Parents' Guide to Pressure

This gripping lesson in leadership is a bombshell, hinging on a D-Day factoid that doesn't even make most history books but ultimately had an enormous impact on the war's outcome. Historical lessons, studies on strategy, and even the world-domination board game Risk rarely acknowledge that weather is a critical factor, so a story about dueling wartime weathermen might seem silly—if it weren't so utterly serious and important. The two meteorologists featured in Pressure use vastly different methodologies, and both have impeccable records of accurate forecasts. For the proposed invasion date, Krick predicts calm, sunny conditions, while the well-respected Stagg interprets the data to mean that a complex storm creating low visibility is forming and is likely to hit right at the moment the troops will be landing at Normandy. As depicted here, the outcome of World War II depends on Eisenhower's decision on whether to go ahead as planned or hold back until the weather clears, which could eliminate the element of surprise. It's an impossibly difficult decision.

The military strategy fascinates, but it's the character of these men that, hopefully, will hit kids like a lightning bolt. Eisenhower's "the buck stops here" approach depicts the kind of responsibility that many people typically associate with the Greatest Generation: an accountability that didn't leave room for flippancy when it came to high-stakes situations. And Stagg, who must leave his very pregnant wife to help the war effort, embodies the "stiff upper lip" behavior often attributed to the British during World War II, showing viewers why "keep calm and carry on" was an essential mantra that proved crucial to that country's success and survival. The phrase "have the courage of your convictions" really comes to life through his character, demonstrating why it's important to not give in to popular opinion. He and Krick are rivals, but they prove that there's no room for ego when lives are on the line. For families, Pressure is a stealth maneuver to teach history, leadership, and the crushing weight of consequential decision-making in one fell swoop.