We moved to Shanghai from Switzerland 4 weeks ago and this new experience is very foreign to our children. My son is 5 and my daughter is 2.5 years old. They have just started in the German school and do not know any Mandarin expect the numbers 1 to 10, Hello (nǐ hǎo) and Sorry (duìbùqǐ). We moved in with 8 suitcases, while our belongings would only arrive 3 months later in a shipping container. So imagine these kids without their toys, CDs, most of their books, and many more things that usually keep them entertained.
A DVD player was provided by the landlord and in the player to our surprise was a DVD, left behind by the previous tenant. This is the only DVD and guess what, it is my kid’s favorite DVD and our’s too. We have been playing it every weekend, at least 3 times a day. The only reason I allow this is because there is an important life lesson for my kids and also for us, parents.
The good thing about hitting rock bottom, there’s only one way left to go and that’s UP!”
We know this phrase and we hear it all the time. But not many of us have really hit rock bottom as adults in a fortunate environment and I must admit that I’m one of them. In this case, I can’t speak from personal experience what it really feels like hitting rock bottom. But this phrase is a good reminder to all of us that regardless how deep your troubles are, things will only get better in one direction and it’s Up! So if we have never hit rock bottom, let alone our children. So how and when should they learn this life lesson and from whom?
So the last 4 weeks, I have been enjoying this movie together with my kids and also enjoying explaining to them, especially my 5 year old, this life lesson. He asked me lots of questions and my answers were, on one hand related to the characters of the movie, and on the other hand, related to us; kids and adults. I can imagine that some parents might say that it is too early for such life lessons, but in my view, the earlier the better. I need this to sink in subconsciously and lets face it, what better way to learn a life lesson! Kids can suddenly hear better when their favorite characters are talking and not necessarily even directly to them. Magic huh!
But what does that mean for us adults? Our life experiences are filled with lots of ups and downs. The ups are worth celebrating and the downs will push us to find our big WHY; your purpose in life. This is the best time to do some soul searching and reinvent ourselves. The truth is that the only way here is up. Yes you may feel completely lost, in pain and lacking hope and/or faith, but if you find the courage inside to face the reality that has engulfed you, then there is a real opportunity to make real change.
Opportunity is another keyword here. We should always be seeking out for new opportunities to improve every aspect of our lives and when you really hit rock bottom, this is the best platform. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy but if you fight for your life and dig your way out of the rubble, one step at a time, one day at a time and one challenge at a time then before you know it you will look in the mirror and see a new confident happier person who has finally found peace within.
So parents all over the world, get a copy of this DVD. Watch it as many times as you possibly can with your children. You don’t have to worry that it will bore you because trust me, with all the pop and rock music in there, it is the most entertaining movie that you could possibly enjoy with your children.