| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9en092ZVDM
Are you a parent and do you have a preteen or teenager in school, then you are going to want to sit down with them and binge Alexa & Katie on Netflix as soon as you can. Kids deal with so many things these days, but there is one thing that they might not able to avoid. That is, what if one of their classmates has cancer? How do you explain to them how to act around that child? This show gives them a good idea, treat them like you always have.
Just as Alexa (Paris Berelc) finished middle school, she found out she has cancer. She spent the summer in the hospital getting chemotherapy to beat it. Now that high school is getting ready to start, she is hoping she gets back to her life as it was. The doctor clears her, but she will have her limits. She wants everything to be as normal as possible, so she does not anyone to know how she spent her summer. She does not want everyone to know she has cancer. It is already a lot for her to go through and she does not everyone whispering about her.
Thankfully she has her best friend and next neighbor Katie (Isabel May) to keep her secret and help her out. These girls do everything together and will do anything for the other one. Therefore, when Alexa’s hair starts to fall out, Katie shaves her hair off in solidarity. Now both bald girls need to go wig shopping before school starts. When one of them cannot afford a nice wig, they both go to the school with bright colored bobs like they are too cool for skool!
Once they get there, there is a rumor that a girl in their class has cancer and no one knows who it is. No one suspects it is Alexa, so she goes on, as life is normal. The only problem is that it is not. When she goes out for basketball tryouts, Katie stops her because it might be too dangerous for her health. Thus, Katie tries out and flips her lid or loses her wig.
Now everyone thinks she is the one that has cancer. She goes along with it to protect her friend. Which is not that hard for Katie because everyone is treating her as though she is special. However, when it becomes too much for her, will it force Alexa to reveal the truth?
Throughout the season, the two girls will deal with the ups and downs of cancer and high school life. There will be dates, school plays, getting in trouble in school, fights, a hospital stay, pranks, parental problems and so much more.
Then there are their parents and siblings. Alexa’s mom (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) cares about her daughter and will do anything to protect her. She will also fight for her daughter to make sure she gets the best care possible. Her dad (Eddie Shin) is much more carefree but he too will do anything for his daughter. Her older brother (Emery Kelly) is the cool dude who is all about himself and fights with his sister. Then there are the times he is the good guy. I am thinking the latter is why Katie has a crush on him. Now her brother (Finn Carr) on the other hand is a little brat, but you cannot help to think he is so cute even when he gets in trouble for bringing home something he shouldn’t. Katie’s mom (Jolie Jenkins) and her dad are divorced. She is stuck raising the kids on her own. All while holding down a full-time job and going to school. Yet she makes it all work somehow. Just like Katie is there for Alexa and vice versa, her mom is there for Alexa’s parents and vice versa. They are their own family when they really need a family that is sometimes better than the one you have.
Alexa & Katie is a teenage comedy like the ones on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. Thus, it is something that your kids will enjoy (plus it is safe and you do not have to worry about anything risqué) and you will totally love it too. That when you are done watching the 13 episodes, you can talk about what you just watched. All while laughing with this great cast that looks like they are having a blast while getting an important message out there.
That message is you do not change just because you have cancer. You want to live life as you always have and not have people treat you differently. That is why this show is so important it normalizes the c-word. Being a teenager is hard enough without everyone treating you differently, so you cannot blame Alexa for wanting that. With this sitcom, you get to show your kids that if Gd forbid someone in your kids’ school (or life) gets it, they will know how to treat them. The same way they always have.
Cancer is, unfortunately, part of life, and it is something none of us are taught how to react to. This is a good start to getting that discussion out there. It is much easier than having the talk!
Since it is Spring Break and there is only so much you can do with your kids before you wish you never had them. This is a good 7 hours that will keep y’all busy and civil with each other. Unless they are a talker. Then you are out luck.
Seriously though, I cannot praise Alexa & Katie enough, watch it with your loved ones and see why.
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