Inspired by the bridal shower thread- babies and toddlers at the movies

[tonyswife]

Should babies or toddlers be allowed at late night movies? Or...even adult movies during the day?

 

[msteddom]

Let me preface this by saying that I don't have any children. I really don't mind if babies are in movie theatres as long as the parents are prepared to take them out the second the baby starts fussing. Even if they paid full adult price. there is a reason I went to the 10:30 PM showing of the latest Harry Potter movie

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

They've got a sign at our local theater stating that children under 6 are not allowed at any movie starting after 8pm

I've got no problems with the kid coming to the movies as long as they are quiet. LOL same rule applies to all people though.

 

[Christine]

I have two children and would NEVER have thought to bring them to the movies that was predominantly adults because my kids were BRATS!!!! When I sit in an adult movie and I see someone walk in with a baby/toddler, I just cringe. But I do know that some people are blessed with very good babies and there have been a few movies where I never heard a peep out of the child. I think that if the child does act up, the family should be told to leave the theater. Period.

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't think anyone should be allowed at a movie if they aren't able to be quiet during the movie, and I don't care whether they are a child or an adult.

I do think that small children shouldn't stay up til midnight or 1AM, but that is another topic.

 

[oogieboogie]

Originally posted by Disney Doll
I don't think anyone should be allowed at a movie if they aren't able to be quiet during the movie, and I don't care whether they are a child or an adult.

I do think that small children shouldn't stay up til midnight or 1AM, but that is another topic.

ITA Which is why DH and I will alternate going to the movies by ourselves while the other stays home with the kids. And it is also why we go to drive-ins.

 

[tmli]

One of the theaters in our area, Galaxy which is Cineplex odeon....has special screenings for parents with babies and toddlers. They have the lighting raised just a little and the sound turned down some. They run the latest movies as well....thought it was a good idea. My ds has some special needs and sometimes reacts to the loud noises so I thought of checking this out.

The only thing is I have visions of screaming babies and chattering toddlers kicking the back of my seat!!! Of course I base that on absolutely nothing and in no way intend to imply anything so please don't flame me now!

 

[shortbun]

As previously posted, I don't mind children if they are quiet.
Newborns often will sleep or nurse through most of the movie.
It's the toddlers(mine would have) who are just learning to talk
and need to be in an environment where that's ok.
I don't really mind a crying baby unless it's right beside me or
behind me in a movie. Movies are so loud these days, it doesn't
seem to matter.

 

[Karel]

I went to see Harry Potter last week and the movie let out around 10:30. I was in the lobby waiting for my friend when a couple caught my attention. They were walking in, carrying a sleeping toddler, who looked around 2 years old and went to stand in the refreshment line.

It made me sad. Maybe these people didn't have anyone to leave the kid with, maybe they thought taking her late at night when she was sleeping would be better but if you're tired, who wants to be hauled around like that? While I realize that once they get into the movie it will be dark, but it was loud and bright in that lobby.

I just couldn't imagine dragging around my child like that.

 

[sha_lyn]

They've got a sign at our local theater stating that children under 6 are not allowed at any movie starting after 8pm

Oh I love that idea. We never go after 6 however to save money.



A couple of weeks ago DH, 6 DD and I saw shrek. DD was probably the youngest in there. Most were adults and teens.

DS went to Van Heilsing, and he said he couldn't even ejoy the movie for all the crying babies and toddlers.

 

[Stimpy]

When DH and I went to see the last Lord of the Rings movie, we had a family come in with 3 kids. One was a baby and 2 toddlers. Mind you, this was probably about a week after the opening , sold out show at 9:30pm. It is a loud long movie. The baby cried through the WHOLE movie, 1 kid kept running up and down the stairs (stadium seating). The parents never took any of the kids out of the theater and would curse at other people when they gave them mean looks or said something to them. As we were leaving, after 12:30 AM, we noticed 2 other couples with kids with them on line buying tickets! Unbelievable!

We take our DS to the movies, kid appropriate movies, but we usually take him to the earliest show, during the week, a few weeks after the movie has been out. There are alot fewer people...just in case he gets ansty, which he only did once and we left the movie.

BTW this theater also offers the baby movies on Wednesday mornings. The have an hour (or 1/2 hour?) play group sponsored by Gymboree before the movie and, like tmli mentioned, dim lighting, lower sounds etc. Maybe a better option would be to offer this at a later time during the week for parents that can't get babysitters and work during the day.

