Before having kids, I loved going to the movies. The entire experience was fun and inexpensive.

But now as a family of four, I find nothing fun or inexpensive about it. From the expensive tickets to purchasing snacks (the kids may or may not be in the mood to eat by the time the movie starts), the experience has become more frazzling than enjoyable. Add impatience, aggravation, and two very different personality types, to the mix, and I am done with the outing before the previews even begin. So what would otherwise be a great family experience quickly becomes a less than enjoyable time for all.

So with a few bad movie experiences under our belt, my husband, and I have taken to having weekly family movie nights instead. Allowing us to control the situation, be able to let the boys watch what they want, and creating amazing less than tradition movie experience that works for us. Here's why:

1. Options. Verizon FiOS offers thousands of OnDemand options for kids and adults. So after the kids are in bed, it is our turn to watch movies not made by Pixar, Dreamworks or Disney for a change.
2. Time. Love the convenience of being able to choose when we want to watch and the ability to pause and rewatch at a later time.
3. Location convenience. Being able to watch movies anywhere in our home and on any device we choose allows the kids interrupted screen time. Especially with a demanding two-year-old who for some reason thinks rules do not apply to him.
4. Inexpensive. Renting a movie OnDemand for six bucks and eating at home, or even ordering out, beats possibly spending fifty or so on a movie we can only watch once, and snacks that will give them a sugar rush that my husband and I will be paying for, for hours.

So these reasons, are all we need to make the most out of our family movie time. Our boys are growing up fast and creating unique ways to spend time with each of them without breaking the bank is a great lesson to teach them. Quality time spent together and longtime satisfaction is worth its weight in gold over a temporary fix that, in my opinion, costs more than what it is worth.