I took Jia, Luk and Kai to see this one yesterday. It's OK. Silly story that is 1000% unrealistic. Very much done just like Coco. It's pretty and the music is good. Not scary. All three kids were blasé about it. No raving or complaining.
This is what going to movie looks like with Kai. He is afraid of the dark, understandable since he has night blindness. He yells all the way to his chair that he can't see. I suspect that Kai only comes for the popcorn and the pop. We endure some pretty extreme weirdness from him in movie theaters in general and always have. It definitely triggers him in the dark theater. But this time he asked to go to this movie so we were basically there for just him. Right off Luk jostled for position to sit next to me. Jia and I knew it was a mistake to have Kai out of arms reach but he's 10 and he 'wanted' to see this one. Mistake. I couldn't shush him quietly or tap his arm to get him to stop. He was squeaking his chair by rocking. Kicking the chair in front of him. Talking. A lot. When Luk tried to stop him he yelled at Luk. And cried. And then the funny part, eating pretend popcorn after his was gone including slurping and smacking mouth noises. Oy. Also imaginary drinking by sucking air in the straw and squeaking the straw in and out of the cup. Luk, Jia and I were shushing him like crazy. Honestly, I don't know what would have been more annoying to the other theater guests, his antics or our shushing. In the past he has reacted badly to me removing his kid pack box but I did it and he cried. Then he sneezed a loud outrageous wet sneeze and then another. The lady in front of him flinched. I handed him a napkin and he cried again. He doesn't know how to blow his nose so then he snuffled for the last 10 minutes. The first credit rolled and I had him up and running out of there. It was pretty distressing for Jia, Luk and I. For the next movie we're going to test the popcorn/pop theory and offer him that at home and see if he'd rather stay home with Eric and treats. This feels a bit like telling on Kai. However, I assure you Kai makes zero effort to hide his antics and could care less what anyone thinks. It is a tiny glimpse into life with a special needs kid. None of this story means we adore him any less. We are in a constant state of trying to make Kai happy and comfortable. I'm guessing the movies isn't his happiest of places. Even when it's one he wants to see.
Never a dull moment.
Oh, and yes, I'm aware Jia and I can't travel to China right now. At 87% off the trip cost I'm just really hoping there are changes by next October that favor us going. The trip includes the ability to change dates. Technically, Jia can travel back now as an ex national visiting home but it isn't open to me yet.
