Tag - Family

How to Survive a Snow Day Without Melting Down

February 22, 2019

While we had a fairly mild December, winter hit hard in January. Any sense of routine we’d manage to get back to after the holidays was extremely difficult to hold onto, thanks to two-hour delays, no-school-at-all-days (including 3 in one week!), and a round of colds that caused a few (minor) sick days.

However, if I’ve learned nothing else over my nearly nine years of motherhood, I know that you have to be flexible and adaptable to change.

Especially on a snow day (or sick days).

So, while I do my best to keep on top of the regular to-do’s of everyday life…for the most part…I also make sure to adjust my expectations of what will get done when the boys are home for a snow day. Unrealistic expectations and trying to do too much only leads to frustration, stress, and a grumpy mommy and kids.

I’ve discovered that a snow day can be miserable or memorable, and it’s all up to my attitude. (Of course, this applies to basically every day and any situation, really.)

Instead of wallowing in the inconveniences (And trust me, I KNOW they aren’t generally convenient. They require rearranging schedules, canceling plans, and letting go of the to-do list), do your best to grab onto the blessing of a special day with your child.

When I make the extra days with my kids less about my routine and more about appreciating the time with them, our days have far fewer meltdowns (from them and me).

So, since we still have quite a bit of winter left (at least here in Ohio), here are some ideas for you of how we’ve been enjoying our unexpected days together:

This post contains affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission when you use the links. For more details, see my full disclosure.

GO OLD SCHOOL

Winter weather is a perfect time to turn off the screens and break out the board games, card games, and more. Our boys get so excited about these because it requires a whole lot more interaction and togetherness than just picking a movie to watch.

Some of our favorites: Carrom (an old game that my family has played for 5 generations), Monopoly, Screaming Eagles (older board game from my husband’s childhood), Spoons, Kings on the Corner, 4-Hand Solitaire (similar to Dutch Blitz, but using 4 different decks of regular playing cards), and puzzles of all kinds.

BUILD SOMETHING

Challenge your kids’ creativity and teamwork skills (and practice letting go of control a bit…Haha) by building something together.

Our boys love traditional blocks and Legos, of course, but there are so many more options! They really enjoy their marble run (The Dad Lab has a great idea for making a simple one with clothes pins and a ruler) and creating a blanket fort. And there’s no end to the ideas they can come up with for a simple cardboard box, some paper towel tubes, and recycled oat boxes or cereal boxes.

If you have little ones, Play-Dough is also a great way to build and play together (you can even make it at home!)

GET ARTSY

Most children enjoy coloring, crafting, and painting – if only for the mess they get to create! Break out the crayons, pencils, paints, construction paper, stickers, leftover fabric scraps, and more.

My kids like not only drawing but also writing and illustrating their own books. Just staple or hole punch some blank pages, then tie them together with some ribbon or string (or stock up on some blank-paged journals), and let them develop their inner author!

CLEAN UP

Believe it or not, my kids really jumped on this one. I think most of the thanks goes to the Netflix show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” (which I purposely had them watch with me, in hopes of inspiring some change), but they also enjoy that sense of accomplishment and a job well done when they pitch in around the house.

Josiah recently helped me in the kitchen and was very thorough, even saying how much he liked cleaning. When his older brother came in later with a dirty dish, Josiah was frustrated and ran across the room in a panic, saying, “You’re messing up my cleaning!” (Welcome to my life, kiddo!)

If you take the time to (patiently, calmly, kindly) teach your children the correct way to do a chore or task, they’re much more likely to help out around the house.

GET MOVING

With all that energy not getting spent outside much during a snow day, my boys have to do SOMETHING physically active or things get crazy really quickly.

I start out by turning on some soul-feeding music while we work and play (favorites right now: Seeds Family Worship, Yancy, Hillsong Kids, The Rizers). This pretty much ALWAYS leads to a dance party, and we all get lots of wiggles (& giggles) out!

