Dear Dr. Jazz, My attempt to relive part of my childhood this week started off great, took a turn in the middle and then ended up okay. I took the X Boys to see Chaplin shorts that were playing at a church with a live organist.
I have lots of fond memories going to see Chaplin films at the theater and then at Dr. Jazz, an old Chicago ice cream parlour.
Before going, I found a few shorts on youtube to introduce the boys to The Tramp. All went well until I put on The Kid before running upstairs.
Irma told me Max was the most shook up and sad that she's ever saw him. Someone stole a baby and Max couldn't relate to what he was seeing. He questioned. He cried. He got quiet. All while I was upstairs. I came down expecting to see a boy excited to see Chaplin films and instead found a boy that in a way lost his innocence.
Parenting Lesson # Whatever: Kids at this age can't distinguish between cartoon violence and real violence. Of course, that begs the question of why parents allow their kids to watch lots of different cartoons, but that's their deal. I'm done trying to save the world. Please just let me do right by my kids.
We ended up going to see the films, which due to technical difficulty started late. The first was about The Tramp getting drunk and acting silly. We explained that away as him drinking "Funny Water." We didn't make it through all three films.
Parent Lesson # Whatever + 1: There is plenty of time to introduce your kids to what you loved as a kid.
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