Challenge #4 – Watch a LONG movie

Welcome to challenge #4 in the Happy Mom series.

I knew motherhood had changed my life forever when I started rejecting movies based on their length. It took me an entire weekend of start-pause-start-pause-rewind-start-“What did he say?”-pause-play to watch the Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which clocks in at almost three hours.

After that, I started watching movies that were a more comfortable hour and a half. But then I realized, if I want to watch a three-hour movie, then dang it, I should be able to watch a three-hour movie!

But it was hard to just sit and focus on one thing – an incredibly good movie with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchet, by the way – for so long. Someone was always interrupting me. “Mommy, can I have some orange juice?” “What’s for dinner?” “Thomas took my toys!” “Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom.” “Can you help me find my socks?”

So yes, I know this is hard, but this is your challenge: sit down and give yourself time to watch a long movie. Short films (under two hours) don’t count here. (At a loss at what movie to watch? Here’s a list of some longer movies to enjoy. And if there’s no long movie that you want to see, then watch two short ones back to back.) Pop some popcorn, put your feet up and enjoy some good cinematic storytelling. If your attention starts to wane, then use this time to do something for you. Paint your toes. Give yourself a good rubdown with some sweet-smelling lotion. Condition your hair. Do what you feel.

The point of this is not actually watching the movie. Well, it is. But the real point is that you are getting three hours of alone time. That is the point. I can usually be away from my kids for about an hour and then I start to feel guilty. But an extended period of “me time” every now and again never hurt anybody. *wink*

Let me know which movie you’re choosing in the comments. I think I’m going to use my three-day weekend to find some time to re-watch Benjamin Button – no interruptions this time.