My 7-year-old son is neurodiverse. He hates talking about school. When I gently ask him what he’s been up to in class, his usual response is, “Go away!” I get it. School is quite stressful for him. Yet it’s a part of his world that remains his domain and not ours. How can we ever understand?
He often shows us videos on YouTube that he enjoys. Minecraft hacks and gaming commentaries are favourites. But the other day, he showed me a series on Netflix – The Healing Powers of Dude. The Netflix summary reads: When an 11-year-old boy with social anxiety disorder starts middle school, he finds strength in a scruffy emotional support dog named Dude.
This was great because it was a show I could watch and enjoy, and it enabled me to speak to my boy about his school experience. The first episode laid down the basics of the story – introducing the boy, his dog, and their little world and, of course, the boy’s social anxiety.
At the end, I asked, “So, is that how you feel at school?” My boy thought for some time and replied, “Eighty per cent”. It felt like a step forward, and the whole family watched and discussed the series.
This lovely experience, I realised, is exactly what we do with Drama for Change. After listening to our audience’s experiences and perceptions, we take a difficult subject and make a drama about it. This enables easy discussion because the videos have presented the problem at one remove.
The Healing Powers of Dude, by the way, isn’t realism. It’s a playful fantasy rooted in reality. It helps that the presentation is lightweight. The contrast between serious issues and light treatment creates a poignant mix.
Our next major production at Nice Media focuses on neurodiversity, and we expect to bring some levity to play there.
For my 13-year-old, the show Sex Education is a better object lesson, but to be honest, I think my wife and I are enjoying it more. Great show!
What TV shows have served you as springboards for discussion?
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