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10 Hopes All Harry Potter Fans Have For Their Kids
There are a few distinct qualities every die-hard, Harry Potter fan has. For example, they may not be able to remember a particular date that's significant in their real lives, but they definitely remember the spell for shooting water from a wand. Every Harry Potter fan knows which house the sorting hat would send them to and, yes, they've re-read the Harry Potter books at least five times. Lastly, every Harry Potter fan has a specific set of hopes for their children.
Of course, most (hopefully all) parents wish only the best for their children. We all want to see our kids grow into happy, healthy human beings who value others, as well as themselves. Parents want to teach their children important lessons, so they one day don't need a mother or father around to know how (and why) to do the right thing. But Harry Potter fans know that many of those lessons can be found in the pages of J.K. Rowling's world-famous novels, and that there are some things only literature can give a kid (or an adult, for that matter).
Harry Potter fans know that every book can give the reader something special. These are things that kids can apply to a world that doesn't have witches or wizards, but does have problems that look a lot like the problems Harry Potter and his friends face. With that in mind, here are 10 things all Harry Potter fans hope for their kids, because we don't have to be the only source of knowledge for our children. There are so many other places — like the pages of a book — where kids can learn about themselves, understand others and grow into the best muggle they could possibly be.
They'll Accept Themselves For Who They Are
Whether you're a Gryffindor, a Slytherin, a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw, it's important that we accept (and celebrate) ourselves for exactly who we are. Of course, children (and adults) are going to have their favorite houses and they're going to hope they're part of them, but in the end, being happy with wherever you land and whomever you turn out to be, is essential in finding true health and happiness.
They Won't Judge Someone Too Quickly
The Harry Potter books provide many important lessons to readers, one of them being, "Don't judge someone too quickly." It would be easy to write off the beloved Professor Snape as a "bad guy," but he ends up being a devoted ally, who loves deeply and is capable of sacrificing greatly for his friends. You can't really know someone until you get to know them.
They'll Find Their People
Friendship is such an important theme throughout the Harry Potter novels, and it's made very clear that, when you have your people with you, there's nothing you can't do. Will you disagree, sometimes? Of course. Will you argue and not get along? Sure. But if you find a supportive group of friends who love you and who you love, you'll always be OK.
They'll Learn About Equality...
Let's face it, Hermione has taught hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people that women are just as capable as men, that women can do what men can do and that women are more than just their outward appearance.
...And Other Important Lessons, From Reading
And of course, gender equality is not the only lesson that readers can take away from Harry Potter. There are so many "learning moments" hidden away in every page, that a parent can use to teach their children to be better human beings. What an awesome way to show your kids that you can learn a lot, simply by reading.
They'll Find Themselves In The Books
Let's face it: Life can get lonely. Sometimes, even when you're surrounded by people who love and care about you, you can feel like you're misunderstood and riding solo through the journey of life (especially when you're in the throes of adolescence.) Harry Potter fans will hope that their kids will be able to make connections with book characters, that maybe, at the time, they can't make with anyone else. If you can see yourself in a Harry or a Ron or a Neville or a Luna, you can begin to feel like you're not, in fact, alone.
They'll Indulge Their Imaginations
Harry Potter is all about imagination, and celebrating the ability to transport yourself to another world. Fans of the novel will hope that they're kids will love to imagine alternate universes where witches and wizards and goblins are not only real, they're loved.
That J.K. Rowling Will Keep Writing (Forever)
She just has to, OK?
They'll Celebrate Differences And Diversity
There are so many unique and different characters in Harry Potter; diversity and inclusion are very normalized in that wizarding world. Seeing so many different people, with different backgrounds who have different magical abilities and that bring a different, necessary talent to help a common goal, will help teach children that people aren't only different from one another, they need to be different from one another in order for our world (or the wizarding world) to work the way it does.
They'll Learn To Love To Read
Of course, the main hope every Harry Potter fan has for their kids, is the hope that they'll love to read as much as they do. What would our world be, if it wasn't for books? We were given an entirely new universe, with enchanting characters and empowering story lines, all because literature is a thing. Regardless of how far technology advances, we all hope our children learn to love to pick up a book, and read.
