Would you? (Parenting question/vent)

[zulaya]

What I can't believe is that these kids were perfectly fine in a theater all alone! My son is 7 and he would NEVER want to be in a big place like a theater by himself or even with his little sister 6. And this dad...talk about selfish and irresponsible. He's lucky you were watching and some creep didn't come in and swipe those kids. Another one of those people who should be licensed to have kids...

 

[one_cat]

My kids are only 3 1/2 but I truly believe 7 is too young to be anywhere alone.

 

[Bunchkin]

There is NO way on God's green earth that I would even consider the thought of leaving my children alone anywhere.

 

[Serena]

a big fat NO!

 

[RitaZ.]

Definitely, NO!!!!

I wonder if the boys' mom knows that dad left the children by themselves while he watched a different movie?

 

[Bottlejet]

Any normal 7 year old should be able to visit a movie theater without adult supervision. Over protected children will not be able to function as well. Of course, if you drop them off for a horror flick then new problems arise.

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

That is shocking behavior for a parent to do. Next time, he may not be so lucky.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Thanks for the replies gang!

These days you never know who could be lurking in a theater looking for children to victimize. Most multiplex theaters have exits from each individual theaters so a child or someone with a child could walk out without passing through the lobby. Or the child could go the bathroom leaving the other one in the movie by himself.

A couple of years ago I took my daughter to the movies with a bunch of other preschool moms and kids. As we sat down we noticed a creepy looking man sitting by himself in the movie. We stayed far away from him. For all I know he was just there to watch the movie, but it seemed odd to see a middle aged man at a early matinee all by himself.

I told my husband about the two boys at the movie and he although thought it was crazy. He's more liberal than I am.

 

[Keli]

Not a chance I would have done this when Ashli was small.

 

[shortbun]

The dad was a dope! Doesn't suprise me but I'd
never do it. We had a situation with older teens at
a movie birthday party-they came over and sat right
next to one of the young boys-lots of other seats available.
I moved the boys away from them. Better safe than
sorry.

 

[cassmat]

WOW!! They can't legally stay at home alone at that age, I couldn't imagine leavung them in a theatre!!

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

Beth, I was looking for this post yesterday, but it disappeared. I'm glad I found it because I have a story to tell.
When I was in I think 6th grade, back in 1983 (I was almost 12) my best friend and I walked to a matinee at our local movie theater which was about a mile away. We did this often with NO problems. BUT, one time...actually the last time she and I ever went to the movies without either a parent or a whole bunch of firends...the movies were practically empty, we sat up towards the front all the way over against the wall. Part way through the movie an older man sat in the same row, about 3 seats away, and proceeded to behave VERY inapropriatley. When DF and I realized what he was doing to himself, we weren't sure what to do...to leave that row we had to walk past him...we sat for a bit just ignoring him, then climbed over the seats and ran out of the theater. We never told anyone...just never went anywhere like that again with fewer than four of us.

 

[Disney Ella]

No, and if I have to go the bathroom during the movie, everybody comes with me, which they hate.

 

[eeyoreforever]

This thread horrifies me. I have an 8 and 10 year old. You couldn't pay me enough money to leave them sitting in a theater or anywhere else without adult supervision for 10 minutes-much less for a whole movie. I am shocked by what some parents do. My children are not allowed to go to several friends houses because their parents have told me that they run to the store and leave them there for 30 minutes or so. One neighbor leaves her just turned 7 year old and her 3 year old home alone while she runs short errands. Can you just imagine if something happened to one of them? Kids are kids-they are not adults and they are not that responsible. This topic makes my blood boil!

 

[Lynn CC]

No Way, it takes all kinds of parents I guess
DH and I went out for breakfast this morning to a local diner type place and a lady came to the door with a baby carriage. She left the baby outside while she went in and bought a paper. She had her back to the door while she made her selection and waited to pay for her paper(probably about 4-5 min). I watched the baby(probably about 1 1/2) from my table, who was getting quite upset because he couldn't see his mother. I would never do that either, but apparently people don't think anything awful could happend to their child.

 

[TIGGERSMOM]

All I can sya - is NO WAY!!

At that young an age they are prime pickings for a pedophile. Thes are exactly the kinds of kids they target. The ones parents think can handle themselves alone at age 7 or 8.

I am anything but overprotective but my DS was not allowed to a movie alone until he was about 13. And only if he was picked up and dropped off by a parent.

 

[Jomrog]

I hate to say it, but in this day & age, NO WAY!!! I know a couple of people who have left their 7 y.o. home alone (just for a half hour or so). I guess I am neurotic because even when my DD(7) is out in our fenced back yard, I constantly check on her or come out & play with her.

I will let her go to the house by herself for a few minutes if I happen to be at a neighbors house. I even wait for her in the driveway when her school bus drops her off.

Can't help it, she's my first born and and sweet and still loves hugs & kisses from Mommy!

Joanne

 

[sm4987]

No way. My sister does this all the time and it annoys me. To many things could happen, even in a movie theatre. My children are going to have to wait until they are much older. But as one mother said above, I don't let them do a lot that other parents think is alright for their children.

 

[Mishetta]

My DS is almost 8 y/o & if it's just he & I out somewhere & he needs to use the restroom, he has to come in to the Ladies Room with me. Sorry, I won't just let him go in a public restroom by himself. He knows the rules & since he gets embarrassed now walking into a Ladies Restroom, he makes sure he goes at home before we leave!

The Movie Theatre is another dangerous place! There is no way in (you know where) that I would leave my son alone. I will bet anything that these kids' Mom did not know what the Father did. I wish someone could tell her!!

 

[mbw12]

Oh my gosh....I cannot imagine doing that!!!!! How could he even enjoy the movie that he went to see....I would be thinking of my kids in the other theater the entire time. But than again.....my kids wouldn't be in a different theater, becasue I wouldn't leave them!!!!
How scary. And how lucky that man is that nothing happened!