Green ogres beat the blues over being different

Does your son get upset because he's the shortest kid in the class? Is your redheaded daughter tired of being the punch line of carrot-top jokes? Let two green giants help your kids understand that what's inside matters more than what people see on the outside. Then do our magical family activity to bring the lesson to life!

The animated film Shrek 2 provides a great opportunity to talk to your kids about how to embrace their unique qualities. The movie features newlywed ogres Shrek (Mike Myers) and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), who receive an invitation for a post-wedding celebration from the King and Queen (John Cleese and Julie Andrews) in the Kingdom of Far Far Away.

Eager to meet their new son-in-law, the King and Queen are horrified to find Fiona is married to a monster instead of a charming prince. And they are dumbfounded when they discover their daughter's new green appearance. Unable to find the inner beauty in the beast, the King enlists the help of Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) to destroy Shrek and Fiona's marriage.

The stress of looking different and feeling unwanted starts to take a toll on Fiona and Shrek's marriage. When given the magical opportunity to change their appearances, Fiona and Shrek must decide what they really matters to live happily ever after.

Family Activity: Inside-Out Cards

Your children don't have to be green ogres to have the blues about feeling different. The next time your kids feel insecure, these Inside-Out Cards will magically reveal a happy ending to troubled times.

Share!

Start off the conversation by talking about what mean things the movie characters said to Shrek and Fiona about the way they looked on the outside. Then, ask your children to share some hurtful things people say about him or her. Do kids tease your son for wearing glasses? Do your daughter's friends make fun of her freckles?

Next, ask your kids what made Shrek and Fiona lovable on the inside. Together, brainstorm several qualities that make your kids wonderful on the inside, too. Does your son's sense of humor make people smile? Is your daughter a good sport no matter the score? Ask your children why they think these qualities make them unique. Make sure you also tell them why you think they're one-of-a-kind.

Together, share times you've wanted to change something about yourselves. Think about why you wanted to make a switch—perhaps a friend inspired you to pick up a new sport, or maybe you changed your wardrobe style to fit in with a new group of pals. Sometimes change is good, if it's for the right reasons!
 

Play!

You will need:
White index cards
White crayon
Colored crayons or markers
Food coloring
Paintbrush

On the blank side of each index card, use markers or crayons to draw colorful borders, leaving the inside empty. Using a white crayon, have your children write inside the border something that makes them great. You shouldn't be able to see the words since they're written in white crayon.

Help your kids mix 6 drops food coloring with ¼ cup of water. Using a paintbrush, help them paint the colored water over the entire card to magically reveal the invisible word. Save a few invisible cards to paint later when your kids need a pick-me-up.

Have your children put the Inside-Out Cards somewhere they can see them often, like a dresser or a mirror. These colorful cards will remind your kids that just like Shrek and Fiona, they have wonderful qualities people can't always see from the outside.

copyright © 2004 Cinematters