Cinema has been a big part of our family life since the boys moved in, they clearly love it and we go as frequently as possible.
They are good in the cinema, even when they first joined us at just 4&5 they understood the need to sit still and to sit quietly. We are proud to take them and love to peek over at them as they watch the film, their eyes wide and often their mouths slightly ajar – or indeed fully agog.
They will watch pretty much anything and get caught up in the tale and visuals regardless of just how good or bad the film actually is. Of course it’s us the more discerning parents who have to suffer when the films are really bad, but the joy of seeing our sons so engrossed and so thoroughly entertained makes up for even the worst offerings… well maybe not the very worst, however in those cases we can always grab a – no doubt much needed – sneaky snooze.
I have always loved the cinema and always tried to see films that I was interested in on the big screen and I have always felt a bit ‘cheated’ if I have missed something when first released and had to watch it on DVD/TV, however with our sons I now realise that there are in fact great advantages to watching a film at home together.
The realisation hit one Saturday evening when as a treat we said the boys could stay up late and watch ‘War Horse’ with us, we explained that it was a more adult film than they were used too and that they may find it difficult or may not enjoy it and that they could go to bed whenever they wanted.
They both stayed up to the very end and were totally engrossed throughout. However, there were parts of the film that were beyond their grasp and being at home they were able to ask us to explain and we could do so freely without interrupting others as we would have in a cinema.
This interaction was actually very pleasing and created a certain intimacy that went beyond the cuddles and lap sitting that we are treated to in the cinema, it felt special and rewarding and much more like a ‘family’ activity than just sitting in silence and I think we all benefitted from it.
So much so that we now actively look out for slightly more mature offerings that we can sit together at home and watch as a family.
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