I recently had the opportunity to see the movie Wonder and I loved it. I watched it first with my mom and then told my nine-year-old son about it and he wanted to see it. I thought it was a great opportunity to use as a teaching moment as well as get his thoughts and feelings about the movie. I’m an advocate of being kind because you NEVER know what someone else may be going through. We all have differences. Some of us may have physical differences while others may not be seen in plain sight.
If I learned anything from watching Wonder, it’s that being compassionate goes a long way. I’ll give you a little background on the movie in case you haven’t seen it. Wonder is about a little boy name August “Auggie†Pullman who was born with facial differences. He went through countless surgeries to help him look as “normal†as possible. His mom homeschooled him for years and decided to enroll him in a private elementary school when he entered the fifth grade.
Auggie must learn to adjust in his new school environment and deal with mean classmates as well as his community. Auggie is very smart and makes authentic friendships that support him in standing out and not blending in. My mom REALLY enjoyed Wonder, she’s a teacher and I’m sure this is a great lesson to teach students about anti-bullying and choosing to be kind. My son immediately identified that being mean is wrong and you shouldn’t be mean just because someone looks different.
My son also acknowledged that good friends are worth fighting for. Wonder is such a sweet movie that tugged at my heartstrings. Compassion and Kindness should be a part of your everyday lives. You can join in the year of Wonder and pledge to #ChooseKind in 2018 here. There are so many Wonder products available to advocate for choosing to be kind. In addition to anti-bullying resources, I think my favorite one is the Daily Wonder App that shares daily notes of positivity and goodness. Available on ioS.
There’s also a 365-day journal set filled with quotes from the best seller. In case you didn’t know Wonder is a #1 New York bestselling children’s book by R.J. Palacio. In addition to the journal you have a daily affirmation calendar and Wonder stationery available. You can also get inspirational t-shirts, jewelry and classroom supplies. I love the idea of being able to spread kindness through these products. You never know who’s life you may touch and/or even change.
Overall, I love this movement and will support it by pledging and using my voice online and offline to advocate for anti-bullying and showing kindness towards others. As a parent, I know my child is watching me and will follow my lead. I am a home school mom and my son may not have physical differences but he does have challenges with his health and learning that I navigate through every day. I would like to put him back in a conventional elementary school one day and will be there to support his journey.
Kids can be cruel and we as adults should set good examples for them to follow. Words Hurt… Be a part of the solution. #ChooseKind