Lessons to be Learned from Frozen

If you are like me, the Disney movie Frozen has been playing in your house non-stop since it arrived on your doorstep Tuesday afternoon. Now, my daughter doesn't actually sit and watch TV all day every day, but she does insist that every time she walks into the room with the TV that Frozen is on. Since that is also the toy room, it is just easier to put the thing on replay than deal with the melt-down that will inevitably come. Sure, I'll wean her off eventually, but for now, we watch a LOT of Frozen.

I seriously love the movie. There are so many little nuggets of goodness in the story line. I'm excited for my daughter to get old enough to talk about some of the different elements in the movie. Here's a few talking points I've come up with that maybe you could use with your older children:

• You don't have to be afraid of being different. Elsa spends most of her life being afraid to share her strange talent. Her fear caused her talent to be underdeveloped and out of her control. She hide her talent from the world, shutting out those she loved most. Her fear even cause the death of her sister! When she learned to live with love and not fear, she gained control over both her emotions and her talent. 
• What talents are we afraid to share with the world because they may be misunderstood? 
• What could change if we chose to live with love instead of fear?
• On that note, running away from our problems does not set us free. When Elsa's secret is discovered, she tries to run away from her problem so she can be free. Embracing who she believes she should be is not enough to set her free. She must face the reality that she is controlled by fear. She learns that it is not her talent that has kept her prisoner, but her fear. By letting go of the fear, she finds that love allows her to control her talent.
• Why was Elsa happy to be alone? Was she really free from her troubles? 
• How can we face what makes us afraid?
• What brings us true freedom and happiness?
• True love can melt a frozen heart. Anna had so much to be resentful of towards Elsa, but she never showed hatred or malice. Even after years of being shut out, her first instinct was to forgive her sister for her actions and help others understand Elsa. Anna's love for her sister was strong enough to save her own frozen heart, but it also showed Elsa the way to love herself as well. 
• How can we forgive those who hurt us over and over again?
• How does the way we feel about ourselves affect the way we treat others?
• Our first love isn't always true love. It is okay to fall in love fast, but fast doesn't always last. Anna loves Prince Hans for everything she sees in him. She has spent her whole life dreaming up the perfect guy and then she meets him and he's perfect! Ultimately, the Prince is not who she thought he was and his love wasn't true. Anna learns the hard way that real love is built on more than a dream. The love she has for herself and for her sister proves to be the true love that lasts. 
• What makes a love true? How can honesty change a love?
• How can you know if your love is true?
• You can survive in any situation. Olaf is such a cute character, a true optimist. He longs to see summertime which, unbeknownst to him, would destroy him. When he does learn the risks of warmth, he responds that "Some people are worth melting for." He is optimistic in even the worst situations. He also teaches us that true love does not have to be romantic love. And in the end, his willingness to sacrifice himself to help Anna and his optimistic dreams give him the chance to see summer without melting.
• How can we learn to be happy, even when life gets hard?
• How can helping others help us fulfill our dreams?

And this list goes on and on. There is one point in the movie that I don't agree with though. During the "Fixer-Upper" song, the trolls sing "We're not saying you can change him, cause people don't really change." Now, I do agree with this statement in regards to seeking an eternal partner. You should not attempt to turn someone into your idea of perfect. You should love them for who they are, not expecting them to change into someone else to suit your ideals. But, the idea that people cannot change completely disregards the atoning power of Jesus Christ. I firmly believe that change is possible through Him. I believe that if we come before Him in humility, even our greatest weakness or flaw can be changed into something wonderful, even perfect. You may not be able to change people, but He can. If you seek to change for the better, He will be there to help you.

Like I said, I love Frozen. There is so much good in the movie. And even the one line I don't love can be used to teach a wonderful principle. What are some principles you plan on teaching based on this popular Disney movie?