A question..

[Darcy Baldwin]

Would you allow your 12yo and 8yo to sit and watch a movie at a theater if you and your husband were in a different theater if movie showtimes were similar? They'd have a cell phone if anything was needed,

[Stacey42]

I would, but I think I'd want my movie to get out first.

[MommaTrish]

Maybe - but I can't see John being OK with it. He's really protective of the boys.

[jacinda]

In New Zealand, yes. In America.......not so sure.

[SweetMelissa]

It depends. If its our theater in town then yes. If its the big theater in the next town then no. Also it depends on how mature the oldest is & will the younger one listen their sibling?

[MissKim]

It depends on the kid. My middle daughter at 12 and her sister at 8, yes. My youngest at 12... no way. Also depends on the theater. We live in a metro area and here I wouldn't do it. Just now let my middle dd at 15 go with friends alone here. If we were going in a smaller town, that's different. You know your boys.

[Misty Cato]

I think that would depend on the maturity and confidence of the 12 year old. I'd consider it.

[Darcy Baldwin]

We're having the 'discussion' I'm much more protective and said no way. I'm really surprised that DH is thinking it's okay - he just really wants to see Sherlock with me lol (and no, a sitter isn't an option at the moment)

[misfitinmn]

I probably wouldn't, but that age is such a distant reality right now, I might be imagining a 12 year old body with a little 3 year old inside because that's the age I'm in right now. I will say though that for me, I imagine it'd be less about me trusting my children, and more about me NOT trusting other people. Sad as that may be. I do agree though that a lot depends on the kids - if the younger would listen to the older and the older was mature enough, I might consider it.

[taracotta7]

Darcy, I did with my step daughter. When the oldest was 12 I sent them to watch a movie while I was there watching another. Of course, we had a big talk and there were LOTS of rules........like don't talk to strangers, don't get out of your seat, they had to stay together, ect. It worked out well and they earned that privilege to do it again because they did so well.

I just think it depends on the kids. If the 12 year old is pretty responsible and the younger will follow the rules and listen to the oldest sibling.....then yes. If you have any doubts though, I would go with your gut. Mommy's intuition is ALWAYS right.

[SmallMoments]

It would depend on the kid. If Luke continues on the path he is now, sure. (Although I'm not sure HE would want to.)

[Julie Billingsley]

absolutely. I'd have no problem with it. And my oldest son works at a large movie theater and we live in a medium-large city. Nothing ever happens that is bad. The kids will be FINE! No problem with it at all.... except if the kids were totally freaked out by it. I think it would be fine and I'd tell them how responsible they are now and it's important to not break my trust. Stay in the theater, etc, etc. Go for it Darcy!

[rach3975]

I'm inclined to say no, at least in part because we live in a major metropolitan area (a suburb of Washington, DC). I trust my oldest, who is 8 now, to follow any rules we set for something like that at 12, but our theaters are so big and can be so crowded.

But not having a 12-year old yet, I can't say for sure. My cousin is 15, and he seems old enough to have been doing it for a few years already. So maybe at 14 I'd be okay with it? 13? I don't know. I also think I'd be more comfortable with a group of 12-year olds than one 12 and one 8.

[newfiemountiewife]

I would do it. It depends on the kids and their maturity level. My son probably wouldn't be caught dead in a movie with his sisters though! LOL

ETA: I would set some rules, and a place to "meet" if needed?

[mariewilcox]

Cheyanne has gone in another movie with friends (11) but she has no younger siblings, so I can't answer that part. The theater is in a small city (at least small compared to most people's standards) but there are 10 theaters in the complex. I don't worry about other people because she'd scream her fool head off if anyone looked at her cross-eyed. I don't worry about her wandering off because her biggest fear is losing me in any way.

[Leila]

I think I might, so long as my movie ended first and the boys knew the rules backwards and forwards. JP would do ok, Devin's the one I worry about.

[YepBrook]

See, my first reaction would be no way, hosea. But I am protective. In all likelihood it would probably be fine. I'm still not sure if I would do it. However, I don't have a 12 year old. So maybe I'm underestimating their maturity?

The 12 year old would have to be fully in charge of the 8 year old enough so that if the younger boy wanted to leave the theater (either to see where you were, or use the restroom) he would have the authority over him to say no (and the younger one would obey his brother). And if you know that your boys always, without fail, have to pee during a movie I wouldn't do it. It seems too risky for them to be visiting the restroom alone. At least in my city it would be.

