To really wonder at the madness of these parents

[Merryoldgoat]

I went to the cinema tonight and saw a 9pm showing of film rated 12A.

It was not a ‘kid’s’ film.

As the trailers were playing three adults came in with 2 children, one about 4 and the other about 1.

The baby just cried on and off and the 4yo kept talking very loudly. It was very disruptive and really ruined the start of the movie.

A few viewers spoke to the group at various points to no avail but eventually someone got a staff member who I assumed asked them to leave as they got up and left shortly afterwards.

What the fuck was going through their heads? How are people so selfish?

Taking a baby to a cinema should be a criminal offence.

Why were they allowed in with young children.Babies not a problem if the sit near the exits but most babies will sleep,feed Inthe dark but young kids minor just the noise but inappropriate.

Yanbu. Sounds like they wrongly convinced themselves that it would be “fine”.

It’s not, it’s bloody selfish.

Some cinemas don’t let children into showing from 9 onwards, regardless what certificate the film is. I’d suggest finding one of them.

I can’t imagjne taking a 4 year old and a baby to a film at 9pm though. Why would you do that to yourself, as much as anyone else?

I am surprised they let a 4 year old in. I think that might have been accidental. There have been a few threads on babies in cinemas recently and it's the same as every other thread about babies, it all depends on the baby. However the 4 year old no way, not on.

Is it legal to let an underage child into a screening?

That's nuts. What film?!

The adults were so unconcerned and not at all embarrassed that I honestly started to wonder if I had got it wrong as it was a ‘baby friendly’ showing.

‘I Feel Pretty’ - the Amy Schumer film

Why the hell would a 4 year old want to see that?!

I really wish they would revisit 12A and make it 8-12A or 5-12A

It's so expensive now and people are just becoming way more selfish and entitled when it comes to thinking others should accommodate their children

I actually have chosen not to go and see things in the cinema based on the idea that people will come in with badly behaved children or children who disrupt because they are simply too young to follow accepted conduct.

I would've thought I feel pretty at 9pm was a safe bet.

It smacks of a home life were their needs come second too

The thing is terra as ot was a 12a and they were accompanied they weren't underage as such.

From the bbfc
12A rating is only used for films shown in cinemas. Films rated 12A are suitable for children aged 12 and over. However, people younger than 12 may see a 12A so long as they are accompanied by an adult. In such circumstances, responsibility for allowing a child under 12 to view lies with the accompanying adult so no nothing was illegal as the ticket wasnt sold to an unaccompanied under 12 then it would be illegal

Although yep stupid to bring a 4 year old to any film after 9, unless it waw super tired then it would have slept through but it sounds like it wasnt and the baby was over tired.

I feel for the kids, i suspect they wanted to be at home! And the other people in tje cinema

No-one is under-age for a 12A. They have to be accompanied by an adult, but it’s the adult’s discretion to let them see it.

Thanks for clarifying, @Naught and @Lalliella

Yes no one is underage for a 12A which is why I wish they'd revisit it and bring it in as under 12 accompanied by an adult but with 8 as a mandatory minimum. Some parents might prefer 5 as a moviegoer, I'd prefer 8

I felt for the kids too - I have a 5 yo and 4 month old.

I only take the older to specific kids showings on Sat mornings and I’d not take the baby at all.

I agree that it feels like no one was thinking about how the children felt.

Yanbu.

I took my (then, v recently turned three) two year old to a child friendly showing of a children’s film and nearly lost my head trying to keep her quiet (it being £40 for 2 adults and toddler might have set me on edge). I’d not, in my worst nightmares, take young children to a adults only showing of any film.

mrstark i totally agree i actally had to check because i thought the guidelines were 5 plus when it came to 12a's

Not just on the behaviour of kids in the cinema but some films deal with some fairly complex issues that may be warrent a 12a but just the younger children cant deal with or process. A 12a with age rages would give a more reasonable guide to the suitablity of films

I think that there's a lot more resistance now in saying no, also.

My sister was only a year older but obviously got to go to 12s and 15s before me.

Now it's like parents don't want to tell their child they aren't old enough or have to wait, if a sibling is old enough because they don't want the earache. Instead they take them and don't have a good experience, neither does the DC old enough or any of the rest of the audience.

Crying babies in Thor and The BFG really stick out, both under a year old.

Separate child kicking my seat in the latter

Toddler running up and down through one of the Harry Potters

Small boy crying in King Kong

It's a multilayered kind of selfishness

Yes no one is underage for a 12A which is why I wish they'd revisit it and bring it in as under 12 accompanied by an adult but with 8 as a mandatory minimum. Some parents might prefer 5 as a moviegoer, I'd prefer 8

Children don't magically become well behaved at 8 (or 5).

Mine are 4 and 8 and went to see Solo this week (afternoon showing). They were silent throughout- totally engrossed. Both huge star wars fans.

There was a family with kids ages about 8-10 and the adults and children made loads of noise throughout, getting up.and down, calling to each other, passing food around.

It's not about age, it's about behaving properly and teaching your kids to do the same.

Yes Gorgon but nobody can expect or teach a baby or small toddler to behave properly

MrStark I was responding to posters who were saying that no one under 8 should be allowed into a 12A film. My kids are under 8 but perfectly well behaved in the cinema, while some older children are not.

gorgon my reason for wanting a lower age guidenence was nothing to do with behaviour it was ti do with judging the suitableness of the thremes of the

I was one of the posters who said it!

Yes I understand each parent knows their child, but I think a line should be drawn somewhere

It seems like such a weird thing to do that I wonder if there was more to it, that they couldn't go home for some reason or the kids are hellish sleepers or something. I mean, cinema is like the one form of entertainment that you can more or less recreate in your own house while your kids are in bed. I don't get it.

I took ds3 to a 730 pm showing of the new Jurassic World in the smugness of knowing he would be too engrossed to make a noise!!
Wasn't his first visit, tried +tested several times!!