I have to say the idea is brilliant and I also have to say that I feel bad for the unsuspecting. There is a movie theatre in Brooklyn that has now started offering bring your infant and screaming toddler showings. Yes, that's right. Stay at home moms who have felt shame at going to a movie with their infant because they might make noise now have an option and apparently it is a huge success. The owners of the theatres only have the screenings for movies that are infant and toddler approved. No extremely violent or sexual movies, but not just cartoons either. I think it is a really good idea. You don't have to feel embarrassed if your child is crying because 100 other children are also crying at the same time.
We have this in my city too - one matinee a week is just for parents with children 2 and under. The speakers are turned down a bit too, so the noise won't hurt baby ears.
ReplyDeleteI never went, because the last thing I needed was more than one screaming baby at a time.
Glad to hear of a successful business catering to mommas.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I would not frequent this theater because when I do anything out in public with my kid 15-month-old I totally have ADD, so sitting there for 2 hours trying to focus on a movie while there is more than 1 cranky pants baby/toddler doing his thang around me. Yeah, that would drive me insane. I can't even muster the energy or focus to watch a movie when the baby goes to sleep at night. The Social Network has been collecting dust in my DVR for months.
Hope it works out for the business owner and patrons, though.
We have this too and I thought it was a great idea.
ReplyDeleteFantastic idea! Great for those that don't have much access to babysitters.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant idea that seems to be good for PARENTS (not just moms take care of little ones btw sexist Enty).
ReplyDeleteHOWEVER,
this literally sounds like my nightmare.
If I accidentally stumbled into this theatre and sat through this- Im convinced my hair would turn white and my uterus would fashion a lasso out of my fallopian tubes escape the hell outta there ;)
*AND escape the hell outta there.
ReplyDeleteIm so flustered by imagining myself sitting through this, my grammar went by the wayside lolol
Mine too. I was thinking this sounds like hell on earth for the childless by.choice..
DeleteIn before someone complains this is a form of exclusion.
ReplyDeleteThis is great! I only go to theaters that don't allow children - due to the drinking. If only they served bacon..........
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like hell on earth. I mean, not just my hell, but for all of those parents. Why would they want to sit through a film with all of those screaming children? I realize that some people have trouble finding a babysitter, but Jesus. I don't know that we have any of these kind of theaters, but I do know that we have some great child care places that will watch your kid while you go to a movie.
ReplyDeleteIn my day this was simply called a matinee. If you go to a movie early in the day, expect chitlens running around everywhere!
ReplyDeletetheaters have been doing this for years
ReplyDeletemaybe theaters should offer babysitting options right in the theaters and charge big bucks
We have this in my city, too, but at a local brewery establishment called McMenamin's that has movie theater rooms in several of their locations. They call them Mommy Matinees and they are awesome! Everything is advertised as such so no one can claim they didn't know (bonus, these establishments only have one screen so movies are rotated depending on the day and time of day). What's really cool about them, is that you can drink beer and eat food at a proper table while watching the movie. (The tables are set up classroom style). Nursing mothers are encouraged to nurse if they need to. Kids are allowed, too, not just babies. The movie ticket price is affordable, too. You may not be watching first-run flicks, but its still great.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a broke single mom who had no life at the tender age of 22, I would take my daughter with me to the drive in. I saw Free Willy about 15 times one summer. It was all they had there. I could get in for something like 2$. It was a very lonely summer. LOL then the got The Flintstones and to be honest, after the 5th showing I realized I wasnt' THAT bored.
ReplyDeleteNo big deal. Some theaters here do this on Monday nights (slow night anyway).
ReplyDeleteThey call it Stars and Strollers here and its well advertised that it's for parents and their babies so HOPEFULLY no unsuspecting person would stumble in to that unwillingly!
ReplyDelete@nolachickee those casual drop in child care places are usually pretty pricey and the majority of the babies in the shows aren't mobile yet so a bottle or the boob and they're usually ok. Common courtesy does enter in to it to, a little crying is ok but if they are full on inconsolable and wailing I'd probably take them for a walk at least. I wanted to do this with my little one but never did and now she's 16 months and doesn't sit still so I wouldn't try it at this point...
