A Family Trip to the Movies

What were we thinking?  The hubby and I must of had simultaneous brain malfunctions when we decided it would be a wonderful idea to take all three children to the movies.  Together.  Yes, at once, in the same movie theater.  What a wonderful way to kick start the holidays and blow a major portion of my holiday budget in one go.

Sprat, at 6, and having been to the movies before was highly excited and knew what was expected of him.

Danger Mouse was extremely hypo, as it was his first trip to the movies, and had no idea it required him to stay still for the duration of the movie.

The Girl is 2.  I need not say more.

It really wasn't all bad.  I just wasn't as prepared as I should of been.  Sprat was fixated on the screen and loved every minute.  Danger Mouse lasted about 40 minutes (which I am quite impressed by) before he needed more food, was thirsty, needed Daddy, needed Mummy, had a sore bottom, an itchy toe ... you get the picture.  After bribing him with lollies and a quick run up and down the aisles we managed to get him to stay still for the final 10 minutes.

The Girl was hilarious.  I had the forethought to bring her blankie, so she sat happily through the first 5 minutes of the movie chewing that.  Then she decided she wanted the Hubbies ice cream. That kept her sitting for 5 minutes more.  We then gave her her own container of popcorn.  About half an hour into the movie, as she was bouncing off the chairs in front of her (empty thankfully, or else we obviously wouldn't of let her) she thought it would be hilarious to come over and cover the boy in front of me with her blankie.  Poor boy.  After we managed to stem her hysterical laughter at giving the boy a mini heart attack it was time to bribe her with lollies.  She had a few marathon runs up and down the aisles, a trip outside to run around a bit with Dad and then for the final 10 minutes happily slurped down the rest of Dad's raspberry drink.  Something she has never had before.

Here is the final result of that raspberry drink. One crazy hyper child going mad in her carseat from the sugar/colour rush.

I actually think she did rather well for a 2 year old.

I realise now I should of been way more prepared.  For a starters I should of prepared a pile of food at home and brought that along, including water bottles, and drip fed them throughout the movie. Food that wasn't loaded with sugar.

Secondly the iPad would of been a great idea for The Girl, as I am more than convinced that when she got bored with the movie she would of happily sat on the floor playing games on the iPad.

Am not sure that there was much I could of done about Danger Mouse.  He is just not that kind of child to sit still through a movie but with the distraction of a longer supply of whole healthy food we might of managed it.

It was a fun (frustrating and stressful at times) way to start the school holidays, if not a little bit expensive due to me being rather unprepared.  Would I take a 2 year old and active 4 year old into the movies again?  Absolutely!  There goes that brain malfunction again ....

Bring on the next two weeks of special time with my treasures!