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Original poster

Toddler cinema club - AIBU

35 replies

maybeitsmaybellinebutmaybeitsme · 30/03/2024 11:29

My assumption re toddler cinema was it’s a “gateway” to normal cinemas. You feel more comfortable going as people understand children are there and therefore there will of course be a degree of silliness/talking and movement. Just a more relaxed way of taking them and teaching them how to behave.

took DC 3 and 5 today for the first time and was totally amazed at the amount of children allowed to just do whatever they like - run around, speak at full volume throughout. Parents talking to children at maximum volume throughout. Children climbing over seats other people (strangers) are sitting on. Of course my own children also tried to speak etc but I thought the point was to teach them “we don’t speak in the cinema/if you have to say something whisper”.

I guess I’m just wondering (please be kind) if it’s my expectations that are unreasonable, or if this was a bad experience? Is it usually like this? I’m not sure I would go again if so - if anything it’s sending mixed messages to my children about cinema behaviour. Or do people just see toddler club as a bit of a playground/children do whatever and im being a fun sponge?

OP posts:
Original poster
maybeitsmaybellinebutmaybeitsme · 30/03/2024 11:44

It’s 1-5 year olds. The children misbehaving were honestly a mixture of the ages, I would guess. Mostly 2-5. I don’t really understand the need for adults to talk to their children at full volume either “we have that dinosaur at home!” “Oh look, a tree!”

OP posts:
WickerMam · 30/03/2024 11:42

I've never seem this. Were the other kids similar ages? I wondered if it was maybe more for the 1yo - 3yo age group, and really for the mums who are missing baby cinema now their kids are too old? But that that it just doesn't work that well with the age group

Original poster
maybeitsmaybellinebutmaybeitsme · 30/03/2024 11:42

EveryKneeShallBow · 30/03/2024 11:40

This is my experience too. People seem to no longer have any concept of consideration for others. It’s all “I’ve paid my entry fee and if you don’t like it, sod off”.

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That’s a bit depressing

OP posts:
EveryKneeShallBow · 30/03/2024 11:40

FionnulaTheCooler · 30/03/2024 11:35

Normal cinemas are like this now too. One of the reasons I go very rarely these days. People treat it like its their own living room and have no consideration for anyone else.

This is my experience too. People seem to no longer have any concept of consideration for others. It’s all “I’ve paid my entry fee and if you don’t like it, sod off”.

Original poster
maybeitsmaybellinebutmaybeitsme · 30/03/2024 11:39

At one point a toddler came over to my child’s seat, several seats away. And took his popcorn. The mother was pretty slow to intervene and it was all very “gentle parenting”.

I Am glad it’s not just me - again I expected a degree of speaking/“ssshing” and parents telling children to sit but tbh none of the parents seemed to be correcting the behaviour.

OP posts:
Smartiepants79 · 30/03/2024 11:38

Also had my judgy pants on yesterday when I’m watching ghostbusters (12a) and there were at least 3 families in there with kids under the age of 5. They were disturbing people as such but they were running in and out a bit, unsupervised.

Hoglet70 · 30/03/2024 11:36

This sounds appalling. I would have imagined it would be a gateway to general viewings so you would be teaching your child appropriate cinema behaviour without people getting cross with you. Apparently not. Just an excuse for lazy parenting by the sounds of it.

Smartiepants79 · 30/03/2024 11:36

I completely agree with you. If they are too small to be able to sit still for any period of time then they’re not ready for the cinema.
They should be able to stay in their seats for at least 20mins and to speak quietly when needed. If the film is not holding their attention then they shouldn’t be there. They should definitely NOT be climbing on other people or shouting.
Performances advertised for children with Sen are different. Expectations for behaviour in those would be different again.

FionnulaTheCooler · 30/03/2024 11:35

Normal cinemas are like this now too. One of the reasons I go very rarely these days. People treat it like its their own living room and have no consideration for anyone else.

helpfulperson · 30/03/2024 11:33

I agree with you. its different from relaxed cinema where the types of behaviours described are to be expected.

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