Bringing your baby to the movies is a GREAT idea!

[Jedi2016]

I saw a "mother" taking a 7-8 year old kid to see Ted..

But.. it's got a cute fluffy teddy bear in it! It must be a kids film, right?

Or, far more likely that they just didn't care. But they'll still complain when little Jimmy plays Grand Theft Auto.

 

[cboath]

Or tell their kid's teacher they're lying when they get in trouble for letting out a string of 4 letter words at school.

 

[Bryancd]

12 Shot Dead, 50 Wounded During Dark Knight Rises Showing in Colorado [UPDATES]

So I hate to harp on this terrible tragedy, but at last night's shooting at a TDKR premiere, a six year old and a THREE MONTH OLD BABY were wounded.

Now, I'm not going to try to claim that parents shouldn't bring young children to movies because they might get shot, as this was obviously a freak occurrence.

However, the simple idea that a parent would bring a 3 month-old baby to a midnight showing of ANY movie, much less one as intense and surely deafening as TDKR, is frankly appalling. There is absolutely no way an infant could sit through an entire movie full of violent action, gunfire, and explosions without crying. This is a movie premiere for jeebus-sake! They knew full well the theater will be completely, 100% packed. Were they just trying to ruin everyone's experience?

Now, I'll admit that we do not have all the facts yet, and perhaps there is some understandable reason why an infant was at a movie theater past midnight... But I doubt it.

Regardless, I want to emphasize that this was a horrible tragedy wrought by a sick individual. And I am in no way trying to make light of the events.

Indeed, I posted this same reaction on my FaceBook page and every parent I know agreed it's shameful to bring a small child or infant to movie like this and especially at midnight.

 

[bleyd]

When my oldest was little I was stationed in Europe. Couldn't afford a sitter so we took my son EVERYWHERE. The movie screen would get his attention and he'd watch quietly. If he got fussy we'd take him outside as soon as he made any noise but generally he kept quiet. My son is now 23 and is very much the movie buff and even working on a script.

 

[cboath]

I'm also guessing you didn't take him to midnight screenings and violent and R rated movies, either.

In general there's nothing wrong with taking a kid to a movie, even a 3 year old. Provided the movie is something age appropriate to the kid and at a reasonable hour.

 

[Ashiva]

There is also, in my opinion. a day and time to take a child. If it's opening night, 8 pm, or the midnight showing.. You shouldn't be there with your children.

But..

I have taken my own children, one under the age of 2, to the movies before to see a movie we wanted to see. did I do it on opening night? No. Did I do it in the evening? No. I did it mid afternoon on a Sunday which is when MOST SENSIBLE parents who cannot get baby sitters go.

There are, of course, idiots that will take a date to the movies on a Sunday, when most parents take their kids to the movies. Can anyone tell me if someone bitches at them for doing that? No not really. But I have always been under the belief and impression that if you're going to take a date to the movies, you do it on a Friday or Saturday, and you take them to dinner first.

Again though, I have to agree. Having a child that young to a midnight showing should not have happened. Wait till the weekend and take them during the day, preferably Sunday so that most everyone has already seen the movie by then

 

[bleyd]

As for a midnite showing I don't think any movie would have got me to take my children to a midnite showing at such a young age. My nephews are 7 and 13 so I'd probably take them to a midnite showing if it was something they really wanted to see. I'd have them take a nap prior to so they wouldn't fall asleep but not a child that couldn't enjoy it. Not that late

 

[pat0003]

Not overreacting. There is a time and place for children to attend the theatre, whether it is a movie or live performance. Hire a damn baby sitter! Because, I tell you, you won't see the show and you will ruin it for everyone else!

 

[madmartian]

This is a primary reason I avoid seeing movies in the theater. Crying babies, blabbing teenagers, or just generally inconsiderate people who never learned to shut the hell up during a movie. I have a home theater, blu-ray, good wine, and a selection of gourmet popcorn. Sure I miss out on the early buzz, but I have 80 films in my netflix queue that I haven't seen yet and up to 9 TV shows I am currently following. If I do want to torture myself in the theater, I go well after the general public has seen it and to a late show on a school night. There are some theaters here in Portland that serve alcohol and are 21+ for the late show.

 

[Sparticle]

We made the mistake of going to see the Val Kilmer "Batman" movie during a Saturday matinee. As soon as the initial 'flash' of the movie was over, and the plot exposition began (i.e.: talking), every child in the theater began talking, as well: "What's happening?" "What are they saying?" "Where's Joker?" "Where's Spiderman? (I kydde thee not)" "Can I have some more popcorn/candy/soda/etc?" "Can we go home now?" "I gotta go peeeee!!!!" It was like every adult had brought 3-to-5 children with them, except us! They absolutely ruined the movie for us. Ruined! The sussuruss of chattering and jabbering overrode the soundtrack completely. There was NO WAY POSSIBLE that anyone in the theater could even comprehend the movie AT ALL. We requested tickets for a later showing. Thank GOD the Mangement was so forgiving: we got tickets to the first evening show at the Matinee price! I felt sorry for the Manager, as he had to give up seats at a more expensive showing because of the hundreds of bad movie-goers there that afternoon.