We’ve also been known to move as much furniture as we can out of the living room and have a little gymnastics practice (mostly cartwheels and summersaults), and my boys also like following their exercise routines from gym class at school.

Of course, if it’s the best kind of snow day and you can get outside – GO! Build a snowman, take a winter hike, go sledding, or just walk around the neighborhood.

MAKE A TREAT

Concocting in the kitchen is a great way to teach life skills, warm the house (if you use the oven), make a bit of a mess, and create a few memories.

Hot chocolate is a winter staple here, and it’s super simple to make. I follow the recipe on the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa box (only I use half dark cocoa and half regular!). And cookies are a never-fail crowd pleaser. (These BACON CHOCOLATE CHIP cookies are a unique twist on a classic!)

No matter what you do – whether it’s building, reading, playing, dancing, or simply sitting on the couch, watching movies – the best way to survive that unexpected snow day is to treat it like the completely out-of-the-usual day that it is. Adjust your plans and expectations, and let go of what you can from that to-do list.

When you see it as a gift rather than a reason to grumble, your children will look forward to snow days not just as a chance to miss school or play in the snow, but also as an opportunity to spend time together and make memories with you.

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The Tale of a Tooth & Noticing the Big Things in Our Kids’ Lives

April 7, 2018

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The Tale of a Tooth & Noticing the Big Things in Our Kids' Lives - Ever have a parenting day when something kind of big flies under your radar? I did. Thankfully it helped me notice something even bigger. And it all started with a tooth!

Have you ever had one of those parenting days where you finally catch something that’s been flying under your overworked parenting radar?

Not big, major things, but just, like, “my child has been in those clothes for two days straight” (that has happened – thankfully it was one of the kids who stays home all day!) Or “what do you mean you haven’t been feeding the dog as much as you were supposed to?” (this has also happened and explained why our dog kept grabbing food off the counter that week!)

Well, I had another one of those moments recently.

PART 1 – HOW DID I MISS THAT?

On Monday night, Brad called me into the bathroom where our boys were getting ready for bed, and he asked me, “Have you seen this? Josiah has an adult tooth coming in behind his bottom front baby teeth!”

What? No! I had not seen that.

And when I did, I said, “How have we missed this? It’s almost halfway in already!?!” (Not exaggerating!)

Sure, Josiah usually brushes his teeth by himself, but Brad or I usually double check them just to make sure he did a good job. Somehow, in the last few weeks of life – planning and hosting Josiah’s 5th birthday party and planning and hosting Easter and all the Easter weekend stuff – I hadn’t noticed that big tooth coming in!

See that big tooth behind his baby teeth??? (And that dirty face…haha)

Not going to lie… Kind of felt like a bad mom…like a too busy mom…like a “what else have I been missing” mom. Not a good feeling.

Thankfully, Josiah was just excited about the prospect of losing his first tooth soon. (He just turned 5!!!)

So with some lingering mom guilt but a happy little boy, I went to bed, wondering if we should contact our dentist about it. I figured if the adult tooth was coming in, the baby teeth would loosen soon, right?

The story could have ended here, and I could share about how God whispered encouragement to my heart that night and how I felt okayish about not noticing the tooth sooner. And I stopped worrying about whether I missed something else or not. I could tell you, moms & dads, that we all miss little details sometimes. Sometimes we even miss big ones. But “God gives grace to the humble.” (Proverbs 3:34)

And parenting – it’s a humbling experience. I don’t think we realize it when we’re starting out, but whew – we learn quickly that we have a lot to learn. And that we need God if we’re going to make a good go of it.

That’d be a nice way to end my little “mom moment,” but then you’d miss the rest of the story, some of which actually is kind of entertaining in hindsight.

PART 2 – LOSING A TOOTH

Now that I had noticed the tooth, I wanted to keep an eye on it. (You know, be a “good mom” 😉 )

So, the next day at nap time, I asked Josiah if I could check those little teeth.

