The Favorite Aunt

There are two places I avoid bringing the kids if I can: the toy store and the video store. It’s not too hard to avoid the toy store; I rarely need a toy. But if I’ve promised Violet a video for our sleepover, and I did not think ahead and order one on Netflix, we’ll need to stop in and grab one on our way to my apartment.

Eeeek! Maybe, now that she’s 9 years old, she will not pick Care Bears II: The New Generation. Or My Little Pony: Flight to Cloud Castle. I have a hard time saying “no”. I want to be the open-minded, liberal and respectful aunt, so I hate to dictate what we can watch. (I’d rather just sneak into the video store and choose something on my own, so there’s no discussion!)

As we peruse the New Arrivals, my heart is sinking. Not only do I not see any appropriate movies, there are lots of icky ones with scary-looking covers. Then I remember hearing about “High School Musical.” I’ve always liked musicals, so I suggest it. Violet eagerly agrees.

It’s fun. The music is not bad, the story no more improbable than most movies, and some of the dance numbers are good. It’s clean cut. At a couple points, I found myself saying, “What? He’s not going to kiss her now?” Violet assures me that there’s in more kissing in High School Musical 2.

Watching cutie Zac Efron definitely takes me back to the days of my big crush on David Cassidy!