Have you seen the trailer for “The Kids Grow Up”? If not, click here. It’s scheduled to premiere on HBO on Father’s Day. Thanks to Facebook sharing I’ve spent the afternoon thinking about this documentary.
He documents his daughter’s life. He loves her. He’s amazed about how she grows into adulthood, and her childhood zooms by at an alarming pace via the lens of his camera. At first, I was incredibly excited about the prospect of this documentary. I’m a culture nerd, after all.
First thought: Oh! It’s like a longitudinal case study of American Childhood!
Yeah, I know.
My second thought: I wonder how amazing this would seem to the early humans who painted in caves to depict their particular moment in time.
Seriously, I know I’m a nerd.
My third thought attempted to capture those specific words that describe the commiseration, the camaraderie I feel with him, as a parent, who wishes nothing more than to document the fleeting childhood of a creature you never knew you could love so much.
Then, towards the end of the trailer, she makes a statement to him, right in the camera. Do you know the one I’m talking about? It’s a statement that makes me ponder upon lots of highly uncomfortable thoughts. What if our children do not want to be documented? What happens if we begin to hide behind the camera (or blog)? When does it move from augmenting our lives to being a crutch that keeps us from truly living them?
What do you think?
For me, blogging is helping me live my life. I blog bravely, and it's pushing me to live bravely. I hope that continues.
ReplyDeleteThat last statement of the trailer, though... sigh.
It is harder for the parents. But I think it is right... it's natural. At that point, we are saying goodbyes while our children are saying hello to everything.