History Main / ParentalSubstitute

* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'': Over the course of the film, Sulley becomes a father figure to Boo. At one point, while Boo is disguised as a young monster, she gets separated from Mike and Sulley and ends up joining a group of young monster children being supervised by a babysitter. Eventually, Sulley finds her, and because of how relieved he is to see that she's safe, the babysitter mistakes Sulley for Boo's father.

** In Volume 6, Emerald's unwavering belief that Cinder will look after them, even when she's estranged from Salem, leads to a confrontation with Mercury. Mercury implies Emerald's blind faith in Cinder comes from a desperate need to have a mother-figure in her life, and he states she's deluded if she thinks Cinder cares about either of them. Emerald doesn't listen, but Cinder has a sadistic craving for power and has physically hit Emerald for questioning her decisions.

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[[quoteright:350:[[Anime/DragonBallZ https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fcfb6426b2973205475a6d8e18e89bd7.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:For when your actual dad's too busy training.\\
Or being dead. [[WarriorHeaven Or both.]]\\
[-[[https://twitter.com/hal7040/status/955018590108860416 Art by Hal7040]]-]]]

Compare and closely related to PromotionToParent (when it's a sibling), HonoraryUncle, {{Nephewism}}, and AdoptivePeerParent (for non-relatives), LikeASonToMe, TeamMom, and TeamDad. Not to be confused with MyRealDaddy.

* ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'': Although Hiccup's father is alive and well, it's Hiccup's boss Gobber the Belch who, despite being frustrated with the boy's overall clumsiness and uselessness, is nevertheless supportive and protective of him. He urges Hiccup to be happy with who he is, pressures Hiccup's father to let the boy train to fight dragons when it's clear that's what he wants to do, and even defends the boy from the bullies. He's harsh and InnocentlyInsensitive with his encouragement, but he genuinely means well.
* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda''

* ''Literature/TheFourGospels'': John the Apostle was likely the TagalongKid among Jesus' disciples. Apart from being "significantly younger" than his brother James (and the rest of the Twelve), it's unclear just how old John was at the point where he JumpedAtTheCall; but "the disciple whom He loved" (as John refers to himself when writing his gospel) might well mean ''parental'' love for a de facto HappilyAdopted son - making {{Jesus}} John's parental substitute. In a DyingMomentOfAwesome Jesus also instructs Mary to [[TakeCareOfTheKids take care]] of John as if he were ''her'' son; and John later cares for Mary as if she were his mother, too.

* ''Literature/TheFourGospels'': John the Apostle was [[DownplayedTrope likely]] the TagalongKid among Jesus' disciples. Apart from being "significantly younger" than his brother James (and the rest of the Twelve), it's unclear just how old John was at the point where he JumpedAtTheCall. Furthermore "the disciple whom He loved" (as John later refers to himself when writing his gospel) in context might well mean parental love for a de facto HappilyAdopted son - making Jesus John's parental substitute. And in a DyingMomentOfAwesome Jesus also instructs His mother Mary to [[TakeCareOfTheKids take care]] of John as if he were ''her'' son. John later cares for Mary as if she were his mother, too.

** The Village Leader becomes this to Mowgli in the [[WesternAnimation/TheJungleBook2 2003 sequel]] after adopting him in the Man Village.

* "Literature/{{Tattercoats}}": The main character's mother dies at childbirth, her father's fate is unknown, and her grandfather refuses to take care of her. An old nurse is the only person who makes the effort to raise Tattercoats to the best of her ability.

An amazingly large number of children in the media suffer from ParentalAbandonment. Other children are "lucky enough" to have both parents, but unfortunately live in worlds where there are no HappilyMarried families. For most such children, life is an endless series of disappointments and let-downs. A lucky few, though, manage to find a Parental Substitute.

A Parental Substitute is an adult friend who fills the children's lonely life with [[GoodParents guidance and (often) love]]. They guide the child and teach them how to stand on their own feet, how to have fun, and how to not be so bothered by the fact that Mommy or Daddy are never around (or ignore them). If the parents in question are [[DeceasedParentsAreTheBest dead]], they may have known them and are able to answer when the child says TellMeAboutMyFather. They often tell the kid they are SoProudOfYou. Usually, by the end of the story, the Parental Substitute leaves as well, but at that point the kid is able to stand on their own two feet.