May 16, 2020

by drplasticpicker

Nothing profound this morning. It’s 552AM on a Saturday, and I am grateful for my fresh cup of coffee. The Upcycled Presidential Bird House is still bringing us great joy and the birds are singing outside https://drplasticpicker.com/five-plastic-free-things-that-weve-accomplished-during-stayhome-covid-19-quarantine/. I’m beginning to identify the different species and their bird songs are distinct. I never realized hummingbirds have different songs. I thought they didn’t have a song since they always seen pre-COVID-19 busy franatically beating their wings. But during this quarantine I’ve seen a hummingbird rest on a tree and I have learned to identify their distinct singing.

I have some families who are often surprised that pediatricians struggle to raise their children. I talk about my children a lot while I am doctoring other people’s children. It helps me to contextualize and draw connections and create real empathy. When a doctor cares, we deliver better care. After almost 15 years as a pediatrician, I have learned to merge those two tasks. I know I have to raise mine well, but I also use that as inspiration to help all of us raise our collective next generation. I really look at each child that comes into clinic as a potential friend, co-worker, student, fellow citizen, spouse for my own child – and this helps me doctor with an open and generous heart.

Like most of everyone we are watching more movies together and playing board games. Scrabble is still my favorite! But last night we watched the new Disney movie Onward with our tween and teen. Our son had finished his first AP exam which was Computer Science https://drplasticpicker.com/from-language-delay-to-ap-computer-science-its-a-big-day-for-our-family/, and we celebrated that occassion with movie and brownies. Sitting together watching a new movie is a treat. Initially I found our selection Onward hard to follow, but at the end we all agreed in was a good movie.

For those of my patients in San Diego, we are in for another 8-10 months of movie nights. San Diego is doing a decent job in #flatteningthecurve but we are sandwhiched between the crazies in Orange County and a raging outbreak in Tijuana. I expect all of us to be watching more movies. So here is our family’s list of Tween and Teen Movies we have enjoyed together. I can’t guarantee there is absolutely no bad words, but these are generally appropriate. I am one of the parents who jumps in front of the TV and holds up a big blanket during scenes that I’d rather them not see. I wonder if this will affect my children in any way? I remember once when my son was in fifth grade during his birthday sleep over and we were watching the new Avengers movie, I had said something while sitting and chaperoning in the back. My son whispered to me “Mommy, just stop.” That night I toned it down, but of course I did not stop. Isn’t that my job to police the content that enters their impressionable minds? So here we go!

20 Teen and Tween Movies Approved by the Dr. Plastic Picker Family

1. Onward
2. Back to the Future I-III
3. Biggest Little Farm
4. Godfather I-III: This was more for our teenage son. I was very hesitant about this. Mr. Plastic Picker insisted and they watched it together. It is a classic part of American mythology.
5. Wedding Video: Yes we had our children watch part 1 of our wedding video. We still have part 2 the reception to watch. LOL. Only our tween daughter watched it and just me. But everyone wandered in and out of the room making comments which was fun. We were so young.
6. Emma: I watched this with our daughter. We will probably watch the Gweneth Paltrow one soon, but this is the recent release. It was good.
7. Little Women: Also the recent release with Emma Watson. This was very good. The boys magically disappeared after a few minutes.
8. Saving Private Ryan: This was one for our son and us.
9. Indie Games the Movie: There is profanity in this one, but it was a good one for us to understand our sons interest in the video gaming industry and the idea of game design as an artform.
10. Social Network: Again many inappropriate scenes that Mr. Plastic Picker and I jumped in front of the TV making loud sounds to distract the kids. I don’t recall those scenes from watching it when it came out. But in general it was fun and great to show them scenes of Boston. We were around Harvard at the same time as when Facebook was taking off.
11. Legally Blond: Another one with Boston scenes, and I watched this one with our daughter.
12. Pride and Prejudice: We watched the version with Keira Knightly. I want to watch the original with Colin Firth but Mr. Plastic Picker thinks our daughter will not like it. It was fun to talk to her about Jane Austen.
13. Dead Poets Society: That one was fun and both kids sat through the entire thing.
14. Emperor’s Club: Also another fun one that interested both kids.
15. Mighty Ducks I-III: This one we watched prior to COVID-19 but brings back very fond memories for all of us.
16. Avengers Movies: We watched them all together and always fun to go back to.
17. Contagion: We watched this one at the beginning of the entire COVID-19 outbreak. I think along with everyone else.

I still have three more to finish the list. I will wait for the kids to wake up and ask them what they recommend. We heard that some of the drive-in theatres might be opening up again. I think we might do that for fun if the right infection control measures are taken.

I hope your family is well this weekend. Those quiet activities are still open to all of us. Yesterday to celebrate our son finishing his first AP exam, we had brownies and watched a movie. Today the kids have virtual language lesson and our daughter has Zoom Girl Scouts and they are earning their Baby Sitting badge. It is 641AM now and I will do a quick plog to the beach, and pick up a bag of ocean bound plastic if I can make sure there are no crowds. It’s a challenging time for all of us and watching movies together is a way to get through it. Nothing profound this morning, but not every blog has to be profound. Sometimes it’s enough that I get to write. And every day your family makes it through quarantine is a good day, it doesn’t have to be all instagram/facebook worthy. If I see you in real life, our family always loves good movie suggestions as well! I generally like happy-go-lucky movies and not horror or scary movies. Mr. Plastic Picker and I have complete polar opposite tastes in movies, but we have been able to have a happy marriage. It’s because I get veto power.

I always wonder if I should be giving parenting advice? But then I see people looking toward pop-figures that definitely should not be giving advice. Our kids are turning out allright which gives me a bit more confidence to say my pieces of wisdom. Here is a blog about our son https://drplasticpicker.com/from-language-delay-to-ap-computer-science-its-a-big-day-for-our-family/