Would you? (Parenting question/vent)

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Would you let your two children, who are under the age of 7, go to a movie by themselves?

I took my eldest to see What a Girl Wants today since she is off from school. The movie theater was pretty empty. The lights had gone down and the previews were playing when I saw a man walk in with two kids. He sat them down and I noticed he was standing in the row behind them. Then he walked out. Since the theater was dark I didn't have a great view of what was going on, but I did notice that he didn't come back. The two boys sat through the movie without incident. Since my daughter and I were sitting the closest to them I had my mommy radar on.

The movie ended and I noticed that the two boys were still alone. I tried to delay leaving the theater because I wanted to make sure the boys were alright. The lights were still out so I couldn't really see how old they were. Finally I told my daughter why I didn't want to leave and she told me that she would go talk to them to make sure they were okay. She's 8. She actually said to me "but mommy, you are a stranger. I'll go talk to them."

She walked back to me and told me that their parent knew where they were and was coming to get them. She had to go to the bathroom by then so we headed out. The two boys were sitting by themselves in a dark theater by then.

After my daughter went to the bathroom we headed out of the theater. I asked her how old she thought the boys were. She said they were definitely younger than she was. I stopped an employee of the theater who looked "motherish" to tell her about the boys. She said I could go back to see if they were still there.

I started to and then I saw a man walking out with the boys. He was their father. My daughter spotted the boys and said "there they are." The father heard so I told him that I was being an overprotective mom. He laughed and said that he didn't want to see that movie so he went to another one.

Maybe it is just me, but I would not feel comfortable leaving my children in a movie theater by themselves. I would worry the whole time that they wouldn't be there when I got back.

What do you think?

 

[luvstiggertoo]

I'm with you!
I don't even let my 12 yo DD go to movies alone.
As a result, I have endured many movies that I probably wouldn't have chosen myself. But in many of them (Blue Crush, for instance) I'm glad I was there. They show much too much for my liking in a PG13 movie.

 

[Pooh93]

No, but then I don't do alot of things like other parents do. I'd have been keeping an eye on them also.

 

[Beauty]

John-Cole is almost 12 and I just let him go to his first movie with a few friends by themselves a few weeks ago. It was J.C., Hunter, Michael and Anzie so 4 of them. I dropped them off, watched them pay and go in and then was waiting at least 10 minutes before the end of the movie. They all did fine. The other 3 are in the 6th grade and a year older than J.C. This is the same age when I started being allowed to go with friends. Oh and J.C. does have his cell phone with him the entire time just in case.

 

[aahmom1]

Heck no!!!

 

[Cindy B]

No way, no how... a theater is not a babysitting service!

 

[cinmell]

Originally posted by Beth E. (NJ)

Maybe it is just me, but I would not feel comfortable leaving my children in a movie theater by themselves. I would worry the whole time that they wouldn't be there when I got back.

What do you think?

I totally agree with you!

 

[kejoda]

I wouldn't do this, heck I'm even nervous when my 10 year old wants to sit in a different row.

 

[SonjaB]

No, no way, no how, nuh-uh, not a chance, nope, non, nien, nyet, fugheddaboudid!!!!!

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

I allow my 7th grader to go to the movies with just her friends. but I just started giving her permission to do it this year. my 5th grader still needs an adult chaperone at the movies. next year I will allow the younger one to go to the movies without an adult if her older sister is there, but I won't let her go alone until she's in 7th grade.

 

[binny]

NOT A CHANCE IN HECK!!!!


Doesn't this man have any idea how many creepy people hang out in the movie theatre??????

 

[4greatboys]

Those kids are way to young to be there without an adult. I didnt let my oldest go to the movies with friends (without me) til he was in 7th grade. He has a Sept birthday so that would make him 13 yrs old in the 7th grade.

 

[suzannen]

Much too young at that age and too many creeps around, unfortunately. When I was growing up, my whole town used to drop off the kids at the one movie theater for the Saturday afternoon double feature matinees, but those days are long gone. And as far as the father's answer that he didn't want to see that movie - how many movies have you sat through simply because your child wanted to see it? I can't count. And, for my older daughter (now 22) when video was just starting out, I had to endure "The Care Bear" movie like 4 times. I'm betting many of you have done the same, right?

 

[AspiringCindy]

That is way to young to go unsupervised! I don't know about other states, but in New Jersey, you can't leave children alone in the home unless they are 12 or 13(I'm not sure which). What makes being in a theater any different?

 

[jcemom]

I thought part of being a "good" parent was sometimes doing things you wouldn't normally do because it makes your children happy! I didn't say "doing things you don't want to do" because I enjoy spending time with my kids, even if it means seeing a movie I wouldn't choose.

I wouldn't say that man is a "bad" parent, but maybe a little selfish, or just not very thoughtful!

 

[Kallison]

DH and I have sat through many movies we didn't want to see -- we call it "the $7 nap"! We were both snoring pretty loud during "Gods and Generals." Oldest DS is allowed to go to the movies with his friends alone - he is 12 1/2 and in 6th grade.

 

[NHAnn]

My goodness, I think that is MUCH too young to leave 2 kids in a movie!!

BTW, your DD sounds like a real sweetie

 

[Libbysmom2000]

That father should be thanking the almighty that such a caring parent was looking out for his children. It just as easily could have been some pervert looking at his children.

If he didn't want to see that movie than he just shouldn't have taken them at all.

 

[dandave]

Never in a million years!

 

[GoofieRuthie]

Seven is definately too young. I have sat through a few movies that I didn't really want to either. I will admit that Crossroads turned out to be better than I thought it would be (although I did dare my kids to tell anyone that I took them, lol).

I have been wanting to take my DD2 to see the Piglet Movie and/or Jungle Book 2. I did consider letting my DD10 and DD8 go to another movie (they want to see the Cody Banks movie and What a girl wants) if they didn't want to see either of these. I never did convince myself to go through with it.

I remember going to see E.T. in the theater when I was 9 with 2 of my friends that were 1 and 2 years older than me alone though. It's too scary now to even think about it.