A year after its release, Frozen continues to be THE movie children want to watch. Of course, the animation is beautiful, “Let it Go” didn’t win an Oscar for nothing, and the star studded cast brought the movie to life. Yet, there have been a lot of children’s movies with great animation, music and actors. So, what makes Frozen so powerful? It all comes down to the story.
Parenting Skills
Obviously, Elsa and Anna’s parents seem to have misinterpreted the Trolls warning. Elsa’s powers have beauty but also great danger. The trolls warned the King and Queen, “Fear is the enemy.” So what do they do? Lock her in a room and tell her to hide all of her emotions. Between living in solitude and being told her powers are wrong, it’s no wonder Elsa was so afraid of her own abilities. Who can blame her for wanting to run away to her own frozen ice castle?
The lesson here is to listen to good advice, but also to keep it in balance. Elsa’s parents took the warning to extremes. They decided to keep her in solitary confinement. A balanced approach would be to let her use her powers, but only under adult supervision. Perhaps find use for her powers, such as ice sculpting. After all, her powers are a talent. The best thing a parent can do for their child is support their talents and encourage them to use their skills for good. Perhaps if they had embraced her powers as a talent rather than a curse, Elsa would have grown into a well-adjusted young woman… although, it would have made a much shorter movie.
The same goes for Anna. Why she wasn’t allowed to play with other little boys and girls, we don’t know. Yet, for whatever reason, she was left alone for most of her development. Based on her under developed social graces and her unfortunate choices in men we can safely assume her parents didn’t speak to her very often or show affection for one another. It makes sense that Anna, like many insecure girls, would think her only chance at happiness is finding someone to love her. If her parents had set up some play dates or even let her talk to her sister, perhaps she wouldn’t have been so eager to run away and get married.
Love Isn’t Just for Lovers
Many children, young girls especially, grow up thinking the ultimate love they can experience is a romantic one. They are constantly exposed to romantic fairytales where “happy ever after” is really a result of a marriage. When we show children these kinds of stories we are essentially telling them you will the safest and happiest when you are married. Rarely do our stories discuss the love and security friends and family can provide. Thanks to Anna and Elsa, children have the opportunity to see two people grow to learn and love one another and it all doesn’t end in a wedding. By having a secure relationship with their family, they are then able to pursue healthy relationships outside of their family, romantically or otherwise.
Photo Credit: istockphoto.com
What lessons have you learned from Frozen?
