We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Went to see Star Trek.

And being… well, being me, I had it all planned out.

Here were my conditions:
She must go in to the theater, either hungry or just fed
She must go in with a clean diaper
Bring THREE toys to entertain her but none of them can light up or make loud noises.
Bring cheerios
Bring spare bottles
Bring extra blankets and a wet pad so she’d never touch the seat
Leave a LEAST a half hour extra time for movie so we could get seats
Must be in a theater with arm rests that move up and out of the way.

So we ended up in Brush Hollow for the 2:10 show, arrived around 1:30. Changed her in the car and made her bottle. She was already a half hour late for food but she didn’t complain ‘cause she was people-watching. She finally started to get a little fussy so we ended up feeding her through the first part of the movie.

She fell asleep after a little while so we got about a half hour or so of just me and my hubby watching the movie. We took a handicapped seating so we could put out her bag and our food on the floor (out of AJ reach). She slept in my arms with two blankets over her (cold in there) and she was so cute. Slept straight through battles, sci fi sounds, screaming, blasting etc. That’s my good girl!

She finally woke up and was unsure why she was in the dark. She could see our faces and we played with her while watching the movie. Cheerios came in handy now, as did the non-loud/non-lighted toys. She was gabbing away. Talking to the screen, clapping her hands, kicking her feet, jumping in place and being cute. None of this mattered during the action parts because it was too loud to hear her. When it got quiet I felt bad but at least she wasn’t crying or fussing. She was laughing and jib-jabbing away.

A few times she got fussy we put a cheerio in her mouth. Otherwise there was only ONE incident. During a very quiet dramatic part with Spock and Kirk, Spock says something rather unbelievable to Kirk and at that second or two you hear nothing as it sinks in for Kirk … well nothing but a small baby girl choosing THAT moment to blow raspberries. Then Kirk delivers his one liner (which had much the same sentiment I might add) and everyone laughed. But just before that, you could hear a few folks laugh at AJ’s add lib!

About 10mins to the end of the movie, she’d had enough and got fussy so Jim stood with her in the tunnel to the exit and she was ok with that. So we missed nothing.

Great movie
Great day out
Glad we did it

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

You are daring!

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Good for you & great planning!

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

GOOD GIRL AJ!!!! Great planning on your part too!!!!!

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

how old is he?? i havent attepted this yet and DS is 2

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

glad arriana did so well

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Okay, I'll say it...just from the other perspective

I don't believe babies should be brought non-kid friendly movies.

What may have been cute and "at least not crying or fussing" to you would have annoyed me as someone who paid $12 to get away from kids at a "grown up" movie. (Didn't want to say "adult" movie because that sounded dirty. )

Also as someone who often is accompanied by people who NEED the handicap seating I would have been doubly annoyed if I had seen you taking up handicap seating when you didn't NEED it.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you would have moved if someone in need came it.

Just my two cents.

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Posted by leighla

Okay, I'll say it...just from the other perspective

I don't believe babies should be brought non-kid friendly movies.

What may have been cute and "at least not crying or fussing" to you would have annoyed me as someone who paid $12 to get away from kids at a "grown up" movie. (Didn't want to say "adult" movie because that sounded dirty. )

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Posted by Superkat

Posted by leighla

Okay, I'll say it...just from the other perspective

I don't believe babies should be brought non-kid friendly movies.

What may have been cute and "at least not crying or fussing" to you would have annoyed me as someone who paid $12 to get away from kids at a "grown up" movie. (Didn't want to say "adult" movie because that sounded dirty. )

Actually, I am going to agree. While I am glad she "behaved", in your opinion, I would have been very annoyed if I was sitting in that theater. My son is 11 months old and there is no WAY I will bring him to a movie. He barely sits still through a 30 minute cartoon.

Please don't take this as bashing, because that is not my intent. You obviously tried to plan it out. But if things went south and she was screaming, would you have left? Also, while innocent jabbering if fine to you, it may not be the same story with others sitting near you.

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Good for you! I took my 4 month old little one to the movies for the 1st time last week to see wolverine (NOT my choice ) she did great...couldn't sleep soundly thru the loud action scenes, but wasn't a fussy baby either. I would def do it again!

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

In a perfect world, they’d have show times for folks with families. Even so there’s no perfect solution to this. I have a right and obviously the desire to see first run movies in a theater. I do not have the family or resources for babysitting. My father didn’t have it back in the day when I was a kid either. It’s a luxury that I don’t have.

Its easy to say I should then be willing to give up seeing movies as a whole. I haven’t seen a movie since last August – just before she was born. But sooner or later I will be seeing movies and I will be taking her with me.

I will NEVER have a sitter while I live here in Long Island. I am totally marooned. Its not even a faintest dream of the idea of a babysitter. Its the life I lead to pay the bills and put food in that tummy of hers. I do not whine or wallow in misery. But I will not become a hermit to society either.

