Lots of kids and teens are bullied. National Center for Education Statistics reports that every fourth student in the US is bullied at school. Moreover, the majority of those bullied kids never tell their parents or teachers about it. These kids often feel alone and seek help from the wrong sources (bad company, drugs, online games, or even suicide). The help should come from you, though. Parents should be ready to see the signs of bullying in their kids and act appropriately.
Whether your kid is bullied or not (and consider the fact that you may not know about this), talks about bullying are a must. The following movies can be a great incitement for discussion. You can either suggest your kid watch a movie together or simply advise him or her.
That’s what I am (2011)
This is an incredibly inspirational movie for people of every age. It features a school student Andy who gets teamed up with Stanley, a boy who is bullied by everyone around because of his appearance and interest in singing. Eventually, Andy sees him for who he is and not for what he looks like. It would also be interesting for parents to see as it shows grown-up problems, too. The boys’ teacher has to deal with a very serious rumor and stand against all the ill-wishers.
The movie teaches that appearance never defines a person. Stanley handles all the hardships with dignity and eventually earns respect for being who he is.
Cyberbully (2011)
Cyberbully is a movie that shows cyberbullying large as life. A teenage girl Taylor registers for a popular social network where all of the school hangs out. After her brother breaches her account and writes bad things there, the girl gets cyberbullied by many students. It seems like the end of the world to her and even makes her think of suicide.
The main problem for Taylor is that she thinks she is alone and the only one who is cyberbullied. After she visits a support group, though, she realizes that there are many similar situations and that she is definitely not the only one. The movie helps kids see what cyberbullying is and what to do when it happens. It also teaches that you cannot take back what you post online, so you should always think twice. This is a must-see movie for all teens.
Mean Girls (2004)
This is a teen comedy that teaches a valuable lesson. The movie tells about Cady, who comes to an average school after being homeschooled in Africa. She soon learns how high school works with all its hierarchy of popular girls, bullying, rumors, and drama. The story eventually brings us to the conclusion that everyone is beautiful as they are, and there is no need to judge people based on their looks, brain, or clothes.
A walk to remember (2002)
This is a beautiful adaptation of Nickolas Sparks’ novel. The movie tells about a religious school girl who is focused on her study and her faith and is not interested in typical girls’ stuff like clothes or boys. Naturally, she is being bullied by the “cool kids” of the school. When one of these cool boys falls in love with her, everything changes. He helps her fight the bullying and stay strong against some circumstances in her life.
The movie teaches us not to betray our own ideas and beliefs even if everyone around say they are stupid. Well, it also teaches that love is a very powerful feeling that is able to stand against many troubles.
Disconnect (2012)
This story is about the possible harmful effects of modern technologies and the Internet. The movie casts light on three modern problems – identity theft, cyberbullying, and video chats of sexual characters with underage kids. The cyberbullying part can be very useful for your teen to see. It is about a boy who starts texting with a girl online. At the same time, this isn’t a girl, but a fake profile created by his classmates. They trick him into sending a lewd picture of himself and then forward it to everyone in their grade. Not able to handle the humiliation, the boy tries to commit suicide and ends up in a coma. This may teach your kids a lesson of not trusting anyone online and not sharing any personal information.
Standing up (2013)
Standing Up is a film about overcoming bullying. It tells a story of a boy Howie and a girl Grace who ran away from a summer camp after being bullied. They decide to do so not to face any more humiliation. They then start their small adventure, where their characters are built, and friendship is developed. This beautiful movie teaches kids to find support in close friends or relatives when there are troubles in life. It is a great movie to watch with the whole family.
Bullying is a very serious issue that so many kids face every day. It’s the parents’ task to talk about it, to make sure their kids know how to act if facing it, and to teach them not to be bullies themselves. Using music, movies, books, etc., for it is a great educational method. Try it out; maybe it will be very helpful for your kids.
Do you know any other helpful movies about bullying? Share them in the comments!