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Children Raise You: Difference between revisions
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All the fun of unplanned parenthood, with none of the bother of unprotected premarital sex!
So, you're a single thirtysomething with a few issues. You're a workaholic, or you're [[Adult Child|immature and irresponsible]], or [[Informed Flaw|something like that]]. And on top of that, someone you know (your sister, your best friend, maybe an estranged ex-wife) has just died. Life couldn't possibly get any worse, right?
Wrong. The dead person had [[Heartwarming Orphan|a kid]], and for some reason, you're the only person who could possibly take them in now. Sucks, doesn't it? You have no experience with kids, and between that and whatever your other problems are, you're [[Maternally Challenged|really not cut out to be a parent at all]]. So this is absolutely the last thing you need.
Or at least, that's how you feel at first. But actually, the parenthood that has been suddenly thrust upon you is a good thing. Apparently, having a kid to take care of is like [[There Are No Therapists|therapy]] and a [[Hot Shounen Mom|dating]] [[Hot Shoujo Dad|service]] rolled into one -- by the end of [[The Movie]] (or series, or [[Arc]], or what have you), not only will [[Golden Moment|you have learned]] how to be a good parent (with some [[Hilarity Ensues|hilarious mishaps]] along the way, most likely) and gotten over all of your issues, you'll have found a love interest too. Now the three of you can be a happy family unit together. [[Full House Music|Aww.]]
Frequently used in works starring aging or maturing performers who are seeking to [[Rated "G" for Gangsta|soften their image]], to play off of [[Fish Out of Water|comedic dissonance]], or simply because the performer involved wants to do something that is [[So My Kids Can Watch|family oriented]] for a change.
Note: This can, but does not ''specifically'', occur in [[In Soviet Russia, Trope Mocks You|Soviet Russia]].
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* This is the central premise of ''[[Aishiteruze Baby]]'', where Kippei, a lazy high-school playboy is forced to take care of his five-year-old cousin. The gusto in which he devotes himself to being a good "mother" to Yuzuyu and the speed in which he matures is amazing, as well as quite heartwarming.
* In the Sahara Mizu manga ''[[My Girl]]'', when the protagonist's high school girlfriend dies suddenly, he learns that the real reason she cut off contact with him years ago was to hide the fact that she was pregnant with his child. Said child is now five years old and, of course, has to come live with her father -- who is a shy pushover with no idea how to be a parent.
* In ''[[Bunny Drop]]'', 30-year-old bachelor Daikichi Kawachi takes in six-year-old Rin (who happens to be his orphaned aunt, but never mind). From time to time as he learns about the mechanics of parenthood, he wonders just [[Lampshaded|who is raising who]].
* Played with in ''[[Witchblade (anime)|Witchblade]]'' anime: for extra twist, everyone thought that Masane is really Rihoko's mother (even herself, because of [[Laser-Guided Amnesia]]). And it's not always clear who's whose custodian. It helps that Rihoko is [[Wise Beyond Their Years|wise beyond her years]] and she [[Ensemble Darkhorse|steals spotlight without even trying]], becoming one long [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] diluted with [[Crowning Moment of Funny]].
* The premise of the anime ''[[Daa! Daa! Daa!]]!'' is two teenagers who barely know each other, who have to take care of a small baby they find. Of course, the baby is also an alien, but still...
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* [[Downplayed Trope|Downplayed]] in ''[[Happy Yarou Wedding]]''. Taking care of the 5 year old Shouta definitely spurs on Yuuhi's emotional growth, but Todou's influence, both as a lover and a quasi-father figure, plays an equal role.
* In ''[[Papa no Iukoto o Kikinasai!|Papa no Iukoto o Kikinasai]]'', The 19 year-old Yuuta ends up raising his three nieces when his sister and her husband disappear while on a trip. His dedicates his life to taking care of the three girls and matures considerably as a person. This specific trope is dropped at least once a volume in the novels.
* Rather the point of "[[Otaku no Musume
* In ''[[Little House With an Orange Roof]]'', Shoutarou is given sole custody of his sons when his wife divorces him. He quickly learns how unprepared he is to be a real parent, though he gets better over time.
