The Momtastics

Posted by Colleen Shields on March 27, 2012
0 comments •

Parenting is a difficult task indeed- especially now-a-days, with sexting, Facebook chatting and "The Jersey Shore" nipping at our heals. When I learned about the concept of "The Hunger Games", I realized I was onto a whole new definition of 21st century parental treachery. I had been getting tremendous pressure from my older children- ages 12 and 9, to see the midnight premiere, and after weeks of begging, spontaneous cleaning and unsolicited offers to help mom, along with suggestions that I "needed to rest", I gave in. I agreed to take the older two to "The Hunger Games"- at midnight no less. I admit that my inclination to give in to such effective manipulation was driven mostly out of the fact that this trilogy had accomplished a great feat with which I had formally failed to do effectively: it turned my children into passionate readers- the kind that sneak their flashlight under the blankets at night. The boys enjoy discussing and lamenting over the books and it's twists and turns. I figured this was a great opportunity to reward their new found love for reading and perhaps they would even engage me in conversation!

Once I learned of the plot, I was horrified: the evil government, in an effort to maintain absolute control over society, creates and produces a reality show competition with 24 of its citizans, in which over the course of two weeks, they die one by one until a lone survivor is declared a winner. Absolutely disgusting, right? How could I, in good conscience allow my children to be exposed to such an immoral and utterly despicable display of inhumanity? The problem: they had already been reading the series for almost 8 months- I was too late. I decided to proceed and keep an open mind.
The style, look and feel of the movie- which I would define as a science fiction drama- was creative beyond imagination. According to the boys, it was true to the book and a perfect representation. The acting was superb and the writing quick and poignant. The flow and pace of the movie were spot-on- no one moved in the theater- not a single person. The anticipation and suspense was relentless.

As an artist and (former) actress, I can, with some small measure of authority, say that the costuming, hair, makeup and overall styling was absolutely stunning. They were able to create a world of excess and debauchery among the "Capital" players (the evil ones) in a visual way which I felt was believable. The style was futuristic, full of highly stylized lines in clothing full of bright colors, and various colored hair, with high contrasting makeup. The characters were almost cartoon like, yet the costumes had recognizable qualities not far from our own styles today (mini skirts and short waisted jackets). The "Capital" players were set against a backdrop of sleek skyscrapers and high technology, with an art deco and sometimes retro feel- with antique props (microphone anyone?). The contrast to the poor "Districts" with coal miners (won't we run out of coal in 1000 years?) was effective, although the poor areas lacked some creativity in their representation.

Now to the story- the utterly disgusting premise...(this is the part where every mother cringes in fear of creating an axe murderer.) Was there death? Yes. Violence? Yes. Gratuitious violence? No. Bad language? No. Sexual content? No. This is a story of good and evil. The protagonists are forced, so to speak, to be participants in the Hunger Games. The crowd, (and thankfully my children) are rooting for the good guys- that they get out alive, that they support eachother and that they fall in love. The children, and rest of the audience, recognize the evil for what it is, and that the participants are mainly victims of the government or the parents who raised them to be killers. The children see the rich as evil, and the poor as the victims, and somewhere in the middle are those who are trying to help the victims (the "Mentors") and they are, after all, victims themselves.

So I would say yes, I recommend the movie for mothers, fathers, and children older than 8. It will be around a long time, and hopefully be a source of discussion into the larger issues of our real life unfolding around us. May the odds be ever in your favor...
Colleen Shields is a mother, writer and producer of "Surviving Motherhood". See and hear her posts and insights at http://survivalmom.com">.
 

Helicopter Parents are so annoying to us parents who are relaxed an unannoying. Relax people!

Posted by Kelly G • 35 comments • Day-to-Day • May 26, 2009

B.O.M.A:
Burnt Out Moms Anonymous, Answers & Hope
By: Colleen Shields

It’s funny how when we have little ones, whether we like it or not, 150% of our energy goes into raising them to be the best people they can be. Uber Moms of today are so into creating their little Ivy League, Pro-Soccer playing, CEO’s, that they can hardly keep up with the practices, games, study-halls, tudors, and arranged playgroups with fellow little CEO’s. More and more mothers I know are becoming exhausted, and in a constant state of frenetic rushing to and fro. Drivers beware: minivans may appear like sheep on a highway of wolves, but they’ll fly past you on the left faster than you can adjust your rearview.