We’ve ALL been to a movie with a crying unruly child. We’ve all dreamed of screaming at the parents to take the kid out of the room. I’m not ignorant to that and I am not purposely trying to make their experience bad. I am also not going to exclude ourselves from all of society until she’s of age that she can be forced to sit still and quiet for 2hours.

Lastly, there are adults (even in this movie) who are worse that the children. They are loud, annoying, rude, cussing and answering their phones, screaming at other moviegoers and the movie itself. I wish they’d beam themselves to another planet but at the end of the day, I realize it’s the price I paid with my ticket and there’s little I can do to shut up an adult. At least with MY child I can monitor and respond and ultimately REMOVE her from the area.

We need baby rooms at the movies!

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Message edited 5/11/2009 4:53:17 PM.

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Posted by leighla

Okay, I'll say it...just from the other perspective

I don't believe babies should be brought non-kid friendly movies.

What may have been cute and "at least not crying or fussing" to you would have annoyed me as someone who paid $12 to get away from kids at a "grown up" movie. (Didn't want to say "adult" movie because that sounded dirty. )

Also as someone who often is accompanied by people who NEED the handicap seating I would have been doubly annoyed if I had seen you taking up handicap seating when you didn't NEED it.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you would have moved if someone in need came it.

Just my two cents.

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

I would say my number one fear would be how loud it is for their little ears.

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

Posted by rose825

Posted by leighla

Okay, I'll say it...just from the other perspective

I don't believe babies should be brought non-kid friendly movies.

What may have been cute and "at least not crying or fussing" to you would have annoyed me as someone who paid $12 to get away from kids at a "grown up" movie. (Didn't want to say "adult" movie because that sounded dirty. )

Also as someone who often is accompanied by people who NEED the handicap seating I would have been doubly annoyed if I had seen you taking up handicap seating when you didn't NEED it.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you would have moved if someone in need came it.

Just my two cents.

Thank you Lauren for saying this so eloquently.

Posted by Xelindrya
I am also not going to exclude ourselves from all of society until she’s of age that she can be forced to sit still and quiet for 2hours.

missing a movie, or going solo if you have to see it is hardly excluding yourself from all of society.

There are certain sacrifices we make as parents. This is one of them, same as bringing your baby/child to a bar. You can, but should you???

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

I hate to say just how annoying I would find paying $12 for a movie to have to hear a child fussy or "well behaved" or otherwise. I do not find blowing raspberries during key bits of dialogue cute or endearing in anyway. I'm actualyl kind of suprised the movie theatre allowed it.

There are some places that are family friendly and others that are not. A non-kid movie is not a place for a baby. To skip this summer's blockbuster is not "excluding yourself from society" Either go alone OR wait for it to be released on DVD.

The baby movie program was great and we took advantage of it. I would not bring my son to a regular showing of a PG-13 film. It's not for him and certainly not fair to the patrons who paid their money to enjoy the film.

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

First off, thanks for the replies. Most were constructive.

To the poster who said that this is a sacrifice we make as parents, I respectfully disagree. A sacrifice to me is something I give up FOR my daughter. Taking her to a movie is nothing like taking her to a bar. The general concensus wasn't against me taking her, it was against me taking her to an adult movie. The analogy doesn't work. Also the 'sacrifice' benefit is more for the fellow moviegoers and not my child. But I get your intent. I just disagree that totally stop seeing movies is just 'a thing we do' and more of a personal preference.

To the military mom - yep my dad was Navy so I hear you loud and clear. I'm not taking her to a movie once a month or even every other month. We're talking twice a year maybe! No backup means no help, but most movies I can wait on.

To the poster who said they DO have family show times... Really?? Where and when? Of course if its a movie I really want to see badly and this was an option I would have done it.

I agree that movies are expensive. I agree that most of us wish the experience was mostly like sitting in a private theater, but frankly that's never an absolute. Adults, teens and kids are all annoying at one point or another. At least I can and will take the baby out and not leave her in there making a scene.

Lastly to the poster who said you really can't stop parents from doing this.... You're right.


Thank you for all your replies
Please dont think im being rude or flippant. I just disagree with the idea this was a horrible thing to do. So again, I guess I must just say we agree to disagree.

Re: We went to see a movie! (our first as a family) .. kinda long

I just think it seems like a LOT of work to go out an enjoy a movie. I would prob be worried that at any moment my baby would start screaming and i'd have to leave, or he would end up disrupting everyone else even if it were for a minute or so...

We have only seen maybe 4 movies since DS was born, and had family watch him while we went. To me I want to be relaxed when going to the movies and there is nothing all that relaxing about taking a baby!

To each their own, I agree...and I do not think its a HORRIBLE thing to do, but i would not do it. Truthfully, one time DH and I were seated for a movie and a couple walked in with a newborn in a carrier and sat in front of us. We looked at each other like "What??". The baby slept until halfway through then started bawling...they tried to comfort the baby but baby wasn't having it. They all left and didn't return. So not worth it to me!!