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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wish people would just respect age restrictions

84 replies

IndiaSS · 24/12/2024 10:43

Last night DH and I went to see the nutcracker, it's stated very clearly on the website 5+.
Beside us were a family, grandma, granddad, mum and daughter. The daughter looked about 3, maybe a very small 4.

The little girl did okay for a while but she kept moving between each of the adults knees and whispering. I wouldn't say it was super disruptive but it was hard to ignore and I really doubt she got anything out of it.

AIBU to think you should just respect the age restrictions on these things and to question why the theatre allowed them in?

Also why on earth do parents take kids to things that clearly aren't age appropriate?

OP posts:

Reugny · 24/12/2024 14:54

GagaBinks · 24/12/2024 13:07

I went to a theatre show 3 weeks post-partum and I saw someone carrying in a baby in a sling. I spent the entire first half of the show listening out for the baby crying (like I would have done at home with my own).

She was asked to leave by staff at the interval so I managed to relax somewhat in the second half but it still baffles me. Baby must've been about 6 months old. Obviously going to cry in a dark, loud room with loads of people!

My DD went to the cinema at that age. Watched the images and fell asleep.

She actually first went at 5 months.

She first went the theatre at 2.

She is generally a pain in the behind but will sit quietly and watch any type of performance.

There as one of my nieces who was better behaved normally couldn't behave in performances until she was a lot older. So her parents didn't take her.

Endofyear · 24/12/2024 15:27

IndiaSS · 24/12/2024 10:43

AIBU to think you should just respect the age restrictions on these things and to question why the theatre allowed them in?

Also why on earth do parents take kids to things that clearly aren't age appropriate?

You don't know how old the child was 🙄

Dueanamechange2025 · 24/12/2024 15:31

ShortyShorts · 24/12/2024 11:07

The daughter looked about 3, maybe a very small 4.

Or a very small 5.

My niece was premature and was always tiny.

I was going to say the same. My premmie DD at 5 definitely looked around 3. On her reception photos she’s a full head smaller than her peers.

Ubertomusic · 24/12/2024 15:55

fitzwilliamdarcy · 24/12/2024 14:52

I think there's a pretty massive difference between being irritated that a child is disrupting an experience everyone else has paid for, and blanket-hostility towards all families with young children. You implied that young families are failing to take their kids to the theatre etc. due to fear of aggression, which just isn't true as a broad statement. And it certainly isn't proven by one person swearing online about people allowing their kids to ruin experiences for other people.

Edited

Show quote history

It's not just one person swearing online - at least one other said upthread "there is no way a child sit through a sodding ballet, take them to a fucking panto!" :) So it is obviously quite common, though those people would not be swearing irl lest they are removed from the audience themselves 😂

Of course young families are put off by the price tag of 100+ pp for an opera or ballet more than by boomers hostility, but as a frequent concert goer (used to go twice a week, both with and without children) I know the attitudes very well :)

Ubertomusic · 24/12/2024 16:02

Reugny · 24/12/2024 14:54

My DD went to the cinema at that age. Watched the images and fell asleep.

She actually first went at 5 months.

She first went the theatre at 2.

She is generally a pain in the behind but will sit quietly and watch any type of performance.

There as one of my nieces who was better behaved normally couldn't behave in performances until she was a lot older. So her parents didn't take her.

Show quote history

I took mine to Bach to Baby concerts at the same time as we started going to play groups so around 6 months old I think. As far as I remember, very few babies cried - admittedly, the concerts were relaxed matinees, but still normal concerts with some loud sounds.

https://www.bachtobaby.com/videos

Oblomov24 · 24/12/2024 16:07

We are due to see the Nutcracker, and this would hack me off, so I have every sympathy. I'd have said something to the mum , and complained to usher at 1/2 time.

Ubertomusic · 24/12/2024 16:19

Oblomov24 · 24/12/2024 16:07

We are due to see the Nutcracker, and this would hack me off, so I have every sympathy. I'd have said something to the mum , and complained to usher at 1/2 time.

I recently attended a concert where an older member of the audience was coughing non-stop and sounded like they were about to die.

Should they have remained at home being so ill? Should I have complained to the usher? 🤔

pepperaunt · 24/12/2024 23:03

Nice ageism @UbertomusicI doubt many of the PP who wish parents would take disruptive children out are “Boomers”

TheaBrandt · 24/12/2024 23:09

The family in front of us at the Eras tour massively cocked up. They had a girl around 6 with SN and a lad a little older totally not interested. The girl tried to go to sleep after about 20 mins the dad ended up taking both kids off for doughnuts. Was obviously something mum was into and she had tried to convince herself the little girl was interested but she totally wasn’t. Felt for them expensive night. Mum should have gone with her mates.

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