Hey there! You’re listening to the Mighty Mommy with some quick and dirty tips for practical parenting. Today I’ll be talking about taking kids out to see a movie.
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Last weekend my husband and I went on a date. This is something we don’t get to do very often and I’m not sure my husband was thrilled when I said I want to go see the new movie, Enchanted. It is a Disney princess movie after all. I really did want to see it, but part of me was simply screening it for the kids. Well, I did get to see it and I loved it. I decided it’s something my daughter would really enjoy and I didn’t think anything was too scary or objectionable for her. This weekend I’ll be taking her to the movies as part of her birthday celebration. She’ll be turning four soon and she loves going to the movies. I have had a few parents look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them this. Then they ask, “How do you get her to behave?” Well, I do the best I can, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. We’ve had our issues. I’ve learned a few things along the way that help and I’m going to share these ideas and some additional suggestions I’ve received from others. Keep in mind that all children are different and you, as a parent, ultimately need to decide when you are ready for the adventure of taking your kids to see the movies on the big screen!
My first tip is to ease into it. While your child might surprise you by sitting through a movie the first time you go, don’t expect it to be that easy. It depends on your child, the movie and everyone’s mood at the time. Of course, if you take a tired, cranky, or hungry child into a movie theater, you can’t expect that child to suddenly be a well-behaved little angel. Make sure you are all in the right mood. If there are going to be complications, you need to be in the right frame of mind to handle them patiently. If mommy or daddy is stressed before you leave, rethink your timing.
So, you know what times are good to take the kids the movie, now you need to decide what to go see and where to go see it. If you are like me, you’ll want to preview movies somehow before taking the kids. Ratings are provided as a helpful tool, but shouldn’t be the only way you make your choices. You need to base your choices on your own children’s likes, dislikes, fears, and the values you’ve instilled in them. For example, I will never forget going to see the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I was five years old. When Augustus Gloop was sucked into the chocolate milk machine, I cried. When Violet Beauregarde turned into a giant blueberry, my mom had to remove me from the theater. I’d become hysterical. The Oompa Loompa song still gives me the creeps. I don’t know if my mom knew that would happen, but I am one of those people who doesn’t like to be scared. My daughter is the same way. She’s easily frightened by certain images. In the new movie I want to see with her, I knew there was going to be a dragon. Now that I’ve seen the movie, I know that it’s within her fear threshold and she can totally handle it. If you can’t view a movie beforehand, check reviews and talk to parents and children who have seen it. Some movie websites will offer some additional insight into movie ratings based on personal reviews of actual people. One website called Common Sense has detailed information on almost every movie. It can be very helpful when trying to decide what will or won’t be appropriate for your kids. The website is Common Sense Media DOT org.
Once you’ve chosen your movie and you know when you want to go, it’s time to find the most accommodating theater for your needs. When choosing your theater the things to consider are, price, distance, roominess, movie volume, and whether or not it’s child-friendly. Most theaters are child-friendly, but some are friendlier than others. If you aren’t sure about a theater, give them a call. Some theaters advertise these great sound systems which are just loud. Loud movies can be painful or scary on some little ears. Find out if the theater offers any lower volume movies. You may also want to consider earplugs. You could also bring a pair of earmuffs to cover your child’s ears during the louder scenes. Another suggestion I received from a fellow parent was to bring special headbands which parents use to cover children’s ears when they are swimming. These may not offer a great deal of sound protection, but will reduce the volume slightly or hold a cloth in place to cover and protect the ear from the loud volume of the theater. Picking a theater closer to home can save you from having kids fall asleep on the ride. Also, if children are going to be expected to sit still for a long period, you won’t want them to have to be belted down for too long beforehand. Check with your local theaters, parenting groups, and newspapers. Some theaters offer children-specific showings of movies. These theaters often have extra lighting during the movie as well as lower volumes. Most new theaters have the moveable armrests to allow for more spacious seating. If you go at a time when the theater isn’t as busy, the younger kids might be able to catch a nap while the older kids enjoy the film. I also recommend sitting as close to the aisle as possible. The view may be better in the center of the theater, but the restrooms and exits are always closer to the aisle.
You are probably wondering when I’m going to talk about what to do when you get there and your child wants to run up and down the aisles. Well, if you’ve covered all the bases above, at least you’ve limited the chance of that happening somewhat already. Before the movie begins explain the rules of behavior you expect your child to follow. Let your child know that if the rules are not followed, you’ll have to leave. You may want to talk to the manager before going into the theater and let him know that this is your child’s first “big movie” and find out what the refund policy is and if there are any time limits on being able to leave and receive a refund due to your child’s behavior. The manager might be more compliant than you think. He’d probably much rather give you a refund than have you in the theater disturbing other patrons who might complain and demand refunds. Pick up a theater-provided booster seat for any children who need a boost up to see over the seat in front of them or who are not heavy enough to hold the spring-loaded theater seat down. The extra weight of the booster can help keep your child stable. Almost all theaters will let you bring your own food in nowadays. Pack some yummy snacks for everyone and fill up the sippy cups and water bottles. Theaters rarely provide healthy snacks and most of them are over-priced. Popcorn is a choking hazard for young children. You’ll be in the dark and you want to make sure your children are safe so bring snacks that your kids are least likely to choke on. Cheese slices, cereal, crackers and diced fruits are great choices. Once again, if you are concerned about theater rules, talk to the manager before you enter the theater and clarify everything up front. If your child does act out during the movie, you should remove him from the theater. If he’s been behaving for a while, let him walk around the lobby for a little bit to get his wiggles out. When he’s ready to give the movie another try, head back into the theater. If he doesn’t make it through the entire movie the first few times, don’t give up. He’ll get there eventually.
Finally, always try to use the buddy system. Find another parent or adult to attend the movie with you if you are taking more than one child. If you have to leave theater for any reason, you’ll need to pack up everything of value and all of the kids unless you have another adult to stay behind. My husband and I took our kids to the movies and I settled everyone into their seats while Daddy was buying himself some overpriced popcorn. Once we were all comfortable, my daughter decided she had to use the restroom. I had to gather up two kids, drinks and a diaper bag. I left the booster seat behind, but by the time we returned, someone had taken our beautiful aisle seats. Thankfully, my husband had come into the theater, realized we weren’t there and found us some seats on the other side. We all made it through the entire movie and had a great time. Next time we’ll know. Make sure everyone goes to the bathroom before you choose your seats.
That’s it for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed listening.
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