Top 10 Father’s Day Films

Finding Nemo

This father-based inspiring Pixar film is set in the oceans. When his son gets kidnapped by divers, a clownfish braves his fear of the ocean to rescue his son. Filled with adventure and love, Finding Nemo is fantastic for the whole family!

Fiddler on the Roof

Fiddler on the Roof has been a family favorite, since it is so relatable for us. Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman in the early 1900s, has five daughters, three of whom are ready to marry! Not only is a fun musical great for the entire family, it also teaches important lessons of holding on, and letting go.

It’s a Wonderful Life

In this classic Christmas link, George Bailey learns how to be thankful for life, and embrace the ups and downs of life, and fatherhood.

Cheaper by the Dozen

With a family with 12 kids, chaos is sure to follow! After Mom gets a fantastic book deal that comes with a two week book tour in New York, the Baker family realizes big careers don’t always mean a happy family! Also, the original film, based on a true story, is also a great family film!

Madison

Set in small town Madison, Indiana, this film is inspired by the true story, as told by Jim McCormick’s young son. It’s a great American underdog sports film, about hard work and perseverance!

Father of the Bride

As every father can relate to, the hardest part of fatherhood can be the wedding day! In this sweet comedy, George’s beloved daughter is getting married, and during the wedding, chaos follows!

Courageous

In this Christian-centered flick, a group of police officers strive to become better fathers, after one of them suddenly loses a daughter. As police officers who have a duty to serve and protect their city’s citizens, these men discover they also have a duty to serve and protect their family.

For Teens

Life is Beautiful

Part romantic comedy and part drama, this Italian film is one of the few foreign language films to win several Academy Awards, including Best Actor. In the silly first half, Guido sets on a mission to open a bookstore, and win the heart of a lovely young woman who he meets accidentally. With enthusiasim, humor, and persistence; his dreams come true, and the couple have a son. The second half of the film is set in a concentration camp, where Guido uses his charm to hide the harsh realities from his son. This classic is almost problem-free in terms of content, and is Dove family-approved for ages 12+.

The Pursuit of Happyness

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll cheer! After growing up without a father, Chris Gardner promised himself his kids would always have a father in their life. It is a promise he keeps, even when his wife leaves him, and even when he and his 5 year-old son become homeless. Through hard work, love, trust and perseverance, Chris and his son slowly get back on their feet. It’s inspired by a true story, and it was also recently added to Netflix.

Frequency

In this scifi father-son drama, a son and his deceased father connect 30 years apart, with an old ham radio. Working together, through the fates and twists of time, they reconnect to stop a serial killer. (It’s rated PG-13 and not as graphic as it sounds, great for 12+) It also has great lessons on how your actions affect the future, and strong anti-smoking messages.

The post Top 10 Father’s Day Movies to Celebrate Dad first appeared on True Aim.

This is the follow up sequel to the original Character-Building, Family-Friendly Movie Nights for Kids. (Thank you for such a great response!) We recently got Netflix, and have had fun exploring a plethora of great flicks!

For older kids, I believe “character-building” means thought-provoking flicks that force you to grow as a person in some way. For younger kids, I believe “character-building” can simply mean a positive flick with encouraging messages that good will triumph evil.

Kids

Charlotte’s Web – Wilbur is a young pig who befriends a wondrous spider, Charlotte. Filled with sweet lessons and beloved characters, this definitely is a classic for a reason.

Heidi (2015) – Based on the book, I haven’t seen this animated flick but this feel-good movie seems to be quality made and has positive reviews.

The Boxcar Children – The Boxcar Children was my favorite series growing up. Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny are orphans running away from the grandfather. Along the way, they find an old abandoned boxcar. Through resourcefulness and teamwork, they call it home. I’m proud to say the movie did not disappoint. It closely matched the beloved book, and I felt it in no way was cheesy.

Fetch with Ruff Ruffman – This educational reality game show for kids is ran by an animated dog, but features real-life contestants who are sent on “missions” exploring different careers and professions, in a similar way “Magic School Bus” might. Growing up, I learned a lot through this show!

