7 Parenting lessons I learnt from The Jungle Book

On By MeghaIn Parenting

The Jungle Book has been a treasure chest of dreams, day-dreams, mischief, innocence, entertainment, friendships and fun for me as a child.

I grew up yearning the life of Mowgli who had the joy of all play and no work, no calls from his mother to clean up his room or to take bath, never had to slog at home-work or be burdened by the weight of the school bag on his back.

The love and care of a best friend in Baloo, the protective guidance and brotherly love of Bagheera, a pack of loving siblings in wolves who always looked up to the man-cub Mowgli for inspiration and the terror of Shehr Khan always gifted me life goals but this time when I went ahead to watch ‘The Jungle Book’ movie with my child, I learnt new lessons as a parent:

7 Parenting Lessons I Learnt from the Disney Jungle Book Movie. It's a movie to be cherished for the priceless life lessons it teaches. #theerailivedin #positiveparenting #lifelessons #TheJungleBook

1. Unconditional Love:

The love of Akela (the leader of the wolf pack) and Raksha (the mother wolf who raised Mowgli as her own cub) teaches unconditional love as does the warmth of all the animals of the jungle. They care, guide, protect Mowgli like their own, never for a moment stopping to think that he was a different species. We as parents ought to accept our children the same way. With all their flaws, desires and aspirations always being supportive and loving them irrespective of their choices in life.

2.  Letting go:

Being over-protective is easy. Towering tall over our kids, never letting them grow might feel safe but isn’t the right thing to do. Like Raksha chooses to let Mowgli move on in life to travel to safer pastures, we ought to set our children free, not without reassuring them “No matter what may happen in life you are mine and I shall love you the same forever.”

7 Parenting Lessons I Learnt from the Disney Jungle Book Movie

3. Look children in their eyes:

Always look at your children in their eyes with kindness and respect so that when they look into yours they can learn to see the truth, feel the warmth and can learn to judge if what you say comes from your heart. Besides, as Kaa taught us, it works like a charm when hypnotizing too.

7 Parenting Lessons I Learnt from the Disney Jungle Book Movie

4. Saying it like it is:

This lesson comes more from Baloo ( the sloth bear) than Raksha that trusting our children with family secrets in ways that they can get the gist of it, saves them from being maligned by anyone in the world. The children would always know you have their bigger interest in mind because truth has a way of rising from the deepest dungeons to shine brightly. Let it come from you. Never let anyone else tell them what you should have because it is a mean, bad world away from the safety of our homes.

7 Parenting Lessons I Learnt from the Disney Jungle Book Movie
Sher Khan

5. Introduction to traditions:

Like Bagheera introduces Mowgli to the rules of the jungle, also teaching him how he ought to respect the old and powerful (the elephants) so should we as parents. It’s vital to introduce our children to our roots, following the traditions to help them embark on an onward journey in the life blessed by the roots where our foundations lie. Traditions are a trigger, a reason to get together, they get you in the right mindset. It is in the respect of all generations and their values that we can co-exist in harmony in the world.

6. Taking it easy:

Remembering the bare necessities of life is so important as we chase ulterior goals. Valuing friendships, feeling the sun warm our backs, stepping back to watch the bees, buzzing, flowers blooming, spending hours picking fruits from trees are as important as being working hard to be who we aspire to be in life. We parents need to let our children enjoy their growing up years carefree, free of strife. Let them fall free to learn to fall on their feet. Maintaining equanimity is the crux of parenting.

7. Letting our children be:

We are all unique individuals. Even though our children share our DNA they are a unique set of genes who are driven by their own dreams and desires. We can be their guide but expecting them to be just what we vision them to be is handicapping their potentials. Always putting our children’s best interests to the fore comes easy but a parent needs to know when to step back and let the children fight their own battles. We as parents should help our children learn to play to their strengths but when the going gets tough, let them choose their plan of action.

Jungle book-1
Taking a step back to let our children take the path they wish to tread on

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44 thoughts on “7 Parenting lessons I learnt from The Jungle Book”

  2. wow… you summed up every aspect carefully. Loved it ! The best thing i learned is to be carefree, live, learn and adapt things as they come, sometimes it’s our stubbornness that limit our ways. Am sure your daughter will be proud when she one day read your blog posts ?

