If your children can't sit still quietly for the duration of a film you don't take them to the cinema!

[redskytonight]

I'll start by saying that I loathe the cinema and go as little as possible, so this may be coloring my view. However the DC enjoy so I make myself go occasionally. Today was one such time.
On the very front row (so only the screen in front of them) was a group of 4 women and their assorted children ranging from I'd guess 18 months to 4.

By the time the trailers were over half these children were bored and were up and down from their seats constantly walking over to their mums (who had chosen to sit at one end of the row all together so not even next to the DC) and chatting to them. Presumed it would get better when film started.

It didn't. I'd say only a couple of the children (there were 6 in total) actually managed to sit and watch the whole thing. The others were up and down, walking round the front bit and at a couple of points going right up to the screen so as to block the view. Parents seemed oblivious. At one point I got up and spoke to the usher who had "a word" which only meant the parents were a bit more diligent about getting their children to sit down once they started wandering and shushing them when they spoke - it was still disruptive.

Clearly only the 2 children that sat through the film got anything out of it. On the basis that the cinema is not cheap (this wasn't a cheapo kids showing where I might have had a bit more patience) why on earth would you consider this a sensible place to take your "not interested" toddlers (especially on a nice day as it was here today!)?

AIBU to think that you shouldn't take your DC to the cinema unless they will sit quietly through the film!?

I've wasted £50 before taking DD1 aged 2 to the cinema only to walk out after 5 minutes of the film sat through 30 mins of fucking trailers and go home.

YANBU. The cinema is no place for toddlers, they can't handle it, parents can't see the film, the entire cinema of people can't hear a thing. It's a good way to piss off 60 people at once, that's all that can be said for it.

YANBU. Drives me bonkers.

Same goes for children who can't/won't STFU for the duration of the film.

I didn't spend $49 (yes, you read that right) for me and 2 kids to listen to a running commentary by children who've been taught no manners.

YANBU. Very, very annoying and so selfish of the parents.

YANBU!

Was it a kids' film?

We (me and dts's 8) went to see BFG yesterday and in the row behind us was a dad with his two dc, one was around the same age as my two but the little girl looked around 2ish.

Throughout the film he let the little girl basically do as she liked, she was kicking the back of my seat, touching my two's hair, walking up and down the stairs in the middle etc. After around 30 mins of this I went to tell someone who came and had a word with him. He still did nothing to stop her and was spoken to again.

She clearly wasn't interested in the film and it ruined the film for all of us and I'm sure many more sat in the room too. If this were my child I would have left.

So YADNBU

I have 2 ds's and ds1 is 3 and can hardly sit through 5 mins of peppa pig without getting up and doing something. I wouldn't dream of taking either of them till much older.

I would be very annoyed if kids kept getting up and disrupting the movie.

My DD who is three would not be able to sit still throughout a film, so we don't take her to the cinema. Yet I have people acting like she's missing out as she's never been! It's the cinema ffs! Why would I spend that much money to piss that many people off? I do not understand the mentality of taking children who can't sit still to the cinema

YANBU. Total PITA.

Was it a child screening?

My youngest DD (just turned 3) is difficult in the cinema, but my older DD absolutely loves it, so sometimes needs must and we go to a kid screening armed with every snack known to man to try and keep her happy...

Never mind the cinema, we once had VERY expensive seats for The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House, took sister and niece of about 9 who were visiting from US for Christmas. Some wretched kid sitting in front never stopped asking questions for virtually the entire performance, and of. course the very MC mother answered every one in her very clear and well enunciated voice, and never once explained to her wretched child that we do NOT talk non stop while in the theatre.

I'm so pleased that cinemas have autism showings, no one gets pissed off when my autistic child wanders round to his heart's content. No trailers to sit through and lights on makes it a much more pleasurable experience for all.

We did a normal showing and it wasn't much fun, luckily cinema was quite empty, but despite us having our reasons for going to that screening, I wouldn't do it again.

