Toddlers at the movies?

mike65

A kinema in Kerry was taken to the Equality Quango after some mother was offended that her 'mewling and puking' children we're not allowed in, the authority ruled for the mother so the cinemas ban on under 2s is now in effect, illegal.

Is there no escape?

Mike

KTRIC

Thats just not right. She's obviously a terrible mother if she's bringing a baby or toddler into a cinema and inflicting the loud surround sound on them.

Of course the baby is going to get upset, cry and then annoy the other patrons.

Zulu

Went to the UGC on parnell last saturday.
The row behind me had a couple and their new born.

He took a phone call about 15mins in.

I said nothing - they were pikies.

MagicMarker

I facking 8 pikies

Eirebear

It's simply common courtesy IMO.

I can understand that some people will find it hard if they want to go and see a film, but cant get a babysitter etc.

The problem is, you are taking a 2 year old into a dark room and making them sit down for 2 hours, i mean come on guys think about the poor kid for a minute!

I know that a lot of the cinemas (CIneworld included) have "parent and child" showings for many films. Does that happen in Ireland at all?

ryoishin

When I went to see The Bourne Ultimateum (sp?) We had to sit up the front and there was a baby in a pram beside us. My ears were sore from the sound never mind the baby.

The best I ever seen was when star wars was re-released and some baby was shouting. This guy shouts from the back "get that kid outta here hes ruining the best film experience ever" lol.

Mr E

Hell hath no fury like a Star Wars geek scorned....

humanji

ryoishin wrote:

When I went to see The Bourne Ultimateum (sp?) We had to sit up the front and there was a baby in a pram beside us. My ears were sore from the sound never mind the baby.

You should of gotten the baby thrown out. The movie was 12's wasn't it?

Mr E

Technically 12A (anyone under the age of 12 has to be accompanied by an adult)

Galvasean

I think it should be illegal to bring any child under 4 into a cinema. For starters the loudness of the film can't be good for their underdeveloped ear drums. Any parent he does so should be prosecuted for cruelty/abuse.

The there's the fact that babies cry, a lot. It can't be helped. It's simply not fair on the other patrons.

Hmm, I wonder do these parents have to buy an extra ticket for the baby since they are an individual person, what with equality and all that. Or do they get away with it since 'It's only one seat.*' (for the record, is a pram in the aisle not a fire hazard?)

*Next time I bring a girlyfriend to the cinema I'm buying one seat. She can sit on my lap :pac:

mike65

In the discussion I heard, the youngest was described as being breast-feeding age, so many you should sit on her lap! :pac:

Mike

Xavi6

Had some little yoke scream the place down when I went to see Eagle Eye the other week. I've never heard so many "For fuck sake" murmurings from a crowd.

Ban the bastards I say.

(Move to parenting forum?! )

Karl Hungus

I once went to see a film when a couple had brought their baby in with them, and the poor thing was screaming it's head off. Not talking about a toddler here, but a proper baby, not even a year old I'd say. As annoyed as everyone else was, that has to be child cruelty.

Babies should be left outside, or in a special bin outside the ticket office, to be collected once you leave.

johnny_ultimate

Eirebear wrote: »

I know that a lot of the cinemas (CIneworld included) have "parent and child" showings for many films. Does that happen in Ireland at all?

Mermaid cinema here in Bray (which shows "arthouse" films once a week) have mother and child screenings regularly for both kids films and ones for parents who don't have a chance to go on Monday night. I think the IFI has one too called "For Crying Out Loud" or something. Probably just exists due to the punning opportunities though.

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Babies should be left outside, or in a special bin outside the ticket office, to be collected once you leave.

+1 for Baby Bin. Just make sure to seperate it from the non-Baby Bin on collection day. No one wants a cube baby after watching Disaster Movie.

MementoMori

Mike - Can you post a source/link for that story as I can't find anything about this?

I wonder was the the mother in the original case simply looking for a payout?

Surely there has to be some method for cinema's to get around this?

Any parent who is ignorant enough to bring a baby to the cinema deserves to be scorned in my opinion.

