One of the shows she watched for the first time was Megamind.
I'd never seen the show and was busy trying to get something/anything done while the wonders of movie land distracted the little sicky from her aches and chills. What I got instead was a ongoing summons to the bedroom with very real story worries.
It went something like this:
Kid D in tears: Mom!
Me hurrying to the room expecting bodily fluids and clean up duty: What's wrong?
Kid D: This isn't right. The good guy just died. The bad guy killed him! They're doing this all wrong!
Me thinking, What has Hollywood done now?: Hmmm. That is strange. Are you sure?
Kid D: He got blown up with the full power of the sun. All that was left was his bones.
Me: You're watching the cartoon I put in for you, right?
Kid D: Yes. The blue guy with the big head killed Metroman.
Me: Well, now. Maybe the blue guy isn't really the bad guy.
Kid D: He is. He said so. And he has a minion.
Me: How do you know he has a minion?
Kid D: Because he's named Minion. Not the blue guy, he's Megamind. Minion's a fish.
Me: Alrighty then.
Several minutes later...
Kid D: Mom! It's okay, the blue guy feels bad about killing the good guy so he's making a new good guy.
Me: Alright then. Again.
Several minutes later...
Kid D: Mom! The new good guy isn't good! What's wrong with this movie?
Me: Is the new good guy blue?
Kid D: No, he's just doing bad things. People who aren't blue can do bad things, too.
Me really wondering what the show was all about: What's the blue guy doing?
Kid D: Trying to stop him.
Me: So he's good?
Kid D: No. He still says he's bad.
Several minutes later...
Kid D: Mom! The good guy, Metroman, isn't dead. He's just pretending. It's all going to be okay.
Me: Sure it is. *Wink*
Several minutes later...
Kid D: Mom! Metroman won't be good. And Megamind has to save the city.
Me: Hmmmm. Didn't see that one coming. *Wink, wink*
Several minutes later...
Kid D: Megamind is the good guy! He saved the city! That's so cool!
Needless to say I had to watch the show. It was fun, but the best part was watching my seven-year-old gain a greater grasp of story. By the end she loved the twists and challenges to her perceptions of good and bad. I think it was a real eye opener to her that the real good guy wasn't good because of his looks, flowing cape, and flashy smile, and she loved the blue guy. Me, I loved listening to her dissect it with her child's understanding, and okay, Megamind is kind of lovable.
I can't wait for Kid D's reading skills to get to the point we can do this with books. It will be such fun to give her The Thief and wait for the, "Mom!"
What books or movies have challenged your kids? You? Did the experience make you love the story more? Do you like being surprised as you read?
9 comments:
I loved that show. My hubby wasn't as wild about it as I was but I always root for the underdog. Plus, Will Ferrel was too darling. (Just like your kiddo!)
That was a fun movie. My kids are little movie critics too. But I'm always amazed that kids who watch a lot of disney don't become vegetarian - I'm waiting for the day when one of my kids tells me I can't eat Nemo, because he's a fish!
L.T., awwww thanks. :)
Jolene, you know, you have an excellent point. I've never thought about that. Maybe that's why Kid D has been so anti meat all these years.
I'm with Kid D. I'm a grown-up and still, I was completely shocked when Metroman died. (I never liked him.) Still, it had a great storyline and I loved the ending. Hm, movies that challenged me? I loved 'Stranger Than Fiction' because, one, it was about a writer, and two, I had no idea how it was going to end. My kids? Well, it changes from child to child. Right now the biggie is 'Inception' for my big kids. I hope Kid D is better and no other of your kids get sick!
Your kids always have something worth saying. I love hearing your stories. As for stories that challenged me, I just finished reading Enders Game and I can't stop thinking about it. I love books that keep me wondering how I would actually feel if it had been me. My kids? well my oldest is really in the Wizard of Oz series. She keeps asking me "Wouldn't it be soo cool if we lived in a magical world where even the trees and grass were purple or orange?"
I loved that movie too and I never liked Metroman either...I agree "Stranger Than Fiction" was a pretty cool movie as well.
Can't think of my own movie thought right now - since I'm more than slightly brain-dead... so, I'll just say - ditto!
Jonene, Inception was awesome! I left that with a huge grin. I did have to watch the end a few times just to be sure, though.
Marne', that would be cool. In my magic land maids (as in the cleaning kind) would grow on trees. And dinner would grow on bushes. Yup.
Clancy, Stranger Than Fiction was a great show, so ditto to your ditto.
I adored Megamind! The writers did a fantastic job...and the music...oh, man...great music. ;-) I'm sorry you guys were sick though :-(.
M. Christine, the music was great, wasn't it? :)
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