By the start of elementary school, most children have already navigated their share of tricky social and moral dilemmas: Is it ever OK to leave somebody out? How should we deal with emotions like greed, jealousy, and disappointment? Must we share everything?
Popping in a movie certainly won’t right the world’s stickiest moral fixes, but these films are fantastic starting points for beginning a conversation with your kids about ethics.
The trouble:
Your kindergartener has started to notice — and to comment on — the physical appearances of others, and his observations aren’t always kind. Sure, it’s normal for kids to note differences and even to point them out, but you’re worried the comments might hurt a friend’s or stranger’s feelings.
The flick to fix it:
Try “Dumbo.” This classic animated film serves up a timeless lesson in seeing past appearances: a circus elephant is born with enormous ears and must learn to believe in himself despite constant teasing. Watch Dumbo rise to fame as the world’s first flying elephant, and talk with your child about the importance of looking beyond the physical.
The trouble:
Coming in second (or third) is never fun, but your second-grader seems totally unable to cope with the disappointment of losing even during casual play. Board games, backyard sports, and competitions of any sort often devolve into crying sessions, and you’re tired of playing fixer.
The flick to fix it:
Pop in “The Mighty Ducks.” Remind kids of the pitfalls of a winner-take-all mentality with this poignant sports movie: a sourpuss lawyer is tapped to coach a team of hockey rejects, and as they slowly advance to the playoffs, both coach and team learn some important lessons about how to win and lose gracefully.
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The trouble:
Your third-grader is struggling to fit in. (Children who are shy or who have disabilities and delays are particularly vulnerable to peer rejection.) How to help your kid navigate social booby traps without meddling?
The flick to fix it:
Cue up “The Sandlot.” A ragtag bunch of kids joins forces to stand up to a cruel group of rivals. Along the way, they conquer giant slobbery dogs and a few key boyhood fears. On the surface, it’s a movie about backyard baseball, but this fantastic film also acknowledges a kid’s universal need to belong and to occasionally triumph despite the odds. 
The trouble:
Money is often an abstract for kids, but your fourth-grader’s taste for all things shiny and expensive has gotten out of hand. Birthday and holiday cash is gone in an instant, and you’ve grown weary of unending requests for the latest goods and gadgets.
The flick to fix it:
Impart a light lesson in money appreciation and the dangers of excess with a viewing of the original version of “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” An eccentric candy maker invites five lucky children to tour his magical factory, where greed and selfishness usher in the demise of all save one — the impoverished yet abidingly generous Charlie Bucket, whose selflessness reaps him major rewards.
Conflicts are bound to happen in life. We may as well, kick back, eat some popcorn and learn a lesson or two during that next family movie night.