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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fat Daddy" data-source="post: 3190071" data-attributes="member: 43560">I have really enjoyed reading this thread this morning.  It has been very enlightening to see both sides argued so well.  I am not sure I can add anything new, but I am going to put in my 2 cents anyway.  I think that most of simplicity's arguments state my general view.  I am not going to let societal norms, or governmental guidelines dictate how I raise my kids (I have a 2 year old and another due any day now).  I haven't taken my 2 year old to the movies, because she is not ready for it.  Why?  Because I say she's not ready.  When I feel she is ready, I will take her to what I deem to be appropriate for her, not what Joe Random thinks is appropriate.  If she misbehaves, I will (and do in other venues) correct her.  If it becomes a repeated/ongoing problem, we will leave.Don't get me wrong, I think taking a toddler to ANY 'R' rated movie is inappropriate (heck I don't even watch the news when my toddler is in the room).  But as I stated I refuse to let others dictate how I raise my kids and will therefore not try and dictate to others.I think the following summarizes my outlook fairly well.And that is exactly what my wife and I attempt to do.  My daughter refers to adults as Mr. or Ms. (as in Mr. Bob or Ms Katie), she says 'please', 'thank you' , 'I would like that please' instead of 'I need that' or 'gimme that'.  Granted, sometimes she forgets (she's 2) and we remind her with a 'is that how we ask' or 'use your manners please'.  She knows that if she acts up innappropriately she will get a warning and then if it continues a spank on the bottom (in public or no).That being said, we let her run around and play all she wants in the appropriate venues.  However, I don't think that the kid only theater or family oriented restaurant is the answer.  As parents how are we to teach our children to act properly in a theater if the only theater they are allowed in has kids running around screaming?  Or the only restaurant is a Chucky Cheese style?  The answer is, we can't.  We need to take them to other, more adult type venues to be able to teach them how to act in those venues.So to those opposed to children in these places I say, if the parents are correcting the children and not ignoring any problems/outbursts, please cut us and the the kids some slack.Edit: Sorry for the long winded post, it's been a long night...</blockquote>

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