Why did Chicken Little cross the road? To get away from his disapproving dad.

Chicken Little revisits a theme seen in recent animated movies: being mad at a disapproving parent.

Pushy or overprotective parents have become fixtures in recent animated films, from Shrek 2 and Finding Nemo to The Incredibles and Robots. That contrasts with absent parents, who were a hallmark of Disney animation from classics such as 1942’s Bambi up to the orphaned sisters in 2002’s Lilo & Stitch.

Though many classic bedtime tales have life lessons for little ones, today’s bear lessons for

Mom and Dad.“It’s obvious these animators are boomers coping with parenting themselves and trying to balance professional and private lives,” says Bill Desowitz, who covers cartoons as editor of the visual-effects magazine VFX World.

The original fable Chicken Little, about an acorn-conked bird who wrongly believes the sky is falling, was a cautionary tale about the perils of jumping to conclusions. Disney’s new computer-animated comedy starts with that familiar story — then turns it on its beak.

This time, Chicken Little is right. The sky is falling.

In the midst of this trouble is dad Buck Cluck who’s embarrassed by his son’s obsessive worries and wants him to act “normal”.

“You’ve got to be there for your kid,” director Mark Dindal says. “Obviously, it’s easy when (children) do well and do great things, but when they stumble and fall and are a little less than spectacular, that’s when they need you the most.”

The cartoon contretemps also reflects the overbearing tendencies of many mothers and fathers, says psychologist and Playful Parenting author Lawrence J Cohen. “I see this trend in parents of being so academic and trying to force kids to be super-achievers,” Cohen says. “A big segment of parents are scared all the time. They forget that if we go overboard protecting (children) they end up timid and afraid.”

Confronting such things with jokes and colourful stories is “a huge benefit that everybody can enjoy together,” Cohen adds.

Braff says the family theme is part of the appeal of recent cartoon hits. “They make these movies on different levels that appeal to something in the adults as well,” he says. “Everyone has had parents, and it’s a universal thing that we want to impress our parents and make them proud of us.”

Marshall says too many families wait to reconcile when it’s too late. “The confrontation where (Chicken Little) speaks up and says ‘Dad, you never supported me’ should be said early,” he says. “The fact that Buck Cluck is open to criticism is a sign of good character and a good message for fathers.”