The Blind Side

My wife and I went to see the movie The Blind Side last evening while my parents watched our children.  I think this is the 3rd or 4th movie we have gone to in the past 3 1/2 years, which is funny because we used to go to movies quite regularly.  Children certainly change a lot of things. 

On a side note, I know people who still go to a lot of movies after having kids, they just get a grandparent or babysitter to watch them and continue with their pre-kid life routines.  My wife and I honestly would rather spend time with our kids…after all, that’s why we had them.  We certainly don’t feel like we are missing out on a lot of fun, parties, movies and nights out on the town.  We PREFER to spend evenings at home, with our family.  In today’s world which severely lacks values and is dominated by pop-culture, that might be hard for some people to understand. 

I think a lot of parents try to fit their kids into their established lives and routines.  They become frustrated when that proves difficult, and the whole time they miss what in my opinion is the point.  You are supposed to change.  When I think of people having kids, I think that the routines SHOULD change.  You are moving to a new chapter in your life, not just adding baggage to the old chapters.  Sure, we still do some of the things that we loved to do before having kids, but much of what we do now is new.  We are a FAMILY, not a COUPLE anymore.    

It pains me to see parents who have kids, and within a few months (even weeks) put them into daycare, arrange babysitters  and go back to their pre-kid lives.  Many parents don’t even raise their own children anymore.  It’s really not a mystery as to why we have a generation of entitlement focused, spoiled kids like the MTV shows love to focus on.  Where are the parents???!!!  Well, that’s a subject for another blog post.  There are certainly lots of good parents out there.  They just don’t get any media attention or national coverage…which is why Dadsworld was created in the first place.  We want to give those outstanding families some attention.  As examples, and as encouragement for others.

The movie The Blind Side looked good to both my wife and me  in the previews, and we decided to go and see it.  As one reviewer on rottentomatoes.com said, “The Blind Side is a tear jerker, heart warmer and crowd pleaser all in one.”  I would have to agree.  Quinton Aaron did an excellent job playing the star, Michael Oher.  It was refreshing to see a conservative southern family portrayed in a positive way (rare in Hollywood), as Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw played Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy respectively.  The movie was based on the 2006 book by Michael Lewis and tells the true story of a disadvantaged youth taken in by an upper middle class family. 

It was a feel good movie and it was refreshing to see Sandra Bullock play such a different role for her.  With all the movies and television shows portraying families as disfunctional and broken, it was nice to see Hollywood show a real, strong, loving Christian family.  Many pop-culture types don’t believe that families like this really exist (thanks Hollywood), although much of middle America knows very well that they do.  Good, strong, loving families not only exist, but many of them don’t know and don’t care one bit about the pop-idols and garbage put out in the mainstream these days. 

When a movie like this comes along, it inspires many of us to go and watch.  The Blind Side is a welcome reprieve from the typical terrorist, alien, gang-life, broken-family and loser-guy themes we see so often from Hollywood these days.

My wife and I both enjoyed the movie, and the evening spent together (thanks for watching the kids Mom and Dad.)

This Christmas, be sure to give the gift of your time, love and energy to your family.  That is the best gift a Father can give his loved ones.