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August 16, 2012
Sometimes, previewing a movie before your child sees it is a great idea, especially if the previews promise you interesting windows into the themes threaded throughout the storyline. Such as it is with The Odd Life of Timothy Green, in theaters now. The film is rated PG, however my recommendation is that parents who have adopted and/or dealt with infertility should see it first, and then make the decision whether to see it again with their children.
In addition to infertility The Odd Life of Timothy Green promises to touch on parental expectations, adoption, differences, and likely more. The trailers introduce moviegoers to a couple who have been unable to conceive. The trailers also allow viewers to observe the couple’s discussion of and subsequent writing down of their expectations of what their child would be like. (In adoption preparation education classes, we encourage parents to keep their expectations low, for a number of reasons.) We see the couple bury those snippets of expectations in their garden, and then???
The Odd Life of Timothy Green is sure to promote questions and comments. So, how do parents prepare to have discussions with their kids about adoption and how it is portrayed, how differences are addressed (leaves grow out of Timothy’s ankles), and other themes in the movies? How do parents, who parent children who have been adopted, have the conversation about their expectations?
Join MLJ staff for the movie, and pizza and lively discussion afterwards this Sunday, August 19th, at 1:45 (for the 2:00 show) at AMC Showplace Trader Point 12. Read a several recent reviews (spoiler alert!) here and here. More details about Sunday’s event and sign up can be here.