For my 6 and 11 year old to watch a film at the cinema without me

[Littlebittiredoflife]

They want to watch dogman and I don't think I can face it. If it was just the 11 year old, I'm thinking this would absolutely be ok. But with the six year old I'm unsure as he might get a bit scared and there's the worry that popcorn is quite a chokeable snack. Both of them just likely to sit and watch the film though. And I'd be next door watching something that doesn't want to make me gouge my eyes out.

It is! I took my two (same age as yours) last week to watch it and it's okay. They really loved it, I nodded off at times as we'd been out all day and the seats were comfy, but it made me chuckle at times.

I used to go to Saturday morning pictures with my younger sister when I was 10 - 11 and she was 6. Those were different times though.

At 6? No.

I've taken noise cancelling headphones & an audiobook before, but more often I just wear light ear plugs to decrease the volume for myself and that makes it far more tolerable.

I hadn't thought about the aspect of unaccompanied adults being there. There's only ever been families I've seen in the small screens when we've gone before so I hadn't considered it. I totally get it would be the worst outcome if it did happen, even if it's not that likely. I don't need any more convincing not to do it, we will either go together or not go at all. It's not like they don't get to watch crap at home and we've done other activities they've wanted to do this half term.

Surely having to sit through shit kids films is one of the penances of parenthood. It’s why snoozing was invented.

My DS wanted to go to the Wild Robot, I sighed and thought oh great another animated film to sleep through. I LOVED it, and sobbed all the way through.

Dogman, it may not be in the same league but it's part of parenthood and bonding with your offspring - they ask you what your favourite part was and you try not to reply "the end credits"

That's interesting. I'm 68 and I was never told such a thing. We all went to Saturday morning children's club in our local flea pit. 6d for a film (usually a cowboy and Indian film) and lots of cartoons. It was joyous and riotous and any "bad men" wouldn't have got out alive!

Sorry op but this is nuts.

Do you know what, I'm not even that horrified at them being left in the cinema, although I wouldn't personally.

But you're way over complicating something that really isn't that difficult. It's a very short film, 1.5 hours. You can take snacks and could even listen to a podcast on your headphones if you really can't face it.

But I really don't see what the problem is? What is so awful about watching a kids film for an hour and a half?

Not fair on everyone else. Can you actually trust they will behave, not talk and be disruptive, silly, mess around. How will they find you if they need you? They can’t just walk into another screening to grab you and you shouldn’t be checking phones. What if they choke? What if there’s a fire alarm? Another emergency? Can you trust all the other adults in the screen? Six is far too young to be alone in a cinema.

I usually love a kids film, there was so many others that were on around Christmas time that I'd have loved to see but timings didn't work out. I order the Dogman books from the library as they love them so I know they aren't my cup of tea and I thought the film would be pants (although maybe not as pants as captain underpants- I've seen them watch some of that on TV and didn't really like it). Obviously other stuff going on at home, so this issue is probably blown out of proportion for me more than usual, equally I didn't think I'd go through with it anyway but wondered what others deemed acceptable. I think I'm mostly mad that this is the only kids film showing at our local cinema!

Trust me it's so bad it'll send you to sleep. Take a blanket and recliiiiine.

I've never heard of a kid chocking to death on popcorn in the cinema.

Just go. We went yesterday. It's nonsense but they enjoyed it. I had a cat nap and distributed top up snacks occassionally. It's an hour and a half of your time to do something nice for them. I'm sure you'll manage.

And how many kids do you hear being snatched from the cinema ... this thread is crazy

Look at this from a different angle.......if you had gone to the cinema and found yourself sitting close to someone else's kids aged 11yrs and 6yrs who might potentially be fidgeting, misbehaving and generally annoying you would be a tad pissed off wouldn't you?
Be the parent and look after your kids.

Download a film on to a tablet and sit at the back with headphones in and subtitles on. I did this rather than have to endure Lego Movie for the 3rd time 🤣

I remember the first trip to the cinema with my DDs to see a film that wasn't a bloody cartoon .... Mama Mia ... I was over the moon.

Based on some of these responses I do think we mollycoddle this generation of kids far too much. Of course we have to be the parent and keep them safe but we also have to remember that independence and responsibility and even taking risks are a huge part of their growing up and also a huge part of their sense of self-worth and confidence. We have to get the balance. There's danger everywhere but we can't shield kids from it forever and sometimes we're being just as lazy trying to as we're doing what appeases us and makes us look like a good parent not necessarily what's in the child's best interest

I do think the chances of anything bad happening to the kids are slim to none. I'm quite an anxious parent but even I'm not horrified at the thought from a safety pov.

But I really would just force yourself to go in. As others have said, arm yourself with snacks, headphones and blanket.

You never know it might be better than you think.

I hope you do all get to go and enjoy it.

Yes I'd be annoyed. My kids don't move for hours when watching something though. I do get that might be different when I'm with them.

I remember Saturday morning matinées in the 70s - they were intended specifically for unaccompanied children and adults (other than cinema staff) weren't supposed to be there. On the one hand, how well it was policed depended on the management. On the other an auditorium full of yelling little hellions v one nasty perve. . .also, many parents tended to send older siblings with those closest to them in age, not little ones. At 12, I was going with Dsis 9 and 7 but the youngest two were at home.

As a general thing, not specific to this situation...

I think would I let my younger child do this alone (such as staying at home, or going to the park, or going to the shopping centre). If the answer is yes, then shes old enough to do it with her sibling. A much smaller age gap (19 months) though.

Right...sit at the back away from people. Indo it all the time. Not bothering anyone 😁

How old were our parents when they went to Saturday Matinee with their older siblings and no adult?

Seriously though, in the modern era of safeguarding, I suspect minors need to be accompanied by somebody at least 16 and a cinema would enforce that.

This is what earbuds and podcasts are for