Joseph: King of Dreams – This is the biblical story of Joseph beautifully animated by the creators of the classic The Prince of Egypt. Lessons include trusting God, hard work, and perseverance.

The Prince of Egypt – A bit more violent than Joseph, The Prince of Egypt tells the story of Moses and the Exodus. The film has beautiful animation, and an even more beautiful soundtrack.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman – In Finding Nemo father-son style, ingenious dog Mr. Peabody shares his time-traveling adventures with his adopted son Sherman.

Walt Before Mickey – Before Mickey Mouse made him a success, learn about Walt Disney’s struggle to fame and fortune.

Here is a list of common clean and positive movies for young kids that I wanted to mention in case you hadn’t seen a few on this list.

• Veggietales
• The Rescuers Down Under
• The Three Musketeers
• The Emperor’s New Groove
• Mulan
• Robin Hood
• Pocahontas

Tweens (10-15)

The Gabby Douglas Story – Gabby Douglas was only 16 when she brought home the gold at the 2012 Beijing Olympics. Here is her inspiring story of hard work and determination!

1001 to 1 – Based on a true story, 1001 to 1 is about a high school basketball champion

God’s Not Dead – Partially based upon real events, a Christian student and his atheist professor clash heads. Based upon the hit song, this film has some great messages of sticking up for your faith.

Holes – Stanley Yelnats, “cursed” from great great grandpa, is sent to Camp Green Lake for stealing a pair of shoes. (which he did not) While there, he discovers the warden has a secret – buried treasure! There is a smidgen of profanity and a bit of violence to worry about, but overall, a quality family movie with lessons on helping others. Based on the Newbery winner by Louis Sacher.

Read It And Weep – This old Disney Channel Original Movie was a favorite of mine growing up. After accidentally turning her personal diary into an essay contest, shy Jamie soon becomes a best selling author and the most popular kid in school – until everyone realizes the characters are based on them! Although some may disregard it as cheesy, it is a clean family movie, and has important lessons of being a good friend, honesty, and how words can hurt.

Cow Belles – Another classic Disney Channel movie that follows two spoiled sisters who learn the value of friendship, hard work, and helping others! (Same warning as above!)

Masterpiece Classic: The Diary of Anne Frank (2009) – Ben Kingsley stars as Otto Frank in this movie about Holocaust victim Anne Frank and her diary. Although I don’t think Anne Frank is the best example of Nazi persecution, it’s a good movie, not graphic, and the story of how blind hatred can affect normal people. It also shows the courage of Miep Gies and the others who hid Anne and her family.

Nicky’s Family – Nicholas Winton, known as the British Schindler, rescued over 600 children in the Kindertransport during WWII, by transporting them to Britain. Here is his story in a non-graphic documentary/docudrama form, that includes interviews with many of the children he rescued.

Gifted Hands – Dr. Benjamin S. Carson grew up with the world stacked against him – he was poor, black, and growing up in Detroit to a single mother with a third grade education. Through his mom’s hardworking determination and the grace of God, Carson went to Yale and became the first neurosurgeon to help successfully separate conjoined twins. Based off his incredible memoir, I felt this story did a pretty good job of converting Carson’s life to film.

Radio – Cuba Gooding Jr. excellently plays a developmentally disabled man in this light-hearted football drama that is based on a true story. A great family feel-good movie for tweens and up. (note some humorous uses of the S-word in one scene, and another scene where Radio unknowingly walks into a girl’s bathroom)

The Dropbox – Pastor Lee has rescued over 300 orphans and abandoned special needs babies throughout South Korea. Here is his incredible story and selfless life.

Monumental – I haven’t seen this yet, but it has come highly recommended. Kirk Cameron hosts this look at America’s past. If you liked this, you’ll also probably like Food Inc, a documentary exposing America’s food industry.

On Netflix DVD:

Facing the Giants – Grant Taylor, the head football coach at Shiloh Christian Academy, has yet to have a win in six years. After developing a new coaching philosophy, his life begins to change around.

