He has been raised in a community of apes, and considers Kala his mother. It isn't until Tarzan has met another human that Kala shows him the ruins of his first home and photographs of his parents. Tarzan asks why he wasn't told earlier. After he knows his whole story, Tarzan still finds that Kala is his mother and the ape community is his home. I recommend this to parents who have adopted an infant, or to people considering adoption; as you watch, imagine how Tarzan's life would have been different had Kala never hidden his story from him.

Tarzan struggles with identity issues in this movie. He can't quite keep up with all the other apes and feels that he does not fit into the community. Although his mother says he does belong, Tarzan eventually runs away. While in self-imposed exile, Tarzan tries to figure out what he is; he eventually decides that what he is, is himself. And that's good enough. This is a fun movie for kids who struggle with feeling different from the rest of their family, and might just need a boost of self-esteem and affirmation that they are OK. This movie, combined with well-guided parental affirmations, can be really helpful.

Roger and J.P. are two boys in a foster home. They each hope for a family: J.P. wishes for a father, and Roger hopes to be reunified with his father. Roger experiences disappointment when his father relinquishes parental rights, but is comforted by his foster mother and by a man who eventually expresses interest in adopting Roger. This movie could be helpful for a foster family or adoptive family with pre-teenagers who struggle with feeling abandoned. I've posted some helpful discussion questions on adoptionLCSW.com

This movie is quite unique in that it features a single foster father and focuses on the emotional bond between father and child. This movie could be good for foster and adoptive families where a child is having difficulty bonding with the father.

In this fun movie, Lewis lives at an orphanage. He wishes for a family, and also wonders why he ended up in an orphanage. This movie could be good viewing for a foster family with young children, and might help a child feel more comfortable sharing his thoughts, worries, and wishes.

Juno is a high school student who gets pregnant. She considers abortion but ultimately decides to place her child for adoption. Her boyfriend does not participate in the adoption planning. The adoptive parents that Juno selects end up separating, but Juno ends up placing her child with one of them.

I like this movie because it tells the story from Juno's point of view. Often, foster and adoptive parents seem scared or wary of birth parents. I have often recommended Juno to incoming foster and adoptive parents, and believe that it can help folks who are considering adoption start challenging their presuppositions about birth parents.