For almost 7 years now I have been the mother to a little boy that ever since he was small has been unique in his own special ways. He is smart beyond his years, funny, creative and sensitive. Today I had a reminder of how sensitive he is...Around other children he does his best to keep up with their "kind" of play, the ruff houseing, battles, good guy bad guy play. Still he often chooses to not take part in this play, simply because he does not like it. Sometimes to avoid it, he will go off on his own.
There is a reason why we do not watch anything but PBS..and yes at almost 7 he still really enjoys Sesame Street, Curious George, and Peep and the big wide world. He does not enjoy anything where someone might be captured, hurt or killed. even Toy Story is scary for him (that kid Sid is crazy!) He wants those shows turned off or he goes upstairs.
The ONLY Disney movie he will watch is Cars. He LOVES this movie! It is a nice movie with no bad guys, no violence, just cars racing and Mater being silly! So we thought what fun to go see Cars 2 at the movies! They have never been, since there was never a movie we though Mason would enjoy....
Well guess what..they took the peacefulness out of the Cars movie. My husband and I as adults enjoyed it., Our little one loved all the excitement, but Mason did NOT! Had I known I would not have taken him to it. Don't get me wrong..I thought the movie was very well put together and the plot was action packed for a cartoon! But for our sensitive child..he was so thrown off and I cant imagine the disappointment of being excited to be at the movies only to be traumatized by bombs, guns, explosives, etc...it was too much for him and he found himself scared and in tears, wanting to leave the movies. We got him threw it, reassuring him that its a kids movie and it will all be alright.
When we got home he was actually feeling sick to his stomach..a mix of popcorn and nerves no doubt.
Shortly after he went to bed and the little one was asleep, I popped back into his room to check on him..he was having a hard time falling asleep...so I told him this...
"What I love about you is that you do not like the kind of movies that are violent and want to hurt people. Its OK to not want to see those things...it means that you are a kind and loving person inside. It means that you can take that peacefulness in your heart that you have and do great things in this world! And if you don't want to watch scary things you do not have to!"
Sometimes I think its normal for most kids to watch Disney, Star Wars, Transformers etc...when will he be OK with what other kids fine normal...then I remember...its scared me that violence IS normal for most kids, and I am grateful to have an abnormal child to remind me of the peace in the world!
