Sharing the Classics
Unfortunately, children today often miss out on classic books and movies.
My 9-year-old granddaughter, Aly, sat enthralled as we watched Anne of Green Gables on video. Based on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s book series, the story is set in the early 20th century on Prince Edward Island in Canada. An elderly woman and her brother adopt Anne and help transform her from a highly imaginative, hot-tempered girl into a lovely young woman.
The three-hour classic captured Aly’s imagination, just as it had done when my daughter was 9. Aly laughed and cried and asked lots of questions. I made several comments, too, like, “I’m so glad Anne learned how to pray,” and “That wasn’t very nice, was it?”
Aly wanted to watch more, but her short visit to our house didn’t allow us time to view the sequels, so I promised her we’d watch them on her next visit. In the meantime, I gave her a Focus on the Family Radio Theatre version to enjoy. Later the next day, I asked Aly if she’d read Little House on the Prairie or seen The Sound of Music. She stared at me blankly. Unfortunately, children today often miss out on classic books and movies. Right then I decided that, as a grandmother, I would introduce Aly—and all my grandchildren yet to come—to the classics.
Classic for a reason
Many books and movies today leave God and family out of the picture. They often distort truth and teach negative attitudes. Yet the classic stories that applaud faith and family are messages I want to impart to my grandchildren.
When my two children were young, they enjoyed the classics. We read the “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder; my children listened intently to the tales of Laura and Mary playing with a pig’s bladder, going to school in a one-room schoolhouse and enjoying life in the 19th century. In fact, we actually made a dollhouse replica of the Ingalls’ homestead for a school history fair to show what pioneer life on the prairie was like.
The “Little House” series is timeless, as are many other wonderful stories such as “The Chronicles of Narnia,” The Secret Garden and Little Women. I look forward to reading these to my grandchildren.
Captivating films
When my daughter was 10, she broke her arm and couldn’t sleep the night her arm was put in a cast. We had rented The King and I but hadn’t yet seen it. So at 2 a.m., we snuck downstairs and watched the movie together; her dad and brother didn’t know. Our viewing became a “secret” memory.
I intend to create special memories with Aly and other grandchildren by sneaking down to watch a movie or cuddling up with a classic tale after Grandpa goes to bed. As a grandparent, I can create lifelong memories while imparting a love for the classics and the values they portray.
Since Aly wasn’t familiar with The Sound of Music, that and other classic movies will be on my list to share with her. I think I’ll even treat her to a couple of my daughter’s favorite Shirley Temple movies. From childhood to young adulthood, there are wholesome classics that make wonderful gifts. Remember Goodnight Moon, A Little Princess, The Black Stallion, Swiss Family Robinson and The Velveteen Rabbit? You and I can go online and find a list of books and movies to fill a grandchild’s library.