I’m just a girl clutching her VCR, begging it to live forever.
Family Movie Night – what started out as something fun to do with our daughter when we brought a new baby home, has turned into a wouldn’t-miss-it weekly rhythm in our house. We’re 4 years in, and I’m keenly aware that this (sadly) won’t work forever. I realize that one day (too soon!), the kids will decide that an old school animation VHS with mom and dad won’t cut it as a killer Friday night activity. So, it’s something that we really enjoy and protect for now, knowing that it won’t last forever. Fortunately, one big lesson I’ve learned in motherhood is, just because it won’t last, doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.
If you’re interested in adding movie night – or any kind of family night to your weekly routine, I’d love to share what’s worked for us, tweak as needed.
-We keep it super old school and very low key. Old school isn’t always the best school but our VHS/DVD combo means that we get the best of both worlds when it comes to movie options. We are able to add to our movie collection for less than a dollar, holla! Also it feels like a VERY FANCY OCCASION for us to hit up the Redbox to try something new, and even then we only spend a few dollars. If everyone ate a good supper, we throw in popcorn – but not every time so when it does happen, it still feels like a special treat with our crew.
-We take turns picking the movie – this creates some family buy-in and builds anticipation as we get closer and closer to Friday. Getting to choose the movie also works as an incentive for making good choices during the week, lest you lose your movie night privilege. Plus, taking turns means that we don’t watch the same movie over and over. And over. And over.
-Typically we make our own pizza for supper but you could always do take-out or have another no-brainer meal option handy. If my husband and I are absolutely over it and done by Friday night, we make it even easier by doing takeout and letting the kids do a picnic supper with the movie. The kids are thrilled – even though we have to remind them 10 times to actually eat anything.
I love that our movie night anchors us even in the craziest weeks. In a world that is so fast and shiny – it’s easy to forget that it’s perfectly OK to keep it simple and slow.
Maybe those VHS tapes were really telling us all we needed to know in life: Be Kind. Rewind.
Would love to hear about family rhythms at your house and how you protect that time. I love what fellow blogger, Stephanie, added to her Friday mornings. Can I meet y’all there sometime?
