FAMILY TIME — Movies have a way of teaching us essential life lessons, sometimes without us even realizing it. Interestingly enough, some of the best lessons come from films made for children that the whole family can enjoy.
This week, our movies picks are all about learning respect, something we can all be reminded of every now and then. Showing respect means to show regard or consideration for another person, no matter how different they may be. Here are some examples from the movies of showing respect.
To be respectful we must learn to mind our manners. Saying "please" and "thank you" is not just a polite practice, it can show consideration to others and is a form of respect.
No one exemplifies this more than Babe, a piglet on the Hoggett’s farm. Instead of becoming Christmas dinner, Babe is raised to be a show pig at the county fair. What Farmer Hoggett doesn’t know is that Babe has another skill set — he can herd sheep as well as any sheep dog.
How is the world can a pig herd sheep, you ask? Well, it all starts with good manners and being respectful to his fellow farm animals.
“Babe” is OK for ages 4+ and 75 percent worth your time.
Being respectful can be difficult, especially when we don’t get along with others. Manny the mammoth, Sid the sloth, and Diego the saber-toothed tiger are the most unlikely group of prehistoric creatures anyone can possibly imagine. But when a furious frost is on its way to begin the Ice Age, the trio must work together to take care of a small human baby.
Along with manners, respect also requires accepting others and being kind, even when others might not be so nice. Even though Sid is different and gets teased sometimes by Manny and Diego, he is always respectful to his friends and makes sure they are taken care of. When we treat others the way we would like to be treated, we are showing respect. And who knows, you might find a friend along the way.
“Ice Age” is OK for ages 6+ and 82 percent worth your time.
One of the biggest lessons the Titans football team learns in “Remember the Titans” is to respect each other, despite differences on the outside. Integration in the 1960s was a time of high tension and emotions, but when Coach Boone demands respect from his team and for each other, perspectives change. When the boys learn to respect each other on and off the field, they begin to work together to achieve something much bigger and more important than a perfect football season.
When we “judge the soul of a man instead of the look of him,” it is easy to find the good in others and respect comes more easily.
“Remember the Titans” is OK for ages 10+ and 100 percent worth your time.
Email: sarah@ok.com
