Proud Mommy Moment

A few weeks back Torin and Vaughn were invited to their friends birthday parties. The two boys are brothers that share a birthday within the same week thus the Mother planned for movies for both of the boys friends to of course minimize planning two birthday parties. Quite the smart lady if you ask me :)

The only issue was that the 8 / 9 year olds were going to see Captain America. The Mom emailed asking if Captain America was alright, seeing as though it was PG-13. I had to say that we don't let the boys watch PG-13 movies. We've always told the boys that the movie industry, not Mom or Dad, have rated the movies based on what "THEY" think is appropriate for the audience. The boys have understood that a movie rated PG-13 is not something that is appropriate for them based on what the movie experts think. It's not that I am trying to be over protective but more teach them that if a movie is rated in a certain way that it is to their benefit not to watch it.

The Mom understood and I did apologize as I felt bad being one of "those" parents but I had to stick to what we have always told the boys. She said that some of the other parents felt the same way and some of the kids had already seen Captain America so everyone was going to see Smurfs. I was relieved as saying all of this is much easier then actually having that conversation with Torin.

We got to the movie and while eating pizza the lady organizing the event asked how many were going to Smurfs and how many for Captain America. My heart sunk. I didn't know this was still an option. Torin looked completely confused as I hadn't even mentioned to him to that Captain America was an option. He looked around to see all of the older boys raising their hands for Captain America and raised his hand too. I had not prepared for this and I was a little at a loss of how to handle it.

I walked over to him and explained that Captain America was PG-13 and his face just dropped. "But Mom all of my friends are going to it." I felt terrible for him. Truly I didn't want to embarass him so I totally caved. I told him that I would make a HUGE exception this one and only time but that I would have to go to the movie too. I told him I wouldn't sit next to him that I would sit next to the Dad that was going. But I had to go in case the movie had certain things that I didn't think were right for him to see, that I needed to see it too if he would have questions about it. Torin was fine with this plan, so I thought.

The rest of the night went fine with cake, a tour of the production rooms and then getting into line for the movies. Torin initially went into Captain America and then at the last minute jumped out of line and got in line for the smurfs. I was completely surprised. ALL of his friends were in line for Captain America. I had given him permission to go. So why the change? I went over to him and said "Honey, I told you it was alright. What's going on?" He looked at me and said "Super hero's are lame anyway and I know it's not appropriate for me Mom." I about feel over. Here is an 8 year old kid who even when given permission is doing the right thing. I asked him if he was sure and he told me, "Yes, I think that the Smurfs is going to be really funny." I told him that he had made me the proudest Mommy ever and asked if I could reward him with a slushie for such a great decision that he had made. He of course accepted.

Smurf's really wasn't that good in my opinion. I have seen much better kid movies but it was the best movie ever due to the choice that Torin had made. He stood up for what he knew was right no matter if that meant that he didn't get to go with his friends and instead hanging out with his 5 year old brother and other 5 / 6 year olds. That is beyond my imagination for a 8 year old but I hope and pray that he models this behavior for the rest of the hard times that are yet to come in his life.

On our way home I told him that Noni, my Mom, used to let me watch R and PG-13 rated movies all of the time when I was his age. His response was "I bet you used to have a lot of nightmares." And he's right, I did. Not sure if my Mom missed out on the whole "what's appropriate for kids to see" thing as I am still a little freaked out by clowns after watching Poltergist. I told Torin that there are going to many more times in his life when his friends are going to do things that he will know are not right. He looked at me really weird and said "Like what?" I said that when he is a teenager that some kids might drink and smoke. That it will look like fun even though it is wrong to do and he might be tempted to try it. His face got an even weirder look on it and said "That's gross Mom. I'm never going to drink or smoke." I told him that I prayed he never would but that I would be here for him either way praying that when life gets harder that he stands up for what he knows and believes is right like he had tonight.