Would You Let Kids Go to the Movies by Themselves?

Buy another ticket. Go in there with them. They're too young.

Maybe you can escape from planet Earth by taking a couple of cat naps! LOL!

Dawn

I have taken my kids (7&10) to a Cineplex and let them go and watch a kids movie in one theatre while I watch an adult movie in another theatre. We just meet back up in the lobby when the movies are done. I have never heard of any age guidlines. My 10 year old also attends free movies because he is a school patrol where he is dropped off and picked up and all of the kids are ages 9-11.

My son is eleven and I would not let him go with friends without me. I trust him, but not everyone else. Besides, I kind of like going to the childrens movies. Also, my son still likes me going with him and I will take advantage of that as long as I can. :)

It depends on your kids and their relationship. I would go with my gut. Shame on the moms putting you down.

You have to think about where that theater is, what they're watching, and who your children are. Some kids (my cousin) I wouldn't trust alone at 17! Other kids (me, my brother, my oldest son) I would absolutely trust by 11 years old to be able to walk to the room number on the ticket, sit down, and watch a movie...and what to do if approached by someone. I sure would allow my oldest to do that by the time he's 11 (my oldest is too young for me to know how he'll be yet, though he's an expert at age 3 in telling me who is a "worker" and what to say to a "worker" if he can't find me: My name is __ __, my mom (or dad, or sitter)'s name is __ __. Please help me, I'm lost"). I believe you, as mom, know the maturity level and readiness of your children better than we well meaning strangers on mamapedia, so do go with your gut.

To me, this is not even remotely a question about being a bad mom (or lazy, or whatever people want to say). This is about giving children opportunities to practice independence in safe environments, in small increments, beginning in controlled environments that gradually get bigger instead of suddenly just letting them loose because they've had a birthday to some magical age that is suddenly "appropriate". Being a good mom, in my opinion, is letting your child have a little independence, but PRACTICING those scenarios that they may or may not encounter. For example, my son was 5 when he first took me to a movie theater on a mother/son date. My husband put the money in his little wallet and said "this one is for tickets, then put the change in this part. This one is enough to buy popcorn and coke, so give it to the snackbar kid". He coached our son to speak up and tell which movie we are going to see, and to open the door for me, so that when we went he did it all really well. Very sweet. I let him hold the ticket and see where the number is while I carried the snacks, the ticket guy said "2nd to the left" and then I showed him the signs on the door to verify that it matched our ticket. He got to pick the seats and all that. He's practicing how to follow directions, read signs, and make his way through things like airports, hotels, theaters, etc all the time. When he's 11 I am certain he'll be able to be a big boy and watch a movie and behave properly while doing it, and he can meet me at a predetermined bench in the lobby. I consider that parenting, not treating my children like they're handicapped and acting like we'll never be separated.....because at some point, we will be, whether I want it or not. And I want my kids to know what to do, and how to respond, when that day comes, with the safety of being in a room with ushers, workers, and me sitting right there in the lobby with a book until they're practiced enough to handle it with no fear or uncertainty (not at their ages now: 6 and 3, but certainly by the time my oldest is 11 he can go without me sitting right next to him). I hate how some parents are trying to keep their kids in the crib, so to speak, thinking it's good parenting to hold children down. No, to ME, that would be the more lazy parenting: easier to just go with someone than to teach them how to do it themselves.

If I were you and this was the first time, I would coach them on what to do, and then go to the theater with a book. Let them go purchase the ticket, snack, and go to the correct room by themselves, with you kind of there as an "escort" (but let them make their way on their own, don't show them where....but maybe point out the nearest restroom just in case). Then just hang out and read a book, balance your checkbook, or whatever and let them find you at your meeting spot after the movie. That way you've taken a little break but are there to make sure they know what to do that first time.

For me, it would depend on a lot of things...

How responsible are the boys? Will they behave or will they get into trouble?

How close will you be to the movie theater during the movie/ Will they have a cell phone so that they can call you if they need to?

Is this in a small town or a big town?

