A first trip to the cinema

H is nearly 3 and he has a fairly good attention span when it comes to watching movies. As I’ve mentioned before he’s been able to watch whole movies before - namely of course Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back. Although he is also partial to enjoying The Lego Movie, Frozen and Horton Hears a Who.

I figured it’s time we gave him a crack at the cinema. Charlie Brown and Snoopy: the Peanuts Movie was on with a showing in the morning. Let’s give it a go I thought. I also thought this will be ok. I loved Peanuts growing up so I now have an excuse to see movies like this one. I did refrain though from dressing in my Snoopy t-shirt for the cinema outing.

We arrived at the cinema, which is part of a shopping complex, about 15 minutes before the appointed showing. With it being a Sunday morning before the shops were open it was nice and quiet so he got a little run around and play on the Wiggles carousel.

Upon entering the cinema at the appointed time the first thing H saw was a Stormtrooper with a Star Wars poster behind him.

“Star Wars!” went the excited squeal from H. “Daddy we’re going to see Star Wars!”

“No,” I replied gently. “We’re seeing Charlie Brown and Snoopy.”

H was a little disappointed but we purchased the tickets and I had promised him popcorn as well. Of course, that means one small popcorn for each of us because he didn’t want to share with me. By the time we purchased one adult ticket, one child, two small popcorns (both almost as big as my near 3 old side kick) and a bottle of water I’m not getting change out of $50. In fact I’m handing over more! I probably haven’t been to the movies too much in the last few years but it’s getting a bit ridiculous.

We found our designated seats in the cinema and watched the seats around us fill up as the previews rolled. Now, I’m all for designated seats but when there’s only 14 people in the whole cinema there’s probably no need to put everyone in the same row.

The lights of course were down and H asked me if I could turn them on and make the noise not too loud. My alarm bells started to tingle here as we were watching adverts. We got through the previews ok but once the short film, an Ice Age spin off with the squirrel got going, H had climbed over into my lap.

As he started to hook into my popcorn I realised he had pretty much finished his already. Maybe this was the reason. No – he started to ask for Mummy and I knew we weren’t going to make it.

I held on and we made it through the first 20 minutes of the film before he said to me. “Daddy, it’s too scary. I want to go home.”

It’s moments like this I can hear my heartstrings snap and I realise I’ve probably pushed my son too far too early. We packed our bag and climbed over the 14 other people who were packed into the one row with us.

“Sorry, sorry,” I said as we climbed past other families as H, holding it together but obviously distressed, pulled me by the hand.

We got to the exit and I placed the popcorn buckets in the bin and H looked up at me and said in his loudest voice. “Daddy, it’s too scary. Let’s go see Star Wars.”