Helping Kids with Divorce: A Movie Recommendation

Helping Kids with Divorce: A Movie Recommendation

Helping kids with divorce should be a top priority for you as a parent, and I’m sure it is! I always see people asking what are the best books for children going through divorce, and I have made some recommendations previously, but today I want to actually make a recommendation of a movie for kids going through divorce. That movie is “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Now, if you haven’t seen “Mrs. Doubtfire,” you need to drop what you’re doing and go watch it. If you can’t drop everything because you have kids and work and responsibilities and don’t spontaneously have 2 free hours, then keep reading. I will share with you about this movie and why I think it’s the best for kids divorcing, and you can watch it with them later.

Oh, I should also mention the worst movie for kids going through divorce, and that is “The Parent Trap.” Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love this movie, so don’t shoot the messenger. But if you are trying to get your kids on board with the idea that everything is going to be okay and that the situation with your ex is the new chapter for the family, the last thing you want is Haley Mills or Lindsay Lohan showing your kids all the ways they can sabotage new relationships and scheme their way into making you realize you’re still in love with your ex. But I digress.

Mrs. Doubtfire starts out quickly with Sally Field telling Robin Williams she wants a divorce. I used to think she was kind of a jerk when I was little, but now I’m like, “Ahhh yes, I can see it.” The movie doesn’t get too involved in court proceedings and doesn’t show too much fighting between the parents, just enough so that it’s a realistic display of some disdain, bitterness and criticism of the other’s parenting.

I won’t go into too much detail of the plot; it’s pretty obvious if you’ve ever seen an image from the movie, but the reason Mrs. Doubtfire is the best for kids is because of the ending. Spoiler alert! If you keep reading, I’m going to ruin the ending for you if you haven’t seen it. Sally Field and Robin Williams don’t get back together. (Did I mention Sally Field gets together with Pierce Brosnan a.k.a. Stuart Dunmeyer, and Robin Williams hits him in the head during a “Run by Fruiting!”) They stay divorced. The kids know they are loved by both of the parents, and the kids see that the parents both want what’s best for them. That is what your kids need to see from you and your ex. Maybe you should tell your ex to watch the movie too. Just tell them not to dress up and show up at your house as the new nanny.

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