As my kids grow, they get more observant and they start imitating or challenging things that are out of the norm.

We were watching the movie Max Payne when there was a scene that puzzled Darren.  He was wondering how the main character Max Payne remained alive, after surviving many bullet shots. Although Papa Ed tried explaining to him that movie scenes and storyline may not be realistic, Darren was unconvinced with the reply.

There are a number of  incredible TV series and movie characters like Rambo and Jackie Chan who display super resistance to bullet shots, high fall, exlposions and numerous knife stabs that as parents we must be careful that these characters do not give the wrong signal to kids that they are equally incredible in real life. Kids may wonder how these magical powers or resistance are developed but the other side is that they might imitate blindly since they are also too young to understand our explanation.

Then there was another occasion when we were in the middle of the movie “Fast and Furious IV” when Darren suddenly stood up on the chair in the cinema and shoved my shawl into his back collar, with the remaining shawl draping down on his back.

“SUPERMAN!” he raised his voice and stretched out both his hands in the dark. Taken by surprise by the abrupt motion, especially when we were not watching the movie Superman, I made him sit down. He asked me why he can’t fly when Superman could fly and why he can’t behave this way when Superman could. After the movie, I explained to him that Superman is just an “imagined” Super Hero but it didn’t come across to Darren easily as he has seen Superman being able to fly so easily in the movie and why can’t human develop this flying ability then?

Just a few days ago, Brendan and Darren (both with suspected hand foot mouth disease but doesn’t seem like it now as they have no blisters on hands and legs) were having breakfast together.  Brendan had a real hard time swallowing his food while Darren, who had more throat ulcers than Brendan, seemed to have no problem with swallowing his food at all. 

Brendan: “Why you can eat so fast and don’t feel pain?”

Darren : “Just tolerate lor!”

In this situation, I was impressed that Darren could actually answer so sensibly!