Lesson of the Day: Do Your Homework, then Marvel at Your Kids

Oh my!

I want to apologize to anyone who read my Last Minute Ideas for a GFCF Epiphany Feast Day Tea yesterday and may have, therefore, gotten curious about the video The 3 Wise Men, which was listed on it.  I had found the video at our local library, read the back cover and brought it home to watch on Epiphany.  Usually, I do my homework and pre-read or pre-view things before presenting them to my children (and writing about them here on the blog).  In this case, I did not and I am sorry about that.

The back cover of the video made it look decent -- different than the classic Bible story of the three wise men, but inspired by it and with a message of working together for the common good.  I figured Mike, the children and I could enjoy watching the movie, comparing it to classic Epiphany stories and discussing how Biblical themes inspire different stories.  Doing so would act as an extension to what we have already been doing with the books in our Epiphany book basket.

 

Such was not the case!

We never got to curling up with the video until tonight and, well, let me just say that soon after the video started, my husband and I turned to one another with raised brows.  As it went on, although the
kids laughed at parts, they also said, "This is nothing like the real story."  Then, at just the right moment, less than a third of the way in, the video started skipping.  At that point, while Mike made an honest (albeit happily failed) attempt to get the scratched library copy of the video to work, I looked up reviews of it.  Then -- hoorah! -- before we could even let the kids know that we would not be watching the remainder of the video, Luke, of all people, said he did not want to watch the rest.  He had seen some images on the scene selection menu as Mike tried to get through the skipping part and had also heard Mike and I hint to each other that it was just as well that the video was not working.  Then, on his own, Luke decided that the video should just be returned to the library.

Luke not wanting to watch something -- anything -- when given an opportunity for screen time is quite rare.  Luke opting out of seeing something that might include adventure and violence is even rarer.  Luke making an excellent choice without encouragement is HUGE!

Just as huge was what happened next:  Luke and Nina --without whining or begging -- asked if they could watch another movie instead.  Mike and I agreed and, so the kids went into our room to pick one out.  Usually, when they do this, it turns into a hullabaloo of "I want this one."  "No, I want this one."  "No..."  

Not this time.  

Within minutes, Nina came back all smiles saying, "Mommy, we found one we agreed on."  Luke then popped in a Land Before Time video and all three children, Mike and I are watching it as I write this.  Teamwork and agreement among the children at this time of night is definitely something to celebrate.  

So, let me once again, apologize for sharing in my post yesterday the video that we intended to watch and, then, nixed middway through doing so once we did today.  I should have done my homework on it.

But, let me also echo the wonderful Biblical truth that all things work together for good.  The "problem" of the video being less than appealing and appropriate tonight opened up opportunities for Mike and me to witness character and growth in our children.  As I have been writing this,  I have been smiling at the back of their curly heads as they watch their alternate video selection.  I have also been marveling at how a simple bad movie choice on my part turned into a chance to see so much good in Mike and my children.  

And, with that, I am going to start paying more attention to our family time together now.