Yea for you. Giving them a little independence, something kids are not allowed these days. You will be in the lobby. Bring a good book and enjoy your time. As long as they know the rules they will be fine.

assuming the 8 yo will sit through the movie and listen to the 8 yo, I'd let them go without adult supervision. My daughter was that age when her and her friends started going by themselves. One parent would drop off and another pick them up. I said it was the only age where I knew they would actually go to the movie lol.
You're controlling the environment - not like they're walking 2 miles down a highway to go. You're dropping them off and picking them up in the lobby. Make sure they both go to the bathroom before going in so they don't have to miss any of the movie and let them have fun! good for you! they must be pretty good kids for you to consider this and a good opportunity for them to prove responsibility. This is how kids learn to be independent

My answer depends on three factors:

1. The appropriateness of the movie. It would have to be a movie I'd be *very* comfortable them watching without me. I don't know anything about this movie/what it's rated/whether I'd think it was okay for my kids.

2. The maturity (for lack of a better word) of the boys. I know some 11- and 8-year-olds I would trust to do things that I'd never consider letting other 11- and 8-year-olds do.

3. The theater itself. We live in a *very* rural area and the last couple times my husband and I have gone to a movie, there have been a maximum of 4 other people at the show (and we knew them).

Also -- a big "c'mon" to the comments that say that simply by asking this question you're a lazy, uncaring, fed-up-with-children kind of a mom.

Really?

A person who doesn't want to get up off her butt and be a parent doesn't ask questions like this; she does what she pleases and doesn't think about whether it's the best thing for their kids. For all we know this is a stay-at-home home-schooler who never gets a break and spends all her waking hours with her kids. Geez.

Heck yes!
You know how they would behave.

Our daughter and her friends went to movies on their own by 4th grade.
They knew how to behave. You are in no way a lazy parent. You are allowing your children to grow up. To make good choices and giving them independence.

i absolutely would. the only exception would be if the theater were in a bad area, but i'm assuming you wouldn't take your kids there at all.
11 and 8 is plenty old enough to go sit and watch a movie with mom nearby.
khairete
S.

Depends on the kids. When I was in 7th and 8th grade, I used to get paid to babysit other kids and I watched my sister, who was 10 yrs younger, all the time. I was 12 - 13 at the time. I think they are plenty old enough, as long as you trust them to behave and not start going hog wild in the theatre. If you are worried, the first time you could take a book and stay in the lobby while they watch.

When we were about that age, there was a dollar movie theatre near us. Not only did we go to the movies alone, I think we saw jurassic park like 7 times in a week once, lol.

If this is a movie you would let them see anyway, I see no reason why they can't see it by themselves. Of course if one of them needs to go to the bathroom they should both go together. We are really crippling children by not allowing them any independence at all. It is no more dangerous for kids today than it was when I grew up in the 70s. Theaters have guidelines - children younger than 17 cannot see an R rated movie without an adult. The rating system was designed with the expectation that children would be seeing movies by themselves.

@ GammaG - Think how awful you would feel if the movie theater were shot up by a madman and you were not there to see your kids shot? Really? If you're going to worry about that, just stay home. There is a VASTLY greater chance of being killed in a car accident on the way to or from the movie than being caught in a mass shooting.

My boys are 8 and 15 (I know my oldest is older than yours), and my husband and I will often let them go see movies together while my husband and I go see something else in the same theater. We've done this for a couple of years now. They do just fine, and have a good time hanging out having some brother time.

Being a parent isn't alwasy convenient, easy or enjoyable. I have seen plenty of kid movies I didn't want to. You should do the same.

I let my daughter go at 11 with other kids her own age, but I wouldn't have made her responsible for another kid.

I would go with them. They're still young enough that it would be a good idea. Think of it this way: would you want to be there if something uncomfortable happened? Even if it's just someone talking trash to an usher (I've seen this more than once, when a person was asked to leave)? I'd go.

The movie theater here does have a "Drop off" age. The minimum is 14. You should check with your theater. In my area, I would not...the theater has a history of weird things happening. It's not a good area. If you live in a good area, I would let them. IF my 8 year old would sit through the movie, OR my 11 year old would get up with him if he needed to use the restroom.

How times have changed, eh? I attended my first movie without a parent (actually, my first movie ever) when I was 6. I went with my 7 year old and 4 year old brothers. My parents bought our tickets, watched us go into the theater, then picked us up afterwards. I was already babysitting for a neighbor's infant by the time I was 11.

My kids are both in high school now and I honestly don't remember when I started allowing them to attend movies without a parent. (Certainly not as young as I did!)

um no.
absolutely not too young.
11 is too young to be looking after an 8 yr old.

