If you’re going to see a Pixar film, you know you’re in for an array of emotions. The movies can be funny, inspiring and uplifting, but at times they present the gut-wrenching death of a character, like Ellie in “Up.” Though these stories are depressing, a recent study published in Omega-Journal of Death and Dying says that these are teachable moments for children about death.
This is particularly true because children will see these films at a young age, beginning the conversation earlier and keeping it going.
“These films can be used as conversation starters for difficult and what are oftentimes taboo topics like death and dying,” study author Kelly Tenzek, a clinical assistant professor in University of Buffalo’s Department of Communication, said in a statement. “These are important conversations to have with children, but waiting until the end of life is way too late and can lead to a poor end-of-life experience.”
Researchers studied 57 Disney and Pixar movies for their research, which included 71 character deaths. They came across four themes to focus end-of-life discussions with children.
— Theme 1: Since certain deaths were unrealistic — i.e. when a character comes back “in an altered form,” says Tenzek — there’s an opportunity for kids to differentiate between reality and fiction.
— Theme 2: The way characters respond to death could help children learn what emotional expression looks like.
— Themes 3 and 4: These themes have to do with intent to kill and spiritual connection. The religion and spiritual piece off this could be a good segue to discuss death along with religious beliefs.
All this to say: The next time your kid has to go through Bambi’s mother’s death in “Bambi” or Coral’s death in “Finding Nemo,” it might be a good time to have the talk.
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Disney, Pixar Movies Offer a Chance to Talk to Your Kids About Death originally appeared on usnews.com
