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Discussion Packet

Noelle – Discussion Guide

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which character was your favorite? Who did you relate to the most? Why?
    [Caregiver Note: Since Noelle is the main character and is fun and whimsical a lot of children will likely choose her as their favorite. However, there may be other characters that they relate to, such as Alex who’s dealing with his parent’s divorce, or Nick who just wants to be left alone. This is primarily just a fun question to facilitate bonding and start a discussion. However, having the child explain why the relate to the character they chose may encourage them to talk about things that happened to them in their past, that they see reflected in that character.]
  2. ACTIVITY: When Noelle is young her dad always brings her travel magazines and she and her brother like to look through them.Together, look through some magazines and make collages of places you might like to visit.
    [Caregiver Note: This activity is primarily just a fun movie-tie in for bonding. However, children who have traumatic pasts may not have had a lot of opportunity to travel so this activity may provide a safe and fun way for them to expand their world view by thinking and talking about all the different places in the world there are, and what it is about different places that makes it interesting to them. For example, Nick chose Arizona for the yoga. A child may chose a beach or mountain if they want to see snow or the ocean. Or they may chose somewhere that feels safer because of their anxiety.]
  3. Noelle thinks getting to have the job of Santa is the best job someone could have. Do you think being Santa would be a fun job?
    [Caregiver Note: This question may work best for younger children who still believe in Santa, though could still be relevant to older kids in a ‘pretend’ context. Reasons being Santa would be fun could be things like making other people happy, giving presents, getting to fly in a sleigh, etc. Reasons it might not be seen as a fun job could be things like having to live at the North Pole or not getting to be with your family on Christmas.]
  4. What kind of job would you most like to have if you could pick anything?
    [Caregiver Note: Again, this question is included mainly for a fun conversation and bonding purposes. But can be a good opportunity to get kids to start thinking about what they might like to do for a career, especially older children. When children are in traumatic situations they usually have to be incredibly focused on the present and just surviving that they don’t always give a lot of thought to the future and what that looks like. They may have trouble thinking of careers- this is a good opportunity to help them look at their strengths and interests and talk about the different options they might not even know are out there.]
  5. How would you feel if someone told you what job you had to have and you didn’t get a choice, like Nick?
    [Caregiver Note: Nick is ‘chosen’ to continue the family business and become Santa, and no one ever asks him if this is what he actually wants to do. This question is a follow-up to the previous- now that they’ve thought about what they would like to do thinking about being forced to do something they didn’t choose. This may lend itself to discussion that goes beyond just a job, but maybe there have been other times that the child felt like they were forced to do something they didn’t want to do or felt trapped. Children in foster care or adoption often feel like they have no say in their lives or control over what happens to them. This can be a good place to open up a conversation about those feelings and maybe ways to help the child feel like they have more agency, as appropriate to their age and development.]
  6. ACTIVITY: Holiday Card Making. Before Noelle is chosen to be Santa, one of her jobs is to make Christmas cards each year. Help your child(ren) make cards that can be given or sent to friends and family members.
    [Caregiver Note: This is a fun bonding activity for you to do with your child(ren) and it’s a good lead in to the festive holiday season. Even exchanging cards with other family members in the household can be a fun surprise. Sending cards may also be a good opportunity for them to stay in touch with those people who they care for who may not be present, such as a biological parent or sibling. If the situation allows, these cards could be mailed to those people, with the assistance of caseworkers if needed. If there is no contact with those whom they wish to send a card to, the act of making and writing a card that they don’t actually send may still be a cathartic activity to help them deal with some of their feelings.
  7. Christmas traditions are discussed a lot in the movie. Is there a tradition or something you’ve done at a holiday in the past that you would like to keep doing?
    [Caregiver Note: This can be an opportunity for children to talk about how they spent holidays in the past and share some of the things that holidays might mean to them. If there is a tradition that is special to them, including it with your holiday routine may help a child feel more included. It is possible that they don’t have happy holiday memories, or can’t think of anything. If this is the case, maybe come up with something together that can become a new holiday tradition. This can achieve the same feeling of inclusion in the family and holiday celebration. Traditions could be anything from watching a particular movie, going to look at Christmas lights, or making a special food.]
  8. When Noelle first arrives in Phoenix, she had to get used to a lot of new things that are different form how she does things in the North Pole. Have you ever felt like that?
    [Caregiver Note: Coming into foster care/adoption or even just a new placement can be an unsettling and confusing time for children. Every home and family is different and had different rules and routines. They may also have changed schools, or even cities. Chances are, they will relate to Noelle trying to figure out how to get by in the new world she enters. Talking about her journey and how she adjusts may help children process their own similar experiences.]
  9. Alex’s dad, Jake, is surprised when he finds out that Alex really likes to bake. Do you have a hobby or activity you really like?
    [Caregiver Note: This question can be a great opportunity to learn something new about your child and a chance for them to share something that is special to them with you. If they can’t think of anything, then talk about different hobbies or activities they might like to try. Maybe there is a sport that they have always wanted to play or another skill they would like to learn.]
  10. ACTIVITY: After Alex tells his dad about his cooking interest, his dad asks if Alex will teach him. If child’s hobby is something they can teach you, or you can do together, plan a time to do that activity.
    [Caregiver Note: Giving a child the opportunity to teach someone else, especially an adult, something can be a huge confidence builder. This exercise works best if you really let them take the lead (as much as is age appropriate). If their interest is baking, for example, let them pick out the ingredients, and tell you the steps to follow. Children are so often being told what to do that it can be a fun experience for them to ‘make the rules’ even just for a short period of time.It can be hard as an adult to let go of that control, and to accept that the end product might not turn out the way it’s ‘supposed to’. But it can lead to some great bonding moments by just focusing on the experience and not the result.]

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About the Author: Jenn Ehlers

Jenn is a central Virginia native who received her BA in Psychology from the University of Virginia in 2012. Since then she has worked for a local mental health agency and the Department of Social Services in various capacities and has been involved in her community’s efforts to create a Trauma Informed Network. Currently Jenn works in vocational rehab and mentors youth in foster care. When she isn’t working, Jenn enjoys writing stories, anything and everything Harry Potter, and spending time with her niece and nephew.


**Transfiguring Adoption is a nonprofit organization seeking to nurture growth in foster and adoptive families by giving a HOOT about their families. Transfiguring Adoption does not intend for its reviewers nor its review to be professional, medical or legal advice. These reviews and discussion guides are intended to help parents to better be able to connect and understand their children who come from traumatic backgrounds.**


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