Sure enough, both of them wiggled easily. That made him very excited, and me, well, a little sad. The thought of my little guy losing his sweet little perfect smile and entering into that awkward time of snaggled-tooth grins and half smiles for the next few years…sigh.

Easter Sunday

I definitely wanted to make sure we grabbed some good pictures soon.

Thankfully, I’d already gotten a few over Easter weekend because just before dinner that evening, Josiah went into the living room, and a second later we heard a thud and a high-pitched scream. Apparently, he had tripped over the boys’ play carpet and hit his face on Isaiah’s booster seat (not sure why it was in there).

I met him halfway to the kitchen, and when I saw his mouth bleeding, I knew.

One baby tooth was missing.

As I led him to the bathroom, trying to calm him down, he helpfully spat that (bloody) little tooth into my hand. #glamorousmomlife

In the chaos that followed, I set the tooth by the bathroom sink and had Brad getting me a wet rag to clean Josiah’s face and Elijah fetching us a cup for water for his brother to swish with.

It took a few seconds for Josiah to settle down, both because he’d nearly bit a hole through his lip (ouch!) and because he was in a panic about losing that tooth. (That was NOT how he’d planned for that to happen.)

That red spot is where he hit his tooth into his lip!

As I tried to soothe him and handed him the water cup that Elijah had placed by the sink, I glanced over at the tooth. Only it wasn’t there.

I managed to catch a glimpse of it as it went down the drain. (Good job, Mom! *sigh*)

Before Josiah could spit into the sink and lose that tooth for good, I shoved him over to the toilet so he could spit there. (Yeah, it was a gross few minutes in our household.)

And as if the insanity wasn’t enough at the moment with him still bleeding and crying, Brad yanking things out from under the sink to rescue the tooth, Elijah just getting in the way in our tiny bathroom, and Isaiah happily trying to get to the plunger and toilet brush – when he leaned over to spit, Josiah tilted his full cup of water with him, spilling it all over the floor in the process.

At that point, I just laughed. I looked at my husband in disbelief, and all I could say was, “Seriously.”

Shaking my head, I ushered Elijah out into the living room to play with Isaiah, while I cleaned up the floor and Josiah, and Brad successfully retrieved Josiah’s first lost (then found, then lost and found again) baby tooth.

Once a semblance of order was restored, I snapped a few pictures on my phone of Josiah’s new smile, and we went back to finish dinner.

Again THIS could be the end of the tooth saga, and it would be enough. We’ve had our “encouraging” heart-sharing and a bonus funny “chaotic family” anecdote. You can all relate to some part of it and have a little laugh at my crazy night.

But…there’s a little more.

PART 3 – GROWING UP

As the night wore on, I noticed that Josiah was no longer excited about his tooth coming out. He didn’t want me to send any pictures of him to Grandma (although he did tell her when she called). He didn’t even want us to talk about it. And when I asked him if I could tell family about it via Facebook, he was adamant that he didn’t want people to know. So I respected his privacy. (He did give me permission to write this story, though, since it has been a few days.)

For one, his mouth was sore from the fall and from where his tooth almost went through his lip. I think that kind of scared him, and it hurt.

Secondly, I think he was disappointed. He didn’t get to wiggle the tooth and anticipate it coming out, at least not for longer than a few hours. And he didn’t get to try to pull it on his own.

In addition to that, he was feeling self-conscious, knowing that he would look different now. He’s the boy who doesn’t want to mess up his hair once we’ve fixed it in the morning, and he’s always so particular about what he wants to wear. So, having a missing tooth and a new smile were going to take some getting used to.

The last reason, though, surprised me, and it didn’t come out until the next day.

When I checked his other tooth, the neighboring bottom front tooth that also was loose, got knocked in the fall, and is now barely hanging on itself, he said, “I just want to stay a little kid.”

Awww, my sweet little boy.

While kids usually are all excited to get bigger and grow up, if I remember from when I was little, it CAN be a bit intimidating, too.

