Forget Fairytale princesses and princes! Arm your kids with REAL tools to conquer their passions #StreamTeam is a sponsored post thanks for supporting The Staten Isand Family
I credit my parents who 44 years ago spent countless weeks taking Lamaze classes in a dusty Manhattan loft ( while my mother still had to undergo an emergency C-section to give birth to me) with providing me with every childhood creature comfort I could ever desire. I am filled with recollections of a warm bed, home-cooked meals, ballet lessons, math tutors and the idea that my dreams mattered. Now that I have a daughter and a son, I’m intent on ensuring that they too tap into their personal reservoirs of potential. I want to inspire them to dream far beyond being rescued by a prince, or being obsessed with their appearance or believing they have to follow certain expected societal roles. I want them to recognize that fulfilling their personal passions and pursue the career of their choice as an astronaut, engineer or a writer is what’s truly important. I just feel it is incumbent upon me to expose my kids to the myriad of possibilities, outside of typical female/male pursuits, that are available to them. Which is why I’m all about this statement: Forget Fairytale princesses and princes! Arm your kids with REAL tools to conquer their passions
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Of course all of my lofty dreams for them cannot come to fruition if I don’t tackle the nitty gritty often hard to have conversations that go with the raising of children territory. And having raised my girl for the past 17 years we have come a long way when it comes to figuring out ways for her to tackle peer pressure and yes we are in the midst of learning to achieve five whole minutes without a cell phone in hand. The truth is raising kids is not for the faint of heart– there is no rule-book no college course and NO certificate you can get before you bring home that kid and years later find yourself at a loss for addressing tough topics with your kids head-on. Even with my 13 year old, it’s not always easy to explain to him why he needs to be nice to his sister. So here are some activities ( which include some pretty soul inspiring Netflix Family shows) to help you and your kids tackle those tough topics with the greatest of ease as you help your kids develop a deep reservoir of girl and boy power that will inspire them to tackle all that life will put in their path! Forget Fairytale princesses and princes! Arm your kids with REAL tools to conquer their passions #StreamTeam
Forget Fairytale princesses and princes! Arm your kids with REAL tools to conquer their passions #StreamTeam
#1 Netflix is host to a variety of family-friendly shows that explore a range of real-life issues with equal measures of humor, angst and heart. With Netflix, your kid’s favorite shows can open the door for these tricky, sometimes awkward (hello parents of tweens and teens!), conversations.No matter your situation, chances are there’s a show and episode that can kickstart a dialogue around the topic just by watching it together. In particular my kids and I have had some really meaningful conversations after watching a few of the following CHERRY picked Netflix episodes.
Body Image
Watch Ep. 101: #BootyCall
According to the kids of Degrassi Community School, butts are the new boobs. But Shay’s realization that “brains are the new butts” can speak to a number of body image insecurities.
Social Media FOMO
Watch Ep. 102: Girl Meets Boy
Cory challenges his class to unplug from their phones for a week. When Riley and her crush Lucas sit down to talk face-to-face, personal stories bring them closer.
Self Improvement
Watch Ep. 104: Kimmy Goes to the Doctor!
Kimmy quickly realizes that she can’t fix her problems by simply “Buhbreezing” them away – real change comes from the inside.
#2 Find books that feature strong characters. I have always been in love with scouting out books for both of my kids that buck social stereotypes. I adore characters who don’t just care about wearing pink and having pretty hair like “Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse” by Kevin Henkes about an irrepressible mouse heroine who considers careers as a teacher, surgeon and pilot feature strong, spunky female protagonists and don’t try too hard or make too big a deal out of gender.
3. Tell your kids about your childhood experiences. Sure my kids think I am like 180 years old and that my childhood holds little relevance to their current situations- I’ve always found that re-telling some of my similar experiences be it about the fact that I was bullied in elementary school or my own struggles with religion and finding my unique voice in high school- I feel like when I share my truths with them- they resonate. My experiences make me more human and relatable and yes they even inspire my kids to come clean with me about their own things.
#4 Be a safe outlet for kids to express their dreams and ideas. Don’t barrage them with questions the minute they walk through the door, exercise your patience and tread lightly. And whatever you do create opportunities for them that take a stand against dumbing down and hiding their potential and inspire them to be true to themselves.
Forget Fairytale princesses and princes! Arm your kids with REAL tools to conquer their passions #StreamTeam
I tell my kids all the time that Girl Meets World is truly the best show on television! There’s so much thought put into the lessons of each episode, and it’s done in such a way that the kids really do absorb it.
My daughter is so on the tween trail, but it is her younger sister that has more of the emotional side of things. This list will come in handy (plus a lot of prayers to get through these years)!
My daughter is 8 so we haven’t quite gotten into these shows just yet, but it’s only a matter of time. Like you, I credit my parents for never letting me doubt I could be anything I wanted to…..and I did. Though I’m sure they were nervous, I headed straight into a male dominated world and succeeded. I hope I’m doing the same with my daughter! 🙂
We all raise our children different. My daughter played dress up and wore some of the princess outfits. Just part of playing. She is a strong, independent well educated woman today. We just let our kids have an imagination and they all have done well in life.
I love telling my kids about what it was like when I was a kid too. They are still baffled by VCRs.
Netflix has some awesome shows!
Netflix has the best shows hands down. They can communicate with kids sometimes in ways that we cannot.
I do hate that when reading traditional princess fairytales to my daughters, the messages in them are so antiquated and even defeating for young females. It is so great and overdue to have shows and books that reflect our values today. Bravo Netflix.
Netflix really has some amazing programmes on it – I have to admit not having children I’ve not looked too much into their younger selection but it seems like they are tackling great issues with the programmes they are bringing out.
My daughter always likes it when I tell her about when I was a kid. She finds the stories relatable. We do not spend much time watching TV, but these shows sound interesting.
Netflix has a lot of shows for children and it’s nice that there are also educational ones, stories where we can teach lessons and guide them through their watching.
My kids love hearing all about how we grew up; the good, the bad, and the ugly. We watch several Netflix shows together.
We’re very happy Netflix subscribers. It is important to encourage children to imagine and dream while remaining grounded and encouraging them to learn and become self-sufficient.
Does this also apply to my kids wanting to be batman or superman when they grow up!? LOL! All kidding aside, I couldn’t agree more. My six year old wants to be a doctor and is studying the human body because he’s interested not because I’ve pushed at all.
I grow up without knowing about princesses and princes and had fun with real life’s pure joy. That’s what I tell my kids and they are growing up like me.
It’s so interesting to see the changes in what it was like when I was a child and now days. Netflix is a great way to see new things and show old loves!
The best gift a parent can give the kids is to equip them to face life and also transform dreams into reality. You are so right here. Always thankful to my parents for all that they have given. For example books have been around me all the while as I grew up and this has played a major part in my life.
Netflix has some incredible options for kid’s shows and adult shows too. Love these suggestions. I actually am not familiar with these shows mentioned here but my youngest niece probably is.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is one of my favorite shows! Netflix has so many great options for kids to watch with their parents.
I have to agree with how important it is to have open ears and an open mind about your child’s ideas. They’re our future, and they should feel appreciated.
We love watching Netflix. We haven’t watched any of these shows yet but our watchlist is continuously growing. Thanks for the suggestions!