Pretty sure the IFI still do the whole For Crying Out Loud thing. I don't think Cineworld do something similar.

mike65

I heard this on rte radio, it was a two min feature this morning. Haven't found a newspaper linky.

Mike

Galvasean

Galvasean wrote: »

I think it should be illegal to bring any child under 4 into a cinema. For starters the loudness of the film can't be good for their underdeveloped ear drums. Any parent he does so should be prosecuted for cruelty/abuse.

I bring my 4 year old to the cinema (to childrens films) on a very regular basis, have done since she was about 2.
hmmm, yeh, entertaining your child is child abuse.

Zulu

Subjecting your baby to THX surround cinema sound is a bit much, was the point being made.
That along with how rude it is to all the other viewers.

MementoMori

Link is in here for

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1021/morningireland.html

Need the RealPlayer cr.ap to play it

Of course there doesnt seem to be any info about this on the Equality Authority website. Brilliant:rolleyes:

*********************************************************

I think a difference has to be made to clarify between taking a baby/toddler/child to the cinema and especially what type of film.

It's one thing taking a baby to a film like The Bourne Supremacy/Eagle Eye and taking a child of four years to something like Igor.

If I went to see a film like Igor I wouldnt have any problem with a young child
at it. I don't know why anyone would take a baby to such a film as they are not going to get much out of it and neither is a grown-up.

However taking a young child or a baby to a film like The Borne Supremacy/Eagle Eyes is just mean to the child. The child clearly wouldnt have any interest in such a film and it would be cruel to take them along to a dark room and expect them to sit quietly for two hours. As for a baby they are going to behave like a baby generally does - cry. Parents might say that they want to see the film and don't want to pay for babysitting but I would say that you have to make sacrifices as a parent and this is one of them.

Zulu

Zulu wrote: »

Subjecting your baby to THX surround cinema sound is a bit much, was the point being made.
That along with how rude it is to all the other viewers.

Bit harsh a point thought isn't it, parents should be prosecuted for bringing their kids to cinema!!!

I agree 100% with all of the points about rudeness to other viewers at adult films, (and meanness to the child) but that's not the only point that was being made.

Most Dublin Cinemas do a things called Reel Parents, where you can bring your baby to a film with brighter lights and lower sound, tea and coffee and changing facilities.....

johnny_ultimate

Definitely an issue of expactations. If you go to see a kids movie at 2PM on a Saturday afternoon, you'd expect a load of kids and you couldn't really complain since you're the odd one out in that situation. But as has been pointed out, going to the cinema in the evening to see anything non-kids would be a bit iffy. I agree that parents have the right to bring their child to the cinema (although they probably won't appreciate it as much until they are 3 or so. Is it cruel before that? Maybe..) but there is a fine line between that and common courtesy. That is why the parent and child clubs are great. It gives the parents a chance to see films they may want to see in a friendly and accessiable environment. Probably not the best way to watch a movie, but I think for most parents with newborns its the only chance they'll get and can only be welcoming of it.

fitz

Deleted User wrote: »

Most Dublin Cinemas do a things called Reel Parents, where you can bring your baby to a film with brighter lights and lower sound, tea and coffee and changing facilities.....

This is to be commended, and perhaps there should be more such screenings.
However, subjecting a child any younger than 4 to the level of volume in most cinemas these days is nothing other than irresponsible.

Hearing damage is irreversible.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/digitallife/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2004/10/21/ecwfilm17.xml

While the link is a little bit over the top in it's message, the point remains. All it takes is a momentary spike to cause what audiologists call a noise effect. Read up on it. I certainly wouldn't risk bringing a young child to the cinema for this reason alone, never mind out of consideration to others.

fitz

fitz wrote: »

This is to be commended, and perhaps there should be more such screenings.
However, subjecting a child any younger than 4 to the level of volume in most cinemas these days is nothing other than irresponsible.

Hearing damage is irreversible.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/digitallife/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2004/10/21/ecwfilm17.xml

While the link is a little bit over the top in it's message, the point remains. All it takes is a momentary spike to cause what audiologists call a noise effect. Read up on it. I certainly wouldn't risk bringing a young child to the cinema for this reason alone, never mind out of consideration to others.