For Josiah, in the last month he registered for kindergarten, which he is somewhat nervous about, and he turned 5. Then this month, he’s suddenly losing teeth.

To us, as adults, that might not seem like much, but to a little guy – that’s a lot of transitions.

And while I might not have noticed that big tooth coming in, I can make sure that I notice these big feelings that Josiah is navigating and do my best to help him adjust to the changes, as quickly as they are coming.

So, although we would have taken this tooth thing even slower had he not fallen, we’re taking it as slowly as we can because I don’t mind keeping him a little kid a little bit longer.

UPDATE: Even before I could get this post finished, that second little front bottom tooth decided it was done, too. Josiah didn’t even have to work at it or try. It came out when he started eating dinner last night. This time, though, Josiah was thrilled!

For tips from a dentist on what do to when pulling baby teeth, you can check out this article, The Dos & Don’ts of Pulling Baby Teeth.

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6 Fun Ways to Entertain Your Kids with Nothing But Their Imaginations

March 24, 2018

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6 Fun Ways to Entertain Your Kids with Only Their Imaginations - Sometimes you need to keep your kids occupied, and these simple games & activities are perfect for engaging their creativity and getting them interacting with every one in the family.

Throughout the course of your parenting, there will be innumerable times that your kids are “bored.” Even though they are still fairly young, our boys claim boredom on a regular basis.

For the most part, I just answer, “That’s okay,” because there really isn’t anything wrong with them not being totally entertained all the time. They need “bored” time. It encourages them to be creative, to go find something to do – draw a picture, read a book, day dream, take a nap (they NEVER pick that one!).

However, there are also times when my boys being genuinely bored can lead to trouble, such as when we’re waiting in a doctor’s office for an appointment that was an hour ago. Or if we’re sitting at a restaurant, ready to eat but it’s taking a while for our food to come (this is especially dangerous when one of your children is notorious for getting hangry…yeah, that’s not pretty.)

Basically anytime they are trying to be good but are in a situation that kids just don’t function well in – that’s when I need some surefire engaging activities to keep my boys entertained and distracted so their “boredom” doesn’t become restless craziness or frustrated fighting.

I know that a simple answer is to just hand over a device – my smart phone, their tablet – but honestly, that’s not what I want my kids turning to constantly. With as addictive as electronic devices can be (and you know it’s true…chances are that you are reading this on your mobile…), I don’t want to encourage them as my children’s (or my own) first option when there is some down time.

So, what do I do then when we have to wait patiently in the car for Daddy as he runs in to pick up something at the store, or when we’re on a two-hour road trip?

Here’s a peek into my arsenal of simple ways that I entertain my boys with nothing other than our imaginations. These no-prep games and activities encourage creativity, thought, and communication, as well as ensuring that we’re interacting with each other as a family rather than isolating ourselves in screen time.

(This post contains affiliate links which means that, at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission when you use the links. See my full disclosure for details.)

1. “I Spy”/”Bee, Bee, Bumblebee” – This one is a classic. My parents and grandparents played it with me when I was little, and now it’s one of the boys’ go-to time-killing games. You simply have the person who is “it” describe something they can see from where they are, just using the colors that it’s made up of (or you can describe it other ways, too, if your rules allow). Depending on which one you grew up with, the rhymes either go, “I spy with my little eye something that is…” or “Bee, bee, bumblebee. I see something you don’t see, and it is…” Everyone takes turns guessing what is seen. Whoever guesses it first, gets to be the next “seer.”

This game also gets kids to look for details in their often-times mundane surroundings, teaching them that the everyday world probably isn’t as boring as they might think.

2. “Would You Rather” – I’m sure you’ve heard of this conversation starter before (there is even a board game based on it). It has become one of our boys’ favorites, and we often play it during dinner. They love the idea of coming up with unique choices to offer us, such as “Would you rather have no furniture in your house or no bathroom?” or “Would you rather eat only green food or only red food for the rest of your life?” Of course, with boys, their questions can veer into the absurd or disgusting, but as long as they avoid potty humor and excessive grossness or anything inappropriate, we give them creative license.