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== Films -- Live-Action ==
* The German film ''[[Mostly Martha]]'' and its American remake, ''[[No Reservations]]''
* ''[[Raising Helen]]''
* ''[[Training Dad]]''
* ''[[Big Daddy]]'' with [[Adam Sandler]], although that one had a bit of a twist; ''[[Bedtime Stories]]'' might be a little closer to the heart of this trope.
* ''[[Uptown Girls]]''
* ''[[Sleepless in Seattle]]''
* ''[[My Best Friends Girl]]''
* ''[[The Family Man]]'', complete with marriage and suburban lifestyle.
* ''[[The Stepmother]]'', sort of.
* ''[[Three Men And A Baby]]'' is a variant where no parental death is involved, just a "runaway mother" approach.
* The [[Ur Example]]: ''[[Baby Boom]]''. The baby was left behind by a ''very'' distant, European relative that the protagonist hardly even remembered.
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* This was essentially the sub-plot of ''[[Like Mike]]''.
* ''[[Tsotsi]]''
* The Jackie Chan film ''[[Rob B Hood]]'', in which he and Louis Koo are thieves who come into the posession of the baby of a billionaire tycoon, and they learn valuable life lessons along the way. Awww.
* ''[[Despicable Me]]'', though the girls ended up with him because he adopted them.
* ''[[Life As We Know It]]''
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== Literature ==
* ''[[About a Boy]]'', both the book and the film (though they do lack the "death" aspect of this trope, the rest fits.)
* In the last ''[[Anne of Green Gables]]'' book, ''[[Rilla Of Ingleside]]'', Rilla is transformed from a flighty teenager into a responsible, hard-working and inspiring woman as a result of raising a motherless child whose father is off fighting [[World War I]].
* In ''[[Discworld]],'' this seems to have happened to ''[[The Grim Reaper|Death]],'' who adopted his daughter, Ysabell, after reaping the souls of her deceased parents. This first-hand interaction with a mortal child (and later Ysabell's daughter, Susan) is presumably a part of why he's developed such a fondness (and attempt to imitate) humanity.
* In [[The Bible]], [[Jesus]] teaches old men in a temple when he's a teen.
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== Live-Action TV ==
* ''[[Kevin Hill]]'' - A short-lived series about a swinging bachelor and top notch lawyer, suddenly forced to care for his dead cousin's ten month old daughter, Sarah. The show's core centered around Kevin dealing with being a new parent and lawyer at a new smaller firm. The series had a definite [[Downer Ending]] when the show canceled in just one season with Kevin losing the baby to her remarried biological mother in court. The series would have continued after that point but did not gain sufficient ratings to be renewed.
* Ingrained in the premise of ''[[My Two Dads]]''.
* Happens to Shane in season 4 of ''[[The L Word]]''. {{spoiler|Her deadbeat father's run off with another woman, and her junkie stepmother blames Shane and ditches Shane's baby brother on Shane's doorstep. Shane reluctantly takes responsibility, and having to be a stable parent for him is doing her a power of good and forcing her to give up her bad habits, and they're really bonding and becoming close -- and then her father shows up and takes him back. * sniff* }}
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== Western Animation ==
* Subverted in ''[[Transformers Animated]]'', where the Autobots don't think twice about taking Sari in. This is probably before they realize that eight-year-olds aren't user friendly.
* In ''[[Time Squad]]'', Larry and Tuddrussel have enough problems working with each other and doing their job, due to a complete lack of knowledge about history... Until they meet Otto Osworth, an orphaned 8-year-old history buff, who they illegally take into the squad (not without hesitation at first). Otto gains a better life, while Larry and Tuddrussel now have someone to keep them from killing each other; their [[Like an Old Married Couple]] dynamic also quickly makes them become like a mother and father to Otto, respectively.
* ''Jackie Chan Adventures'' lampshaded this when it had Jackie admit this when Jade's parents complement him on taking care of Jade.
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