So you think I'm an irresponsible parent! cheers for that.

ziedth

Deleted User wrote: »

So you think I'm an irresponsible parent! cheers for that.

TBF I have a problem with my hearing and I slur my words a little(Although not as bad since adulthood) bit for what happened to me when I was around 2 (excessively Loud Noise). So I should be living proof that maybe he has a point.

If there are showings that the sound is lower and lights brighter then I really wouldn't have an opinion on it.

Johnny Bitte

Deleted User wrote: »

So you think I'm an irresponsible parent! cheers for that.

Yes, Yes you are if you bring your child to a movie, in a dark room, with the volume turned up past insane and then dont leave when your child starts to scream and upset other patrons. Bold bold you!!

Unfortunatly barring and refusing entry to places like cinemas is a lot harder than I thought.

Simple way I ve found to fix all this.

Download the movie illegally!!

*Please note The_Goose135 does not take responsiblity for others illegal actions and has not given information on how to perform said illegal action.

Galvasean

Deleted User wrote: »

I bring my 4 year old to the cinema (to childrens films) on a very regular basis, have done since she was about 2.
hmmm, yeh, entertaining your child is child abuse.

There are many other ways to entertain a young child. Should your child develop hearing problems (God forbid) don't say you weren't warned.

The_Goose135

The_Goose135 wrote: »

Yes, Yes you are if you bring your child to a movie, in a dark room, with the volume turned up past insane and then dont leave when your child starts to scream and upset other patrons. Bold bold you!!

Em, could you tell me where on earth in any of my posts I gave the impression that IF my child started screaming and upsetting other patrons I wouldn't leave, 1 it has NEVER happened, and 2, of course I would bring my child out of the cinema if she was upset! Both in the interest of other cinema goers and in the interest of my daughter!

I am far from an irresponsible parent, my daughter loves going to the cinema, it is one of her favourite things to do, and I will continue to bring her until she asks me not to.

Quite funny to think the thousands of parents who bring their kids for a nice treat every weekend are irresponsible!

Apparently if I give her calpol just once a year she could develop asthma - hmmm, god, maybe I should have her adopted!

ziedth

Deleted User wrote: »

Quite funny to think the thousands of parents who bring their kids for a nice treat every weekend are irresponsible!

I dont think that bringing "Kids" to the cinema is the issue. I was brought from an early age also. As a matter of fact the kids audience is a prety large demographic, The issue at hand is Children the ages 1 to maybe 3 and the damage that Loud noise can do (see my earlyer post if you question this).

Not to mention the effect on other people in the cinema. A good point was made earlyer though about going to a family film during the day.

What you have done as a parent aside, loud noises can cause serious damage to a childs hearing and I would just bear this in mind should you have anymore children. even if its a 1 in a thousand chance is it worth risking.

You are to be comended for getting your child interested in films at an early age as it kept me Somewhat on the straight and narrow in my early/mid teens. I.E I wasn't knacker drinking I prefered to see a good film.

lostexpectation

was there an actual sign, well that's the problem the sign not the policy

fitz

Deleted User wrote: »

So you think I'm an irresponsible parent! cheers for that.

No, I'm not saying that. I have no idea what kind of parent you are, and wouldn't dream to judge.
Nor am I saying the cinema is not a place for kids. But there's a difference between taking a 4 year old to the cinema and taking a 2 year old.
Would you expose a child to something which could burn them and permanently damage their skin or something like that? No, clearly not.
I think the problem is awareness, and people just don't think that there's any risk.

I think this is one of the biggest public health issues we have. People are totally unaware of how easy it is to damage hearing, and the long term effects noise can have.
The volume some, if not most, people listen to mp3 players at is going to leave them with some form of permanent hearing damage. There's no denying it.

Noise induced hearing loss at a very young age is worse, as it can lead to speech and language development problems for the child, which in turn can lead to behavioural issues. These are not the kinds of things you want to risk when your child is at such a formative age.

Don't take this as me wagging the finger or having a go at you...I'm just putting the information forward.