Transfiguring Adoption’s Overview:
Trolls Holiday is a fun short-film that features Poppy (Anna Kendrick), Branch (Chance the Rapper) and the rest of the gang children know and love from the recent franchise films. The target audience appears to be children age 7 and up. It also appears this movie would be best for any family to enjoy together!
** Spoilers Could Be Ahead **
How Is This Relevant To Adoption & Foster Care?
Children who have been through trauma, much like the Bergens, find a new normal when they come into the child welfare system, foster care, or an adoptive home. Because of these transitions children often lose a sense of identity that comes from cultural components, such as holidays. Some families may be able to help provide outlets for these aspects of culture but across the board there is an adjustment time where the entire family finds new traditions to share and make their own, merging their child’s past to the family’s present. For this reason, Trolls Holiday is a wonderful entertainment piece that can create a teachable moment to give your child the vocabulary to voice their cultural needs to their caregiver (you) and others.
Discussion Points:
- Cultural Identity
Children who have been through trauma and removed from the family of origin find themselves in quite the tailspin, whether it be immediately after placement or even 30 years after they were adopted and have grown into adults with their own family. It is very important for a caregiver to remember that, even in the joyous occasion of an adoption, where a child is separated from their family of origin there is heartbreak. The little things we take for granted like knowing how to make a Pumpkin Roll that won’t crack or Great Grandma’s Crawfish Étouffée, how play Rook, and knowing that Dad’s side of the family has a history of coronary heart challenges are all pieces of knowledge that for me have been discussed at length and have become an access to my ancestry. Children who have been removed for a temporary removal or adoption may feel lost when asked how their family celebrates Advent Season, much like the Bergens in a post-Trollstice world. With this short film children can gain some vocabulary to advocate for cultural needs, like Bridget, and caregivers a reminder of how to accept holiday feedback, like Queen Poppy. - Healthy Communication and Conflict
Imagine that you are walking in the woods… when you come across a bear! Your heart beats fast and you must decide to fight the bear or run. I would run, as I am certainly not in bear-fighting shape. Once away from the bear you know, logically, that you are safe and begin to calm down. Now, imagine that you are a child from the welfare system and every adult is a bear. Yikes! This may seem like an exaggeration, but your child’s brain has been hijacked by its stress response system so much that even conflict as small as being told “no” can feel like a bear has entered the room. For this reason, a lot of children will come out fighting (i.e. – defiance, aggression, cursing, etc.) or fleeing (i.e. – running away, disassociating, etc. It is important for a caregiver to remember that a child who has endured trauma most likely will lack the communication skills to express want and need and the caregiver will need to help calm a child before learning a new skill. And with the skill building will come lots and lots of practice. This will require time, patience, and lots of compassion for the children in your home while they learn new communication skills lost from years of underdevelopment and trauma.
Cautionary Points:
- Vehicles Running Off Course/Wrecking
On their way to meet up with the Bergens, the Trolls run off course in a bus-like vehicle and nearly wreck. They also land in a “wormhole”. While many kids will laugh at the gags some children may be triggered if they or a loved one has suffered from a wreck. Children also may be a little freaked out by the “wormhole”, which I’m addressing next. - Weird, Creepy Realism Scene
Hopefully this will fly over most kids’ heads, but while in the “wormhole” the characters experience a split in reality that results in some trippy imagery and then the characters in a hyper-realistic look, complete with original trolls dolls in all their creepy glory. Some kids may find this triggering if exposed to substances that can induce such splits in reality or have diagnoses that struggle with reality. This may also just creep a kid out. It’s not super bad but it’s a bit unsettling. - Inappropriate Use of Food
While pitching holiday ideas to the Bergens, one of the Trolls overstuffs their mouth with marshmallows in a way that, while comical, could be a choking hazard. This usually would be harmless, but to a child who is developmentally delayed or has poor impulse control they may try to mimic this game. Chubby Bunny is a fun group game, but only under the supervision of a caring, responsible adult and children should be advised of this. - Unintentional Harm to Friends
As the Trolls continue to pitch various holiday ideas King Gristle is subjected to glitter and lasers in his eyes, being electrocuted, and other pieces. This likely will be accepted as a gag but may trigger children who have suffered harm from loved ones with related abuses. - Inappropriate Activities for Children
One of the Troll’s ideas is “Tickle Day”, which is not a great concept for a child who has potentially suffered sexual abuse. Tickle games are often used as a first step towards grooming a child for sexual abuse, so tickling/touching someone without consent should not be encouraged with most children from the child welfare system. There is also an idea for “Tattoo Day” where a character is shown getting a tattoo on the lower back with the butt crack visible. This is also an activity we discourage minors from mimicking as well. - Character Nudity – Blurred/Implied
Another idea the Trolls present is “Rip Off Pants Day” where a Troll rips off his pants. There is a blurred-censor bar over the lower half of his body, but this is another example of an activity that may trigger a child who has endured sexual abuse trauma. - Runaway Behavior
After arguing with Bridget, Queen Poppy runs away from her friends and hides in the forest. Children who have a history of runaway behavior may find this problematic as this may be a survival behavior that children may struggle with in response to stress. - Use of Pipe
Okay, it’s just a bubble pipe so for most kids this is probably not an issue. However, children from the child welfare system may have been exposed to things that children you have raised from birth have not. It’s advised to keep an eye on this one in case a child begins to mimic the use of drug paraphernalia they have witnessed in the past.
[Donate to this Project]
