Sun Sentinel

Who brings young kids to midnight movies?

Michael Mayo

9:34 AM EDT, July 23, 2012





Look, this isn't to put any blame anyplace it doesn't belong -- everything falls squarely on the alleged shooter, James Holmes. And it was gut-wrenching to hear that a 6-year-old girl was one of the fatalities, and that her wounded mother has been calling out for her in the hospital and nobody initially had the heart to tell the mom that her daughter was dead.

But, but...OK, it sounds callous even asking it. But, I'm thinking it...Who brings a young child to a midnight movie, much less a PG-13 movie that's filled with realistic depictions of mayhem and violence?

Look, I know that school's not in session. And I know that some infants just sleep through movies or dinners out. But the 4-month-old who was there (and escaped injury) also had a 4-year-old sibling in attendance.

I can't speak for anybody else's parenting, but in my mind it's not really considerate to my own child -- or to the adults who might be around her -- to have her up, never mind out, past a certain time.



Call me a prude or old-fashioned, but to my way of parenting, that just strikes me as odd.

But no parent or kid should ever have to endure the horror that unfolded that night. My heart goes out to all of them.