Co-parenting with JK Rowling

Around 2 years ago we started listening to the Harry Potter series. We have now listened to books 1-6 together. We have heard each book AT LEAST 3 times. We all love these books. I've decided that next to Anna Karenina, JK Rowling's creation is my second favorite in all of story-telling. One of the reasons I love the series so much is that it helps me explain difficult things to my kids. Here are a few examples:

1. The kids started talking about what they'd learned about Martin Luther King in school. I talked about the parallel between Dumbledore's battle and the battle for civil rights. I even addressed the idea of benign evil using Cornelius Fudge, the minister who desperately wants to deny the truth so he spends a lot of energy hiding it.

2. They were very sad when Sirius Black was killed. They understood that it left Harry more alone in the world and wondered why Sirius died. I explained that some people feel so strongly about fighting for a cause that they are willing to die for it. My dad felt this way. They see the greater good as more important than their own lives. Many great leaders die for their cause as do many warriors.

3.  They had lots of questions about why Prof Lockhart was such a douche. They didn't use that word although Jack has picked up the swear word 'damn' from Arthur Weasley. We had long discussions about how he is self-centered, acts only when it benefits him and doesn't mind harming others in the process. They get that Lockhart is not inspiring.

4. In The Prisoner of Azkaban, Prof. Lupin teaches the students how to fight a bogart. A bogart takes the shape of your greatest fear. You must shout 'ridiculous!' and focus on transforming your fear into something that makes you laugh. Bogarts are far less frightening in groups because they can't find a definitive form amidst many people. Also, we learn that the way to deal with the after-effect of a soul-draining Dementor is to eat chocolate.

5. The most repulsive characters in Harry Potter - the Dursleys, the deatheaters and Voldemort - are those who hate. The only time Dumbledore yells at Harry is in the 6th book when he explains that love is why Harry will win and has already won. He tells him that love will be Voldemort's downfall because he doesn't understand its power. As the book has progressed we talk more about the power of love and compassion and the way it helps Harry through his journey. For example, the house elves save Harry's life and sacrifice their own simply because Harry has been kind to them.

Jack, especially, seems uninterested in talking about the real world so in discussing the plot of Harry Potter I feel like I get to talk to him about the real world through that magical one. This will likely continue for years and I am so grateful to JK Rowling for opening this door for us.

We were very excited to find a horcrux yesterday. The kids touched it to see what happened.