Movie Night with Friends

The littles are good friends with a young girl who lives up the street from us. This is the same family we camp with once a year.  They called late this afternoon and wanted to know if we were free to come up for a movie night.  I said sure.  When I hung up the phone, KC let me know in no uncertain terms that he was unhappy with my decision.

KC has this thing where he is easily frightened by visual mediums.  Specific triggers are strong black/white imagery but I have also noticed that the size of the screen a movie is shown on has a lot to do with things as well.  Our friends have a small TV and I knew that we would NOT be watching anything scary.  There is a fine line between letting him come to something when he is ready and initiating opportunities that will facilitate that growth.  I choose to believe that the pushy parent saying he was coming to the movie night was giving him that opportunity.  :-)

Humor aside, I did make a plan with him.  He could sit on the couch which afforded him distance from the screen. He could sit next to big brother Rob who is so cool that one could not possibly be afraid sitting next to him, and he could bring a sketch pad and just doodle if he felt that he was getting overwhelmed. If all else failed, I could come sit with him if he wanted me to and I would rub his head for him. (that has always helped him relax.)  KC didn't think much of the plan, especially when K wound up coming home early from work and he theoretically could have stayed here with her.  But I said no, we would stick.to.the.plan.

We went and watched Tangled, which only Rob and Lissa had ever seen.  KC and I had not.  It is so cute and I realize probably everyone else in blog world knows that all ready. But I am always shamefully behind the times when it comes to movies.  I sat on the floor with Lissa and our friends little girl so that KC could be on the couch.  I don't mind as I sit on the floor tons at our house. . . . and I listened for sounds behind me.

And I heard the first one.  A giggle.  Then a snort. Then a chuckle.  KC loved the movie!  He was proud afterwards that he had faced things and found out that it worked out okay.  I praised him and  we talked while he washed up for bed about how things sometimes might not always work out like we hoped but if we never try, we miss all kinds of opportunities for amazing experiences.  I think that at least this gives us something to build off of, and I'll take that as success!