Infants at the movies

[ilovesugar]

We take our baby (now 17 months) to late movies all the time. Usually we don't get home until 1:30am.

Granted we go to the drive in!!!! Haha. DH and I live far from family and don't have any babysitters. We've discovered that going to the drive in is a great way for a date night. We all go to dinner somewhere. Then our drive in is about 20 min from the area we usually eat. DD always falls asleep on the way to the drive in since it is her bedtime. We have her all ready in her pjs and she sleeps in the back while DH and I get to enjoy a movie. If she ever did wake up we'd just head home.

That is so sweet! I love that idea!

 

[Christine]

I think we are all missing the big picture. Clearly this baby is a movie genius and was crying because the movie was so bad. The parents should have that baby tested for a gifted program.

Best post today!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

It used to always amaze me to see people out late with little ones...before we had DS. DH worked nights and we adjusted our schedule to fit his. DS stayed up late, so he could sleep later and we wouldn't disturb DH. You just have to do what works for your family.

So you know what I am talking about. I used to get the funniest looks grocery shopping with the kids at midnight

Do you really think an infant knows whats going on on the screen?

Even if it is an older child--not every parent agrees with how the ratings system works. For my own part I am much more bothered by violence than teh ratings board seems to be. I walked out of a fw PG movies over the years due to this (mostly read online first and knew to avoid them). On the other hand, I am not as bothered by sex (non violent only), nudity or even a bit of language and both pf mine have seen a number of PG-13 and R films (my oldest is thirteen now). Some films (Drumline being PG-13 and Stand By Me R being two prime examples) are so benign for their ratings I can hardly figure out the isssue the board had As a parent, I get to make those calls; not some random stranger in a theatre or the ratings board. (BTW luvmy3--I know I quoted you but I can see that you also decide these things differently than the board--I am more speaking to the PP that you quoted and to others who may think similarly).

I think we are all missing the big picture. Clearly this baby is a movie genius and was crying because the movie was so bad. The parents should have that baby tested for a gifted program.

I wish they would have the ushers come into the theatres on a regular basis so that they can ask the noisy patrons to be quiet. I think it's stupid that the other guests either have to suck it up and deal with it or miss part of the movie to go get help.

We take our baby (now 17 months) to late movies all the time. Usually we don't get home until 1:30am.

Granted we go to the drive in!!!! Haha. DH and I live far from family and don't have any babysitters. We've discovered that going to the drive in is a great way for a date night. We all go to dinner somewhere. Then our drive in is about 20 min from the area we usually eat. DD always falls asleep on the way to the drive in since it is her bedtime. We have her all ready in her pjs and she sleeps in the back while DH and I get to enjoy a movie. If she ever did wake up we'd just head home.

We used to do that in Michigan. Not everywhere has drive ins though. If the baby sleeps through the show and bothers no one I still do not see an issue with it in a regular theatre (unless they have a no kids after a certain time rule--which I am also fine with).

 

[Jennasis]

I've said it before...the movie theatre is NOT your livingroom. There is no place for talkers, commentators, texters, crying baby's or unruly children. Anytime I find myself subjected to anyof those things, i fetch the manager. I've had quite a few folks ejected from a theatre .

At the 9:45pm showing of GI Joe. Packed theatre and in walks mom/dad and few month old infant who SCREAMED bloody murder throughout the first 20 minutes. DH got the manager who sent the family packing.

My favorite story was the time we were at the late showing of some loud movie...I forget what it was, but it was LOUD. Infant shrieking the whole time. Packed house full of agitated moviegoers. Finally after being subjected to the torture for what felt like forever, a quiet part of the movie came along and I just snapped....I tossed my head back and yelled out "Take...the baby...OUT!!" to which the audience applauded me. The family got up and left.

 

[bumbershoot]

A friend of mine took her tiny baby (not 1 year old baby, but actual infant-baby) to several movies. Baby just nursed and slept, and it was lovely.

That baby is 12 now, so this is NOTHING new, to take your nursling to a movie.

I tried it with DS, but waited a bit too long, and he was too distracted to just nurse and sleep. So DH and I took turns standing outside the theater doors with him, trying like heck to watch HP4, or whichever HP movie it was through the little window. He wasn't crying, he was just moving around, trying to get down, etc etc etc, and that was too distracting for even US, let alone those around us (of course, I should say we were NOT the only ones there with fussy kids, but we WERE the only ones who did something about it).


But taking a 1 year old is very different, and a 6 year old...we've been somewhat liberal with *some* movies, but with others we put our foot down. I remember being frightened out of my mind about vampires, making it difficult for me to go camping with family, so I have no need to put those images into DS's head. You have to do something special to possibly meet up with cursed pirates...but vampires could be anywhere!

 

[mickeylove2]

I understand people bringing kids to theatres, to each his own, I wouldn't do what this family did but that's me. I mean, every time a wolf lunged, this baby shrieked, she was flinging her rattle and other toys so there was lots of noise from that too. It was an obnoxiously loud movie, as well as room with all the teens in there. I guess if the baby had been in a stroller sleeping with a blanket around her, I wouldn't have been so irritated. IDK, maybe because I spent $75 at the movies I just wanted to enjoy it a little more.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I understand people bringing kids to theatres, to each his own, I wouldn't do what this family did but that's me. I mean, every time a wolf lunged, this baby shrieked, she was flinging her rattle and other toys so there was lots of noise from that too. It was an obnoxiously loud movie, as well as room with all the teens in there. I guess if the baby had been in a stroller sleeping with a blanket around her, I wouldn't have been so irritated. IDK, maybe because I spent $75 at the movies I just wanted to enjoy it a little more.

