9 classic movies every girl needs to see before she turns 13.

By NATALIA HAWK

There are plenty of reasons why I look forward to having kids. One of them being – family movie nights.

I can’t wait until the day that I have little ones, and I can start pulling out movies from my childhood to show them. There are so many movies throughout the ages that are timeless in their appeal and the invaluable lessons that they teach.

Here are nine of my favourites that I hope to share with my own daughters one day. Every single one contains vital life lessons that every girl needs to know before venturing out into the scary old world of high school and growing up.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this series of posts is sponsored by Disney Sleeping Beauty DVD.  But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.

1. Dirty Dancing

2. Matilda

I watched Matilda approximately 48, 379 times during my childhood and loved every second of it. I loved that Matilda was just as obsessed with books as I was. I hated The Trunchbull and Mr and Mrs Wormwood passionately. I wanted Miss Honey to adopt me, too. It’s such a beautiful story, and so inspirational for any little girl who loves the idea of escaping into a magical alternative universe.

3. Now and Then

Now and Then often comes on as a midday movie, and the whole office has to stop what they’re doing and watch at least a bit of it. It covers the most timeless of teenage life lessons – from divorce to boob taping, first kisses and near-death experiences.

4. The Breakfast Club

It’s such a classic story – people who have nothing in common get together and realise that they have much more in common than they thought. And yet The Breakfast Club is SO MUCH MORE than that. It’s funny, it’s heart-warming and it’s smart. And despite being one of the iconic movies of the 80s, it’s just as relevant in 2014 as it was back then.

5. Slee

Despite being made in the 1950s, this is one of the most beautiful animated films of all time – I grew up watching it and being completely enchanted with the story of Aurora. For me, the best part of the movie was seeing the relationship between Aurora and the fairies that bring her up. They are magical, loving and doting, just like the women that brought me up. I adored seeing the princess surrounded by love – the kind of love that’s strong and good enough to conquer evil. It’s the kind of film that teaches any girl to value the relationships that surround her, whether they’re with friends or family.

6. Legally Blonde

This movie made me want to, a) be a lawyer and b) wear pink sunglasses everywhere. It’s the best possible film for teaching girls to never doubt yourself – with a little bit of hard work and a lot of spirit,  you can be anything you want to be, and you can do it fabulously.

7. Mulan

Mulan was one of the earliest feminist heroes that I came across as a kid. She followed her heart and risked everything for the sake of her family – even when it required her to take her father’s place in battle. Mulan is strong, determined and heroic, AND she has a kick-ass little dragon as her sidekick – what more could you want from a movie?

8. 10 Things I Hate About You

I had to study this movie while in school and it was the BEST term of my schooling life. Not only is it educational in a based-on-classic-literature way (Taming of the Shrew, for those of you that are not Shakespeare fans), it also covers off high school, love and family life in a way that is beyond brilliant. The best message from the movie? Nice guys don’t necessarily finish last. (Love you forever, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.)

9. Clueless

The clothes. The language. The characters. This movie is one of the all-time best when it comes to love, friendship and learning from your mistakes. And it’s based on classic literature – Jane Austen’s “Emma” – so it’s educational, in a Californian-90s-movie kind of way.

What did we miss? What do you think every girl needs to see before she turns 13?

Check out our extended gallery if you want more unmissable classics…