Tag Archives: parent-child relationship

Human Growth and Development

Princess Diaries

Title: Princess Diaries

Date: 2001

Media type: Film

Format: Complete

Category: Human Growth and Development

Keywords: adolescence, communication, single parenting, parenting styles, parent-child relationship

Rating: G – General Audiences

Audience(s): Children Under 12, High School Age, Families

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: Mia Thermopolis lives the epitome of a normal life. She is a geek, sweet, and invisible to anyone but her mother, her best friend Lilly, and Lilly’s older brother Michael. Her biggest challenge in life is making it through a day of high school without throwing up. One day, Mia’s grandmother from Genovia shows up and invites her to tea. At tea, Mia finds out that she is the heir to the throne of Genovia, a European Country. One minute she is a regular teenager, the text moment, she is royalty. Suddenly, Mia’s life becomes much more complicated. After school she is learning about how to dance, how to walk and talk like a lady, what fork to eat a salad with, and how to be the perfect princess. She also gets a makeover and a bodyguard, Joe; two things she never anticipated to happen in her life. The media finds out who she is and makes her life all the more complicated. Will Mia decide to be a princess, or will she abandon Genovia in its time of need and continue on the path of the typical teenager?

Places to view: Itunes, Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play, HBO Go

Contributor: Krista Hamann

Internal Dynamics of Families

Mamma Mia!

Title: Mamma Mia!

Date: 2008

Media type: Film

Format: Complete

Category: Internal Dynamics of Families

Keywords: adulthood, single parenting, parent-child relationship, fathering

Rating: PG 13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned

Audience(s): High School Age, College Age, Adults, Parents, Couples

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: Sophie has loved living on her small Greek island with her mother, Donna. Sophie, who is planning her wedding, reads her mother’s diaries to find out who her father is so that she can invite them to the wedding. It turns out, there are three men that are potentially her father so she invites all of them to the island for the wedding without the knowledge of her mother. Who is Sophie’s father and what will Donna do when she finds out who is coming to her daughter’s wedding?

Places to view: Itunes, Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play

Contributor: Krista Hamann

Human Growth and Development

10 Things I Hate About You

Title: 10 Things I Hate About You

Date: 1999

Media type: Film

Format: Complete

Category: Human Growth and Development

Keywords: Adolescence, conflict management, divorce, types of fathering, parent-child relationship, social and cultural influences, single parenting, teens

Rating: PG 13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned

Audience(s): High School Age, College Age, Adults

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: “10 Things I Hate About You” is a modern spinoff of William Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew.” Cameron is a new student at Padua High who is learning how to navigate his new environment. He is shown around by Michael, who ends up becoming his best friend. In the hall, he sets his eyes on Bianca Stratford and is completely entranced by everything about her. The only problem is, she isn’t allowed to date, that is unless her older sister Kat is dating too. Unlike Bianca, Kat isn’t entirely pleasant. Michael sets off to find someone to date Kat so that he can take Bianca out and that leads him to one the the most popular guys in school, that also happens to be a complete jerk, Joey Donner. Michael tells Joey that he can take Bianca out on a date if he pays someone to take Kat out too. The only man that is willing to take Kat out is bad-boy Patrick Verona. Much to everyone’s surprise, Patrick and Kat actually make quite a good pair. The movie follows the teens as they navigate adolescence and try to follow what makes them happy.

Comments or Recommendations for Teaching: How does Kat and Bianca’s father parent them differently? Do you think their father gives his daughters the appropriate amount of freedom?

Places to view: Itunes, Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play

Contributor: Krista Hamann