Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

Kids going to the cinema alone

21 replies

Thatsplentyjack · 22/12/2021 22:13

My DS 13 (nearly 14) wants to go see the new spiderman film. His younger brother, who has just turned 8, heard us talking about it and wants to go too, but the film is a 12A. I thought it would be nice for them to go on Christmas eve. The problem is I have baby dd and dp is working. There is a cinema inside our nearest shopping center, so I can take them, buy their tickets and their sweets and put them through the door. You can see the screen entrance they would be going to from the main doors. I would kick around the shopping center with baby dd and get the last bits of Christmas shopping, and eldest ds will have his phone.
My questions are, is that allowed since the film is a 12A? And would anyone else allow this? It's making me feel slightly anxious because they are in the dark alone with strangers, and I have no idea how busy it will be.
I know they would behave, and they know the shopping center really well so could easily leave the cinema if they needed to, but I just can't decide, and also don't know if it's allowed?

OP posts:

nachocheese · 22/12/2021 22:15

Pretty sure children under 12 can only see a 12a film if accompanied by an adult, so that may answer your question...

Unihorn · 22/12/2021 22:16

12A means they have to be accompanied by someone over 18 so presumably this wouldn't be allowed unfortunately.

nachocheese · 22/12/2021 22:17

www.cbbfc.co.uk/film-ratings/12

FelicityBeedle · 22/12/2021 22:17

I don’t think it’s allowed as they need an adult, no reason you couldn’t buy a ticket too, get them settled and leave them

Snow1n · 22/12/2021 22:17

I think it would be fine, although I think for a 12a they have to be with an adult but I could be wrong. Also where I am at the mo they dont allow under 16s without an adult but we're generally a lot stricter than the UK so that may not be an issue here

MarcelineMissouri · 22/12/2021 22:18

Your youngest would have to be accompanied by someone aged 18+ I’m afraid.

PheasantsNest · 22/12/2021 22:18

The A means an adult must be there with them.

Figgygal · 22/12/2021 22:20

I doubt they will be allowed

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 22/12/2021 22:20

Children under 12 need to be accompanied by an adult to see a 12A film. It’s not about the particular arrangements. They just won’t be allowed.

MsFogi · 22/12/2021 22:20

This is one of the reasons I have given up on going to the cinema - half the time people seem to have dropped off their kids to watch the film, assuming that they will be well-behaved but they behave (and make noise) as though they are watching TV at home ruining it for everyone else.

Original poster

Thatsplentyjack · 22/12/2021 22:21

Ah, I thought maybe if I put them through the door it might be OK. Well thanks everyone. I did try to phone the cinema to ask but after 15 mins on hold I gave up 🤣. They will just need to wait until one of us can take them. We'll the youngest will. They 13 year old will ditch him and go with his friends now 🤣.

OP posts:

Original poster

Thatsplentyjack · 22/12/2021 22:22

@MsFogi

Well mine wouldn't because the eldest hates anyone to make noise through a film he's watching and he's desperate to see it, so would be sat glued in silence.

OP posts:

HarrietSchulenberg · 22/12/2021 22:23

Mine saw a 12A without me when they were 10 and 14. I just bought the tickets, saw them through the barriers and that was that. That was about 5 years ago but I don't think much has changed since then. I had a lovely time waiting for them in Costa on my own.

SisterAgatha · 22/12/2021 22:25

I used to watch films like this all the time, looking after younger siblings and cousins. We used to go as a group from about 11, and behaved well, we were well used to going to the cinema and actually wanted to see films, not use it as an excuse to piss ball about.

Anyway it’s not really relevant as they won’t let the younger one in.

100problems · 22/12/2021 23:26

I bought DS and his friends tickets for Venom 2 not realising that, unlike the first film, it was a 15. They are 13-14. They were turned away at the gate. I wasn't allowed to buy a ticket just to get them in.

MarcelineMissouri · 23/12/2021 09:26

That’s a different situation though @100problems. The 15 rating is not advisory like the 12a - you MUST be 15 or over to watch a 15 rated film no matter who you’re with.

Alicetheowl · 23/12/2021 10:04

It's an expansive solution but you could by a ticket, 'go to the bathroom' and leave them to it. Technically they could be asked to leave when the staff in the auditorium realised you weren't coming back but it's probably just one person who won't notice,and has got no real reason to care if they're well behaved.

Hadjab · 23/12/2021 10:06

It depends on your cinema. We saw it on Monday, 7pm showing and there were several groups of kids unaccompanied by an over 18 year old.

Nogoodusername · 23/12/2021 10:10

Just turned 8 year old? Not a chance in hell! I also have a year 3 child - no way he would be unaccompanied in a cinema even with their extremely sensible older sibling

ThePlantsitter · 23/12/2021 10:13

I think it would be fine too. But it would be annoying (devastating for the 8 yr old) to plan it and then not be able to do it, so for that reason I wouldn't try it.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 23/12/2021 10:30

Of course you can’t! It’s a 12A requiring an adult for a start. But you also need to be there with an 8 year old for their own safety and to control their behaviour. Your eldest can’t be expected to do this!

Cinema isn’t babysitting unfortunately.

Flip