So I have tried to get Cameron to watch the movie “Robots” since he was really little, thinking the colours and over the top action of the film might catch his interest but it’s always had quite the opposite effect.. he wanted it off. It really kinda of disappointed me because this movie has one of the best messages I could ever want to convey to him.
You see, in the movie, this spare parts, old robot that is a dishwasher in a restaurant has a child and is so down on his luck that his child always gets hand me downs, even from female cousins. However, when it comes time that his child wants to head off to the big city with big dreams of becoming an inventor, instead of listening to his wife and ordering him to go home, he buys him a train ticket and tells him that he has greatness him in and to follow his dreams no matter what.
All of this comes from Bigweld, the “greatest robot there is” that believes that all robots have something to contribute, “whether you are made of new parts, old parts or spare parts, you can shine no matter what you’re made of.”
It really hit home with me from day one but has so much more now that I see my child overcoming huge challenges due to Autism… the fact that, even though he’s not a shiny, top of the line, brand new robot… he can still shine.
I tried again last night, it’s been a while since I’ve tried…. and he actually sat through it all and enjoyed it. He certainly didn’t get the message, nor walk away pretending to be any of them like he does Woody and Buzz.. but it’s certainly a start.
I think it’s a very important message, not just to the children but to the parents as well… don’t ever tell your kids that they can’t do something, or that something is out of their reach… or that because they have Autism, they’ll never be great. The fact is, no matter how hard it is right now, how bad it is or can be, there’s a whole life time ahead where anything can happen! There’s a whole life time where, if they believe it, if you believe it… anything can happen!
“You can shine no matter what you’re made of” is not just a catchy line from a movie, it’s the truth.
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