Confession: I am not a movie person. I don't like fantasy, I'm not really a fan of cartoons (I know, I'm basically a horrible person), I don't enjoy anything scary. I definitely don't love movies where the characters feel awkward for the bulk of the movie, either. That makes me so uncomfortable. However, a good romantic comedy? Those I can watch any night of the week. Thankfully it's paid off big time because my love of rom-coms prepared me for parenthood. From the tears to the wine and even the bitchy best friend, rom-coms are practically parenting boot camp.
Don't judge, but one of my favorite rom-coms (after Love Actually, which lives in the number one spot in perpetuity) is Forgetting Sarah Marshall primarily thanks to the scene in which Sarah Marshall calls bullsh*t on her boyfriend Aldous Snow and with the most hilariously fake British accent. Somehow repeating the word "bullsh*t" in such a botched British accent is really therapeutic when you're changing dirty diapers or your toddler is trying to pull a fast one on you. Nothing like mocking your child to relieve a little stress, right?
Rom-coms are as instructional as they are comforting when it comes being a parent. The characters take the hits and usually keep on rolling, or at least they figure out a way to soothe themselves so they can pick themselves up again. There's a healthy dose of comedy, which any parent can benefit from, and a little reminder that romance is important.
Because Of The Bumbling Characters
Being a parent makes you feel like a bumbling fool, but thankfully there's always at least one totally bumbling fool in a rom-com who is going to make you feel like you're not the only fool bumbling around. Half the characters in Love Actually are endearingly foolish and awkward. If only we parents could be that endearing in our misadventures.
Because All The Emotions
A great rom-com runs you through a range of emotions in rapid succession. Sounds familiar, right?
Because Of The B*tchy Friend
I love being a mom, I really do, but I still desperately need to rant about it to a friend who won't judge. Enter the rom-com b*tchy friend. If you ask my opinion, it's always important as a parent (and human) to have someone you can vent to when the going gets tough.
Because Of All The Tears
Rom-coms, the good ones at least, are always good for a few tears. Not unlike parenting. Rom-coms will give you good practice for those tears you're going to shed as a parent, both happy and sad.
Because Of All The Wine
Of course, rom-coms know how to cope with those tears correctly: with wine. Everything I learned about coping with being a parent comes from rom-coms. When in doubt, wine.
Because Of The Awww Factor
Awww, can you believe they finally kissed? Rom-com aficionados know that there's always an awww moment (or 17) to make you feel all cozy inside. Same with parenting, because despite the trials and tribulations, there's always an awww moment that'll pick you right up again. Whether it's watching your baby reach a milestone or seeing your partner as an awesome parent, raising a kid is awww worthy.
Because Of All The Best Of Intentions
The main characters in rom-coms often have the best of intentions, but can't quite execute properly. Sound familiar? As parents, we have the best of intentions but our execution (especially when we're running on very little sleep) can be a little spotty.
Because Of The Messes And Bodily Functions
I mentioned above that I'm really not keen on movies where the characters are embarrassed, but messes and bodily functions do play a role in most rom-coms and they certainly play a big ol' role in parenting. Laughing at the messes in a rom-com takes some of the stress out of the icky parts of parenting.
Because Of The Sexy Times
Admittedly, there's usually more sex in rom-coms than in my life as a parent, but sex is possibly a little more comical than it used to be.
