Watched Mad Hot Ballroom tonight with Sam. It was quite good – a documentary about 10 year old New York kids who take free ballroom dancing lessons and compete in a competition. Most of the kids are from racial minority groups or lower-income backgrounds, so a lot of heart-warming Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds-type moments.
One thing that struck me about New York kids is how mature and articulate they are, particularly compared to Aussie kids. The 10 year old kids in this movie talk like young adults; they say things like, “Oh well, it’s just a contest, you know? I think winning shouldn’t overtake the ultimate goal to have fun” – complete with little hand gestures and mock-adult facial expressions. It was pretty cool.
(Confession: I hope my kids – God willing if I have any – are bright, expressive and good talkers. I’m not so great at the kiddy talk. I never understand what they’re saying, and so find myself guessing what they’re saying half the time and usually I get it wrong. I also hope my kids are good looking Eurasians…but that’s another story….)
We also borrowed Bridge to Terabithia, but I’ve decided I don’t want to watch it anymore. This may sound silly, but I’m scared it will be too sad when Leslie dies at the end. I loved the book, but it was the first time I’d ever read anything where a real-life character died and didn’t come back to life, so I just found the whole thing horribly traumatic.
I’m not so great at the kiddy talk. I never understand what they’re saying, and so find myself guessing what they’re saying half the time and usually I get it wrong.
The ability to understand children doesn’t usually kick in till you have kids of your own – and even then you’ll realise that your kids speak a different language to other kids, and each of your own kids has their own dialect.
It’s tricky at times.
I saw Bridge to Terabithia at the cinema and absolutely bawled, it was really sad. I know what you mean about wanting to avoid the trauma! It was a really good movie though.
Hey Soph, did you see it at the movies or on a DVD?
DVD – it’s pretty cute, I recommend it. Kind of like Spellbound.
I also watched Hairspray that weekend with Sam and Kym. That was fun.
I loved that movie so must give this one a go!
Yeah, a very cool movie. *Bridge* was good too – I didn’t know anything about it before and I was totally shocked when the girl died.
i agree with rodeo clown. It doesn’t matter how bright and expressive they are – for that year or two, you still have to guess – so don’t think that you are lacking a skill there. It’s all about pretending you know what they are saying, sounding confident and picking an all encompassing answer that will hopefully keep them talking so that you can hear a word that you recognise and latch on to! That, and asking yes/no questions.
Of course your kids will be good-looking! Look at the genes!
I love it when you hear parents say to their whingeing, mumbling, kiddy talking child “use your words” and suddenly they start talking normally in complete sentences. I think I’ll use that one.
You should watch ‘Bridge…’ – sad but cool. It’s written to help teens deal with issues like death.