I know babysitting is not an option, but.... do you have any friends who you could arrange a playdate with so you can go? Maybe some afternoon?

[joelsgirl]

I would. My parents used to drop me off at the theatre when I was 11, but I grew up in a town of about 30,000. Plus if they're your kids, Darcy, I'm sure they're responsible and trustworthy ; )

[Robin Carlton]

I absolutely would, but we are really relaxed with our kids. Katie babysits for us at 11, the kids play outside in the neighborhood with the rest of the kids in the houses around us ages 4-12 from morning til night during the summer and weekends. We let them go shopping in stores like Justice without us if we're next door some place they won't enjoy. We let them walk to the park in our neighborhood that's 2 blocks over. They have cell phones and I think it's important to teach kids to be independent, respectful, responsible, etc.

I know a lot of parents would think we're crazy, but I think people are bit TOO paranoid about their kids sometimes. Yes, the world is a bit different than it used to be, but we refuse to live in fear of the what ifs and instead try to teach our kids to look out for themselves while having fun doing the things we know they'll remember for a long time.

So yes, that's the long way around of me saying that I'd totally let my kids see a movie in a theatre while Rocky and I watched something else close by.

R

[lauren grier]

ce no i wouldn't.. but that's for extenuating circumstances.. that said, i was frequently left home alone with my brother @ age 10 (he was 7) so i think in general it's probably fine.

[julifish]

I would let my 12 and 8 yo daughters go to a movie if I was going to be in the same theatre. My only concern would be that the 8 you would want to go to the bathroom and the 12 yo would say no. But I think giving them a little freedom is good. Heck my 12 yo has been babysitting since she was 11. She stays with the neighbors 2, 4 and 9 yo for 3-5 hours at a time.

We're like Robin, our kids play outside with the neighbor kids and I let my older one walk away from me in a store to look at what she wants and go into another store without me. She also goes to the mall and movies with friends every now and then.

Unless you think they will freak out I bet they'd be fine. Especially with a cell phone. They can always text you if they get freaked out or have a problem.

[Keely~B]

I think it depends on the kids but under those circumstances, we'd let ours.

[KyRainbow]

Absolutely. I'd have no problem with it if it were my daughter. Granted I live in a smaller town (15,000) of people, but my daughter and her friends see movies by themselves from time to time.

[SeattleSheri]

I haven't parented a 12 year old yet, so I'm honestly not sure. Like many others, I think it depends on the kids. I'm inclined to say yes, based on typical 12 and 8 year olds.

[lovely1m]

I would let them provided your movie let out first or within a few minutes.

[color of my heart]

it would depend on the kids, and on the theatre. where i am, we have a MEGA theatre and then we have one that's smaller. if they were going to the mega theatre, no. too many people. the smaller theatre, yes, but only if the movies were on the same side of the theatre.

[tanyiadeskins]

You already have enough opinions lol. but just to add my two cents.. I would not. I would only allow them to sit alone in the same theater...but I would have to be able to see them.

[Milmomma]

Well basing off my kids in another 6 years, my kids would be 12 & 10. They are pretty mature as is, so I'm thinking if we were to go to an on post movie theater (usually 1-4 screens), yes I would let them. If we were back home with the 30 or so Mega theaters nah. The city is dangerous to 16-18 year olds, let alone 12.
If this helps the rules here in Korea on base, state that kids can walk alone around base at 8 or older. 2nd grade and younger have to escorted to from bus stop/to school.

[abm234]

Another paranoid Mom here. Voting no.

[jessica31876]

I would not. The theaters near us are all really busy and large though and I am just really over-protective.

[DawnMarch]

I would not -- for one thing, I'd probably be worried and wouldn't enjoy the movie! If it were two twelve year olds, I would; but not with an 8 y.o. I think just too young to be responsible on their own in public.

[kscwgirl]

Yes, if your movie got out first. if theirs was out first, no.

[Paula]

I would and I have. And my kids always knew exactly where I was going to be if they needed me (this was pre-cell phone days).

[Sharon Kay]

Originally Posted by Darcy Baldwin

Would you allow your 12yo and 8yo to sit and watch a movie at a theater if you and your husband were in a different theater if movie showtimes were similar? They'd have a cell phone if anything was needed,

No ... one reason being is that the younger one wouldn't take instructions from the older and visa versa ... and just because you don't know who is sitting next to them ... etc. etc. etc.