Seriously?

[EcclesCake]

What do you make of this report?

http://metro.co.uk/2014/05/14/mother-kicked-out-of-cinema-for-seeing-15-rated-film-with-her-baby-4727757/

[EcclesCake]

I'm coming across as anti-children and intolerant which wasn't my attention.

It is against the law in the UK for a child to watch a film not rated for their age. It may be absurd when taking babies into the equation but that is the deal.

The person selling the ticket wasn't necessarily at fault as it may not have been clear that the ticket was being purchased for a baby, the salesperson may not have even seen the baby if it was in a pushchair. The person at fault was the one checking the tickets into the actual film.

I accept that there are many, many situations where a child should be welcomed. Restaurants and sporting events are easy to extricate yourself from should the need arise. A cinema is an environment where you go for 90+ minutes of total absorption, to become completely immersed in the film. I get irritated when the bloke next to me wants to slip out to get more stinky, noisy nachos.

I really cannot get my head around the idea of spending time with a friend, in total silence when the point of the excursion is to catch up and meet the baby. that is not how I catch up with my friends.

An 11 week old baby is going to find many experiences new and I doubt that the babe was a seasoned cinema goer. Quite how the Mother could anticipate the enduring calmness of her young child is a mystery.

At the end of the day I just think it is a really bizarre choice for catching up with a friend and your new baby.

[yogi-bear]

Pix,

Its not a crusade to prove right and wrong and you and gnessy hi gness x.. make some very good points but so does emmie too about noises in cinema which whilst annoying is usually in the first 5 mins or 10mins of the trailers once they settle down if you can hear anything at all that is. When the film starts most are very quite if noise is apparent they are usually politely asked to shut up.

The point that eccles wants is our opinions and thats what this site is about.....opinions, and yours and all here are respected as it is what you believe.

As I said before the mother was going to catch up with a friend so a cinema where people are trying to watch a film is hardly in this instance the place for them to chat no matter how quietly they try or for the infant to be there. That is only my opinion pix

[pixie373]

Fair enough, yogi. In this instance, i don't see that anybody was the slightest bit disrupted by it, but thank you for your post x

[yogi-bear]

No problem pix

[ethandron]

I would think that a baby under, say, 12 months, wouldn't cause a problem for anyone in a cinema. And if it did, and spoilt the film for anyone by crying or fussing, then it should be ejected..along with its parent, obviously.
Anyone who creates a disturbance in a cinema would be asked to leave I would assume, no different for a baby. And at under 12 months they're not going to be affected by the content of the film are they? If the parent thinks the noise level is acceptable then that's fine, I think it's fine too to be honest.
It's not something I would do but I really can't see a problem.

[gness]

Hi, Yogi...I'm now having a heated disagreement with a visiting friend about this.
He does however, agree that the behaviour we see in adults now is because they weren't taught as children to behave appropriately for the situation. My view is...so teach them...but I'm old enough and cynical enough to see that that is too much bother for some people...which is so very sad.
Eccles....believe it or not I could anticipate the behaviour of my children... and it wasn't really difficult to teach them at a very early age how to behave.....and to include them which is half the battle.

[royfromaus]

65+ replies, I;m sure what I have to say will have been covered.

15 Rated, now an 11 week old won't understand neither will a 2 year old or a ... where do you draw the line? If you let one woman in with a child you have to let them all in.

Not a great cinema goer, but my memory tells me most films are like the Björk song - it's oh so quiet... then BOOM! I can remember that when my kids were babies they hated sudden loud noises.

I think the woman is being a bit selfish.

[sherrardk]

I think taking a baby to the cinema is a bit of an odd choice, but each to their own. The cinema is probably the only place I never took any of mine - but then I am too tight to pay the entry fee and too intolerant to put up with other cinema goers.

[jno]

they used to have parent-and-baby screenings at our local; but presumably not for 15-certificate ones, lest the children be corrupted while asleep. I think I saw ET that way. (As parent, not baby.)

[jno]

Anyone who creates a disturbance in a cinema would be asked to leave I would assume

I'm not so sure. The British are too timid to do anything confrontational, they'll just pretend it's not happening. Not my job, guv, I just sell tickets. Unless it's kids, of course; they all hate kids.

[EcclesCake]

Gness, I bet you'd be proper riled if the 11 week old babe in arms next to you interrupted your enjoyment of a Stephen Fry monologue at the theatre ;-)

[pixie373]

That's exactly right, gness- keep them out of the way of the proper people and wonder why they can't behave as teenagers.
The one person who cannot ignore a screaming baby, is the mother. She'll be well aware of any potential problem ages before anybody else is, and walk out with the baby. The lady in the report herself, said she could understand if the baby was making a noise. She's hardly likely to sit through a 2 hour film with a distressed baby.

[Svejk]

that's right, if you don't take your baby to the flicks it'll become a delinquent teenager.

[pixie373]

Not the most logical conclusion - but thanks for trying x

[royfromaus]

Can you answer the age question Pixie?

[pixie373]

I have, Roy. In other situations, it's known as "babes in arms". As i said, in a couple of months, she won't attempt it, because the baby won't stay still- so a self -limiting thing really.

[royfromaus]

So you are saying there is no age limit?

[pixie373]

Am i? They start rolling, crawling etc at different ages- so yes, i suppose so. Other places manage with that definition, shouldn't be too difficult. Or just don't sell the ticket in the first place. But the mum will be the best judge.

[gness]

Eccles....I would expect a noisy, annoying baby to leave the cinema/theatre in the same way as I expect a noisy, annoying adult to leave...that of course never happens.
My point is....if babies and children are only exposed to situations where they are allowed to be noisy or run wild then that is all they know.
If we take them to places where different types of behaviour is expected they will learn....and can enjoy learning.
Not all babies cry....and children can be taught what is right for where they are....if they cry or behave badly they can be removed.
Would that it were so for some adults.

[jno]

I can't think of a nicer place for a baby than a room full of people laughing (of course I don't know if the film is funny enough)