We’ve all been there. You finally get the kids settled, you’ve got the popcorn, and you think, "I loved Peter Pan when I was six! Let’s show them the Jolly Roger!" Then, twenty minutes in, the "What Makes the Red Man Red" song starts, and you’re suddenly scrambling for the remote while trying to explain 1953 racial politics to a kindergartner who just learned how to tie their shoes.

It’s easy to feel like the "fun police" when we point out that our childhood favorites are, well, kind of "Ohio" (as the kids would say about anything cringey or weird). But here’s the reality: our kids are growing up in a world of Skibidi Toilet and AI-generated brain rot. They are bombarded with content. Teaching them to look at a 70-year-old movie and say, "That’s not how we treat people today," is actually a superpower. It’s the beginning of media literacy for kids.

Disney+ has added a standard "Negative Depictions" disclaimer to several films. They don't edit the movies (usually), but they acknowledge the harm. Here is what you’re actually looking at when you hit play:

This is the big one. The portrayal of Indigenous people is a literal caricature. They are referred to by a racial slur, and the "Red Man" song is essentially a checklist of every harmful stereotype imaginable.

You probably remember the flying elephant and the "Baby Mine" song (which still makes every parent sob). You might have forgotten the crows. They are based on blackface minstrel shows, and the lead crow is literally named "Jim Crow."

The "Siamese Cat" sequence features a cat playing the piano with chopsticks and singing in a mocking East Asian accent. It’s unnecessary and jarring.

Check out our guide on how to talk to kids about racism in media

If you’re watching the earliest Disney films, the issue isn't just racial stereotypes; it’s the "damsel in distress" trope.

Snow White is essentially a domestic servant for seven men she just met, and her only goal is to be rescued by a kiss from a guy she’s never spoken to. It’s the ultimate "passive protagonist."

Aurora has about 18 lines of dialogue in her own movie. Most of her "character arc" involves being asleep while a guy fights a dragon.

Is it "bad"? Not necessarily. The art is stunning. But if these are the only stories your daughter or son sees, the message is clear: girls wait, boys do. Contrast these with Bluey, where the girls are the ones driving the action (and the chaos).

Not every classic is a minefield. There are several movies from the "Disney Renaissance" (the 90s) that hold up surprisingly well, though they still benefit from a modern lens.

At this age, kids take things literally. They don't understand "historical context." If they see a character being mocked for their skin color or accent, they might think that’s just how you play.

This is the sweet spot for media literacy. They are starting to notice unfairness in the world.

By middle school, they’ve seen everything on TikTok anyway. They can handle the "No-BS" version of history.

You don't have to pause the movie every five minutes to give a lecture. That’s the fastest way to make your kid want to go watch Roblox "Let's Play" videos instead.

Instead, try the "Notice and Wonder" method:

This keeps the conversation light and keeps them in the driver's seat of their own critical thinking.

We don't need to throw Dumbo in the trash. But we also don't need to pretend it's a perfect piece of art. These movies are artifacts. They are beautiful, flawed, and a reflection of a time that we’ve moved past.

By watching them with our kids—disclaimers and all—we aren't just "watching a movie." We’re teaching them how to be intentional consumers of media. We're showing them that they can love something while still acknowledging its flaws.

And honestly? If they still think the movie is "mid" and want to go back to playing Minecraft, that’s okay too. At least Minecraft doesn't have a musical number about why people have different skin colors.

Learn more about Disney+ parental controls and how to hide certain ratings