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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Taking toddlers to the cinema?

50 replies

Geordieminx · 17/07/2011 21:11

Rant alert

Went to cinema today, it's only the 2nd time we have been, ds is 4.5.

Family behind with 2 kids, ok so it's dark but they were obviously quite young. Both under 3 I would guess.

So the film starts (((kick))) (((kick))) ((((kick)))) on the back of my seat. The mother makes a feeble 'don't kick the ladies chair" comment. It stops for 10 minutes then starts up again. Child says "I'm bored want to go home"

Then the kids stand up and start hanging on the back of our chairs, pulling my chair at the same time. After another 10 minutes and me turning round and scowling the mother asks them to sit down.

A few minutes later a fucking frube tube lands on my knee..splattering yoghurt and slavers over my jeans....honestly at this point I was waiting for Jeremy Beedle to appear ((( although actually is he not dead?)))))

The above goes on for a bit longer, until the dad looses his temper, tells the kids to behave or they are going home.. Cue smallest child crying like a bloody banshee.... And it goes on. And on. And on.

Eventually, after 15 minutes of crying, and most of the cinema turning round, the parents decide to actually take the kids out. At which point they stop crying.

AIBU to think that really, unless it's a toy story/cars/Disney type film then 3 1/2-4 is the minimum age to take kids to cinema?

OP posts:

olibeansmummy · 17/07/2011 22:18

Were going to see the new cars movie on Friday too ds is 2.1 and it's just me and him going so if he starts playing up I'll take him out. There's no way I'd let him behave like the toddlers you describe.

Sirzy · 17/07/2011 22:19

I know Ds would love to see cars 2 but I am not sure I would be brave enough to take him (he is 20 months) I have mad moments when I think we will try it and leave if needed and then sensible me says wait a few months and get the DVD!

Original poster

Geordieminx · 17/07/2011 22:21

I think movies like cars/toy story are a bit different, as at least the toddler kinda knows the film IYKWIM?

OP posts:

LaWeasel · 17/07/2011 22:22

I'm taking DD because she is obsessed with cars. She will sit on the sofa for the length of the whole film without moving or speaking.

If being in the cinema with the extra noise and distraction is too much we'll just take her home straight away and get the DVD when it comes out...

I have got people kicked out of the cinema for being noisy irritating sods before and I have no intention of being 'that family'

MerylStrop · 17/07/2011 22:24

it's not the age of t he child that is the problem, it's the parenting

SchrodingersMew · 17/07/2011 22:27

Geordie Is that the showcase cinema you are near? I have a friend who works in there. :o

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 17/07/2011 22:30

I don't think kids under three should be admitted to the cinema. End of.

halcyondays · 17/07/2011 22:32

Depends on the child. Some 2 year olds would be fine while there would be other children that still wouldn't be able to sit through a film at four or five.
I think it's fine to take toddlers as long as you're prepared to leave if they misbehave.

Piglet, I've never taken either of mine who are 5 and 3 to the cinema, but have taken them to live shows and they are fine as long as it's something that interests them. DD1 has Aspergers and I wouldn't attempt the cinema unless it was something I knew she would love, but I took her to the circus a while ago and she was fine, also took both of them to the Peppa Pig show and they were both good as gold. Have also been to a few pantos, first one she enjoyed the first half then decided the wicked queen was too scary, but has been fine with other pantos and sat and enjoyed them. However Dd2 had to be taken out in the middle of Dick Whittington as she kept complained that their weren't any dogs or dinosaurs!

I think generally live shows seem to capture their interest more, I was the same as a child, loved going to pantos and the circus but usually wouldn't have sat through a film. The only thing I can remember going to as a young child was the Care Bears.

Doitnicelyplease · 17/07/2011 23:04

We did our first cinema trip with DD 2.10 yesterday, we chose the new Winnie the Pooh movie as it was short at 1hr 10 mins and went to the morning showing.

DD was a bit wriggly and talked a bit, but everyone had young children so nobody was scowling at anyone else.

DD loves movies at home and will often sit through a long one, but she was underwhelmed by the cinema experience so we won't be rushing back!

She might have prefered Cars 2, but we ruled it out as too long.

Wandaaa · 17/07/2011 23:18

I've been taking DD to the kids specials on a Sunday morning since she was 3. There is often only DD, me and 1-2 other families (I've never worked out how they can justify opening). When she was very young she sometimes became a bit restless, but the film that she never took her eyes off the screen and didn't eat all of her popcorn because of this was the Simpsons Movie (she was 3) [hgrin]

SpecialFriedRice · 18/07/2011 00:33

I've lost count of the times I have taken DD to the cinema. She started going at 6 months when we'd go to the odeon newbies screenies. Shes now nearly 3.5 and in all the times I've taken her I've only had to remove her from the cinema once. It was when we went to see Twilight... Eclipse maybe. She started moaning and I told her to shoosh so she squealed at the top of her lungs!

