Learning for Life – Literacy Tip #12

Benefits of family movie night

1. It strengthens family relationships

Carving out time in our busy lives to dedicate to our families can be tough. But it's absolutely essential in developing and maintaining close family relationships.

Scheduled family movie nights offer dedicated time and opportunity to bond with all members of your family - and your children will cherish curling up with you on the couch and sharing in the experience playing out on the screen. It's the stuff childhood memories are made of.

2. It improves children's social and communication skills

Depending on the movie you choose to watch together, children can gain a great deal from the story playing out on the screen and the answers parents' give to their inevitable questions. Films offer examples of real-life social situations that children can learn from in the development of their own understanding of the world. In addition, conversing with your child about the film afterwards offers myriad opportunities for discussion and the development of communication skills.

3. It offers opportunities for discussions around sensitive issues

Some movies may have themes and storylines that mirror situations or issues your own child is experiencing. In these instances, parents can use the movie as a conversation starter on sensitive issues by focusing on the movie's characters rather than the child themselves. The characters may become role models you can use as examples on how your child might tackle a certain issue they're grappling with in their own lives.

4. It lessens sibling rivalry

Sibling rivalry can cause all kinds of discord within families. However, sibling relationships can prosper through shared experiences such as family movie nights. By promoting the idea of 'family time' to the warring parties, you're promoting inclusiveness and your family as a whole unit - as opposed to competing individuals - which works to downplay a child's insecurities and promote cohesiveness.

5. Reinforces life lessons

Most family movies have some element of morality to the storyline, which parents can use as examples when reinforcing important life lessons to their child. It's one thing to give your child a lesson, and another entirely to witness the same lesson being played out by loveable characters on the big screen. Using the examples within the movie's storyline, discuss the important lessons the characters had to learn to overcome obstacles with your child.

6. Improves children’s academic success

Family movie night means investing time into your relationship with your child - an investment that pays off big time when it comes to school achievement. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family found that parental involvement is linked to children's academic success.

7. Works to instill good values

Family movies can provide children with basic visual examples of social dos and don'ts, along with the potential consequences of doing the wrong thing. The feel-good nature of most family movies, such as SING!, are excellent examples of values in action. In SING!, the characters overcome disaster, learn to forgive one another and choose to perform in celebration of music itself. Parents can gently encourage their children to take from these movies the good values they see on the screen and apply them to their own lives.

8. Reduces delinquent and violent behaviour in kids

It makes sense that without the loving and positive guidance of parents and family, kids will develop some rather unfortunate behaviours. Aggression is one such behaviour that science has determined kids without a supportive family network can manifest. Family movie night provides children with precious time with their family. It is an opportunity to share in an experience together, feel part of a cohesive unit and have their needs met and voices heard.

9. Boosts self-confidence

Feeling secure within a close-knit family gives kids' confidence and self-image a real boost.

Regularly sitting down to enjoy a movie together as a family is a bonding activity that can help children feel more confident and secure in themselves and their environment.

Ultimately, this confidence will express itself in the child's willingness to branch out and try new things, knowing they have their family's support behind them.

10. Increases trust

The regularity of family movie night can work to provide a scheduled time and place where you are all comfortable to talk and tell each other how you're feeling. Sometimes a movie can help get the conversation rolling by projecting an example of the issue that your child may be grappling with. With the regularity and reassurance that regular movie night provides, you'll be building your child's trust so he knows he can talk to you about anything and everything at that time.

Taken from KidSpot

Fabiano Nigro

Literacy Learning Specialist

Queen Vic Market