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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To confront two kids in the cinema

82 replies

CookieDoughKid · 04/10/2015 16:57

Who were continuously kicking the back of my and dc's chair during the movie? They looked to be about 8 and 10. The second time I turned round and told them to stop, they sniggered. I couldn't see their parents in it was so dark. Then near the end, their dad swapped seats and sat behind me. The kicking stopped.

At the end of the movie, I raised to the dad how throughout the movie and telling his sons to stop twice, they were still kicking and sniggering. I said it politely so that he was aware. He launched into an attack saying his kids don't do this kind of thing and that they are not little kids. And he said I should have raised it with him first (difficult to do as I couldn't identify him easily and didn't want to make a scene more than it was). He really wasn't up for listening to my side so I walked off. Literally.

OP posts:
MistressChalk · 04/10/2015 18:30

There. Only there.

IguanaTail · 04/10/2015 18:34

YWNBU. Parent was an arse. He's in good company - lots of parents defend their kids like that.

RandomMess · 04/10/2015 18:34

I avoid going, it is Dh's job due to other people's selfishness!

FattyNinjaOwl · 04/10/2015 18:37

Here they were kicking my six year olds seat hard enough to hurt him. What was I meant to do? Allow them to get away with it? Or threaten them as I did and show my DS that you dont allow arseholes with no manners to ruin everything that's meant to be enjoyable. They pissed me off and they are lucky I only threatened and didn't actually do it.

partialderivative · 04/10/2015 19:00

It seems to be the way of the world these days, that most people are selfish and are incapable of thinking of others.

Isn't it a bit of a cliche to observe how rude and selfish the current generation are in comparison to some other halcyon day?

We have been doing it for centuries.

I know I was sodding about in my local Odeon as a teeneger back in the early 70's. And I bet the audience watching a performance at the Globe Theatre were sweetness and light.

Of course it is annoying and I raise my hat to those who stand up and draw attention to anti-social behaviour (looking at you Bess!) But please don't fall into the trap of blaming it on today's youth/society/whatever.

myotherusernameisbetter · 04/10/2015 19:07

I tell people of all the time in the cinema - I don't pay to have my seat kicked, to read other peoples texts, or listen to woman talking inane fucking drivel as they think they are in a café while their children try to watch the movie - it might be a kids movie, but we have all paid to watch it.

I also hate the ones that let their kids make a mess and then just leave it (I appreciate accidents can happen) but these mostly aren't accidents.

Imustgodowntotheseaagain · 04/10/2015 22:23

Blush oh dear, I'm on the wrong side of this one. Went to see A superhero film with friend and her lively small boys. One needed the film explained at regular intervals, one was a noisy eater, one was a fidgeter. An older teen girl or possibly young twenties sat right in front of us - in a very empty cinema - and did a lot of glaring and tutting. I did suggest that she might have been better of choosing a different seat.

Prettyeyedpiratesmile · 04/10/2015 22:29

bessara you should've set the Badgers on them

Floggingmolly · 04/10/2015 22:35

Did you really, Imustgodown Hmm. I'd have told you what I thought of your "suggestion"...

Spectre8 · 04/10/2015 22:36

Well that almost begs the question were the boys too young for the movie. If not than they should have been taught to behave in the cinema. Sorry but its no excuse unless it was a movies for juniors showing but somehow I doubt it.

BurningBridges · 04/10/2015 22:40

very similar thing happened to me OP, only I did turn round looked at both father and son at one point and said "can you stop please". At the time I had my then very small DDs with me. At the end of the film we stood up to go, we were in fairly steep seating, I stepped onto the stairs and the father shouldered me down then - barged into me so that I would fall. Luckily I was ok. I couldn't catch up with him, but just makes you think what might happen. He obviously felt as entitled as Imustgodown ...!!

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 04/10/2015 22:47

Bess .. im with you in the nerf gun, can Op hire you for her next jolly?

myotherusernameisbetter · 04/10/2015 22:49

no excuse unless it was a movies for juniors

Whist it is normal to expect a bit more fidgeting and you've generally paid less for your seat so maybe not quite so annoying, but still, if your child can't behave in the cinema then they need to be removed.

Suggesting that someone else should move seat is completely rude. you should have moved seat preferably to one in your car or bus etc

QueenArnica · 04/10/2015 22:58

Blimey the child that needed the film explaining to them probably should not be watching the film......

YouTheCat · 04/10/2015 23:10

Imustgodown, I'd suggest that those children would be better off with a dvd at home. They don't sound ready for the cinema and I don't see why someone else should have their film ruined when the children should have been taken out if they couldn't sit still. If a child needs the whole film explaining then it is too complex for them.

I have had people chucked out of the cinema before... and I'd quite happily do it again.

TheFormidableMrsC · 04/10/2015 23:13

I've got a cinema story. Rewind to the 80's and I had a massive perm with a whole can of hairspray in it....so I was sat watching a film with my friends, younger boys behind kicking seats, talking, being generally disruptive. My 16 year old self told them to grow up and pipe down. They ruined the film. They were in fits of giggles as I got up and flounced out. Went to the loo to reapply my 17 Twilight Teaser lipstick and looked in the mirror. My giant backcombed perm was absolutely covered in popcorn. Bastards Grin. Took bloody ages to pick it all out....Blush

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 04/10/2015 23:16

I used to work in a cinema and although we didn't stay in the screens all the way through the film, if someone came out and spoke to a member of staff, we would have thrown the offenders out.

We would also have thrown anyone out who disturbed other people by making a scene in retaliation.

We used to have a security guard for that reason although he was usually hiding in one of the screens watching a film so I used to have to do it

TwigletLola · 04/10/2015 23:21

Last time we were at the cinema I told a man's girlfriend to tell him to stop playing on his phone because it was doing my head in. He was only going on when she went out to the toilet so she didn't know, I got the usher but the little sod put it away so the next time his girlfriend came back from the toilet I leant over and asked her if she could tell him to stop going on Facebook as it was very distracting. She had a massive go at him which was very satisfying!

YouTheCat · 04/10/2015 23:21

Livia, that's what I do - find a member of staff. I'm not going to start a row in the middle of a film.

CookieDoughKid · 04/10/2015 23:25

Blimey Burningbridges hope you were ok!! Some people have no class AT ALL.

OP posts:
lorelei9 · 04/10/2015 23:34

Ive had words with teens in the cinema. They got thrown out in fact, they were virtually yelling.

Imust, those kids should not have been there if they couldn't just sit quietly. I hope that woman complained and at least got her money back. Sit somewhere else, my arse.

I wish they'd ban food at the cinema though, it's amazing how much noise people can make (usually with the bags rather than being noisy eaters).

DickDewy · 04/10/2015 23:38

I have told off so many people in the cinema, I have nearly lost count. I think I wait until I am scary furious, which always gets results.

But I now only go to our local posh cinema where people sit at tables with a glass of wine - everyone is very well behaved there.

BackInTheRealWorld · 04/10/2015 23:38

I've never had to tell anyone off in a cinema before but I have made my son drop to the floor in shame a few times when I've told people off on buses!

kali110 · 04/10/2015 23:47

imust yes i would have told you exactly where to put that suggestion too Hmm
I sit in particular seats in the cinema as i have hidden disabilities, certain seats makes it easier for me to sit for longer periods of time.
Why should i have to move?

TheSwallowingHandmaiden · 04/10/2015 23:58

I would've dragged the snivelling snotbags over the row of seats by their surfer-dude hair and made them feed me Revels, excluding the coffee ones which I would force them to eat.