Inconsiderate Mothers/Movie Theater

[buzzlady]

Today we went to see Finding Nemo. There were about 5 families in the theater. We were lucky to have 2 mothers with 2 little ones (maybe 3 and 2) sit directly behind us. The 3yr was standing bumping my seat and breathing in my hair. Fine - theater is empty - I moved to the other side of my son. Then the two kids were going up and down their row. Finally one of them left the row and the mother followed. Thankfully they didn't come back to sit - the other mother/child followed a few mins. later. Then the 2 kids where going up and down the main isles. The 2yr old would come down to the bottom of the theater and scream then go back up. I understand that it's a kids movie but these 2 kids had no interest in this movie and I think the mothers were the most inconsiderate people that I have even seen in a movie theater. Of course there aren't ushers to "watch" like there used to be. Just had to vent.

 

[jamsmom]

I think I would have asked to speak with the manager before leaving.

 

[adamak]

Well. My Demo experience was even worse. The theater was packed, and there was one seat left next to me. A dad dropped off 2 young kids there, they were about 3 or 5 years old. Dad then sit all the way in the back.

As you can imagine, they were yapping at each other the whole time. They had pop corn and wipe their hands on my clothes. And they weren't even watching the movies.

I would have gladly given up my seats to the dad and sit alone back there. But seems like he would rather get free childcare.

I just don't understand.

 

[hercamore]

Yep,

We had a bunch of jr high brats sitting behind us. They kept bugging us and pushing our seats, so we got up and moved.

They were very loud and rude the whole movie and had their feet up on the seats in front of them.

The preschoolers in the movie were better behaved!


herc.

 

[clutter]

Wow, we went to Nemo on sunday (LOVED it, btw), and had an awesome audience. Everyone was so absorbed in the movie, either no one mis-behaved, or no one noticed. And the funny thing is that someone at work had the same comment. She gave up movies because of the audience, but said at Nemo they behaved!

 

[disneyluvers]

This is exactly the reason I take my 4 yr. old to drive-ins or we wait until it comes out on pay-per-view or rental. I would never think of subjecting others to my "spirited" boy. I love him more than life itself. That said, I believe that there should be a level of commonsense used when a group of people are gathered in one area. Just my opinion.


M

 

[nancy679]

Similar story-a 3year old was sitting behind us and before the movie started she was bouncing on my sons chair. He whispered to me if he could ask her to stop (he's only 7). So I told him that was ok, he turned around and said to her "could you please stop kicking my chair" the mother said "ohh she's just excited, she'll stop when the movie starts". Well luckily the movie started about 30 seconds later, except we had to hear this little girls high pitched voice throughout the movie "wheres Nemo mommy" "is that Nemo, mommy". And towards the end she started to cry.

She did have older kids with her too, so she really couldnt leave the theater to quiet her down.

 

[Mishetta]

I should have my DH read this thread! He can't understand WHY I don't want to bring our 18 month old DS to the movies??? My 7 y/o DS is dying to see Finding Nemo so I told his Dad to take him. Well, (I know this is silly but we rarely ever do anything apart from each other) my DH still hasn't taken my DS because I won't go. AND I won't go because then we'd have to take DS #2 who will probably scream throughout the movie & I think that would be very rude for the other guests. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to go see it too but we can't take the little guy. (Oh, another "silly" thing...we don't do babysitters.) Just call us a "silly" family!

 

[Planogirl]

When we saw Nemo some kids were so loud that it was sometimes hard to hear the movie itself. I realize that kids are loud by nature but it was still annoying sometimes.

 

[robinb]

Originally posted by nancy679
Well luckily the movie started about 30 seconds later, except we had to hear this little girls high pitched voice throughout the movie "wheres Nemo mommy" "is that Nemo, mommy". And towards the end she started to cry.

Well ... as a parent of a 3 year old high pitched voiced daughter ... hmmm ...

Finding Nemo is, last time I checked, a children's movie. No, 3 year old's don't always know when to be quiet. I know . As a parent of an older child I would have expected you to give the little girl and her family some slack. Even as a child-free adult I never complained about the "What's going to happen next, Mommy?!?" behind me at a movie theater when I saw Disney movies.

 

[disneychrista]

I had a pre-teen about 3 rows behind me start throwing popcorn at me, after the movied ended. Oh wait that was my DD.

 

[Brer_Papa]

We had a grandmother/grandfather ( they looked like maybe high 40's in age ) combo with a 1 and 1/2 year old sit in front of us...they arrived right at the start of the movie...

first, they kept holding the child up...then passed him back & forth....then...the GF started tickling him....the more he got tickled...the louder the child laughed...

all the people around them shhh'ed them...asked them to take the child to the lobby....every request was denied...

it was like that the whole movie.....while the creditswere rolling...i heard one couple say loud enugh for the combo to hear..."We'll have to see his again so we can hear it"...again...the combo just ignored it..

well...after the movie...my grandkids had to use the facilities...and i noticed that the combo still in the theater part with the GS.......they made sure they were the last to leave...when they finally came into the lobby area, the grandmother demanded to see the manager...she complained how everyone around them ruined the movie for them! It seems she was tryng to cajole some free movie passes...

there were still a few movie-goers still in the lobby area....and there was a bit of a scene...this lady did not get her free passes..