Slight derail of this thread but when do you think is a good age to start going to the cinema? I have been considering taking my three year old to the finding dory film as he likes nemo. He will happily sit quite still and watch a film at home when he is in one of his quieter bits of the day. But I appreciate it's a gamble so have been in two minds about it. Would definitely remove him if he was disruptive so could end up wasting money. What age did people take their children successfully please?

OP said it wasn't a kids' screening.

YANBU. I hate that sort of entitled parenting.

Was it a kids film? It might be the only chance for the older kids to watch it if younger siblings go too.

My 7yr old won't sit through films she was doing handstands on the steps once so we go right at the end of the release when the seats are virtually empty. We won't go and see Pets or BFG for ages yet.

amen preach

Also people taking children to films that are clearly beyond there age so there chatting the whole way through because they don't know what the frigg is going on or they are Board

My daughter is 3.5 can sit through about half and hour of a film quietly

Pictures can cost up wards of £60 for a family these days would it be fair to take her knowing full well she can't sit through or to take her to watch a 12a were she wouldn't even understand the plot

We took DS to see Frozen when he was 3, he'd already seen it a few times which helped, he needed the loo twice and asked to sit on my lap but stayed put otherwise.
At 3 1/2 he went to see the Minions film which was new in the cinema and I've taken him to see Zootropolis too.
Only some of these have been "children's showings" but it's hard to find these sometimes and it's not like parties of adults go and see Minions.

I saw The BFG yesterday with my 8 year old.

There was a 4 year old that just did not stop talking through the trailers. Fine, it's not the film. But as soon as the film started her and her older sibling started giggling like mad.

Mum and dad looked on indulgently.

Older sibling loudly whispered, "we should probably be quiet now,"

The mum was very indignant when I loudly replied, "yes, you probably should."

They had already sinned by sitting in my row, only one seat away. They had practically the whole cinema to choose from!

We didn't take our DDs to the cinema until we were confident they could sit through the film.

Just seemed common sense to us. Why put yourself through the stress of wrangling a bored toddler for 2 hours, in a dark, enclosed space...whilst simultaneously pissing off a large group of strangers, to boot.

Just crapness all round. Why do it?

poster campervan07 Fri 29-Jul-16 20:07:19

If she will sit at home through the whole thing quietly with out to much chatter

Then try your luck on the weekends in the morning about 9:30 sat and Sunday they have a matinee showing its about 1.50 each so if she hates it just leave but it will be a old film a few weeks old

Why does it matter if it's a 'kids' film', really?

If I go to a kids' film, I expect some random calling-out, a bit of chatter, etc.

I don't expect children carrying on as if they're in their own homes, shouting out at the screen and running around, while their parents sit there obliviously. To the point that other children can't enjoy the movie properly.

If it matters, the movie I'm referring to was Angry Birds shite and there were no 'adults at kids' prices'.

Saturday morning Kids' Club showings of 3 month old films are definitely the way to go if you're not quite sure whether your 3 year old is up to it. Cheaper so you can more happily cut your losses if it's not working and the general expectations of behaviour are a bit more relaxed all round.

YANBU, even worse are the parents that smile & are jokey with it & thinks everyone finds their brats endearing

It might be the only chance for the older kids to watch it if younger siblings go too.

No - if the younger ones can't cope the older ones msut miss it. That's [family] life.

And it's older kids too. Yes, you, Miss Twelve or Thirteen, sitting there texting while your elder brother was playing the lead role in a school Shakespeare production . . .

Yanbu, we went to see BFG the other day and an entire family, mum, dad 3 kids and a baby about 1 ish, who the hell brings a baby to the cinema? Of course baby grizzled and whinged was passed around the whole family, being jiggled, probably annoying the people behind. Dad did eventually take it out but only after 45 mins!! Why on earth did they all need to go? Surely one could have brought older dc while the other had baby? Grrr