You have scrambled through the week. Work, school, homework, sports, activities, etc. driving your schedule. You tumble into the weekend, and you are glad it is Friday night. Family night...
Did you think of something to do? No. Me either...
Without a plan, exhaustion quickly taking you down, the well of creativity dry, you settle for a movie night.
Great! What should we watch?
I don't have a clue!!
"So-and-so said their kids loved ___________(fill in the blank)"
Ok, let's try it!
Finally, everyone is seated, has their popcorn and Italian soda ready to go. You are finally relaxing and unwinding from your week; the show seems ok then...€£#%@&$#%#^
One of you is in a mad scramble for the remote, the other crying for everyone to close their ears and cover their eyes!!! Wait!! No!! Close your eyes and cover your ears!!!! Your other half is still trying to shut off the movie. The adrenaline is pumping. The soundtrack to the show is still playing, and an image too scary for your little ones is still on the screen. While you are throwing blankets over their heads singing some kids song to decrease the amount of tension in the room
You are sure you have wrecked your kids, and you are wondering who on earth recommended this show to a family with kids 6 and under!!!
Then you are wondering what shows that you have recommended to families lately, and why would you ever trust yourself to do that in your sleep deprived, compromised memory state of being. What is the number of that Counsellor???
It is in these moments you wonder again, yes, this is not the first time, why the Good Lord ever trusted you to raise another human...let alone three other humans.
In a desperate attempt to redeem the evening you pull out Thomas the Tank Engine movies and build a track, pushing trains around, eating your popcorn.
What a night!
We learned quickly to be careful of recommended movies. It isn't that people mean to create chaos. At least I don't think they mean to. I think they honestly forget some of those parts. Maybe their kids are less sensitive, or they have a different philosophy of viewing than you. It could be your kids have wild imaginations that cause horrible nightmares. Their kids may not struggle with nightmares. Does it matter in the end?
We learned quickly to preview or read reviews.
Even for ourselves and now with our teenagers, we are selective with what we watch.
One of our favourite sites is Kids In Mind. Another is Plugged In.
These resources give great, concise reviews if you want to take the time to really research a show. Easy rating systems, help you make a judgment call quickly and safely in a pinch. Honestly, they have saved us from many viewing mishaps.
The bottom line is, you alone know what your child can handle. You alone know the values you hold as a family that directs what you choose to watch. You alone can make those decisions.
For our family, honouring The Lord even in a choice as simple as watching a movie is important.
There is a song we used to sing in Sunday School when I was a kid.
Oh be careful little eyes what you see,
Oh be careful little eyes what you see,
There's a Father up above, who is looking down in love,
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see.
As followers of Jesus, our relationship with Him impacts even these details of our lives.
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others." 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
Is is beneficial?
Is it constructive?
Is it good for my kids?
These are the questions we ask to direct our own viewing and are hopefully teaching our kids to use for theirs!
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