One of my children got in trouble for talking out of turn in class. They thought they were being funny, but their teacher felt their behavior was disruptive. It created conflict and frustration on both sides, as well as the need to rebuild trust for their relationship to be productive.
In The Bad Guys 2, the characters are trying to become good, but their previous behavior makes it hard for people to believe them. Use one or more of these activities to help children ages 6+ explore the themes of change, trust, and respect in the movie.
Chances. Wolf tries to get a job at a bank that he robbed on three separate occasions, but the bank president is reluctant to hire him. Wolf tells Diane that the bad guys need someone to give them a chance. Invite children to imagine they are interviewing Wolf or one of his friends for a job. Ask: What would you need to see or hear from them to convince you that they have changed? Under what conditions would you give them a chance?
Rejection. As the bad guys get rejected from job after job, they become discouraged and worry that they might not be able to become good guys. Ask children: When have you felt discouraged? How do you manage your worries so they don’t overwhelm you? Make a list of strategies for responding to discouraging situations that children can reference in the future.
Trust. To show others they can be trusted, Wolf and his crew decide to help the commissioner solve a series of crimes that are stumping the police force. Invite children to act out other ways that Wolf and his friends could convince their community they are trustworthy. Encourage them to think of big and small opportunities for building trust.
Respect. Kitty tells Wolf that because no one fears him, no one respects him. Wolf tells her that respect is based on trust, not fear. Create a chart with two columns. Label one column ‘respect’ and the other column ‘fear’. Ask children: How do people behave when they respect someone? How do people behave when they fear someone? Fill in the chart with their responses.
Change. Wolf tells his friends that changing takes work and isn’t easy. It requires some adjusting. Ask children: What are some steps that Wolf and his friends took to change? What are other steps people who want to change could take? Invite children to draw cartoon strips showing someone taking steps to change. Encourage them to share their cartoons with each other.
Good life. Wolf and his friends want to change so that they can experience ‘the good life’. For them, this means being spies for an international agency that helps take down dangerous and experienced criminals. Ask children: What do you think ‘the good life’ looks like? Invite them to draw a picture of what ‘the good life’ looks like for them.
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