Secondhand Lions – Growing up with his mom, Walter has known nothing in his life but instability and trouble. One summer, she dumps him off at his two eccentric uncle’s old place, where his life is changed forever. This coming-of-age film is one of my favorite films on this list, and has amazing lessons. The only negative in this PG-rated flick is there is some minor cursing (mostly d*mn).

Unbroken – Louie Zamperini grew up destined for trouble – until his older brother introduced him to track. Louie trained hard, and ran himself to the 1936 Berlin Nazi Olympics. When WWII broke out, he signed up to a 2nd lieutenant, and on a rescue mission, accidentally crashed. He and a friend survived 47 days at sea (with sharks and nothing to eat), and afterwards spent two years in a Japanese POW camp. After the war, his life spun downwards and he became an alcoholic, before committing his life to Christ and forgiving his captors.

Teens and Up:

My family has very low tolerance for sexual content, however we are more lenient on realistic war violence that does not glorify violence. I will list the pros and cons for each of the below movies.

Goering’s Last Secret – Herman Göring, Hitler’s second man, was one of the most infamous Nazis in WWII. In a stark contrast, his brother Albert was the exact opposite – who loathed the Nazi party and often subjected himself to danger to rescue people from concentration camps. Although he had the opportunity to become powerful, rich, and famous because of his brother – Albert chose a different path, and instead died penniless. It’s an intriguing and overall non-graphic look at two brothers who made drastically different life choices.

Hotel Rwanda – A true story set in the midst of the Rwandan genocide, Hotel Rwanda centers around a hotel manager who manages to save over 1,000 refugees. During the Rwandan genocide, over 800,000 people were murdered in a 100 day period. Despite this, the film (PG-13) strays from getting too graphic.

The Kite Runner – Based on the brilliant bestseller, The Kite Runner is a beautiful, yet heart-breaking story filled with family, friendship, loyalty, guilt, betrayal, and ultimately forgiveness and redemption. Amir is a successful writer living in San Fransisco, after moving there from Afghanistan in the late 1970s. However, memories haunt him of betraying a loyal friend, and Amir has a chance to make things right. The movie is rated PG-13, contains violence, some profanity, and is centered around a child rape. However, with powerful and poignant themes and a fantastic delivery, this movie is thought-provoking and eye-opening. I would highly recommend both the book and the movie. You can read my more detailed review here.

No Place on Earth – Incredible story of a group (ages 2-76) of 18 Jews during WWII who hid in an Ukranian cave. (They also set a world record for longest time underground interrupted.) I always think learning about other people’s lives is character-building, thought-provoking and eye-opening.

Call the Midwife – Although I cannot recommend the later seasons, we thoroughly enjoyed the first two seasons of Call the Midwife, based on the true memoirs of a British midwife in the 1950s. The series, similar in style to Downton Abbey, explore Britain’s poorest and lowliest memoirs of society.

Foyle’s War – This British 1940s mystery series is best for teens. Subjects often include murder and treason. Whether it is necessarily “character-building” may be up for debate, but contains good themes of good versus evil, and is a quality historical series that I honestly can’t help but include.

On Netflix DVD:

The Giver – When we hear about tragedy on the news, it can be easy to think, “Why does God allow evil?” In this adaption of Lois Lowry’s Newbery winning novel, meet Jonas – who lives in a perfect world. No crying, no pain, no war or heartbreak, and likewise no color, or differences, or happiness. The question is then asked: Is it better to live in a world of neutrality, or embrace both the good and the bad? A fantastic teen movie night that poses many questions and offers much discussion.

Movies I haven’t seen but that look good:

• My Italian Secret (the true story of an Italian cyclist who rescued Jews during WWII)
• Last Ounce of Courage (Christian film about a veteran who tries to bring patriotism and Christianity closer to his secular town)
• Korczak (the true story of Polish writer Janusz Korczak and his role during WWII)

I haven’t had Netflix for too long, so I’m afraid my list isn’t longer. What are your favorite movies on Netflix?

