Parenting from movies
It occurred to me on a recent gym workout, that some great parenting advice (I got) came from movies. So I’ll break it down.
Field of Dreams— An Iowa farmer, Ray builds a baseball diamond in his corn field to answer a call and despite the naysayers who call him crazy. Parent translation: Tell your kids to listen to their hearts and do the hard work to follow their dreams despite any negativity from friends and family.
Dangerous Minds— In the beginning of the movie, Michelle Pfeiffer tells her students that they all have A’s but they need to work to keep the A. Parent Translation: I did the same with my daughter. I told her she had my trust, but she needed to work to keep it. When I tell her she has done something to put a crack in the trust, she works hard to repair it.
Sleeping Beauty— At the party to show off the new princess, Aurora, Maleficent curses her and the king and queen send their daughter away to avoid the curse. Well, we all know the curse if fulfilled. Parent Translation: We can’t always protect our kids from danger, but we can teach them how to handle it. This would have been a smarter move for the king and queen.
Say Anything— In the movie, Diane’s father convinces her that Lloyd, her boyfriend is not good for her, so she breaks up with him only to come running back when she learned her father stole money from his nursing home patients and she now needs comfort. Parent translation: Be careful telling you child that his/her boyfriend or girlfriend isn’t right for them. Your child needs to decide for him/herself weather the person is right or not, but do feel free to express your opinion. (Full disclosure: this is my favorite movie next to Casablanca).
Boss Baby— At the end of the movie, the “boss” baby goes down the chute to be a baby after being a”boss” baby and realizing that is not what he wanted. Parent translation: Tell you kids that what they want can change over time and even it is against the status quo they should still pursue it. Heck I left college wanting to be an archaeologist and after years as a graphic designer, I am now a time management coach.
The End.