I have no idea what the movie theaters guidelines might be regarding this.... since I never would have considered it. My kids are 14 and 11. I might let the 14 yr old go in with friends alone, but not the 11 year old.

So what if you aren't that interested in the movie. Go sit and share popcorn with your kids. Before you know it, they won't want you to go in with them and will pitch a fit if you attempt to do so.

I took my 2 kids (14 & 11) and two of their friends (16 & 11) to the movies over Christmas break. I let them sit wherever they wanted in the theater (it was pretty empty so lots of choices, too). I sat behind the two boys (the older 2)... just because I bought both sets of kids the big bucket of popcorn, and myself a small bag. I told my son and his friend that if I ran out, I was refilling from their bucket. LOL

It was fun getting to talk to them on the way home about their impressions of the movie. I don't see why you don't want to go. Most "kids" movies these days are actually geared as much to adults as to kids anyway. And it is fertile ground for conversations with your kids. Why would you want to let an opportunity like that slip by? So you can sit and read in the lobby?! I don't get that at all.

There is no way I'd let a kid go in a theater by themselves to even just go to the bathroom. It's breeding ground for perverts who lay await in the bathrooms and in the theaters just looking for kids alone.

Think PeeWee Herman. That stuff goes on during G rated movies too. The pervs have a whole room of kids to fantasize about and they get their rocks off just sitting there.

Plus if something horrid happened like it did in Colorado how horrible would you feel for the rest of your life if you weren't there and they died. You'd have guilt the rest of your life wondering if you'd been there is they'd have been safer and you'd have gotten them out.

I think in negative images, I know.....I always see the possible bad outcome. The kids would most likely be okay but I would never ever allow it to happen. If they wanted to sit by themselves I'd sit in the back with them just a few rows in front. If anyone sat beside them I think I'd simply walk up and say "Excuse me, that's my seat. I was in the bathroom" and make them move.

Wow. Sad.

Me and my sister and cousins used to get dropped off at the the threatre for Saturday matinees all the time. We were given money for popcorn, soda, and hot dogs. We would stay all day watching movies. We loved it. We knew how to behave ourselves and not get into trouble and no one ever bothered us.

I guess times have changed.

I could have totally trusted my son, but his friends were not always well behaved without parental supervision.
We live in a very rural area with one theatre and I know the owners so it's not like we had to worry about other people.

I've been to many movies I didn't really want to see just for the experience of going with my kids and their friends, but I also knew it would have been perfectly safe for them to go alone. Like I said, my main concern was the other kids having correct etiquette.

I guess it depends on where you live and the circumstance, but I could have trusted my own children alone at the movies.

I don't know how safe it would be nowadays. Honestly, I don't know that all children are capable of behaving the way they should and in that case, they should have a parent along.

Just my opinion.

I don't know your community but I wouldn't let kids that age go to the movies alone in Portland even if I waited in the lobby during the movie. It's probably safe but I wouldn't want to take the risk.

I've not seen children that young in the theater without adults. But you could call the theater and ask. It's unlikely that employees would notice anyway.

Nope, but that's just me.

You should check with the specific theater, as they can have different rules.

Generally, unless a movie is rated R, children can go to them without an adult accompanying them. But, if a particular theater has had problems with unattended children, they might have stricter rules.

As far as the movie itself, you might want to check out this movie's review at http://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/escape-from... to help you make an informed decision about it.

**eta** and me, personally, no, I wouldn't let a child go to the movies without a trusted adult. I think my mom started letting us go when we were about 13.

too young. Just one perv & .........

I would go just to make sure there wasn't anything in the movie that was inappropriate and warranted a discussion. As a mom, you don't have to like the activities your kids like, but they sure appreciate it when you join them anyway.

Nope. I trust my kids but I don't trust other people. All it takes is one sicko pervert to be there or if they have to go to the bathroom etc. Not worth the risk to me...

Haven't yet & not planning to for a really long long time.However my SIL(didn't know that my inlaws let my kids go with SIL when they were visitng) let my oldest go with her girls whom are teens I was poed that SIL/inlaws didn't call and ask if that was ok to do she was in the same theater (was age appropriate movie)younger children watching a Disney movie.Happened once won't happen again.