The post Character Building Movie Nights for Kids {on Netflix} first appeared on True Aim.

{Disclosure: I received a copy of The Electrifying Nervous System for review and was compensated for my time in writing this review. My opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may vary.}

The author, Lainna Callentine M.Ed., M.D. was an elementary school teacher before she became a medical doctor, a profession she left behind to homeschool her three children.  Her knowledge and experience in the teaching and medical field give her points in my book, and that is just scraping the surface of her accomplishments.

The Electrifying Nervous System

The Electrifying Nervous System is a basic overview of the human nervous system geared toward students in 3rd-6th grade.  It is the first book of 9 in the God’s Wondrous Machine series, though only 2 are available to purchase right now.  Dr. Callentine does well at piquing the interest of our younger generation in this field of study.  My oldest son (he’s 8) really liked the  “wacky and weird” facts, as well as the photographs.  Dr. Callentine Keeps descriptions and definitions short and interesting, unlike some science textbooks written for this age level.

The book is written from a Christian worldview, with many Scripture references scattered throughout, which I love!  It is also filled with interesting diagrams which catch the attention of young readers.  Even I found myself caught up in the wonder of the human nervous system!

My oldest is 8, and reads at a 5th grade level (thanks to his Father’s genetics), and the reading was a bit cumbersome for him.  He was able to comprehend most of it, but with some of the larger medical terms, he got a bit lost.  I think it would be perfect with review questions, hands on activities, or other helpful tools to reinforce learning. Supplemental materials can be purchased separately to help with that. This book was a good length, interesting, and full of facts and Scripture. Take a look at the book trailer below and see for yourself!

Homeschool Science Curriculum

If you are interested in teaching body systems to your children, give God’s Wondrous Machine a try! The series includes the respiratory system as well as the nervous system book that we used. Download a sample of the Nervous System Book here. With a few supplemental materials purchased from God’s Wondrous Machine, I think this would be a great addition to your homeschool science curriculum!

Homeschool Science Giveaway!

Master Books is celebrating God’s creation by giving away some awesome prizes to help you with your science curriculum. First, you’ll get a copy of The Electrifying Nervous System. Then, you’ll also receive 2 Geology Exploration DVDs in the Awesome Science series hosted by Noah Justice! This gift package is worth over $40, please enter the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Giveaway! Homeschool Science Curriculum: The Electrifying Nervous System first appeared on True Aim.

That’s why I’m excited to tell you about this new video subscription service through a sponsored post from Highbrow. All opinions are 100% my own.

We tried Netflix before and the problem is, there is no way to really control what they watch except for supervision AND not all videos on Netflix are educational.

Educational Videos for Kids

Highbrow’s mission is to encourage productive screen time so children can learn new languages, art projects, science experiments and lots more as opposed to watching mindless screen time or playing video games.

I love Highbrow’s safe, educational, and age appropriate videos. They are perfect to supplement my regular curriculum and I can customize what my children watch. I made a profile for my oldest daughter and started assigning videos that were at her level. It’s like having her own video playlist that I know is perfect for her abilities and meets my standards.

First, I had her try an art video. She is very good at drawing what she sees, so I knew she would like this one. There are lots of drawing and art videos which makes art lessons easy on me.

Next, she wanted to try a science experiment. If you have heard of Steve Spangler Science, you know that these science experiment videos rock! We did the dollar experiment because it was quick and easy.

They couldn’t get enough and wanted to watch ALL of the science experiments.

We also tried the math videos which are really unique. They involve physical activity to review basic math and help children solve problems mentally. We love it!

If you’d like to try Highbrows curated educational videos for children, sign up for a Free 30 Day Trial. After that, it is just $8 a month or $60 a year.

Then make sure you follow Highbrow on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for more educational activities for your kids!

The post Educational Videos for Kids: Highbrow Review first appeared on True Aim.

We don’t do cable in our house, so movie night is extra special.  I always make a snack to munch on while we watch.

Snack Time: Lucky Pop

This is super easy to make and you can substitute any cereal you like for the Lucky Charms that I used.

