Windows, Mirrors and Open Ears: Watching Stories From Beyond Your Own Experience

See both windows and mirrors. A mirror is a story where a child recognises their own family, language or neighbourhood. A window shows a life different from theirs. Children need both, and a good film shelf has a healthy mix.

Notice who is telling the story. When you choose a film, check who made it. Stories shared by people from within a community often carry details and humour that outsiders would miss. Reading the credits aloud with your child is a simple habit that builds this awareness.

Watch with curiosity, not conclusions. A single film can never speak for everyone in a culture or community. If your child says, So that is how those people live, gently shift it: That is one family's story. What do you think it was like for them?

Approach Indigenous and multicultural stories as a guest. Listen first. If a film includes songs, language, ceremony or traditions, remember that you are being invited in. Avoid pretending to know more than you do, and avoid turning what you see into a costume or craft unless the filmmakers or community have said that is welcome.

Pronounce with care. If names or words are unfamiliar, try your best and ask someone who knows, or check whether the filmmakers provide guidance. Effort shows respect.

Look for the universal and the particular. Ask your child what felt familiar, such as missing someone, being proud or feeling nervous, and what felt new, such as a food, a place or a way of speaking. Holding both ideas together is the beginning of empathy.

Follow up kindly. Visit the library, listen to music from the same community, or support local artists and storytellers. Let the film start a longer relationship rather than a one-night visit.