6 animated movies children should NEVER watch

Be it adults or kids, watching animated movies and cartoons is a special experience. The joy doubles up when you watch them with your kids!

It is a common belief that animated movies and children's films are supposed to teach them moral values and encourage family bonding but that is not always the case. Some movies, especially the famed classics, do not actually promote ideas that boost a child's confidence and self-esteem.

According to child psychologists, you should be paying specific attention to the type of films your kid watches. Watching one or two movies is fine but when a child is only encouraged to watch a specific type of film (like the classic animated ones), it can hamper their personality traits and let them breed stereotypes. So, here is a list of animated movies which aren't exactly kid friendly and need an upgrade.

We have all grown up watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, which is based on a children’s fairytale. While the movie was fun to watch, it did breach upon the topic of finding the maiden who was the ‘fairest’ of them all. When a young, growing child sees this, it can result in body image issues and unrealistic standards which can further hamper her/his mental health. It is important that kids learn that they should not compete with each other on the basis of looks and appearance and be rather appreciated for their inner beauty and intellect.

Again, beauty and the beast is a classic fairytale adapted into a film. The film revolves around a simple girl, Belle, who gets locked in by a ruthless beast and ultimately falls in love with him. She suffers from Stockholm syndrome and depends on the beast to bring love and value into her life, which is a bad lesson for kids to take home.

Hollywood actress and mother of one, Keira Knightly famously remarked that she wouldn’t let her little girl watch a film as anti-feminist as Cinderella, where a woman waits till no end for a prince to come and rescue her. Like many of the lessons you as a parent should give to girls, they should know that they are capable of rescuing their own selves and not depend on a man to change their lives. Little girls, especially can form the right kind of impressions when they learn good lessons from what they see and witness around themselves. As they say, equality begins at home.

The movie’s plotline runs around a princess who is only to be woken up from her slumber by a kiss from her destined lover. The film moves away from the topic of consent, which is another thing you should always talk about frankly in front of your kids and explain the nitty-gritty to protect them from the world of predators.

Aladdin is one childhood movie which brings back so many memories for parents watching but upon introspection, you need to realise that the film has a lot of cultural and racist connotations which bring bad ideas into a growing child’s mind. Also, Jasmine, the lead heroine in the film, is only appreciated for her beauty and not for the intelligence which can divide children’s minds.

Bambi is a beloved children’s and adults movie but beware, your child can have haunting impressions after watching the film. It has a tragic storyline which can be tough for kids to understand no matter how much you counsel your child before the movie begins. It can make even the strongest of the adults cry so if your kid is very sensitive, Bambi is not meant for them.

Before you begin a movie watching spree with kids, always do the right research and check if the content is 'family-friendly'. Children mimic the things they see on screen so the right choices will guarantee a better mindset for them.