My point is all kids are different. You cant make a sweeping generalisation that all under 3's will be shite at the cinema.

justarandom · 18/07/2011 00:41

A cinema near us has a "crying room" which I think is a brilliant idea, a soundproof room with a full glass front so you can still see the film without disturbing others.

In general though I think under 3s (ish) generally don't have the attention span to sit reasonably still and quiet through a movie. If you do have a younger one who can, fine. Even if it is a real "kids film" I don't see why older kids who can sit still should have the experience ruined by screaming toddlers - it's bloody expensive to go to the cinema these days!

emptyshell · 18/07/2011 07:58

Exactly the reason I don't go to the cinema much these days (and I think lots of people are similar) - not paying an arm and a leg to be kicked in the back, listen to teenagers playing with their mobile phones and generally be pissed off for 2+ hours.

I'd have complained to staff if she didn't stop the chair kicking within 5 minutes tbh and I'd have been apocalyptic if I got covered with yoghurt.

exoticfruits · 18/07/2011 08:05

I think that you need to complain to staff pretty early on if the parents don't take them out and are ineffectual.

OpinionatedPlusSprogs · 18/07/2011 08:17

I don't think there should be an age restriction. The mother should have taken them outside if they were playing up. I have been to the cinema and chrismas panto with a young baby. Not a peep out of him. But I sat at the end of the row near a door just in case.

tjacksonpfc · 18/07/2011 11:07

I took dcs to the kids club at our cinema this saturday its only £1 each for a ticket. However they are 5 and 7 yrs and i only took them tothe cinema for the first time 6 weeks ago.

Saturday was a nightmare a family came in 20 mins into kungfu panda 2 with 2 young children they then decided to argue with the manager over the seats that he showed them to as that wasn't the ones they booked. So the poor manager was going round checking peoples tickets and getting them to move all this time people were trying to watch the film.

When they were finally happy with there seats and disrupting the whole film for everyone they sat down. With in 5 mins of sitting down there youngest dc about 18months/2 years old started screaming it was to loud this continued for the duration of the film. Someone went out and complained to teh staff who came in and had a word with them. Which worked for all of 5 mins.

It was so bad in the end that on exiting the film there was staff there taking peoples name and address to enable them to refund us due to the disruption of this one family.

We have booked for cars 2 on friday and i was tempted to ask the disruptive family if they were going to that screening as I don't fancy parting with nearly £30 to have teh film ruined.

tiredgranny · 18/07/2011 11:23

pigletmania

most pantomines have matinees and r attewnded by schools took my 2yr gs he was best behaved

Doitnicelyplease · 18/07/2011 17:28

Specialfried - I don't think Twilight is a suitable movie for a a 3 year old at all, if you love going to the cinema with your DD maybe you should stick to movies aimed at children?

SpecialFriedRice · 18/07/2011 17:45

Doitnicelyplease And maybe you should stick to minding your own business. Just a thought. I clearly didn't ask what anyone thought of my film choices.

Ilythia · 18/07/2011 18:01

Kids viewings are good, I took mine at 3 and 4 to see tinkerbell or some shite. Am taking them again to see cars 2 this friday, we are going to a daytime viewing so it shoudl be mostly kids and I will be bribing them with popcorn and chocolate to stfu.

SauvignonBlanche · 18/07/2011 18:08

It's unbelievable what some parents let their kids do.
I was at a short film show at a museum yesterday and the toddler behind DS just kicked and kicked his seat really loudly. DS's head was shaking and the kid's mother was next to him!
Thankfully the evil glare from the man next to DS did the trick, I couldn't believe how long they let it go on for though.

thursday · 18/07/2011 18:11

i'm half tempted to take dd (almost 2) when we go to see cars 2, she'd either sit and watch the whole thing or be a total mare. my cinema doesnt usually do baby friendly viewings. do you think she's too young for a disney film in school hols? it'll be mayhem anyway wont it? me and dh are arguing over who gets to go with ds :)

ds (4.5) is really good at the cinema, better than he is anywhere else actually. last time we went he was confused by the kids in front of us who were running around and squawking all the way through while i expect him to sit on his chair. one of them was about 6 they kids weren't remotely interested in the film, but the parents wanted to watch it. bah

MrsTumbles · 18/07/2011 18:12

Well DD is 2.10 and I have been taking her to the cinema for about a year now. We tend to go to the cheap Saturday/Sunday showings and the only time she played up was when other children were allowed to run around the place screaming, and they were a lot older than her (about 5/6)
I think it has a lot to do with the parenting of the children, not the ages of the children. If cinemas banned children under 4, then DD and I would be stuck for something to do on a rainy Saturday morning!

GiddyPickle · 18/07/2011 18:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Doitnicelyplease · 18/07/2011 22:13

Specialfriedrice. Your completely right I should mind my own business, Vampire movies and 3 year olds are a delightful combination obviously :(

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