Quite some time back, we started Friday Night Pizza and Movie Night. We made our pizza together, and the kids enjoyed standing by ready to help top the pizza (and, nibble down some cheese and pepperoni along the way). The kids excitedly helped ‘decorate’ the pizza before going into the oven before sitting down to enjoy a movie together – eating in front of the television and then snuggling together once the movie was finished. We would dance to the song during the closing credits, and laugh about the movie while getting ready for bed.
Lately things have changed. The movie starts while I’m in the kitchen making the pizza. There is no one to help, no one to gobble down extra toppings, no one to share the experience with.
The pizza is then served, while the kids continue to glue their eyes to the movie – asking us to move out of the way while we’re putting the pizza in front of them. We’d constantly remind them to eat dinner, all while they sit mesmerized in front of the screen.
Since we’re watching Cars, Tinkerbell, or The Incredibles, for the fifteenth time, I break away to my computer to catch up on work, clean the kitchen floor and fold the laundry It is hardly a relaxing, enjoyable, Friday night together.
Tired of the tradition of the kids being glued in front of TV, and the family not enjoying time together, I decided to change our Friday night tradition.
This new tradition would still involve homemade pizza, but we’d make it together. I also decided that we’d do something other than watch a movie – whether it was play a game, go for a walk, or read a book together. Greg suggested we make the pizza, then walk to the park at the end of the street, eat it there – together – and let kids play on the swings. Then as night fell, we’d walk home with flashlights in our hands, gazing up at the stars.
That idea has to be tabled to next week. The mere suggestion that we might not watch a moving brought screams and cries from the kids. “NO!!! I want to watch a movie. We decided on Tinkerbell.”
We obliged on the movie, but warned them, that next week things would be different.
Although we watched a movie – yes, Tinkerbell – we did spend time family time together. We each made individual pizzas. The kids enjoyed shaping their pizza then putting on pepperoni – Nicole created a pumpkin face – then topping with cheese.
They were very proud of their creations.
Of course, that was all we saw of the kids until the movie was over. They quickly sped into the living room, plopped themselves in front of the TV, and begged to have us start the movie.
I am so looking forward to next week – no movie involved, and a bit of face to face with the kids. Then maybe, once again, Friday might will be a special tradition that we ALL can enjoy!
The evening will now be called Pizza and Movie (or should I say) “Family” Night.
