Has your family watched Encanto yet? If you haven’t, it’s simply amazing. It’s got a great story. The characters are relatable. The music is perfect to sing and dance to (as my husband says, everything Lin-Manuel Miranda touches is pure gold).
Quick summary: Every member of a family has been gifted a unique and magical power, except Mirabel. But when the magic surrounding their family and house are threatened by the unknown, Mirabel realizes she must be the one to rise up and save the family.
Whether you have yet to see it or are about to play it for the third time (or more), there are so many things we can learn from this movie. Here are some lessons I think are pretty important.
You don’t have to do it all alone.
In fact, in some situations, it’s impossible to do it by yourself! Ask for help when you need it and offer help even when someone doesn’t ask. You’re stronger when you’re working together with others.
Everyone is under pressure.
Some may be better at handling it than others. But everyone is feeling the force of something or someone. My son loves the song “Surface Pressure.” It’s super catchy, but there’s one line that gets me every time. “I’m pretty sure I’m worthless if I can’t be of service,” sings Jessica Darrow. Those are some powerful words. I’ve felt that way before, and I know other moms have as well. But we can’t be everything for everybody all the time. It’s just not possible.
Nobody is perfect.
There’s actually a character in this movie whose magical gift is basically being perfect. But guess what? (Spoiler alert) She’s not and is unhappy with her life. She becomes happier when she learns she can be herself.
You are enough.
This can be tough to remember at times. “Gift or no gift, I am just as special as the rest of my family,” says Mirabel. Hopefully we can teach our kids that it’s ok to not be the best soccer player or have the best grades or be the most popular.
One other thing to learn? Intergenerational trauma is real. Hopefully, your family is fortunate enough to have no experience with this. But many families are left dealing with challenges stemming from a historical event. This impacts all aspects of life. Encanto not only addresses intergenerational trauma, it shows that it is possible to overcome it.
Encanto is honestly one of the best kids’ movies I’ve seen. And I love that my own children can learn from something they love so much.