Ingredients:

• 1 Bag of Pop Corn
• 1/2 Cup of Lucky Charms Cereal
• 1/2 Cup Almond Bark or White Chocolate Melted
• Green Food Coloring (Optional)

Directions:

1. Pop the corn according to package directions.  I usually press the popcorn button on my microwave and listen until there are 2 second gaps between pops.
2. Pour the popcorn out on parchment paper to cool.  Meanwhile, melt your chocolate or almond bark in the microwave 30 seconds at a time until smooth.
3. Mix in a couple drops of food coloring if you want and transfer the chocolate into a plastic bag.
4. Clip a small hole in one corner of the bottom of the bag and squeeze the chocolate onto the cooled popcorn.
5. Sprinkle with Lucky Charms and cool until the chocolate is set or transfer to the refridgerator for 10 minutes.

The snack mix came out sweet, salty and it was really colorful and fun. My kids loved it! Next time I’ll add some pretzels or peanuts for more crunch and saltiness. It was time for the movie!

They chose Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader. We didn’t let our children watch the whole movie because it was a little scary and it was time for bed, but they enjoyed every minute.  After they were in bed, my husband and I got to have a little date night at home watching the rest of the movie and eating what was left of our Lucky pop.

Family movie night for the win!

The post Family Movie Night Easy Cereal Snack first appeared on True Aim.

What is confidence?  This is an important question to consider before we start to teach our children. The answer will help you discover the right way to instill this valuable trait.  Dusty, the main character in Disney Planes displays a great example of the confidence I want to instill in my children.

For our family, confidence is NOT thinking highly of ourselves. It’s NOT thinking that we can do anything we want. Confidence is being sure of our beliefs and knowing our abilities, our strengths and weaknesses.

We start teaching our children confidence at a very young age. Our son is 2-years-old and each day brings new opportunities to help cultivate character.

I Can’t Do It

How many times has your child said this phrase?  Sometimes I let my children say it.  I let them struggle, get frustrated and work out a problem on their own without intervening.  Overcoming that I-Can’t-Do-It situation on their own can quickly build confidence.

In Disney Planes, Dusty exemplifies this struggle principal.  He doesn’t give up and keeps going even when thing start getting really tough.

Now I don’t do this for everything.  There are some things that they just can’t do because of their physical and mental restrictions.  This is also an essential part of confidence.  There are things that we will never be able to do and it wouldn’t be wise of us to struggle through it or even attempt to do it.  For example, I know that I will never be a professional basketball player, and most likely, my children won’t either.  We are just short people.

Part of having confidence is knowing our limits and that it’s wise to say “I can’t do it” or ask for help sometimes.  Again, Dusty knows when he can’t go on or needs some extra help from his friends.

Standing Your Ground

What you believe defines who you are.  If you believe that there is a fire in the room, you will act based on that belief.  If I started yelling that there was a fire, when you could see that their wasn’t one, you would also act based on your belief even though it was contrary to what I was saying.  You would stand your ground.

One thing that my children haven’t experienced yet is defending their beliefs.  This skill is part of my definition of confidence, so how do I start to cultivate this in my children when they don’t experience it?

I educate and make them practice.  We explain what is right and wrong to our children and help them remember through discipline and roll play.  Having clear consequences for their wrong actions does more to instill beliefs than anything else I can do.  After that, we sometimes describe situations and ask them what the right thing to do is.

This is my favorite thing in the #PlanestotheRescue Movie.  No matter what other people are doing, Dusty stands up for what he believes is right.  He puts other people ahead of his own well being and isn’t afraid of being ridiculed for it.

That’s how I want my son to act, but I know it will take a lot of work.  So I start with the little things at 2-years-old like sharing his favorite new Planes toy that we got at Walmart or putting on his shoes by himself, climbing some rocks…

falling down…

and getting back up to try again.

Make sure you check out Disney’s Planes Fire & Rescue in theaters July 18th!

The post Disney Planes: Inspiring Confidence in Young Children first appeared on True Aim.