When I first had my daughter in early 2007, one of the local movie theaters ran baby-friendly movies. The lights stayed on, the sound stayed down, and all us moms got to see a movie while our newborns slept and ate. It was a great thing, but I never in a million years would have ever considered bringing her (or any other baby) to a movie besides those.
It's simply rude. Other patrons are paying $12.50 and they would like to see their movies in peace. In Chicago, a group of movie theaters are so committed to this that they have banned children under 6 in R-rated movies. Good on them! If people don't police themselves and do what is appropriate, then the ban makes sense.
Because it isn't only bad for the other paying customers. It's also bad for the baby.
The movie in question that caused the ban was The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I saw that movie. It had a graphic rape scene and more violence than any child should ever see. If parents are too crappy to know not to show their child that movie, then I should at least be granted the respect of not having to see it warp their tiny minds.
I will never forget the time my husband and I settled down in the theater to watch the decidedly R-rated Rob Zombie's Halloween when a group of parents wheeled their baby strollers into the aisle and proceeded to watch the movie. Not only did their babies (and toddlers) roam the aisles, they also saw things most adults can't handle.
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It's bad parenting, plain and simple. Babies don't belong at adult movies. For a baby to be at a movie, the movie ought to be a matinee, it ought to be marketed to kids, and it ought to be full of other kids.
Sure, it serves the business bottom line to not serve babies. After all, why would they want a million complaints? But also, it serves humanity. I don't want kids growing up thinking it's normal to see Halloween at 2. I don't want them in class with my children and I don't want to see them in the theater.
If parents can't be parents, then I am glad someone is stepping up to stop them. Hire a babysitter. They cost $15 an hour and will save your kid a lot of future trauma. If you can't do that, rent a movie. Otherwise you are more than just a bad parent. You are a bad citizen.
Do you take your baby to R-rated movies?
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Comments 62
No. I never have. I don't take my daughter to any R-rated movies and she's 9, so I won't start now.
My Aunt took my 3 day old cousin to the movies when the very first Star Wars came out. Her water broke about 15 minutes in the first time they tried to go see it, so they went back 4 days later. He slept almost the entire time and just woke up to nurse and then go abck tosleep about twice. She says that only the people sitting next to them in the back row even knew they had a baby in there. THAT young of a child in a theater doesn't bother me. But once past the newborn stage and the baby is awake and aware and curious, they can be distracting and noisy...Toddlers definitely do not belong in a theater!...unless well behaved and mature enough to sit the entire time (which few are).
Kids under 5 should be banned from any movie theaters. Show me a kid under 5 that will SIT and BE QUIET for a whole 2 hr movie and I will change my mind. I remember 1 time a couple had their baby in a carseat screaming half the time. The mom finally took it out and started walking around the theater with the STILL screaming baby. ALSO I remember SEVERAL times parents would go to movies with their toddlers/preschoolers and the kids would wonder and screw with everybody and their stuff. I was looking around for their parents and they would always be sitting there, watching the movie or texting. I dont go to movies anymore because of the total disrespect of the other people in there talking the whole time, phones going off, kids screaming. NOT WORTH 14$ TOO ME. Please stop thinking of yourselfs and let other PAYING people without kids enjoy their movie. I have kids too, but I am not RUDE and selfish so I dont bring them.
never
to me again it's Time/Place and really a baby shouldn't be at a theater...to many germs, to loud etc. for the amount it costs to go I'd be very unhappy to have a crying baby in the theater. If you can't go w/out the baby wait or find a sitter...you decided to have a family so "play time" should be second. I did, friends did, parents did lol I could go on....But then that's my opinion.
I think it's selfish to expose new ears to the volumes in cinemas, not to mention the confined germs.
Went to see Act of Valor last weekend. Packed theater and in walks a family with a 1.5yr old (estimating) and what was definately aa 4-5 yr old. The younger one screeched constantly, mom walked the isle with her, dad did too...not ONCE did they leave the theater, just let her scream. People were saying stuff and they didn't care....besides, even though the 4-5 yr old was very well behaved, why in the hell would you take him to see this movie?????
Thats not as bad as the parents I have seen pushing their baby around in a stroller in the casino in Vegas at 2am!! But I agree if a child is going to ruin the experience for the others they should not be there not matter what the rating is.