Use Movies to Teach Your Children the Lessons of Life

I know our kids watch a lot of movie and TV junk. Remember the old days when we used to play outside from sun-up til sundown and didn't even have to check in with our parents? I remember movies being a treat rather than the norm back then. As much as I hate to complain about all the TV and movie watching, I like to find a silver lining in whatever we do. You might as well use the movies as teaching lessons for your kids.

When we adults go see a movie, inevitably, we stand around the water cooler and discuss it. We talk about the parts we loved or hated. We also like to discuss what the characters experienced, saw and how they dealt with the issues and ordeals they faced. Of course we also like to talk about the bad acting and the impossibility of whatever happened. It only stands to reason that your kids think through some of the same things and with your careful listening and prodding, you can make help your child make some big strides in their development and maturity.

They may be asking:

• How did the characters deal with their situation?

• Was the choice right, wrong or indifferent? What if he had chosen differently, and how would that have changed things around him?

• What things did that character have no control over? Was there divine intervention or just dumb luck?

• Is that person a hero or someone I could ever imagine being? What about the bad guy and why did he do what he did?

With it being the Christmas Season, we recently watched A Christmas Story, which is chock full of lessons on life. After watching it, we discussed:

• Did you ever want something so badly too? What did you do about it?

• Does your family have something like the "leg lamp" in the movie? Is there something someone loves and everyone else hates?

• What caused Ralphie to get the courage to confront Scott and beat him up? What made him so angry?

• What's a bad word? Are you allowed to say bad words? What do you think of getting your mouth washed out with soap for saying a bad word? Would that keep you from saying it again? If not, what would?

• Do you know any bullies like Scott? What would you do if a bully confronted you?

• Back then, people listened to radio rather than TV. Explain why. Is there a show you like to watch a lot too? Why that show?

• Did Ralphie do the right thing by blaming his friend?

• Ralphie was disappointed with Santa. Have you ever been disappointed?

• Did you ever get a gift you didn't like? What was the worst gift you ever got?

• Talk about when you were young and if you ever got something you wished for. Talk about Ralphie dreaming about something which ended up being better as a dream than reality. Why do things like that happen, and explain if it ever happened to you.

Be sure to let your child do most of the talking and ask open ended questions such as these. While you are discussing, make sure you repeat the main lessons you want to get across from the movie. Don't criticize your child for saying perhaps the "wrong" thing, but instead answer back with "Another way you can look at it" or "Another way he could have done that, is". This will really open up your child's mind and get them thinking more outside the box.

Do you have any favorite movies that have great lessons for kids? Please list them here so we can check them out too!