“Paging Mr. MacMillan”– Mom of Three Young Children with Special Needs Shares Her Concerns about When They Become “Big”

Paging Mr. MacMillan By Rebecca LePage This summer, it seemed that I couldn’t go more than a week without stumbling across the movie Big. The first time I happened upon it, I found myself giggling at the dated wardrobes and conversational stylings. The second time, I remarked on how plausible the plot had seemed when I first watched the movie in 1988, and how equally implausible it did now. The third time, I realized I was on the verge of tears. Watching Big, lower lip trembling, fighting back the waterworks. Josh, the character played by Tom Hanks, is literally a child trapped in a man’s body. As such, he has all the joie de vivre, innocence and curiosity that you would expect of an average eight year-old. Sweet and charming, yes. Socially acceptable for your average adult, no. And while there were characters in the movie that derided him or scoffed at his naiveté, there were also those that truly found him endearing and appreciated his creativity and his unique way of viewing the world. They not only appreciated his novel perspective, they fancied him somewhat of a genius. In fact, his boss, Mr. MacMillan, actually sought his insight and approval on all sorts of important corporate decisions and moral social dilemmas. As I sat watching the movie that last time, I found myself wondering, “Where are THOSE people?” You see, I am a mother to three absolutely amazing children. They are all brilliant, funny, full of personality and unique […]