    Best Wishes

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  3. inGeniousty

    Wow! You came up with a nice set of lessons after watching the Jungle Book. Unconditional love is necessary. Trust me the attachment between Mowgli and the Wold Pack says it all. A Very Good movie and a very good post. I loved both 🙂 You are indeed a very good blogger.

    J-Tell me its a joke

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  4. RamyaRao

    Your list of learning is just awesome. I haven’t watched the recent movie. But after reading your post I see a lot many things and of many is to be a child at heart.

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    1. The Jungle Book has a way of unleashing the child hidden in our hearts and the movie is 100% successful in doing so. I highly recommend watching the movie.
      I’m glad you enjoyed my post Ramya 🙂

      Like

    1. I agree Manisha, our life experiences and perceptions guide our thoughts and this is what makes life so much fun with re-reading books and watching the same movie with a different set of eyes.
      Thank you so much Manisha 🙂

      Like

  7. fabulus1710

    ‘Saying it like it is’ is truly an important thing. It’s true: we often learn to lie or say half-truths because of the way things have been hidden to us by our parents! Sharing this post. Every parent must read it!

    I do hope you enjoyed the movie too, along with simultaneously thinking of what to write in this blog post 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I absolutely loved the movie Fabulus 🙂
      The idea to write this blog-post came to me way after watching the movie. Usually when I am not blogging, I rarely think about my blog. I have this super-power to switch off and on my mind as I please to be able to enjoy what I’m doing.
      Thank you dear ❤

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  10. You are so amazing lady! So many wonderful takeaways from the movie…Kipling would be proud of you! It is wonderful that such deep lessons have been conveyed through this eternal children’s favorite story and its superb characters. These are some invaluable life lessons you have shared and now I am rather tempted to go watch the movie….providing I get a respite from my endless task of writing posts and reading and commenting….phew!!
    Cheers and love
    @KalaRavi16 from
    Relax-N-Rave

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You must watch the movie Kala it is refreshing and fun at the same time. Besides already knowing the story has no impact on the fun you have while watching The Jungle Book because we all love it so much 🙂
      Thank you so much for your kind words ❤

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  13. I have very faint memories of Jungle book and remember mainly the title track of it…Me and my brother used to sing it aloud the whole day 🙂 But yes I am going to watch the movie soon…
    Coming to the post, I really like the way you have mapped the various characters of Jungle Book to the parenting lessons!
    Great post 🙂
    Cheers,
    Srivi – AtoZChallenge
    J for Joy | Twitter

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I too have a very faint memory of the Jungle Book that was aired on DD National years ago. This post was inspired by the latest Jungle Book movie because it was seen after becoming a parent 🙂
      Thank you dear Srivi 🙂

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  16. Love the post, I can’t say I ever really thought of it like that but you have wonderful insight. My husband did learn all the words to Bare Necessitates and our kids love to have him sing it to them. 🙂

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  17. Some great lessons there, which can be applied not only to parenting but our other relations too!
    I am keen to watch this movie with my son when he is back home from his boarding school!

    Like

  20. My eldest daughter had the original cartoon version on VHS when she was about 6 years old and played it everyday, many times a day. I sang along with her and we have favourite memories of this special movie. Later on her 2 other siblings joined in except the youngest for he was born some years apart from them. Last weekend they took me to watch this new version and the youngest son asked to watch the cartoon version when we got home. It’s a timeless tale of friendship and trust. I learnt from Jungle Book that along your way in life God will send someone to you to help you out at exactly the right time you needed them. And beautiful friendships are formed from the most unlikely of encounters. Lovely writing MyEra, you always inspire me to be a better person.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Wow! your family has shared such an amazing bond with The Jungle Book over the years 🙂
    And I absolutely loved the lessons you’ve shared. Profound and very insightful.
    Thank you dear for adding to my reasons to love the Jungle Book ❤

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Obsessivemom

    Glad I stumbled upon this one. When the twins were young – about 2 – we got the animated version for them and they watched it every single day for over a year. everyday. They danced to the songs, fast forwarded the vultures (though i loved the dry humour, but then I didn’t much count back then) and had nightmares of SherKhan and yet they watched. I loved your lessons – specially the one about hypnotising – i could use some of that with the kids :-). As also the one on letting go and unconditional love. Loved your post.

    Liked by 1 person

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