Not only does this activity make us think as we answer the questions and help us get to know each other a bit better, it also challenges the person asking the question because sometimes coming up with a really good question can be tricky.

Here are some question ideas to get you started.

3. “Charades” – This pantomiming game always makes me think of times when the power went out when we were younger. That, or large gatherings, either with my family at my grandparents’, with friends in youth group, or my dad’s days as a clown and leading a clown ministry (Charades is great for improving improvisational skills).

While this boredom-buster requires a bit more space (since you have to act out what you want the others to guess) and tends to creates more noise (as others call out guesses), it usually produces lots of laughter and silliness, too. For our boys, we keep what their acting out simple for now (animals, everyday activities, etc). As they get older, though, we’ll test their talents with harder words and phrases.

Need some help coming up with ideas? Here’s a list of kid-appropriate charade clues.

4. “Story Tellers” – By far, this is Josiah’s favorite game to play at dinnertime or in the car or any other time. The rules are simple. We make up a story together, with each person taking turns contributing one sentence as a time. This always leads to a…unique… story, as each family members’ personality, preferences, and story-telling style becomes apparent pretty quickly. 🙂

Josiah has a tendency to tell stories with animal characters, Elijah likes to add drama and action, and Brad has an affinity for goofiness and puns, while my job seems to be to keep the story moving along to some kind of happy ending.

The only issue we’ve had with this game is when the initial storyteller starts the tale with a definite plot or idea he wants to stick to, but others can’t read his mind or purposely take it in a different direction. (Brothers…)

5. “Narrating Real Life” –This diversion takes “people watching” to a new level because you either make up their stories about what they are doing or why or provide the “voice-over” to their conversations.

This is a little safer to play when you aren’t really near the people, so preferably when you’re sitting in a car or maybe from far across the park because you don’t want to encourage your kids to point and stare or be seen as the creepers just watching a person. Hahaha.

6. “It Could Be” – Another activity borrowed from my dad’s improv training, this exercise encourages brainstorming and creatively looking at random, ordinary objects. Just grab anything, and start thinking of what else it could be used for (even if just pretend).

For example, a baseball cap can be a cup, a pot, a butterfly net, a catcher’s mask, and more. (Just think of how many things kids can see when you give them big empty cardboard box!)

So, there you go – Six simple ways to interact with your kids and entertain them with only your imaginations.

WHAT ARE SOME GAMES OR ACTIVITIES YOU DO WITH YOUR KIDS WHEN THEY NEED ENTERTAINED?

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The Last Time He Called Me, “Mommy”

March 9, 2018

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It was one of his very first words, as it is for most little ones. But when my sweet baby boy said it, it was a first for me, too:

“Mommy.”

I had waited all my life for this – for the honor and joy of being a mommy.

Sure, it didn’t sound exactly perfect at first, coming from his little baby lips just learning to articulate babbles and chatter.

But he knew what it meant. I knew what it meant.

And he used it enough that it was soon much more clearly pronounced. It was his favorite word for his favorite person.

“Mommy.”

Whenever he was sleepy or hungry, it was “Mommy.”

When he saw me first thing in the morning, he reached up and smiled, “Mommy.”

When he got a boo-boo or something scared him, he cried, “Mommy.”

When we came to pick him up from visiting grandparents, he came running for “Mommy!”

Through ABC blocks, play-dough fun, finger-painted masterpieces, hopscotch in the living room, dance parties in the kitchen, sorting laundry together, picnicking in the backyard, it was “Mommy” – all day long.

As he added words to his vocabulary, and we added a little brother to the family, it became, “Mommy, guess what,” “Mommy, why this,” “Mommy, why that,” “Mommy, come see,” “Mommy, come help,” and of course, “Mommy…mommy…mommy…mommy!” 🙂

Once he started kindergarten, it was, “Mommy, I counted to 100 today!” or “Mommy, I was line leader” or “What did you and Josiah do today, Mommy?”

