So you think you have a good reason to bring your kids to an evening movie? Wrong. You think it’s okay to bring your infant to a movie that gets out at 10.20pm? Wrong. Oh, you don’t have money for a babysitter, but you really want to see the movie? Tough. And even if you DO bring your infants and 3 and 4 yr olds to a movie, you think it’s okay to stay IN the theater when the baby starts to scream bloody murder when she sees the pirates on the screen? WRONG again.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sarah and I and a friend went to see Pirates of the Caribbean 2 at the North Dekalb Mall movie theater last night. As the movie was beginning, an infant (INFANT!) started screaming, and the parents didn’t take the baby out. At the end of our row were about three 4-yr old kids talking, moving around the aisle and being annoying all throughout the film. Again the infant screams - the parents do nothing. People are looking around, trying to figure out what parent thought it was a good idea to bring the infant to the movie. Behind us, a man’s cell phone rings and instead of hearing a hurried attempt to silence the thing, we hear, "Hello? What’s up…" To the left of me, one seat away, a girl is crumpling up a Subway sandwich wrapper. I begin to stare at her. She continues to crumple - and it’s getting louder and louder. I’m still staring. She continues. Finally, I say, "Shhhhhhhh." She looks at me. I continue my stare and give her the "WTF" look, and she looks away. I hold the gaze for a few more seconds before rolling my eyes and turning back to the screen (yup, I was *that* guy). The kids are still talking. The baby is still screaming.
Why, oh why, did the parents think it was okay to bring the infant to the movie. Furthermore, why did they not leave for a few minutes when the baby started screaming? I do not understand this phenomenon. And before you leave me a nasty comment - know this: I really don’t mind screaming kids. I take some pride in putting up with them quite nicely on planes and being *that* guy who gives the mom or dad a sympathetic, "I’m sorry"-look while most people get quite irritated. It’s not like the parent really has any control in this situation. They are usually tired and exhausted from hauling themselves, their luggage, the baby, and the stupid car seat all around the airport; the last thing they need is to be given crap by some random stranger on a flight because their kid is crying a little bit.
But in a movie theater? No, I’m sorry - you can leave. And furthermore, there is NO reason to bring an infant, let alone kids under 5 years old to an evening movie that doesn’t get out until late. And if you do - if for some god-forsaken reason you do - take the damn kids out of the theater for a few minutes, or tell them to be quiet.
Am I being too harsh? Parents out there? Can you defend the asinine actions of these other parents? Is there something I don’t understand yet because I have no kids? I don’t understand.
Bollywood Movies Bollywood Movies
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Here’s one more for you:
I went to see a horror movie, blood, guts, the whole nine, about the Jersey Devil. Crappy movie. There were some parents in the back with their 3 year old daughter who insisted on yelling yay the entire movie. SO I shushed them. The mother comes down to me and tells me it is very rude of me to shush another persons kid.
As a parent of four kids, I can assure you that you aren’t being too harsh. Parents shouldn’t take their kids to late-night movies, and if they do try and sneak a kid to a movie, they should leave if the kid acts up.
Yes, having kids means you just can’t do what you used to. Less movies. More diapers. There are tradeoffs. You can’t have it all.
Dude. We have found common ground.
Drives. Me. Up. The. Freaking. Wall.
I love kids, but there are times and places where kids should not be, and you know what? That movie is going to be on DVD in four months, and those parents can can either be patient or shell out a few extra bucks for a baby sitter.
I guess that having a baby allows you to throw out all common courtesy and sense.
Mmm.
Next thing you know, that baby will be crying all through your reflective worship, and the kids will be running around destroying the ambience and knocking candles over.
Proud dad of a 1+ year old who has *thought* of taking her to a movie several times - even Pirates - although I’m glad I didn’t because of its horrid length (tell me it wasn’t about 45 minutes too long.) However, I abstained for the very reasons that you illustrate Adam.
Still, you asked for reasons, even a defense of these hapless movie going parents. So, here goes.
