Wait for it, Wait for it...I'm No Different

Each year I put together Easter baskets for my nieces. This year, I decided to get Moana for Mila and Stella's basket. I may or may not have selfishly bought it for them so I could watch it again...but let's not talk about that. 

I began noticing a child's obsession with watching the same movie over and over again during the Frozen craze. I was living with my sister and her family at the time (another story for another day), and witnessed this craze firsthand. Mila watched Frozen a lot, and as soon as it was over, it was time to start it again. Thanks to adult sanity, her parents didn't let this go on repeat multiple times in the same day. 

After I bought Moana, I could see what's happening, yeah {insert Maui}...it was the Frozen craze all over again. They've had the movie for over a month and it's been on loop in the car ever since. You're Welcome, parents. Even sweet Stella can sing all of the songs.  

This obsessive and repetitive behavior with watching the same thing over and over again got me thinking. What is it about these movies that draws children (and adults...you know you like it too) in? I thought back to my childhood. Since I grew up in the 80's, there were no Blu-rays or DVDs. We had VHS tapes which had to be rewound...aka torture. My two favorite movies - Sleeping Beauty and Barbie and the Rockers - were recorded on the same tape. I'm still to this day surprised that Barbie and the Rockers didn't get more recognition. They go to space! I watched that tape so much that I'm pretty sure it finally gave out, or my parents "accidentally" dropped or recorded over it. 

But as an adult, I simply could not relate or understand the need to re-watch the same movie over and over again. Don't they get tired of watching the same thing?

{Insert Hamilton}

I first learned of Hamilton when it was still in previews prior to going to Broadway. I listened to the soundtrack and was instantly hooked. And here we are nearly 2 years later, and I'm still listening to it. It would not be far-fetched to say that I've listened to the soundtrack weekly since it came out.  I do take breaks, but always find myself going back to it. And I recently had my dream come true and got to watch it live. And, of course, it was epic. Watching it in real time brought new meaning to it for me. And it almost gave me closure from listening on repeat. So although I find myself on a break from listening repeatedly, I'm sure that won't last. 

I guess this obsession and repetitive behavior in the end is just human nature. I'm no different from my nieces or all of the Frozen, Moana, Hamilton obsessed beings out there. 

What's your story? Do you or the kids in your life fall into this same repetitive trap?