Then one day,

“Hey… Mom.”

The very deliberate, well-enunciated word had a special emphasis on the last M.

My first-grader watched me, a slight grin on his face, a slight question in his eyes. He knew what he’d said. And he was waiting for Mommy’s…no, “Mom’s” reply.

With my own slight grin and slight questioning look, I said, “Mom?”

His smile was both ornery and sheepish as he nodded.

“Mom.”

It’s not a milestone you’ll find in a baby book, but it’s one every mother notes because it snags on your heart. You might not even pay attention to the day, month, year, because “surely, he’s just testing it out.”

When I smiled back at him – *sigh* – that was it.

We turned a page. And he’d been given permission to grow up just a little bit more.

I became “Mom.”

Of course, I’m still “Mommy” to my younger two. (Actually, to my littlest boy, I’m just now “mum-mum,” not even quite “Mommy” yet.)

But, well, my middlest, my nearly-5-year-old, he’s on the brink, and he doesn’t even know it.

But I do.

In the next year or two, he’ll lose his first tooth, his baby face roundness will lengthen out, and he’ll test out the big boy word, too.

“Mom.”

Not yet, but it’s coming.

So, I’m listening, cherishing, holding on to being his “Mommy” for as long as I can.

Because I may not remember the last time he calls me “Mommy,” but I know I’ll remember the first time he doesn’t.

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How We Changed Our Family Atmosphere with One Question

February 23, 2018

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How We Changed Our Family Atmosphere With One Question - Life in Lape Haven. The worst part of our special family evening became the best, most memorable part with just one simple question that changed the atmosphere in our family.

This year for Valentine’s Day, my husband and I had originally planned to do something together during the day since he was off. However, since our regular babysitters were booked (meaning both sets of grandparents were not available), we decided instead to do something as a family once Elijah was out of school.

From the moment we picked him up, our oldest had a bad attitude. He was all for going out to eat, but he did NOT want to go anywhere else (like, say, Hobby Lobby, which was going to be a treat for Mommy).

And the complaining started.

After being rather excited to surprise him with a special afternoon, I was frustrated and irritated with his lack of gratitude.

So, I tried explaining to him that Mommy and Daddy were trying to do something nice as a family, that we wanted to have a fun night all together, and that by complaining and whining about what we might do, he was not exactly showing his appreciation.

I reminded Elijah of the sweet way he had started my Valentine’s Day by creating a cute scavenger hunt for me through the downstairs, leading to some “flowers” he had made. I asked him how he would have felt had I not wanted to follow his clues or just took them down.

To his credit, Elijah realized how he was making us feel, and he apologized.

I thought everything was going to be good after that.

But then…he started pestering Josiah, who rarely backs down from a fight. And suddenly they were arguing and being nasty to each other, and I just wanted to turn around and go home.

So much for a special Valentine’s Day together as a family.

My husband, however, pulled out a question for the boys that had an immediate effect on the entire atmosphere in the car, giving hope to this discouraged Mommy.

He got them quieted long enough to ask Elijah, “What is something you love about Josiah?”

Of course, being a big brother, Elijah was tempted to take the teasing route, but Daddy headed him off, and answered the question himself.

Brad gave examples of why he loved not only Josiah, but Elijah, Isaiah, and Mommy, too.

“I love Josiah because he can be very sweet. I love Elijah because he is creative. I love Isaiah because he likes to cuddle. I love Mommy because she’s intelligent.”

Then I added my “what I loves” to the conversation.

“I love Elijah because he is curious. I love Josiah because he is compassionate. I love Isaiah because he has a funny sense of humor. I love Daddy because he works hard to take care of us.”

Josiah eagerly jumped in to share his.