1) Atlanta in July. Hot - morning, noon, night. Movie theaters - Cold any way you cut it. Where would I rather be with a baby who won’t sleep, at 10 PM? You guessed it.
2) Sometimes you just get the urge to see a movie. Spontaneity doesn’t go out the door when you have a kid, and sometimes, you just gotta go for it…hopefully there are a few parents left with common courtesy to balance these urges out, or is that virtue reserved just for the single/childless.
3) Kids (even the youngest) deserve culture too dammit! Nuf of this kiddie movie, kiddie music, kiddie theater bullshit. They deserve the best.
4) Don’t know which you found more annoying in your experience Adam, but I know that in reading your post I would rank it like this (in order of most negligently annoying) a) chick with the Subway - she oughta know better by now; b) dude with the cellphone - ummm, did someone say ‘common courtesy’, c’mon they have a freaking ad about it before every movie; c) kids playing in the aisles - where the flip are mom and dad (at least mom is trying to get the babe to shut up); d) crying babe - notice, still annoying but not half as bad as these other three - crying kids are just geniuses with too few words to tell the world their thoughts.
I with ya, man. I almost got into a fight with some kid who was talking on his cell phone during the beginning of The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (not that I’m all that proud of the incident).
You need to stop going to North Dekalb. That happened in EVERY movie I ever went to see there. I started going to the Regal Hollywood 27 on Shallowford Road off 85 South. Best theater in town. All stadium seating, clean, hardly ever any talking, cell phones, etc. It’s a little bit more of a drive, but totally worth it. You can make it there in 20 minutes from the seminary most days…I made it in 10 once because I really wanted to see 8 Mile. haha.
Hmm, how far does inclusion go? Spoken like a man who has no children.
I expect to hear kids talking and making noise at a matinee of “Cars” or “Over The Hedge” but not in the evening at a non-kids movie.
You are totally justified in your anger of this Adam.
“I take some pride in putting up with them quite nicely on planes and being *that* guy who gives the mom or dad a sympathetic, ‘I’m sorry’-look while most people get quite irritated.”
This statement makes me laugh. I’m glad that you are so sympathetic. And take pride in that sympathy. Snerk.
When I go to the movies these days–not often–it’s generally to the kid-movie matinees with my four-year-old. I wouldn’t think of bringing her to an adult movie.
“Kids (even the youngest) deserve culture too dammit! Nuf of this kiddie movie, kiddie music, kiddie theater bullshit. They deserve the best.” –Fine, but until your child can be reasonably expected to sit still and quiet for the length of a film, perhaps the culture should come at home? And Pirates? That’s the best?
man, i hear you. i feel your pain. i have NO kids. let me just put that out there. i am 28 years old and i have chosen (along with my wife) because we do enjoy our life together including a night out at the movies. here is something no one has brought up:
when you forked out about $8 or $9 per ticket…did you know it was NOT hear or really see the whole movie? did you know it was to do something you could have done for free at any indoor mall playground? and the cell phone? bless you, my friend. i have lost my cool twice in life over this same scenario. i tried to think WWJD and i came to the conclusion that he would have thrown the cell phone from the top of the mountain! our society is just getting ridiculous now. where has common courtesy gone? i tried going to an “upper class” movie theater that had mostly older people. same shit. i sat three seats down from a 70ish year old man that squirmed like a 4 year old and then i also sat near a woman who felt it her place to ask aloud if a certain character was “a gay”. arrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhh…now i am all worked up. its outlandish at best.
I’m a mom and I I agree with you….people making snarky comments about not being inclusive are being lame. Come on people, the local movie theather is neither a playground or your livingroom. You don’t pay ten bucks a pop, to go to worship.
After all that, I think I would have gone to the customer service desk and asked for either a refund or a complimentary ticket to a different showing of the same movie.
I’m a dad of three and you are not being too harsh. There seems to be an overall lack of manners in movie theaters (especially Friday and Saturday nights). I encounter more people on cell phones than people with loud babies. I avoid the crowds by going to afternoon shows (its cheaper too).
