15 Disney moms who deserve the spotlight on Mother’s Day

Mrs. Darling (Peter Pan)

Growing up is hard. Being rushed into it makes things even harder. Unfortunately, that was the case for Wendy Darling.

She had a free spirit, and loved playing with and telling stories to her two younger brothers. But her father, Mr. Darling, firmly believed that it was time for her to grow up. She would no longer sleep in the nursery with the boys, and all three children would learn to think more practically.

With the movie being made in 1953, Mrs. Darling is portrayed as supporting her husband’s decisions no matter what. But… that doesn’t mean she totally agrees with him. In the opening scenes of Peter Pan, the narrator explains that “she believed that Peter Pan was the spirit of youth.”

The key words are “she believed.” Maybe she didn’t think Peter himself was real, but she believed in what he represented. That was what Wendy, John, and Michael needed: someone who was willing to let them live their fantasies, who understood the importance of them.

Mrs. Darling wanted to let her kids be kids and comforted them when Mr. Darling got angry. She reassured them that he didn’t mean the harsh things he said, and reminded them just how much he loved his children.