Entertainment
10 Ways Cheesy '80s Movies Weirdly Prepare You For Parenting A Toddler
Perhaps my fellow millennials can relate to the struggle of having ties to both '80s and '90s pop culture. Technically, I was born in the '80s, and I have some memories of the most neon decade of all time. However, since I was so young, I also have to admit that some of my frame of reference comes from movies and music. And what an amazing collection we have to pick from, right? I mean, movies from the '80s are arguably some of the greatest movies of all time.* It’s no wonder that we can look to them for a variety of lessons, knowledge, and answers to some of life’s greatest questions, like, “What might happen when a bunch of teenagers have Saturday detention together?” and “What happens if a hotshot Naval Aviator gets into an elite training school?” and “What happens if an eccentric scientist and a quirky high school student travel back in time to when aforementioned high school student’s parents were teenagers?” Ya know, the important questions.
Now that I’m technically an adult and a parent, complete with adult and parent responsibilities, the time I have to enjoy some of my favorite films of yore is sadly limited. However, it’s my total and complete pleasure to be able to say that not all '80s movie viewing is for naught. In fact, some of it may even help your parenting skills. Allow me to share just how that may be:
*according to me
They Help You Appreciate Simpler Times
Modern society got you down? Perhaps a trip down memory lane to a time before cell phones, broad awareness of global warming, and reality TV were all things. Not sure about you guys, but almost nothing makes me feel better about the world than watching two unlikely teenagers falling in love against a backdrop of synthesized music.
Fashion Inspo For When You Need to Get Creative And Cover Stains
Surprise! Kids mess up your clothes constantly! Perhaps a viewing of a fabulous '80s movie will give you some fresh and funky fashion tips for layering and covering up. As if we needed more excuses to tie things around our waists.
Cheerful, Harmless Pop Songs To Sing
Are you (or your little one) sick of Old MacDonald or Mary and her Godforsaken Lamb? Might I suggest the soundtrack to Stand By Me?
Colors. All The Colors.
Movies of the '80s were often colorful and dynamic, and the natural draw we feel to such prettiness can help us relate to the way our kids feel about cartoons.
They Help You Recall The Feels Of Your Own Youth
For me, nothing brings back warm fuzzies like The Princess Bride or License To Drive, which were my sick-day movies as a kid. To this day, I welcome a visit from the two Coreys when I'm under the weather.
They Help You Respect How Far Technology Has Come
Remember when people had to leave messages for one another? Or better yet, when they had to be HOME to answer the phone, which they could only talk to as far as the cord could stretch? Life's funny sometimes.
They Remind You Of The Crazy Hijinks Kids Sometimes Pull
I mean, I don't always feel old, but technically it has been a while since I've been a teenager, and even longer since I've been a kid (since that's how age works and all). So, movies about the youths of the '80s are not only fun to watch, they help me remember the days when I was a ~youngster~.
They Can Be Nostalgia For Nostalgia’s Sake
Has anyone else experienced the phenomenon of watching a movie you loved as a kid, only to find that it doesn't hold up compared to current films? Sometimes, it's OK to keep these oldies but goodies in rotation because you are totally allowed to like something even though it's not necessarily high-class cinema.
They Provide Retro Parenting Inspo
We have so much to learn from fictional parenting figures who had limited technology available to them.
They Offer Creative Entertainment Ideas For Kids, Aside From Screens
OK, I realize this one is, um, slightly less obvious than some of the others. But these movies do offer a snapshot of a less complicated era, meaning that we can take inspiration from how characters are portrayed and what they do with their time. Speaking of which, does anyone know a DIY recipe for tie-dye?