“I love Elijah because he is nice. (Josiah is forgiving and quick to forget…Haha) I love Isaiah because he is cute. I love Mommy because she helps me. I love Daddy because he plays games with me.”

Finally Elijah was ready to prove that he could come up with his own answers to the question as well.

“I love Josiah because he is good at SurvivalCraft (a video game they play). I love Daddy because he’s silly. I love Isaiah because he’s fun. I love Mommy because she cooks good food.”

And suddenly, the boys weren’t fighting, but rather happily telling each other and us all the different things they could think of that they loved about everyone. We didn’t just stop after we each took a turn, but let them continue as long as they would.

It was part game – the challenge to see what new reason they could come up with – and part fun curiosity – they were delighted to hear what everyone else loved about them.

My Valentine “flowers” from Elijah. His thoughtfulness is just another reason I love him!

In the busyness of every day family life, it can be easy to forget to speak out those things to our children and spouse. We’re quick to correct faults and criticize, especially when things get stressful or overwhelming.

However, taking the time to not just say, “I love you,” but to list the wonderful qualities and traits in our loved ones, is edifying both to them and us. I definitely felt more loved and appreciated when my boys spoke specific things that they cherished in their mommy. Then as I thought about what I wanted to say about my husband and for each of my boys, I was reminded anew of what precious, unique, and wonderful little people our children are and how blessed I am with my husband.

Did our boys fight again that night? Of course. They’re kids. However, it wasn’t in the same nasty tones as before.

We were able to spend our evening together knowing that each person in our family was loved very much by everyone else. Of all the special things we did together for our Valentine’s night that was the most special part of all.

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A Mom’s Review of The Star : The Story of the First Christmas

November 20, 2017

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A Mom's Review of The Star : The Story of the First Christmas - Life in Lape Haven. This weekend my family saw the new Christmas movie, The Star, a children's animated film about the birth of Jesus but through the eyes of the animals. Here is my review and some thoughts on the movie.

My family and I saw the new Christmas movie, The Star: The Story of the First Christmas, on opening weekend. Here are my thoughts about it in case you’ve been wondering whether or not to take your children to see it.

“Just because God has a plan, doesn’t mean it’s not going to be hard.”

Would you expect that line to come from a Hollywood-released children’s movie that doesn’t involve singing vegetables? (Love you, Veggie Tales!)

I didn’t either.

And yet, this past Saturday morning, as I sat with my husband and our three boys in a sold-out theater full of excited little children (and parents and grandparents), those words were heard by everyone in attendance, as we watched the new Christmas movie, The Star.

Released by Sony Pictures Animation & Affirm Films, The Star follows the story of a little mill donkey named Bo and his animal friends whose adventures put them in place to witness the events of the very first Christmas, including traveling with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.

Yes, most of us know the story of Jesus’s birth. Most of our children know it by heart as well. However, The Star does a good job of showing some of the deeper emotions and themes of the story of the birth of Jesus that our kids may not have grasped yet while still being funny and lighthearted, as evidenced by all the giggles and laughs we heard all around us from both little ones and old ones alike.

And thankfully, not ALL of those laughs came from jokes based on crude humor (unlike so many kids’ movies and shows recently).

(This post contains affiliate links, which means that I may receive a small commission if you purchase through the links.)

THINGS THAT I LOVED ABOUT THE STAR:

Mary and Joseph are portrayed as very relatable, very normal people who love God and are trusting Him in this most unusual plan He has called them to. Mary speaks the line I quoted at the beginning while she and Joseph struggle to understand why God chose them and why things aren’t going better if He did. I don’t know if many children have ever listened to the story of Mary and Joseph and thought about what it really meant for the couple to be obedient to God’s plan, but I love that this film pauses to give kids that chance.

I also love the interactions between Joseph and Bo the donkey. (If Joseph sounds familiar to you when you see it, it’s because he’s voiced by Zachary Levi, whom most of you will know as “Flynn Rider” from Disney’s Tangled. He is just one of many in a long list of good voice talent in this movie!)

