Am I making a mistake?

Freelance, please, don't take a 2 year old to a Friday night movie.  It's not fair to anyone -- the other patrons, the child or you, your wife and inlaws.  Do you think any of you are going to enjoy yourselves if you're concerned the child is going to talk, scream, cry or want to run around in the 2 hours you're there?  If you're hellbent on taking the kid to the movies, go to a matinee that's more sparsely attended and sit in the back for an easy escape if your 2 year old gets fussy.  Please, wait until he/she is older or choose a more appropriate time/show.

 

I think 2 is still a little young. They aren't going to really remember or enjoy it. I think older 3 or 4 is a better time to start.

 

This is just one more reason to have a home theatre installed. I don't think you're so out of line in taking the little hack. At an animated children's movie, I think people generally expect a different atmosphere in the theatre than they do at something for more mature audiences. But I do think it would be a mistake, because you, as a responsible parent, will most likely be miserable. What really galls me is to go to an NC-17 or an R movie and people have their infants in there. Never fails, they'll start crying. I went to one a few months back and this lady had a six-year-old who wailed for fully 45 minutes of a two-hour movie. I was a notch below homicidal by the time it was over. A couple of weeks ago, I took my 11-year-old daughter to see Cars, which was being shown on a screen next to where The Omen was being shown. We're waiting to go in, and I see this man with a teen-ager and a kid who couldn't have been more than eight. Now the kid might well have behaved in that movie, but this is almost intentionally scarring him for life in my opinion.

BTW, 21's exactly right. I'm eternally amazed at some of the things people put in the mouths of their young children with little regard for whether they'll choke.

 

I went to my first movie at 34.

 

Kids (and adults) can choke on solid foods.

It was a terrible tragedy and accident, but I still think popcorn is mostly safe.
Gummi Bears, on the other hand, are evil.

 

I disagree. It's selfish to think no one should take a child to a child's movie.

Take your kid, Freelance, just don't expect him to sit still or be engrossed by the movie.

 

So, liquids or mashed veggies only? At what age is it safe to have a carrot stick or a PBJ?

 

If that's the best treat, obviously 21 didn't go to the movies with her boyfriend when she was 14.

 

I'm guessing MMSW likes to put something else in the popcorn.

 

Ummm...this isn't butter, is it?

 

sorry, idaho. agree to disagree. a two-year-old is far from ready to be in a theatre for a kids movie. you take your kids to enjoy the experience, not to have it possibly ruined by a youngster who's out of control for whatever reason -- and no one can predict how a two-year-old will react to a theatre experience. the ruined experience for others vs. the chance he'll be okay just ain't worth it. he's never going to remember the experience, anyway. take the kid to a circus, where screaming and noise is expected.

taking a two-year-old to the movies is a totally selfish act by parents. rent him a children's dvd and watch at home.

 

Isn't it always pretty much a coin flip anyway?
Idaho sounds like he has pretty well-grounded kids (no doubt got that from Mrs. Idaho ;D), but doesn't it always depend on the kids mood, etc?