On Saturday night N and I went out with our friends Kristin and Ryan to dinner and to see Kick A**. I wanted to see it because I like kung fu movies, super heroes, nerdy kids, and 11 year-old girls swearing like sailors (just kidding!). But seriously, I read the reviews beforehand so I knew what type of movie I was going to go see. The movie was for the most part well-made and I liked it but it’s definitely not a kids’ movie. I think 16 is probably even too young in most cases. It’s not even a movie for squeamish adults.
Which was why I did a double take when I walked in the theater and saw a family sitting down with their approximately 9 year-old son. And then when the movie was over a mom walked passed us with her 6 year-old daughter! Who DOES THAT? Either the parents were totally clueless about what the movie was going to be like (in which case they should have walked out when the realized their mistake) or they they were simply too lazy to arrange babysitting. Way to traumatize your kids!
I try not to be judgmental regarding other parents (I have plenty of weaknesses of my own) but parents taking their kids to see age-inappropriate movies is a huge pet peeve of mine. Once they’re at a movie kids are a captive audience and it’s part of your job as a parent to make sure what they’re watching isn’t going to freak them out or damage them.
Epic parenting FAIL!
When I taught preschool I was always shocked by some of the movies my kids would tell me they had watched. But it was usually something like Spiderman or Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. If the name of the movie is Kick A** how can you have any doubt that it's not for a 6 year old?
I'm totally with you on that. 🙂 That said, I really want to see the movie now, myself.
My parents did take both my sister and me to see The Exorcist when it came out. I was born in 1970. Google the movie and do the math. Yeah… I still remember scenes from it, and also remember thinking that there was a lot of pea soup in the movie. Odd thing is I am quite fond of pea soup. I wonder if it traumatized my sister more… she is quite skittish. Yeah, my parents apparently just LOVED movies and wanted to instill that love in us. Um. Okay….
We were at a baseball game the other night and it went pretty late. As we were walking out to the car after it was over, there was a family ahead of us where the kid was obviously very tired and crying and asking his dad to carry him. The dad's response was, "Quick crying! Be a man!" I wanted to punch him. Parents these days.
UM, yeah. Totally messed.
Gah. I remember going to a Good Will Hunting 9:30 showing with N. and seeing 6 year olds there. Maybe both those parents and the ones at your show thought the kids would fall asleep? Is that their rationale? I just can't figure it out.
Huge pet peeve of mine also…Was in an R movie when parents sat down in front of us with their 7-8 year old son. I could not enjoy the movie at all…all I could think about was how disgusted I was that a child this age was viewing such things…there were graphic scenes even I had to turn my head. A form of child abuse!