Loud kid at Wall-E matinee

[HelenePA]

was the theater full? couldn't you move some place away from other people?

 

[BostonRob]

The part that gets me about your post is that you asked the other parents what they expected you to do? Is it not understood that parents controll their own children? And if they can't then they take them somewhere more appropriate? (maybe you just used it as a figure of speech?)

No, I didn't ask him what he expected me to do, I asked him what he expected at a matinee? There have only been about two posters to back me up so obviously I'm in a huge minority and i guess that makes me wrong, but I thought that was normal behavior for a matinee. If I thought it was expected that kids be quiet at a matinee, I would have left before the movie started. I haven't mentioned it, but the whole time, there was a mother behind me with 3 kids and one of them was talking almost as loudly and almost as often as my daughter. So that fit in with my expectations for a matinee.

 

[mjkacmom]

My children are expected to be quiet at movies, and not disturb others, and they are always during the day, rated G. I brought a 2 year old to the movies once - lucky for me, I brought my mom along, so my dd (4 at the time) could watch the movie, and I could hang in the lobby with ds, who wasn't quiet in the theatre. I learned my lesson, and waited until I knew they would be able to sit quietly before bringing my other kids to the movies.

You did the right think leaving.

 

[MELSMICE]

I think 2 1/2 is a little young for a full length feature film.

I believe it's OK for a child to ask questions during a movie, but it should be done quietly, in a whisper, in a parents ear. If the child is too young to understand that concept then they are too young for the movie. Heck - I've even asked questions in movies!!! (but it was whispered to someone!)

 

[BostonRob]

was the theater full? couldn't you move some place away from other people?

That was my first thought, so we moved down front, but when we got there I saw there were enough people in the vicinity that it was probably just best for us to leave.

 

[txSleepingBeauty]

sorry, but I agree with the OP. if you go to a weekday matinee of a kid's movie that is 6 weeks old you should expect (and not get angry at) noise at least in my world. Now if it was opening saturday night at 7 don't take the talkative kids.

 

[AprilShowers]

No, I didn't ask him what he expected me to do, I asked him what he expected at a matinee? There have only been about two posters to back me up so obviously I'm in a huge minority and i guess that makes me wrong, but I thought that was normal behavior for a matinee. If I thought it was expected that kids be quiet at a matinee, I would have left before the movie started. I haven't mentioned it, but the whole time, there was a mother behind me with 3 kids and one of them was talking almost as loudly and almost as often as my daughter. So that fit in with my expectations for a matinee.

Sorry, I misunderstood. I am sure you're a great parent.

I think that it is somewhat normal to have a bit more background noise/distraction during a kids movie at a matinee. But when two different people ask you to quiet down, then it's probably not the "normal" distraction.

 

[HelenePA]

I think 2 1/2 is a little young for a full length feature film.

I believe it's OK for a child to ask questions during a movie, but it should be done quietly, in a whisper, in a parents ear. If the child is too young to understand that concept then they are too young for the movie. Heck - I've even asked questions in movies!!! (but it was whispered to someone!)

Not for all 2.5 yr olds My dd#1's first movie was nemo and she did fine at 2, dd#2 was shrek2 she was less than 2 then and slept thru most of it We finally took our son to see Horton Hears a Who and he did fine, but of course if they didn't do good one of us (me or dh) would have left with the loud kids. DD#2 begged us to go see Speed racer... There was NO way.. it was a 3 hour movie (and horrible) from what I heard.. we nixed that one QUICKLY!

 

[TwinsinCA]

A while back a friend and I went to see a movie. It was rated "R" and NOT a movie for kids. There was myself and my friend, one other man, and a woman with her two young children in the theater. The kids were acting up and I went to get the manager. They spoke to her and it did no good. After the movie ended I spoke to the manager again. She said that the mom told her "It is a matinee, what do they expect?" So apparently you are not the only one under the impression that matinees mean kids should be cut more slack. We got a free movie ticket out of the deal.

Some theaters have specific show times JUST for people with young children. I would suggest looking into those until your children are older. The sound is lowered. The lights are not as dim. Kids are welcome and more chatter is tolerated. Same goes for the free kids movies in the summer. Anything else, kids need to be quiet. Time of day is irrelevant. Period.

My kids were nearly 4 before they ever set foot inside a movie theater. They were old enough then that I could trust they could sit still and not disturb those around them.

 

[tekmom]

I have to disagree with the premise that 'it's a matinee what did they expect?'. I know many people that have to go to matinee's, as they work in the afternoon or evening. They are not solely reserved for small children. It would take alot for me to say something, therefore if two people said something, she must have been loud. I would try again when she's older.

 

[Robinrs]

I was 36 when I had my son so I had MANY years of seeing things parents did that I SWORE I'd never do.

That is why my son went to the theatre for the first time at 6.

