The Kids Are Alright

This is what it is to have children:

When The Captain was just only three, we took him to see Monsters, Inc.. His da was concerned it would be Too Scary for him, but I was confident it’d be okay. A little bit scary is good for you, I always say.

The Captain was always a ridiculously happy kid. I think the first tantrum he ever threw was when he was eight. We never had the “terrible twos” (we had the terrific twos!) or screaming angry child. Just plump, happy, snuggly Captain. He loved the movie.

When it came to the scene where Silly thinks Boo is in the trash compactor and follows it along the conveyor belt fainting every time something new smashes up the rubbish, The Captain laughed so hard he was shaking the row of seats. This went beyond belly laugh and full on into scream laughing.

At first #HisNibs tried to shush The Captain, thinking his laughter would disturb the other moviegoers, until he realised the other moviegoers were laughing at this child’s unadulterated, pure joy. The whole theatre was laughing with him.

22 years later, we’re sat at the dining table for lunch and I say “hey, remember the scene in Monsters, Inc. where Silly keeps falling down thinking Boo has been trash compacted?”

The Captain laughs so hard he falls off his chair. His paramour giggles, sighs, and says “he has never seen the next ten minutes of that movie. We watch it a lot.”

The Captain wheezes “ooooh,” he says, trying to get back up on his chair.

I Roll my eyes and wobble like Sully about to fall down and The Captain is off again.

This is what it is to have children.