 

[WishingStar]

I have to admit I was at that very movie with Brer_Papa, and he is being very kind in how he describes their behavior. They were horrible people, willing to ruin the movie for everyone around them in order to try to get their free passes. Luckily some very proud honest people were willing to put a stop to that.

I also have to say My 3 children,9,5,and 15 months were at that movie along with my 3 y. old nephew, none of which could hear the movie. So to say that it is a kids movie is fine, but the children that misbehave should, in my opinion, be led to the lobby so the other children can enjoy.

 

[Tinkbell]

Originally posted by robinb
Well ...Finding Nemo is, last time I checked, a children's movie. No, 3 year old's don't always know when to be quiet. I know . As a parent of an older child I would have expected you to give the little girl and her family some slack. Even as a child-free adult I never complained about the "What's going to happen next, Mommy?!?" behind me at a movie theater when I saw Disney movies.

I agree. You have to expect kids to talk a little. It's the ones who yell and scream LOUDLY throughout the movie that creates problems for everyone, even the other children in the theatre. I took my 5 year old nephew to see Lilo and Stitch last year. He's a quiet kid and was quite distracted by the loud children a few seats away from us. I think little kids can follow the "talk quietly" rule if thier parents remind them.

 

[nancy679]

Robinb
Thanks for the sarcasism

We did give that mother "some slack". My son simply asked her to stop kicking his chair, which is annoying for anyone. We never ased her to be quiet.

And I am very well aware that Nemo is a kids movie since I brought mine to see it.

This thread seems to be about people venting, and how distracting it is when people talk in the movie theaters.

I dont think its unreasonable for a mother of a 3 year old to help her understand that she can speak quietly so as not to disturb others around her.
Its just common courtesy.

 

[Betsyt82]

I have and will always take my kids out of the theater if they get loud. It really is not fair to the rest of the theater goers........It only took once, removal, for the kids to learn that being loud is wrong and that you need to be considerate. I have been taking the kids since they were 2.

What I really hate is the phones that always ring and are answered and talked on all the while sitting in the seats and babies. My goodness at Finding Nemo we had 2 moms with 2 babies that cried for the better part of the movie. Leave infants at home I say. If you can not get a sitter then wait for the movie to come out in pay per view. Both mothers did not leave the theater either but tried to walk the babies in the back.........still crying off and on.

vent vent vent vent!!!

 

[palmtreegirl]

Oh I have a story for you.......

A few years ago my DH and I went see a 10pm showing of The Jackel (an incredibly violent R rated movie) well..........low and behold there was a women with an infant(maybe 6months, tops) sitting behind us and a 3 year old 2 rows back.

This movie theater was really loud and I'm sure the noise scared the infant and he wouldn't stop crying. Some people started shushing towards their way and after 20 minutes of not being able to hear the movie over the poor kid screaming someone yelled *take your kid outta here!* The women then stood up and started ranting and raving screaming...*don't tell MY son to shut up, I'll kick your a$$!!! It was unbelievable! Then the guy started yelling back and she kept screaming yelling...*bring it on!!*

In the mean time someone went and got the manager and the security(high school kids with flashlights-lol) came in the theater and asked the women and the man screaming to leave. She didn't leave easily, she continued to scream and yell about how she had the right to be there and HER son could scream all he wanted to. Well, I guess the whole incident lasted about 30 minutes and I had no idea what was going on in the movie-lol.

So things finally got quiet, then after a graphic scene where Bruce Willis character blows this guys arm off(ICK!) this little girl, maybe 3, starts screaming and crying (I don't blame her it was nasty!) Daddy WHY did that man do that!!! We couldn't believe it-lol.

So we gave up and left. We went out to the manager and told him we'd missed most of the movie because of all the drama and asked for our money back. He apologized and refunded it for us. And we've never seen the rest of that movie to this day. lol

 

[Pete's Mom]

Well, my boyfriend and I went to the 10:00 pm showing of Signs (Mel Gibson). Mmm.....Mel Gibson......... I'm sorry, where was I? Oh yeah, the movie was rated R, very scary.

A "mom of the year" candidate had brought her infant child in a carrier who screamed during most of the movie. She was sitting right down front too. She would pick up the child and walk towards the side of the theater towards the exit, but wouldn't go out because SHE didn't want to miss any of the movie. Unfortunatley, because of how the theater was laid out, this put her closer to us. It was a terrible experience especially since this was our first date. I shushed the hell out of her, but to no avail.

 

[CrazyBoutDisney]

How about a mom who's little one decides to throw a temper tantrum in the ticket line??!!! Child is screaming at the top of her lungs, I mean we could hear her from the parking lot as we approached the building and the ticket counter is INSIDE!!! Child is beating her mom with her fists, slapping mom's face, flailing her legs and kicking her mom (and anyone else in her vicinity!) and pulling mom's hair! Mom is totally ignoring her, just shifts the squirming child back and forth from hip to hip and continues to wait in line to buy her 2 tickets to see Nemo. It was for a later show, so at least we didn't have it in the theater with us, but if it were MY child, there would have been NO ticket purchase, no matter HOW bad I wanted to see the movie!!!