Shhh!!! The parents' guide to taking junior to the movies

So, my husband and I had the opportunity to see Silver Linings Playbook a few weeks ago (thank you Mimi and Papa, babysitters extraordinaire!), and I was pretty darn excited for some grown-up time. Of course, before the previews even started, we both became aware of a little girl, maybe about three-years-old, sitting with her mom or grandma a few rows back.

I scrunched up my face. “Not appropriate,” said I. My husband just shrugged. He’s not as judgey, which made me wonder:

What is appropriate when it comes to taking kids to a movie theater?

Well, there are no easy answers here. When it comes to what age you can bring your baby/toddler/child into a theater, it’s pretty much up to a parent’s discretion. And movie theaters don’t have specific rules beyond asking you to leave if your baby is disrupting the show for others. Some theaters offer Mommy/Baby showings of certain films, but then a parent has to consider if the volume level or experience is too much for a small child.

Well, I applied my super-duper web-hunting skills to the task and found there are plenty of sites out there who want to help. Here are a few resources I tracked down with my good friends, Bing and Google.
 

- A checklist for deciding if a movie is appropriate for your particular child.  Although, the first checkbox--watching the movie first--may be difficult. I mean, I'm not going to see The Croods twice.


- A site where films are rated by age. Heads up on this--most movies out there are suggested for teens and older.


- Tips for taking your child to the movie theater. This includes packing snacks, which made me chuckle. My purse is like a travel-size vending machine already.


- Advice from an expert on the issue. Age three seems to be the time when parents can start testing the waters, although Silver Linings Playbook, in my book, still isn't preschool-friendly.

When it comes down to it, most of us really do want to do right by our kids, so making sure a movie is kiddo-friendly isn’t a bad idea. And deciding whether your child can sit still and function as a good audience member is important too. Because, let’s face it, are you really going to enjoy that movie if someone like me is shooting you scrunchy faces the whole time?

Okay, so maybe I’m a little preachy. I know how hard it is to be tied to the house when the third (fourth?) rendering of Iron Man is coming out. But have no fear, those kiddos grow up fast (so I’ve been told), and sooner or later, you’ll be trying to decide if their movie is appropriate for you.