The net result of this entire obsession with super-children, is mothers who can’t remember their favorite color, much less their former passion. And if you feel like you can’t keep up, you are not alone. If you are having dreams about forgetting the soccer pads for practice, burning the cookies for the bake-sale, and God forbid, forgetting to sign the field-trip permission slip, you too, are on your way to the morning you decide the bathroom floor is more appealing than the inside of a car all day, and you lock yourself in, and hunker down, possibly forever.

Not to fret. There are answers. So listen carefully:

#1. Say no.
Say no to the volunteer request every once in a while. Let someone else help make the Easter eggs. You think your kids will be upset, when the reality is, they’ll hardly notice.

#2 Give Yourself a Break!
Uber Moms may look good, and their children may appear to be superhuman next to your child with peanut butter and jelly on his cheeks, but let’s face it, she probably didn’t feed them lunch so their new outfit wouldn’t get soiled. So give yourself a little credit, and don’t sweat the small stuff. Your house does not need to look like a museum, who cares if there are crumbs all over the car, and if the laundry doesn’t get done everyone will survive.

#3 Limit the activities
A mom told me once she lets her children pick one activity a season. This makes sense. When picking activities, consider YOU! Set up a carpool with a friend for sports and rotate the kids for practices, find a piano teacher in the neighborhood so it’s easy to get them in and out, look for after-school activities right at the school- giving you one less car run, and put multiple children in the same class if possible.

#4 Follow the Flight Attendants Rules:
Remember the part where the perky flight attendant gives emergency instructions before take-off and says “In case of an emergency, put your own oxygen mask on, and then your child’s”? Take care of you first, and then you can take care of them. When you are fed, rested, and hydrated it’s a lot easier to tend to your child’s demands. I’m typically deluged with requests for ketchup, drinks, a different spoon, a different cup, coupled with multiple phones ringing and texts going off, and needless to say dinner time is a challenge. I always make sure I eat something, and get my own drink before the onslaught begins. Brush your teeth first in the morning, get your coffee first, get yourself dressed first, do these things before you do them for your child- you’ll feel happier, clean and not distracted with your own sense of what you need to do for yourself.

#5 Do One Thing For Yourself Every Day
Eating, sleeping, and brushing your teeth don’t count. I’m talking about a trip to the gym, paint your toe nails, do a mask, call an old friend, write in your journal, work on your scrap book, buy yourself a goody, plan your future, learn an instrument, return to an old hobby, read your book, pray, do a salt-scrub, watch your favorite show etc. Even putting lotion on your legs is a luxury to some, but the point is, do it- do something that makes you feel like you are taking care of you, even if it’s only 1 minute.

#6 Write Down Your Wants
We are constantly putting our own thoughts, ideas, wants, wishes, desires, goals and life aside for the moment in order to care for our children. It’s a matter of particularly when you have small children. The point is, your time will open up very soon. Once your children start pre-school, you will have small windows of unexpected time. It’s important to use these small voids of time to work toward your long term goals. Start a “Wish Book” where you write down your goals, your desires, your life expectations. When you have a moment to get back to them either later in life or waiting in the car-line, you may be able to do a little something to move you closer to your goals.

#7 Put It In Perspective
Remember- back when we were growing up, no one even wore seat belts half the time, car seats were not always used, and you were home before dark. Structured play-dates did not exist and most mothers did not have the pressure to fulfill their education, realize their brilliant career, while simultaneously being super mom. The point is, we turned okay. We survived it, we are A okay. Take a deep breath, the great majority of issues with regard to our children are temporary. Many stages take place and typically not that difficult to solve. So RELAX!


When your children are overscheduled, Mom is overscheduled and your life becomes a struggle which you have placed entirely upon yourself voluntarily. So I challenge mothers to stop the madness, look for smart ways to keep your children involved, and don’t forget to take of yourself in the process. Good luck on creating a happy family, and happy home.

Posted by Colleen Shields • 45 comments • Extracurricular • June 03, 2009