That is the part that is totally rude and unacceptable. Next time complain to the management (as much as I dislike having to miss something to go find a manager I disliking having the entire film ruined by rude behaviour even more).

 

[tonilea]

I understand people bringing kids to theatres, to each his own, I wouldn't do what this family did but that's me. I mean, every time a wolf lunged, this baby shrieked, she was flinging her rattle and other toys so there was lots of noise from that too. It was an obnoxiously loud movie, as well as room with all the teens in there. I guess if the baby had been in a stroller sleeping with a blanket around her, I wouldn't have been so irritated. IDK, maybe because I spent $75 at the movies I just wanted to enjoy it a little more.

Totally rude. I can't imagine doing that to my child or the other patrons.

 

[rparmfamily]

We took our baby (then 10 mo) to Alice in Wonderland 3-D to the first showing of the day, and brought in the stroller. She napped the whole time. Had she not, our plan was for DH to take her for walks while I watched the movie. (he had already watched the movie with our older kids.)

Same baby is now 13 months, and NO WAY I'd try to bring her unless I was positive she'd crash out the whole time. And I'm not positive about that happening, so we don't even try.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Does anyone have any strategies for getting people to stop doing that? Besides dropping your drink on their phone?

Yep! I tell them to put it away! If they are in a row too far down to say something without pissing everyone off, I shine a laser pointer on their phone.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Just to give me some sense of normalcy after giving birth to my daughters, I would often take them in their car seat to an afternoon movie. They would sleep through the whole movie. I made sure I fed them first.
It was really nice for me to get out of the house and do something I enjoyed-since I didn't have anyone to watch them. I REALLY needed that time. It made me feel like I could breathe, relax, and still enjoy "me" time.

Of course, this might be comparing apples to oranges since I didn't see a 10pm show, and they were never fussy.

 

[Chipmunk89]

I'm generally okay with people bringing babies to the movies, as long as the parent is considerate. And by considerate, I mean, if the baby gets fussy or starts crying, take him/her out of the theater. Not to the back of the theater, where I am sitting.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm generally okay with people bringing babies to the movies, as long as the parent is considerate. And by considerate, I mean, if the baby gets fussy or starts crying, take him/her out of the theater. Not to the back of the theater, where I am sitting.

Sounds reasonable..

 

[Planogirl]

Aren't many movies awfully loud for newborns? Sometimes I want to clap my hands over my ears so I can't imagine how loud it might be for a baby.

 

[lillygator]

anymore, I think NO one is considerate in the movie theatre, people have cell phones ringing, people are talking, constantly changing seats, getting up to hit the bathroom-concession - you name it.

 

[belle_of_the_ball]

I work at a movie theater (typical summer, home from college job and all) there are many parents who know that if your child is screaming you should take them out...but there are even more who don't know that. I've got no problems with babies at movies, personally, they brighten up my day a little bit. They're so cute, but not when they're crying at a screen!

Don't be shy, get an usher or a manager! We live for kicking people out, it's about as exciting as our days can get!

At my theater, ushers come through the theaters. Sometimes people get quiet because they see us in there so we don't always know.

Don't wait until your movie let's out and then complain, because then there isn't really much we can do for you. Aside from maybe re-admit passes.

 

[rparmfamily]

anymore, I think NO one is considerate in the movie theatre, people have cell phones ringing, people are talking, constantly changing seats, getting up to hit the bathroom-concession - you name it.

That's the truth!!! I have to really want to see a movie to go now. They are too expensive to have them ruined by cell phones, talking, opening and closing doors, kids in movies they shouldn't be in,etc.

 

[PatsGirl]

I guess I have mixed feelings about this In my hometown, I see lots of young kids with their babies in places I would never have taken mine. I understand that money is tight for them but hey, there are consequences to having children before you are emotionally and financially stable. Stay at home and rent a DVD unless you are 100% sure that your child will not disturb others whether it is a movie, restaurant, concert...or be prepared to leave the venue at the first sign that they might start acting up. Leaving 10 minutes after the screeching starts means I miss ten minutes of (fill in the blank).

I especially get upset when I pay a sitter to watch my kid(s) and then have to put up with someone else's. I've been known to say something to couples in better restaurants if their child is acting out and disturbing my night And I don't go for the excuse that you don't have a sitter. If you don't, don't go out, really, how is that my problem? I scrimped and saved when my son was a baby and I was a single parent so that I could get "me time".

It's all about entitlement as in "I deserve to go to the movies and people will just have to put up with it if he/she acts up". Hellllooooo?

 

[Poohbear123]

This is one of the MAIN reasons WHY I don't go OUT to the movies! LOUD SCREAMING KIDS AND RUDE PEOPLE! ANY time of the day or night, and they ARE there! So, I wait 3 months till it comes out on DVD and rent it at my local Blockbuster Kiosk for a whopping 1.00!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Well I have a funny story about the movies.

We took the kids to see TS3. All the kids were well behaved and there was no crying from our baby. However- I went to get popcorn before the movie started for all of us. At this theater you put your own butter on the popcorn. So I go to the butter machine and it is at the end of the butter. It needs to be refilled. So I stepped to the side and was fixing my tray of stuff and planning to let an employee know.
2 teen girls come over to the machine before I can say a word and try to get butter. Obviously there is none. One turns to the other and says...."Did that "B" take all the butter?"
So I step closer to her and say "No- I didn't take all the butter but thanks for asking. The machine ran out so there is no need to call me names. But thanks anyway!"
The girl then slinks down and says "Oh- uh..sorry."
I then said while smiling "Yeah, awkward huh?"

So, not all ill behaved kids are toddlers or infants.