Because trouble comes in all sizes.
Sesame Street celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. An amazing milestone the generations of parents and kids appreciate as well as The Count…”one year!..ah ah aaah…two years!…ah ah aaah…three years!….” Sesame Street and the New York Public Library are paying tribute to the milestone by unveiling behind-the-scenes footage, photographs, storyboards, and offering a child-friendly area where kids can read and play games.
Overheard conversation on the way home from school:
8yo: Me too. But you know what’s better?
6yo: No, what?
8yo: Ice cream trucks. They deliver.
We string our lives together based on seemingly unrelated moments in time. I vividly remember being 3 years old in full meltdown mode squirming in the arms of my aunt while I clung to an open bag of Cheez Doodles as it emptied out in slow motion like an avalanche onto the floor below. Or the time my mother smiled as she wept silent tears when my brother and I, ages 9 and 6 respectively, decided it’d be great fun to repeatedly mess up her hair. Of course I also recollect numerous happy moments as well but it seems as though the poignant memories remain firmly ingrained forever. So too the deeply resonating memory of September 11, 2001. From the routine to the obscure, we are collectively reminded of our humanity as we introspectively trace the events of that fateful day.
Keeping kids healthy during the school year can be a challenge. Young kids and proper hygiene don’t always mix. They’ll get dirty within milliseconds after bathing. Runny noses? They automatically wipe them on their hands, sleeves or worse. Sneezing or coughing? The little people have no qualms sharing the love in close proximity. Most of the time parents can chalk up this behavior to kids being kids. Moms and Dads try to teach their children proper sanitary practices but often the lessons fall on deaf ears also known as selective hearing. Kids, you see, are not keen on responsibility which has the potential to become particularly problematic when school is back in session.
About a year ago, I read that Marvel Studios was producing a movie titled “Guardians of the Galaxy” which would be based on characters from the comic book series. Admittedly I’d never heard of these Marvel characters before. The movie trailer offered a glimpse of the story yet ultimately left me feeling perplexed. Was it supposed to be a screwball action comedy? After all, the lead character, Peter Quill aka Star Lord, was being played by Chris Pratt, an actor best known for his portrayal of Andy Dwyer on the relatively obscure comedy television series “Parks and Recreation”. Also, what exactly was the deal with the 1970s based music soundtrack? In the time it took me to consume a cool tasty beverage, I concluded a science fiction movie with its roots and music from the 1970s had to be worth a look. Besides, it worked for “Star Wars”, right?
Overheard on a recent vacation road trip:
5yo: Um…Kung Fu Panda.
7yo: Why?!!
5yo: ‘Cause he’s so cute.
7yo: That makes no sense.
Following up on 2013’s surprise hit “Planes”, Walt Disney Pictures ushered in a sequel for the summer of 2014, namely “Planes: Fire & Rescue”. The original movie was largely panned by critics yet kids loved the assortment of colorful planes as well as the formulaic yet engaging story of the underdog, Dusty Crophopper, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. “Planes: Fire & Rescue” offers up a new challenge for Dusty as expressed by the easy to comprehend title.
In the past decade, Summer G-rated movies geared towards kids ages 10 and under have become alarmingly scarce. Consider this year’s offerings, namely, “Maleficent” and “How to Train Your Dragon 2”, both highly entertaining stories, yet each movie has a PG rating based on assorted criteria such as use of language, violence, and sexual content. In other words, parents should expect to be fielding a boatload of questions from their children while viewing each film. An unfortunate situation since these movies have been marketed to young kids yet are not necessarily appropriate for them.
Mario Kart 8 is Nintendo’s amazingly fun new Kart racing game for the Wii U in full HD. Building on Nintendo’s 22 year kart racing franchise, both classic play and new innovative ideas are built into the game featuring new racing circuit designs and anti-gravity karts. Sporting both local and online gameplay for single or multiplayer, Mario Kart 8 offers a huge bang for the buck.