Play it again, Dad -- the same movie over and over

I recently discovered an anti-tantrum trick that actually works. When my 22-month-old son starts to fuss, I quote a line from his two favorite movies -- Star Wars or The Incredibles.

"Daddy, Daddy! Hold you," Bubba will say during a long ride in the car seat.

"Don't act so surprised, your highness. You weren't on any mercy mission this time. Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by rebel spies. I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you," I reply using my best Darth Vader voice.

"Again?" Bubba says, now smiling with his thumb in his mouth.

I can usually sidestep a meltdown for about 20 minutes by throwing out movie quotes. For some reason, The Wife isn't nearly as amused when I break out my abysmal Borat impression for her co-workers.

"Oh, go do this, go do this. King in the castle," I once quoted while describing her management style to a new hire.

The Wife wasn't smiling after that one. Though, children are often amused by repeatedly watching the same movies, said Jeannine Klomes, coordinator of the early childhood education program at Governors State University.

"As adults, we get bored with a movie over and over again, but for young children there is security there," said Klomes.

For Bubba, that security blanket is Star Wars.

Though, The Incredibles is quickly gaining on the list of his favorite things. The other day he was running around the living room pretending to fly like one of the "supers."

As kids watch movies back to back to back, the plot becomes predictable. Ebert and Roeper might frown on a predictable script, but kids don't like being caught off guard. Knowing what comes next eliminates any scary surprises and makes them feel smart, Klomes said.

Repeated viewings also teach children the concept of beginning, middle and end. As another bonus, kids begin to identify with certain characters in a movie after several viewings, Klomes said.

Bubba identifying with Darth Vader is a topic for another column ... or perhaps a psychotherapy session.

Children will often retreat to a familiar book or movie when approached with something unfamiliar. This can be a good thing when introducing a child to a new baby sitter. The sitter can ease their way into the situation by watching the child's favorite movie with him or her.

At times, however, retreating to the familiar can be a bad thing. Say an out-of-town cousin comes for a rare play date and your child would rather watch Happy Feet.

It's important to know when to turn off their favorite movie and instead read a book, put together a puzzle or wrestle on the living room floor.

Watching a movie over and over isn't harmful. It even has some benefits, though nothing is more beneficial than the hands-on experience of a parent and child, Klomes said.

Darth Vader can't teach Bubba a proper headlock.

That's my job.

Howard Ludwig is a former business writer who traded his reporter's notebook for a diaper bag, becoming a stay-at-home dad.