Need recommendations RE: movies for kids.

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Doing It Right

NCBUSA--I'm moved to add: SM and Wolfpackin are Doing It Right--It's important that the kids be exposed to books and movies that have good messages, but IT IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT that the PARENTS be involved WITH THE KIDS!!!

I was lucky--I read to my #1 son, and when he was small, if I paused longer than to inhale, it was "Daddy, please read!" We devoured childrens' books--all of Dr. Seuss, tons more from the public library. Did you know that L. Frank Baum and his family wrote not just The Wizard of Oz but a whole 5-foot-shelf of Oz books? We started at one end--The Wizard--and continued to the book where Princess Ozma practices magic but will not permit anyone else in the kingdom of Oz to do so. At that point I stopped with the Oz books, and carefully explained why. (Just substitute "uses guns" for "practices magic".) But we sure kept on reading other books.

We watched movies, too--His favorite as a little boy was "The Dark Crystal," then we progressed to "The Hobbit"--did you know that it is possible to actually wear the red stuff off a videotape if you view it enough times? (Had to buy a replacement!) We'd recite the lines right along with the characters--my favorite was always Richard Boone's Smaug Dragon voice, and we noted that the bad guys got all the really rousing good songs. In middle school, he didn't agree with me about much, but we kept a standing date to watch Pappy Boyington in "Black Sheep Squadron," outflying the Japs and out-foxing the U. S. Marines. We made a model of Pappy's plane, a Chance Vought F4U Corsair; it was a struggle but we did it. We also watched a LOT of Star Trek/Next Generation.

When he was old enough, he asked to go archery deer hunting. We practiced up and went. Gun deer, same deal. We spent a year finding the right deer rifle for him. Then he wanted to participate in the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race that I did annually. Well, kid, practice up and you're going. He soon was faster than me.

Now he's through high school and college, and off on his own, working. He works at a college in Boston, MA. He is amused by his peers' reaction when they learn that he hunts and shoots. He is contemptuous of Massachusetts' general attitude toward gun and weapon ownership and use ("You'd think the cradle of the American Revolution could do it better.")

What I'm saying in all this (besides being a very proud father) is that the important thing is to DO IT WITH YOUR KIDS. I have BTDT and seen the results--well worth all the hassle, believe me.

"'Tis education forms the common mind: Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined." Alexander Pope, "Moral Essays"
 
WOW

It’s been a few days since I logged on. I really appreciate all of your suggestions and am overwhelmed with the responses.

My daughter is reading “My side of the mountain” currently and has “hatchet” in her room somewhere. She, at 10, is really hooked on reading. She tends to carry books with her and will plop down to read just about anywhere. She is pretty much a sponge for knowledge.

My son on the other hand, at 7, hasn’t taken to reading for enjoyment just yet. He will read enough to “get his points” in class, but not purely for knowledge. He is more of a visual learner and can recite movie tv scripts with ease (scary). I try to limit his exposure to superficial crap, but he’s seems to be exposed to it 24/7.

By no means am I attempting to raise my children via media only. I figure I’m in a fairly common situation, divorced. Not to be TMI, but my ex, God bless her, lives in a golfer-crap community. The main emphasis to life is....how your yard looks,...or your house, or your cars,...etc. The whole “keeping up with the Jones” is an art form there. Problem is they are “there” 4-5 days a week.

When they are with me I am very attentive to them. I’m ok with being the “cool” parent and doing “fun stuff”. The important thing is we TALK, beyond just “how was your day?”. I know that what we do will impact them in the future. I just want to extend, “my way of thinking” to their “other” house as well.

I will be ordering a pretty good list of books and movies, thanks to your suggestions. Once again, thanks for all the comments. This is the reason I love this board.

Amazon here I come

Chris
 
Red Dawn is like the best movie ever in the universe. Definitely make them watch Red Dawn, I'll try to think of more movies for you, too.

Oh, not gun related, but, Farenheit 451.

If your kids like reading at all, make them read Anthem. I took an abridged one from school, like 121 pages, very easy, yet powerful read.

I didnt really like 1984, I tried reading it, but George Orwell didnt understand the concept of paragraphs when he wrote it.
 
To those who hate cartoons

Me too, at least the new japanimation garbage.
When I was a kid we had stuff like G.I. Joe, transformers, Thundercats, Heman, Ducktails, Tailspin...These cartoons taught worthwhile mesages and had good morals Tailspin and Ducktails had stories that mirrored great books, history and politics (communism, and why it sucks) they helped me as a child want to read more good books.

The first big books I remember reading were Call of the Wild, Avalanche, and Trapped! by Arthur Roth. All three have to do with being self reliant. I have warm memories of me and Dad reading these together every night before bed...I was 6-8 years old so reading them with Dad helped me understand them.
 
I second The Old Man and The Boy by Ruark. Absolute must have.

Into the Wild (forget the author) was good.

Jeremiah Johnson is a great movie.

Lots of good suggestions by people here.
 
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A far Off Place

About three youngsters(one a bushman) that try to cross the Kalahari desert when poachers kill their families and drive them away from civilization. It's disney, but not too bad a young person's flick. A very young Reese Witherspoon is the main character.
 
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