 

[Mimi Q]

I take my younger DD to see children's movies. Saw Garfield yesterday. We go to the matinees since there are usually more children at the theater then. If she gets unruly, I take her out. Like so many other posters have said, I expect children and adults to be quiet at the movies. I can honestly say I have been disturbed at movies more often by adults with cell phones than children.

 

[NMAmy]

I hate it when people just let a baby cry and cry during a movie without removing them from the theatre. Maybe they are used to ignoring it--but I'm out of practice!

I also hate it when people let their toddlers wander up and down the aisles--talking and playing. I've been taking DD since she was about 3 (to matinees of kids movies) but if she ever acted up we would leave the theatre immediately.

 

[MelessaG]

I take my 6 year-old and 4 year-old to any age-appropriate movies they want to see (though usually the matinee b/c I like to save $$). My 2 year-old is limited to the drive-in because she hasn't yet figured out how to sit still and watch the movie. (she falls asleep at the drive-in) The baby does go with me to every movie because she is nursing. However, I don't make it out much and if she cried-I would take her out at once. I wouldn't take the older kids to anything they shouldn't see because it might scare them and I wouldn't take the 2 year-old because she wouldn't notice the film, but I would spend the whole time chasing her and taking her in and out. For that, I might as well not see the movie.

 

[Annette_VA]

I have a 3 yo & a 10 month old. Neither has ever been to a movie. I know they can't handle it, so I don't bring them. Simple enough logic.

Some people just don't see it that way, though. I remember when we went to see the South Park movie, there was a family that brought their kids - they looked 1, 3, & maybe 6. Blew my mind.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I had three children all under the age of 7 sitting next to me at the Passion of the Christ... it was a 10pm showing on Good Friday, too. I still remember the look on their face during some of those scenes... thankfully, the smallest one fell asleep (snoring loudly) but the other two sat and watching, chomping popcorn with their parents...

As far as children in movies, obviously I'm passionate about parents making wise CHOICES about which movie they take children to, but if we're just talking appropriate movies, then I don't care as long as they are quiet.

And I agree - that goes for ANYONE!!!!!!!! Just be courteous and quiet! I am so tired of having movies interrupted by some moron talking on the phone during it.

I have found that most parents are respectful and leave when their child becomes disenchanted with their surroundings. The attention span of a toddler is just not suited for a full length movie and it saddens me that parents expect their child to sit quietly through it.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I saw Magnolia a few days after it opened(think very artsy for the film) and a crying baby ruined the scene with the frogs falling.It was a early show so it was more annoying than serious but the baby was gone in minutes but why take a baby to a artsy film?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

No. When I go to see an R rated movie after 10 PM I expect to be able to watch it without listening to small children cry and talk through the whole thing.

The last several PG-13 or R rated movies I have gone to see after 11 have all had lots of small kids at them and NONE of them were behaving.

I know a lot of people say Well I take my kid but he behaves. Well the kids at my movie theater do not and I would be very happy if the theater would make a rule against it.

First of all, kids should not , IMO be watching things like the destruction in The Day after Tomorrow. Second, some of these late night movies have been on weeknights during the school year.

I just don't understand what would possess anyone to bring a child to a late night movie.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

I don't like to see small children and toddlers at the movies, but only because most of the time, the volume in the theater is very loud and it can potentially damage the young peoples ears. I know I sound like an old man, but it even hurts my ears sometimes.

To get off subject for a second, my gf and I were at the Hard Rock Cafe last night, in the concert hall, and a couple had their 1 or 2 year old in there. MY ears were ringing from the volume that the band played at, I can't imagine what was happening to that poor child's hearing.

Ok, rant off.

 

[MelessaG]

Originally posted by Aimeedyan
And I agree - that goes for ANYONE!!!!!!!! Just be courteous and quiet! I am so tired of having movies interrupted by some moron talking on the phone during it.

I agree. I really ticked off an older lady at the theatre for walking out and reporting her excessive cell phone use to the manager. I'm not normally the type to do that, but she had been chatting away for 20 minutes and cussing out anyone who had the "nerve" to ask her to stop. I'm not kidding when I say I was afraid to leave the theatre at the same time she did.