Category: Movies

Bribery. Compliments. Little white lies. Hugs and kisses.

We have used all of these persuasion styles in our house when it comes to ensuring that we get to watch the movie or episode we have been dying to watch on Netflix instead of something else that another family member has chosen. The biggest offenders? The kids! And wow are they amazing at persuading us to watch Power Rangers (or any superhero show) for about the thousandth time (only slightly exaggerating here – I think I know some of the episodes by heart).

Here are their top three Netflix Persuasion tips:

1) Compliments are always key!

I always know something is coming when I am about to put my show on and they start their sentence with, “Mom, you are the best Mommy in the whole entire world” or “Mommy you are so pretty”. I always fall prey to these one liners, who doesn’t love hearing how you are the best person in the world?! So I go from getting ready to watch Kurt Seyit and Sura to Just Go With It or Power Rangers or Paw Patrol.

2) Hugs and Kisses.

I am a complete sucker for this one and they know it. We have watched Sharknado way too many times for me to count but every time they say just one more and give me a kiss – I can’t resist them.  We then usually end up watching all four movies in the Sharknado series.

3) I will do *insert chore* here for a whole week.

This one is a wicked persuasion tool! They will offer laundry, dishes, cleaning up after the dog and more just to ensure they get first pick when it comes to movie time. While they are great at completing their chores and follow their chore list, this extra offer of help can’t be passed up.

So how do we as parents fight back against their adorableness and re-gain control of the television?

Here is what I do:

1) Use the Netflix Recommendations

I am sure many of you have already noticed those super handy recommendations but they are the best at helping you encourage your child or spouse to break out of their comfort zone and watch something new. Over the weekend, my son wanted to watch Just Go With It again but when we logged in I saw RV was on our recommendation list and I thought they would LOVE that movie. The first reaction I got when I suggested we watch RV? No. So I told them it has exploding poop in it, trust me – you will love it. That won them over and we watched RV. Guess what – they loved it.

We also found the Luther series this way and while my kids were at their Grandparents for a week, my husband and I binged on this series. It is definitely a must watch show – one that I am so glad that Netflix popped up as a recommendation on my husband’s profile for us to watch.

2) Use humour to get your way.

We all love to laugh, especially kids and they usually have a great sense of humour. Get them excited for new movies with one liners, I love this Star Wars one from Netflix: “Watch this new movie, we shall. Or come for you the Rebellion will”. It gets them into the concept of the movie while making them laugh.

And when all else fails?

Play the it’s my way or the highway card. I am not going to lie, I have used the ‘I carried you in my tummy for nine months so you are going to watch Full House with me’ card a few times. It definitely works!

Watching movies together as a family is a great way to unwind after a stressful work and school week. Choosing new and different shows helps lend variety and excitement to family movie time and can even spark a love of a new series (this is how I fell in love with Star Wars!).

What is a movie or show that you initially were not interested in watching but someone convinced you to and you fell in love?

Disclosure: I am a Netflix #StreamTeam member and receive perks with this affiliation. All opinions expressed are my own.

We love to watch documentaries together as a family, especially anything and everything to do with animals and nature. We love learning about the habitats of an animal, watching them grow up, their unique personalities and traits and even how they survive. Our world is an amazing place and it is so important to my husband and I that our children learn as much about the world around them so that they can fully appreciate and cherish it’s beauty and wonder. It helps them to understand how the world works and to show compassion for the creatures that are our neighbours.

Growing Up Wild is our FAVOURITE animal show to watch on Netflix at home! We have watched this documentary from Disney Nature over thirty times (and that is low balling it). This movie follows five animals from birth as they grow up in the wild. We learn how they are raised and nurtured, who teaches them, their predators and their unique traits. While at times the movie can be sad (especially when the babies are hunted), it is such an important lesson for children to learn how much they are like humans. Their parents love their babies and would do anything to protect them, they play with their siblings like children do and they show affection like humans do.

Our second favourite documentary on Netflix is Wild Ones, which has thirteen episodes in one season. This series explores the habitats of some of the strongest, fastest and cutest animals in the world. We can travel from Madagascar to the Amazon to the Savannah. We learn everything that there is to know about the important animals that live in these habitats, how they grow, hunt and work together to survive.

Over the winter, we went on an incredible trip to South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe to visit family. We were very blessed to have had our family take us on amazing adventures while we there which included a safari and boat cruises both in Chobe, Botswana and in South Africa. All of the amazing animals that we had been watching for months on Netflix were brought to life. It was an incredible, humbling and amazing experience that has stayed with us. The animals, the countries and the people who do everything they can do protect them was inspiring and gives you hope for the future.

Our youngest son, who is so fond of animals, has decided that when he grows up he wants to move closer to his family in Africa so that he can do everything he can to protect these beautiful animals! As an animal lover myself, I was so proud of him, even though I know I would miss him so very much.

All of this love and passion for protecting these animals started with a simple movie on Netflix and a trip to visit family. This ignited a dream for our son that I can’t wait for him to pursue as he gets older. As we begin to plan our next trip back to South Africa and Botswana, I know that this summer will be full of more amazing adventures and education from Netflix.

What are your favourite documentaries to watch on Netflix? Have they helped to inspire a dream? What will you be watching this summer with your children?

Disclosure: I am a Netflix #StreamTeam member and receive perks with this affiliation. All opinions expressed are my own.