Childhood Nostalgia

You know how certain things can instantly trigger a childhood memory? Maybe it's a certain food or an activity. For me, it was a movie. I was searching for something to watch on tv this past weekend, when a certain movie title jumped out at me: Race to Witch Mountain. My mind immediately flashed back to the Disney Classics "Escape to Witch Mountain" and "Return to Witch Mountain."

.
Do you remember the Disney Sunday Night Movies we used to watch growing up? I can still remember sitting down on Sunday nights in front of the television with my family and a bowl of popcorn. Needless to say, the Witch Mountain movies were some of my favorites. Now, I know this movie is a remake and it stars Dwayne Johnson (formerly "The Rock", but who has made a nice career move switching to family movies), but I just had to check it out.


I am only slightly embarrassed to admit this, but after only 15 minutes or so, I was hooked! Sitting on my couch under my blanket brought me back to my childhood. And, I have to say, it wasn't bad at all! It definitely satisfied my childhood nostalgia craving. In fact, considering how difficult it can be to find suitable movies for young kids, this one definitely goes on the list.

Of course, all of this got the A+ in me thinking about what memories my children will take away from their childhood. I admit that sometimes I get carried away with trying to make "perfect" memories and experiences for my children. That somehow, if they have all these perfect, joyful and only pleasant memories, they will want to stay closer to home or come home more often to visit. But the truth is, I had a wonderful childhood, but left home to attend college in Chicago and except for a brief one-year stint in my hometown, have not lived in my hometown for the past 20 years. So, whenever I start on a crazy quest to make an over-the-top experience for my kids and stress myself out to do so, I have to try really hard to remember that it is the love our kids have for their family and the smiles and laughter from their childhood that will bring them home. Besides, my children are still young enough that they keep telling me they are going to live with me FOREVER!!