5 Important Reasons Your Child Should Watch Star Trek: Educational is an Understatement

I never watched Star Trek as a kid. In fact, any TV show or movie that had to do with aliens or science fiction just didn't tickle my fancy and was something I would automatically pass up or turn down. It wasn't until I was thirty-something that I gave Star Trek a try, at the urging of a good friend who was a real fan. Much to my surprise, I found most of the story lines captivating, but more importantly the characters drew me in when I discovered how the show really has less to do with science fiction and aliens than it does about human nature and, social diplomacy, and challenging one's own integrity. After having watched numerous Star Trek Series produced in a span of about 5 decades, thanks to DVD online rental programs, I have come to the conclusion that Star Trek is a good educational television show that would improve any child's perspective and attitude in life.

Here are 5 Reasons Your Child Should watch Star Trek

1. Personal Integrity. Each Star Trek episode presents a conflict that challenges multiple characters, faced with tough decisions and the main characters generally make their decisions based on personal integrity. Star Trek characters are faced with moral and ethical principles and choose ultimately to deal with situations in an honest manner. This resounding theme of personal integrity, exhibited in a non-religious fashion, is a good societal value. What child couldn't use a little more personal integrity?

2. Job Integrity. The members of Star Trek Federation and the Star Fleet Crew take their jobs seriously. Additionally, they don't sit around wasting time; every minute of their job is on task and to the benefit of their team and crew members. How refreshing this is in contrast to the attitudes I see in most employees who deal with the public. Over the past few decades, the real world has shown me that our youth has gotten lazier and lazier when it comes to job performance and customer service. Sure there are exceptions, but in our selfish "me, me, me" generation, it is uncommon for someone to go the extra mile or take any extra effort to do the best job possible. Sadly, I see more job incompetence and laziness and apathy as the rule, rather than the exception. Star Trek, however, has characters who deal with demanding jobs and experience great personal and professional satisfaction. They rarely bad mouth their coworkers or their superiors and they take their jobs seriously. Star Trek Officers and Crew Members of the Star Trek Federation, have job integrity and always go the extra mile to get the job done. They don't argue about their job descriptions or engage in gossip or look for ways to get away with not working. In fact, the idea of working for pay seems irrelevant to Star Trek characters working. How refreshing that the Star Trek officers and Crew Members are motivated to do an exceptional job, rather than being motivated to put in an extra hour of overtime simply because they bought a new pair of jeans or an iPod on their credit card and they need to make their monthly minimum payment!

3. Social Tolerance. The characters of Star Trek shows are continually faced with dealing with other species and life forms who are alien in beliefs, practices, and lifestyles. As such, each Star Trek television series and episode teaches the viewer how acceptance and tolerance of others is the primary way to get along in the world. The tolerance exhibited in the show teaches a child how people can get along peacefully without imposing or forcing one authoritarian life view as the right and only "way" the world should be run. Star Trek is a humanist show and it teaches respect between sexes, races, and political and religious differences. Episodes of Star Trek show how social stereotypes are harmful and social tolerance is the vehicle to peace and cultural growth.

4. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep. We live in a culture where fashion, beauty and materialism are not only prized and deeply valued, but they are driving forces for many people's lives. Star Trek, by nature of the show and being exposed to many bizarre looking alien forms and ultimately seeing the humanity in all living forms, teaches a child to not judge others based on their looks. When a child can see something or someone so strange and foreign as something or someone who is just like them, they learn that the essence and heart of a person is what makes a person, and not their skin. Star Trek can teach children to see mentally and physically challenged people as no different than themselves. Star Trek can teach children to respect older people, and people who visually appear so different than their peers. Star trek has the ability to change a child's perception about judging people based on appearances and possessions and to not use beauty or wealth as a measuring stick for success. When a child can view others this way, it teaches compassion.

5. Adaptability. Star Trek due to the nature of its challenging story lines teaches a child to adapt to circumstances that change. Even if the world around you feels like it is falling apart, there is always a way to survive and adapt. Star Trek teaches you to think outside the box and to prioritize your needs. Star Trek teaches life survival skills by creating mentally stressful situations and showing how creativity and survival instinct can manifest in the form of adaptability. Your child will be faced with many uncomfortable situations in life, and circumstances that are sometimes scary, but having watched Star Trek they will have witnessed first hand that intelligence and thoughtful introspection will help them get through their darkest moments and ultimately to a brighter and more comfortable and safer space.

So the next time you are looking for a good DVD series to rent, consider one of the several Star Trek Series as something that is not only entertaining, but will prove educational for your child.

To see the many Star Trek Series that have existed over the decades, vsit this link on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek

Official Star Trek Website

http://www.startrek.com/

Star Trek Actor Links

http://www.startreklinks.net/

Star Trek on IMDB

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060028/

Star Trek Deep Space Nine

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106145/

Star Trek The Next Generation

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092455/

Star Trek Voyager

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112178/

Star Trek Enterprise

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0244365/combined