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The Color of Friendship (2000)
Great Teaching Tool
I am always on the lookout for movies/shows that can be used to raise interest in and personalize learning. Many children can't get excited about history because it seems so far away and unrelatable - mostly because they are often taught to memorize dates, names, and places rather than being told a story that illustrates what life may have been like for someone their age.
Now more than ever, movies like this are important! It can inspire people to look past politics and propaganda to find the truth. While this movie was about Apartheid; it is a great tool for helping people to understand the civil rights movement. Even more important it can lead to discussions about current events that threaten our most fundamental freedoms. Fighting to keep constitutional rights that make America great is imperative. This movie illustrates the importance of seeking alternative sources of news and information, seeking opinions that differ from your own, and considering how legislation will affect every day life for the minority. Try reading or watching International news, advocacy web sites and literature, and personal accounts in order to make an informed decision before you vote.
I will definitely be downloading this from my Tivo so my son can see why history and civil rights are important now more than ever.
Child of Rage (1992)
Helps Understand Psychological Disorders
Barely a spoiler. Just telling the diagnosis of the child in the movie.
Obviously not a cinematic masterpiece, but would great for people trying to understand "problem children" even though this is an extreme case of attachment disorder. Great for parents to learn about the importance of attachment, security, bonding, etc. for babies. This would also be a great movie for psychology students or families dealing with adoption, foster care, and children who act out. If you know someone who can relate to the child or parents in the movie this mat give them a clue as to what kinds of treatment or discussions to seek with psychiatrists and psychologists.
I'm not trying to equate children with other less severe attachment disorders with the girl seen in the movie, but if parents realize that the child may have been sexually abused, or maybe a parent was sick or died when he/she was young, the child felt abandoned when a new sibling was born (beyond normal reactions), or if the child was in a hospital or separated from the parents as a newborn, toddler, or in early childhood you may want to study possible causes of attachment disorder and common signs to see if any of it sounds familiar. I don't mean the child or person is violent, but a child, teenager, or adult child refuses to be responsible for their actions or taking care of themselves (he may often ask/manipulate others for money, without any concern for how it impacts those he is asking/taking it from) or is violent or very manipulative and tries to force the parent to do what they want using anger or inducing guilt (everyone else's parents buy them a car/pay for college and you didn't so you owe me) or using childhood traumas as excuses for their behavior because they know the parent feels guilty about it. An example would be a grown child saying "I didn't have a Dad so I never learned what I'm supposed to do." If this was really the case he probably wouldn't use it for personal gain or would figure out other ways to learn the skills they need. When your child says you "owe" them because there wasn't much money when they were growing up, or is constantly obsessed with what others have or attention they get, my feeling is that there is some component of attachment disorder there. I am not a doctor so just use this to look into it yourself, but this movie really illustrated very clearly that what happens to us from 0-6 yrs old especially can really cause major issues later in life. If you're thinking of fostering or adopting you may want to watch this and study the topic so you can get them treatment quickly and make sure you're seeing the right doctors who won't be manipulated by these children who are often very good at knowing what to say when to avoid anyone knowing their true nature. This movie simplifies the treatment and recovery, but it's a start for understanding!