Smurf 2: It’s all about the people you take on your journey

The Smurfs 2 film, for me, was about the fact that it doesn’t matter who made you, or where you have come from but what you are going to do now, how you decide to act, which determines where you are going. This is something I have already previously touched on here.

Evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties with the hope of harnessing the all-powerful magic Smurf-essence. But it turns out that only a real Smurf can do that, and only Smurfette knows the secret spell that can make it happen (as she too was created by Gargamel).

Whilst Smurfette is feeling like she doesn’t belong, because she thinks that the other Smurfs have forgotten her birthday, Gargamel sees the perfect opportunity to capture her, through the help of one of the Naughties Vexy.

Soon Smurfette begins to feel wanted, and like she belongs, because Vexy thinks the best way to trick her is to say they are sisters (and they do have the same father). As they bond, Smurfette’s behaviour changes and she too becomes like the Naughties. She thinks that Papa Smurf doesn’t care, and hasn’t come to try to rescue her.

I can see how who you mix with can change you, and how different people can impact on your life so much. I was a teenager mother, and I think judged, and I let myself be judged.

But despite the environmental circumstances and my son’s undiagnosed Aspergers syndrome we have managed to travel through life and come out on the other side. I feel that this is largely to do with the right people being in our lives, shaping and changing it in so many positive ways.

Now my son is 16 a fully qualified lifeguard, with an A* in GCSE Maths a year early, and awaiting the rest of his GCSE result which he has been predicted all As and A*s. He is a charming young man, kind and helpful.

Of course he has some annoying teenage behaviours, but I think that we are incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful young man such as he, and we are very proud. He has never smoked, skipped school, got drunk, stole, bullied. Only today I asked him to bring me my camera (my iPhone is playing up again), and he just found it and bought it to me (with instructions where it was, what it looked like etc) without question. It is all very black and white, and if he knows what he is meant to be doing, then by and large he does just that.

If you are either a teen mother, or a mother worrying about the future of your child on the Autistic Spectrum – to you I wish to give hope that things can, and will, work out so well in the end, if like Smurfette, you make the right choices in your heart.

In the meantime, in the film, we see a rescue mission, which involves the Smurfs contacting their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow. Patrick explains at son Blue’s party how his dad left home, and is very bitter about it. When his step-father turns up he is keen to express that he is not his father. Through the rescue mission we see the relationship change and finally Patrick coming to appreciate that a father is the person bringing you up, and not the person you share your genes with.

This is a story that I could really relate to as I met my husband when my oldest son was a mere 5 years old. Luckily, my son has always seen him as dad and this has never been a problem. I do think that sometimes people think that a “step” can never truly be the same, but believe me; I know first-hand that this really isn’t the case. My husband has always treated him just like the others (in fact when we had a discussion about how genetically we had affected the children, he completely missed the fact that he didn’t play a part with my first-born).

I would like to thank NortonandCo for inviting us to this special screening and JAKKS Pacific for sharing with us their new Smurfs toy range. It was a fabulous magical day and the children really enjoyed it.

The boys received one of Top 10 Characters from the animated movie as a 2.75” figure – in the new collectable Grab ‘Em Single Packs (they include Grouchy, Clumsy, Papa Smurf, Vexy and Hackus).

Now on their Christmas list is one of these Mushroom house Playsets – they come in pink and red – and were very popular with all the children – perfect for small world play, and stretching their imaginations.

There is also a 7.5” Fashion Doll complete with mix and match outfits.

Toys available from leading toy retailers nationwide this summer.

We were invited free of charge to this special screening and toy launch. We received drink, popcorn and Haribos, and a Goody bag containing a Collectable Grab ‘Em Single. All thoughts and opinions are my own.