Films To Work On Loss And Grief With Children
In our zeal to protect our children from the painful aspects of life, we sometimes choose not to talk about certain important issues. However, despite our intentions, sooner or later children will have to face tough situations, and it is preferable that they have learned, from our mouth, how to deal with them. Therefore, in this article we present for you some movies to work with loss and grief with children.
From pets to more or less close relatives, it is possible that, at some point in childhood, our children will have to go through the experience of the death of someone we love. This is a subject that, even for adults, is difficult to deal with.
In addition, when not handled properly, grief can become complicated and cause serious repercussions. Therefore, we must help our children to understand the end of life in an adaptive way.
Why are movies useful for working with loss and grief?
The audiovisual world is extremely attractive for children. They are engrossed, listening to the narration that accompanies this spectacle of beloved colors, sounds and characters.
Therefore, children’s films are a valuable resource for approaching important themes with children in a natural way. Thus, they will allow us to listen to the children’s reflections and also create a moment to present ours.
The film will be an important element in transmitting values and learning confrontation skills , as the protagonists’ behavior will serve as a model for how to act and, in addition, will help children to have a referent when they meet face to face with a similar situation.
Films to work on loss and grief with children
The Lion King
This Disney classic is one of the feature films with one of the most solid and hopeful messages. After witnessing his father’s death, the young lion Simba walks away from his family, sunk in guilt and grief. However, throughout his journey through the savannah, he will know loyalty, support and friendship. But most of all, he will find that no one dies completely.
The values, the memories, the teachings that his father left him before he died will accompany young Simba and guide him on his way. Finally, he will understand that his father never died, as he will live forever in his heart and in the stars. And then, he will find the strength to return to his home, with the one he loves, and build a beautiful life.
Viva: Life is a party
With this fantastic production, Pixar brings color to a death usually relegated to darkness. In many of our cultures, when someone dies, we sink into gray cemeteries, black clothes and silence. Thus, this person’s life becomes a taboo, which is not talked about and which only generates pain and discomfort.
However, through Viva: Life is a party, we are invited to reunite life and death (as an indissoluble whole) and celebrate the latter with affection and gratitude for the time shared with those we love.
The film reflects the deep-rooted Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead, in which altars are decorated and offerings are dedicated to those dear ones who have departed for the next world. It gives us a colorful and vital view of loss, and furthermore, it presents grief as a shared and expressed process rather than a dark, silent, and lonely place.
Up – High adventures
In this film, we are introduced, through Carl’s character, to the desolation we can feel when we lose someone we love. After his wife’s death, Carl feels that his life is also completely over.
In this way he is sad, alone and lost. He becomes, therefore, a solitary and irascible person who deals with a house full of memories to which he clings strongly. However, when he least expects it, Russell appears in his life to show that it is worth moving forward.
Through this new bond the elder establishes with the lively eight-year-old child, Carl will finally be able to come to terms with the loss of his wife and free himself from her. He will understand that the unconditional love they had will never go away, and that he can go on living.