I am convinced some parents are just deaf. I so appreciate your asking, it shows your have some consideration.

I remember a child who showed off at a movie for the longest time. The father stood up and took him out and the entire theatre gave him a standing ovation!! Poor guy... he looked huMILiated!!

 

[disneyjunkie]

I agree with the dads.

 

[phorsenuf]

What difference does the movie time matter. Whether its 1 or 5. I would think if anything taking a 2 year old to a matinee would be a worse time since that typical nap time (12-2ish) and they are bound to be crankier.

 

[JESW]

I still don't understand why it being a matinee made any difference??? Our family of 4 (kids 9 & 13) go to the early show all the time to save money. Why should we have to be tolerant of people (not just children) talking through the show just because it's early?? I don't undertand the reasoning for that.

Jill

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

No, I didn't ask him what he expected me to do, I asked him what he expected at a matinee? There have only been about two posters to back me up so obviously I'm in a huge minority and i guess that makes me wrong, but I thought that was normal behavior for a matinee. If I thought it was expected that kids be quiet at a matinee, I would have left before the movie started. I haven't mentioned it, but the whole time, there was a mother behind me with 3 kids and one of them was talking almost as loudly and almost as often as my daughter. So that fit in with my expectations for a matinee.

I do not think you are in a huge minority -- especially since I think you should not have left!!

Let me clarify, at a children's movie in the middle of the day I expect to hear some children talking. At an R rated movie on a Friday/Saturday night I do not expect to hear children talking - nor do I want to hear the crying of an infant.

Yes, children need to be taught to be quiet at the movies. This is something that they need to learn --- eventually. If your daughter had been 7 like mine, she would have been rude but she is 2.5!!

Common people the kid is 2.5! Yes, she has every right to go to the movies. Yes she needs to learn to be quiet but so do a lot of the adults I have been in the movies with recently.

 

[BostonRob]

What difference does the movie time matter. Whether its 1 or 5. I would think if anything taking a 2 year old to a matinee would be a worse time since that typical nap time (12-2ish) and they are bound to be crankier.

Well you know what? I never really thought about it very much. Every matinee that I've ever been to has been loud with kids and I can't remember ever seeing anybody complain about it. So I just accepted that was how matinees were - loud with kids.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Matinees are for some people that work evenings the only way they can get to a current movie so that really isn't a point.
I agree with the dads and admire you considering you may have been wrong;many of us never think that!

 

[tiggger1]

sorry, but I agree with the OP. if you go to a weekday matinee of a kid's movie that is 6 weeks old you should expect (and not get angry at) noise at least in my world. Now if it was opening saturday night at 7 don't take the talkative kids.

 

[Scurvy]

At a movie aimed primarily at kids, especially a matinee showing, I do expect more noise than an evening movie or a more adult movie. I don't expect people (adults or children) to actually carry on conversations in a normal tone of voice during the movie, though. I'm not at all annoyed if the child forgets to whisper and starts to say something once or twice, but I would expect that the adult with them would remind them to be quiet. If it appears that the adult is making no effort to keep the child quiet then I would be very unhappy and would say something to them and/or go get a manager.

I have heard of some theaters that have showings specifically for crying babies or children who can't/won't be quiet. I would never go to one of those and complain about the noise level. However, if it hasn't been specified that it is one of those showings then I think that it is rude not to be quiet. And again, I don't expect children to be perfect but I do expect the adult to remind them to keep their voices down.

I don't think there's a magic age when a child is old enough for a movie, but I think that if a child can sit quietly for the length of the film then they are ready to be there and if they can't then they aren't ready yet. Personally, I don't think it would have worked for my family to go the the showings where talking is expected, because I think that would have made it much more difficult to teach "proper" theater behavior later - "What do you mean I can't talk loudly now? I always have before when we came to movies. Why is it different now?" With our son we stressed the importance of "Quiet" at the theater, and he knew before his first movie that if he wasn't quiet then we would leave.

 

[mickeyboat]

I do not think you are in a huge minority -- especially since I think you should not have left!!

Let me clarify, at a children's movie in the middle of the day I expect to hear some children talking. At an R rated movie on a Friday/Saturday night I do not expect to hear children talking - nor do I want to hear the crying of an infant.

Yes, children need to be taught to be quiet at the movies. This is something that they need to learn --- eventually. If your daughter had been 7 like mine, she would have been rude but she is 2.5!!

Common people the kid is 2.5! Yes, she has every right to go to the movies. Yes she needs to learn to be quiet but so do a lot of the adults I have been in the movies with recently.

I would not have thought the child was rude, just not ready to go to a movie theater. And as much as she has a right to go to the movies, the other patrons have the right to watch the movie without unreasonable disruption. It sounds like the disruption caused by the OP's daughter was unreasonable enough that two other movie-goers felt the need to say something.

Denae