As a mom who’s gone through pregnancy and labor three times, I appreciated how they showed Mary’s labor progression, even her breathing through the early contractions. (Although at other points in the movie, she was moving considerably well for a pregnant chick.) It might seem like a little thing, but again, it makes Mary a bit more real than other productions that breeze through the delivery as though it required very little of her (looking at you, The Nativity Story.)

One of my favorite sweet moments in the movie happens when Bo decides to pray, and I love it because he mentions how often he’s seen Mary pray. (And Mary and Joseph pray multiple times during the movie). It’s a subtle message to parents that we are being watched by those little ones around us and a reminder to us to be setting the example they need.

Another slightly subtle but so amazing message comes through Herod’s soldier’s mean dogs – the “bad animals” of the movie. When finally freed from their literal chains, they are given a choice to change and be truly free. There’s even a lesson of forgiveness and grace when Bo sees them again at the manger. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but it was one of my favorite parts of the movie.

THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT THE MOVIE:

While they did a good job of staying true to scripture, as with most movies and works of fiction, the filmmakers do take some poetic license in the film of which you might want to be aware.

The way that they write Mary and Joseph’s wedding as happening on the same day as her return from Elizabeth’s and prior to revealing her pregnancy may be an issue for some because it makes Joseph’s struggle with it all a little less of a struggle. However, they do show him seeking God for wisdom in his confusion, and God speaking to him…without bringing up a discussion of broken engagements and suspicions of infidelity (and what THAT means) with a young audience. (When your kids are older, you can promote them to The Nativity Story, which I still love despite Mary’s easy delivery, as it digs a little deeper into Mary and Joseph’s story, emotions, and struggles.)

Not a huge deal, but I noticed that the wise men come across as “not as wise” at a couple of points, but I’m pretty sure that was done so that their three camels would have something to help with. 🙂

The story also follows the more traditional telling of the Christmas story – the one used to create our nativity sets and such, where the wise men and shepherds are all at the barn/stable at the same time- versus the Biblical one where the wise men come along a bit later “to the house“ where “they saw the child with His mother Mary.” (Matthew 2 tells about the Wise Men’s visit after following the star, and Luke 2 shares the story of Jesus’s birth and the angels appearing to the shepherds.) But whenever they came, they all came to celebrate Jesus and worship Him as the promised Messiah, which is the point of Christmas.

(By the way, make sure to read the Biblical accounts to your children. While talking animals are fun, our kids do need to know what the Word of God says even more. It’s best not to get your theology from a donkey.)

Having seen my share of animated children’s films over the years, I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Star movie when we arrived at the theater. I had high hopes but not-as-high expectations, to be honest. However, I truly enjoyed it. Sure, it’s not perfect, but overall it was a delightful film with fun characters and plenty of heart.

Our boys liked it, too.

In fact, when I asked them about it, trying to get an “official review” from my kids for you all, that’s exactly what they said. 🙂

Elijah, 7: “I liked it. It’s really funny.”

Josiah, 4: “It was funny. I liked it.”

(These are direct quotes, too. Haha)

With as much as they have been talking about it since we saw it, reliving their favorite moments and asking when we can see it again, I’m pretty certain that The Star is destined to join our movie library and claim a top spot on our must-see-every-year Christmas movie list.

My boys and I weren’t alone in our opinions of the film, either.

The entire theater erupted in applause after the final scene of the movie, and I heard little kids in front and behind me telling their parents, “I liked that movie!” and “That was good!” and even a disappointed, “Is it over?” (Oh, and the closing credit artwork is kind of adorable!)

So, if you’re thinking of taking your children to see The Star, I definitely recommend it.

It’s a great way to celebrate the the birth of Jesus, the true Star of the season.

*Note: This is not a sponsored review.*

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THINGS THAT I LOVED ABOUT THE STAR:

THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT THE MOVIE:

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