So we're out in Cologne this week, courtesy of Germanwings and 9flats.de, exploring Christmas markets. Gluhwein has been drunk. Wurst has been scoffed. Snow has been – erm, balled.
Anyway, this evening we got back from the market at Rudolfplatz and settled down to watch a movie – Super 8. If you haven't seen this one, you're missing a real treat – it's JJ Abrams' homage to 80s movies like Gremlins and Goonies. Basically, a great adventure story with a real heart.
I told Flea she could watch it with us but it was quite scary, and there would be quite a bit of swearing in the movie. First up, I needed her to know that it was okay to hear swearing, but it wasn't something I wanted to see her copying.
Flea looked confused, so I patiently explained how swearing was okay for adults but it wasn't nice for kids. Flea nodded.
"So should I just do normal promises?"
"Flea, do you know what swearing is?"
"Yes, it's like a promise, but more serious."
Reassured the profanity was going to go over her head completely, we settled down to watch the movie. I kept a close eye on Flea, reassuring her that, no, the cop wasn't dead, and yes, everyone got out of that explosion alive.
Without giving too much away, there's a point in the film where two kids have to go down a BIG hole, knowing that there's something very BAD at the bottom. To judge how deep the hole is, they light and throw a sparkler down the hole, watching until it hits solid ground. Then they start to climb down.
"That's very dangerous," said Flea, hopping up and down. "I wouldn't be doing that if I was them!" She started bouncing up and down and squeaking with a mixture of terror and excitement.
I cuddled Flea into my side, and tried to reassure her. "I think they'll be okay, they're sneaking in," I said, worried about the psychological damage I might be inflicting on my sensitive little child.
"Oh, I wasn't scared about that," Flea replied. "Didn't you see? They've got a sparkler and THEY AREN'T EVEN WEARING MITTENS!"
It's never the thing you expect, is it?