I'm not a parent but even I know this is nothing new. The suburb movie theatres have been doing this for years.
ReplyDeleteI'll never understand this only because when I go to the movies it's a vacation from my babies. Mama needs a break!
ReplyDeleteWell, new or not, it is a great idea. But, like Jasmine, my fallopian tubes would probably come up through my throat and try to strangle me if I accidentally attended one of these screenings...*L*
ReplyDeleteNow if they could only have baby free flights my world would be that much happier, lol. I don't hate kids but it never fails anytime I fly, the universe just happens to put that screaming baby right next to me, OH JOY!
ReplyDeleteSounds like my worst nightmare..
ReplyDelete^^ LOL - I'm flying tomorrow and was just thinking I wish there were babyfree flights. I hope there are no babies heading to FL tomorrow morning!
ReplyDeleteLos Angeles has been doing this for quite a long time: Baby and Me showings. Anyone can come but it's advertised as a showing encouraging parents (usually nursing mothers) with their young children.
ReplyDeleteThe movie theatre in Manhattan on E. 34th St. (between Third Ave. & Lex, I think?) has been doing this for a while, too.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like a great idea, but if I sat through one of these screenings I'd end up in a padded cell.
ReplyDeleteI applaud the theater for doing something different & thinking outside the box. I worked for a theater in the 90's that had free kids shows on Saturday & Sunday mornings in the Spring & Fall months. Films were G or PG & anyone could come. They weren't first run but were usually not too old. We'd hand out kids toys from Burger King or McDonald's, sell the typical food and usually had at least 3 to 4 packed theaters for that one showing. It was definitely anything but quiet, but people loved it. The crappiest part was after everyone left, because everyone would completely trash the place. I will never understand how a person can take a full bucket of popcorn into the theater just fine, but they can't manage to take an empty container out with them & put it in the trash.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably the 100th person to say this, but this is not new. A theater in my old neighborhood in Indianapolis did it every Tuesday at 10 or 11am. There are several here in Chicago that do it, as well. Of course, before I had a child, I would have never known about this stuff.
ReplyDeleteThey do this in my city too (in Canada)
ReplyDeleteWe have Babes in Arms sessions at a few cinema chains in Australia.
ReplyDelete@MontanaMarriott - YESSSSS!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've been saying this for YEEARS about flights - even one baby/smallchild-free a week would be a BLESSING.
They've had this at several theaters in Dallas fir awhile. My mom's boss (kind of a good ol boy redneck) accidentally went to one once. The ticket lady warned him the movie was a "crybaby" matinee and he responded "huh, didn't know it was a sad movie" grabbed the ticket and went. Only when the lights didn't dim fully did he look around and realize he was the only male in a theatre full if breast-feeding moms ALL looking at him!
ReplyDeleteJasmine- I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything at that moment - would've gone out my nostrils and all over my screen! But I'm with you and all the others - my worst nightmare!!! However, good for those who need something like this.
ReplyDeleteCarrie - I absolutely hate it when people can't bother carrying their trash out with them! (I've never worked in a movie theater - I just had a mother who taught me courtesy and manners! Thanks Mom!!!)
CrazyCatLa
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJasmine- I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything at that moment - would've gone out my nostrils and all over my screen! But I'm with you and all the others - my worst nightmare!!! However, good for those who need something like this.
ReplyDeleteCarrie - I absolutely hate it when people can't bother carrying their trash out with them! (I've never worked in a movie theater - I just had a mother who taught me courtesy and manners! Thanks Mom!!!)
CrazyCatLa
Why is this news?
ReplyDeleteTheaters everywhere have been doing this for years.
I've never heard of this, but sounds like a good idea.
ReplyDelete@Carrie - That is my pet peeve. That and walking into a theater where your feet are STICKING to the floor from all the crap that was dropped on it.
Sounds awful.
ReplyDelete