Thanks for your comments, especially those of you with kids. I thought I was right ;)
My husband and I just had a similar conversation, mostly surrounding parents who keep their children out late at inappropriate events. Staying late at, say, the children’s grandparents’ house, where they can sleep or where it is a special family gathering, all right. But a late movie? Not so much. There was once that we went on a late-night Denny’s run (after midnight), and there was an entire family there, including at least two or three children under the age of 7, one of them a baby. That seriously bugged us. There comes a point when parents need to act like parents. If they want to go out late, to a movie or a restaurant or a party or something, then they need to find appropriate ways to make sure their children are being cared for. I agree with the comment that there is a tradeoff when you become a parent. An infant at a movie in the middle of the day? Meh. But an infant at a later evening show? No way.
No way are you too harsh. I walked out of many a restaurant, church service, etc. when I had crying babes or toddlers or talking children who didn’t respond to that “look.” I don’t have an issue with people trying it out, but when it doesn’t work, leave.
Um, Karen, are you serious?
A movie is one thing, but a church service?
I see a church service as one way of the community gathering to share life together. I don’t see it as a spectacle to be consumed.
Ahhh…that brings back memories.
Granted, what you described occurs in other theaters but there is something about North Dekalb that attracts more consistently the screaming babies, annoying kids and cell phone talkers. I don’t remember a single time that Elizabeth and I went to ND during the 3 years of seminary that we didn’t have to go “Shhhhhh” One time a guy and his son who was running all over the place was asked to leave and he started shouting and talking smack in the theater.
Never been in a movie theater before or since with the crazy audiences like ND.
Try Phipps? or the dollar place? Dunwoody? Netflix?
Let me clear something up as I have been called the “lame” commentor [by the way nice way to name call!? WTF!!!] I have two kids 4 and 2 respectively. I would not take them to an evening movie either. My wife and I went to see Pirates this past Sunday evening and someone brought their 2 year old. The child was very quiet [suprisingly] but we couldn’t believe that they brought her.
Let me tell you though how often we have gotten the **look** in places where it is wholely appropriate to have children. I am just so sick of intolerant people who cringe at the sound of a childs voice. My wife and I are both people who make sure that if our kids are acting inappropraitely we take them out of their surroundings until they can calm themselves down.
And, come on, leaving the church service!!! Gimme a break. Do you really think that Jesus would call out for the child to be silenced!?! PLEASE! Maybe some people are just too important to be interupted by a child. HMMM it seems to me like Jesus had something to say to people very close to him who tried to usher children away, held to the notion that children should merely be seen and not heard or at least “put up” with them….hmmmm where was that now….
Again, I would assert its amazing how inclusive we can be when it serves our own purposes and theological points of view. All I’m asking for is consistency.
Eric, see my post above - I’m with you.
I go to an inner city church, and we regularly have people screaming, crying, and yelling at the preacher during the service. And they’re not always kids.
Sometimes it bugs me - most of the time the chaos gives me great joy. After all, who was it that Jesus came for?
i just read this today and i definetley dont think that you are being too harsh..i have a 3 month old infant and would never DREAM of taking her to a movie. People with young babies just need to suck it up and wait until the movie comes out on video.
10:30 pm does not matter to an infant. My infant is has her awake period from about 1am to about 5am. Yes, lucky me. And lots of people can successfully bring an infant to the movies. If you are nursing mom, you are literately chained to your baby until you are able to pump (that comes after the first month or two depending on your supply). That is enough to drive any sane women nuts. So if she can bring her infant to the movies, attach it to the breast and pretend she didn’t sign her life away for a couple of blissful hours, more power to her. Of course if the baby starts to cry and nursing doesn’t keep her happy then the parent should take the baby out.
You are right, waiting a few months for a movie to come out on DVD is not a big deal, but not being able to leave your house or do anything normal for a few months is.