For many parents, attending matinee screenings of Disney animated films is a safe space for children and normal child behavior. It’s a cartoon, aimed at kids, and done while the kids are out – if adults want total peace and quiet, go see the later screenings.
But there are still issues with etiquette at children’s movie theaters. At what time is it too late? There will be no young children present in the theatre, and what overall is acceptable child behavior?
A woman on TikTok (@thesam_show) once had a bad drama experience that she blamed on poor parenting of a toddler. When she got home she complained about the whole thing for a long time.
It all started when she and her fiancé decided to watch the 8 p.m. moana 2. She said she knew since she saw a Disney movie that there would be some kids in the audience acting their age – talking and squirming – but one kid’s behavior was particularly bad.
“I’ve learned that once I say this, my parents will say to me, ‘You don’t understand how hard this is. When you’re a parent, you’ll understand,'” she says at the beginning of the video. But when I tell you, last night I witnessed some of the most appalling parenting I have ever seen in my life…”
She said the theater was packed with adults and families, but when the movie started, a family of four sitting near them with a child about three or four years old was not watching at all.
“He decided to start walking around the theater,” she said. “He’s looking at his parents to see if they’re going to do anything. They’re looking at him and they’re looking at each other, like what do we do?
Apparently, the answer is: not much.
“I was sitting there, like: You’re the parent,” she continued. “You stand up and sit his butt on the chair. They don’t do that. Instead, they let the kid run around the theater – and I’m not exaggerating at all.
Not only was her movie viewing interrupted, but she felt sorry for the other kids trying to watch the movie. Moana sequel.
“Other kids are trying to watch the movie,” she continued. “You can tell this is a special moment for them. They’re sitting in chairs with their parents and they’re so well behaved. This kid is running around, he gets to the front of the theater, and he looks back and stares at him The mom waved, ‘Mom, mom!'”
She added that it was not only distracting but also in her opinion dangerous.
“You let your kids run around in the theater,” she asked. “Sometimes they didn’t take care of their kids. So I was watching their kids because – he would run out of the exits, he would trip and fall. And when the kid was making noises and screaming, they were completely ignoring him.
Although she didn’t have children, she knew what she would do if she were in their shoes.
“I just want to make it clear that if my kid did this, he would be dragged out of the theater and I don’t care if I spent money on the movie,” she continued. “He’s going to be severely criticized and either stay in his seat or we leave.”
This behavior continues as the movie goes on.
“He would go up to his parents and they would touch his popcorn and stuff like that. They would reward that behavior,” she described. “Eventually they did let him sit down, but only because they put a cell phone in his hand while YouTube Miss Rachel was playing. And allowed him to sit in the theater with everyone else, holding up Miss Rachel’s Volume to listen to calls.
She said she tried to understand but it was beyond the pale.
“I really want to hold space. I’m sure it’s hard to be a parent. But at the same time: you’re the parent. You’re the one who corrects this behavior. I know kids are going to squirm in the movie… but if you let me , I can handle it in five seconds: Supervise your kids. He’s not only annoying, he’s dangerous.
She ended her rant with a plea to parents watching the movie: “This is so exciting. It’s so scary. Please parent your kids. For the love of God.”
In the comments, the vast majority of people agreed with the poster – parents should step up and either tell their children to behave (without Miss Rachel) or they should leave.
“It’s crazy for three or four year olds to watch a movie at 8pm,” one netizen said in one of the most popular comments.
Another said: “I understand kids have different needs but parents need to try.”
Even experienced parents say the incident is inexcusable.
“As a mother of three, I agree,” one parent said. “I let my kids continue to be kids, but I also told them that we can’t play dumb or do what we want in certain situations — and if they can’t do that, the kids and I will leave.”
Another parent added: “Children are still learning but it’s the adults’ job to teach them.”
Many said they would have a manager come in and end the situation because it was dangerous for the children.
Finally, some people point out that kids aren’t the only ones ruining other people’s movies.
“Unfortunately, movie theater etiquette is beyond the control of adults and it drives me crazy,” one person said.
It sounds like the jury is out: take your kids to old movies, don’t let them run around and make noise, and if you can’t control them, it’s probably time to go home.
