StreetDance 3D has been a beacon, calling my 10 year old daughter for weeks. Several failed attempts were made to watch it but it was all left down to me.
The first day of half term hadn't been wonderfully successful,10 year old girl and myself having a minor falling out, both in tears over my inadequate parenting skills. Her hopes and standards had clearly not been met for the days activities. Lots of huffing and stropping and "I'm bored" was heard all over the house.
I had arranged as a surprise to take the kids to tonight's screening of the film leaving OH with baby girl.
I don't begrudge spending money on the children but I knew a cinema trip would be expensive, wanting to pace my finances for the 10 days they are off school.
Redeeming myself, we arrive at the cinema foyer to purchases our tickets and munchies.
1 x adult ticket £6.60
3 x children's tickets £6.00 each £18 total.
3 x children's snack box (containing a Capri sun, raisins, popcorn) £3.10 each £9.30 total
1 x regular diet coke £2.90
GUTTED
£36.80 on a film I didn't even want to see!
But it was about the kids, even though 8 year old girl and 6 year old boy were not too fussed on the film choice and would have probably watched anything else instead.
When I saw "funded by the National Lottery" and "UK Film Council" during the opening credits, my already low expectations fell.
I accepted that parents sometimes just have to grin and bear and submitted...
...okay, so nobody under 30 in the film could act for toffee but I'm sure they were hired for their dancing skills, beauty and washboard stomachs.
The music, which was all extremely current, was not my taste (N-Dubz and Tinie Tempah) but it suited the style of dancing.
The 3D effects were brilliant and really suited the genre.
Shock, horror, I started to enjoy myself!
...That's when the teenagers struck.
10 year old and 8 year old girls have a recent dislike of teenagers and I was shocked that they chose to sit on the back row next to four snotty 15 year old (guessing) girls. Leaving me the seat closest to them, with just one spare space between us.
I ignored their shuffling about, talking and constant trips out of the aisle to the toilet/food counter/wherever and left them to settle down with the film.
Half way through, they seemed to get bored.
Popcorn started to be hurled forward, luckily not in my direction and I expected other cinema goers to turn around and shout. Other food products rained forward for the next twenty minutes, my blood pressure rising in sympathy for the folk in front.
The teens obviously suffering with lack of concentration seemed to be getting rowdier, giggling, talking, swearing and egging each other to throw empty Pringles tubes.
A sour cream and chive tube flew ahead and clunked on the floor. They laughed. I looked over to see them recording it on their phone.
I'm not normally confrontational, even with back up. I have a couple of gobby mates that will usually stand up for themselves or others, way before I would get to a point where, I felt the need to speak up.
I heard a cackle of laughter and more swearing and I got a flash in my head of "£36.80."
I certainly wasn't going to waste my time and money on accommodating these tools.
I snapped!
Usually I ponder, consider the options, script myself before I "kick off," fearing the unknown. It was an out of body experience as I turned and loudly stated "How about you all shut up !?!"
I could have said "shut the fuck up" but I can't really remember.
I panicked as they all turned to me. People in front also turning around to see what was going on.
I could have been about to receive a mouthful of abuse from a grotty kid or maybe an over priced bucket of Pepsi poured over me.
I needed to back up my first comment and assert myself further.
I leaned in closer and said...cringes..."I tell you what, if I was one of the people sitting down there that had been hit by food, I would have come back here and battered you."
When I'm angry or not concentrating, my accent goes scouse. I've spent years trying to erase it or at least ease it but sometimes I can't help it.
So in a scouse accent, technically, I threatened some children.
For the next 10 minutes or so, they whispered and giggled and I waited on edge for repercussions. But they refrained from any more food attacks and stopped being as loud.
On the way out, my girls asked what had been going on and my son proudly told them that I had told the teenagers off.
I will admit it, I enjoyed the film more than I should.
The first day of half term hadn't been wonderfully successful,10 year old girl and myself having a minor falling out, both in tears over my inadequate parenting skills. Her hopes and standards had clearly not been met for the days activities. Lots of huffing and stropping and "I'm bored" was heard all over the house.
I had arranged as a surprise to take the kids to tonight's screening of the film leaving OH with baby girl.
I don't begrudge spending money on the children but I knew a cinema trip would be expensive, wanting to pace my finances for the 10 days they are off school.
Redeeming myself, we arrive at the cinema foyer to purchases our tickets and munchies.
1 x adult ticket £6.60
3 x children's tickets £6.00 each £18 total.
3 x children's snack box (containing a Capri sun, raisins, popcorn) £3.10 each £9.30 total
1 x regular diet coke £2.90
GUTTED
£36.80 on a film I didn't even want to see!
But it was about the kids, even though 8 year old girl and 6 year old boy were not too fussed on the film choice and would have probably watched anything else instead.
When I saw "funded by the National Lottery" and "UK Film Council" during the opening credits, my already low expectations fell.
I accepted that parents sometimes just have to grin and bear and submitted...
...okay, so nobody under 30 in the film could act for toffee but I'm sure they were hired for their dancing skills, beauty and washboard stomachs.
The music, which was all extremely current, was not my taste (N-Dubz and Tinie Tempah) but it suited the style of dancing.
The 3D effects were brilliant and really suited the genre.
Shock, horror, I started to enjoy myself!
...That's when the teenagers struck.
10 year old and 8 year old girls have a recent dislike of teenagers and I was shocked that they chose to sit on the back row next to four snotty 15 year old (guessing) girls. Leaving me the seat closest to them, with just one spare space between us.
I ignored their shuffling about, talking and constant trips out of the aisle to the toilet/food counter/wherever and left them to settle down with the film.
Half way through, they seemed to get bored.
Popcorn started to be hurled forward, luckily not in my direction and I expected other cinema goers to turn around and shout. Other food products rained forward for the next twenty minutes, my blood pressure rising in sympathy for the folk in front.
The teens obviously suffering with lack of concentration seemed to be getting rowdier, giggling, talking, swearing and egging each other to throw empty Pringles tubes.
A sour cream and chive tube flew ahead and clunked on the floor. They laughed. I looked over to see them recording it on their phone.
I'm not normally confrontational, even with back up. I have a couple of gobby mates that will usually stand up for themselves or others, way before I would get to a point where, I felt the need to speak up.
I heard a cackle of laughter and more swearing and I got a flash in my head of "£36.80."
I certainly wasn't going to waste my time and money on accommodating these tools.
I snapped!
Usually I ponder, consider the options, script myself before I "kick off," fearing the unknown. It was an out of body experience as I turned and loudly stated "How about you all shut up !?!"
I could have said "shut the fuck up" but I can't really remember.
I panicked as they all turned to me. People in front also turning around to see what was going on.
I could have been about to receive a mouthful of abuse from a grotty kid or maybe an over priced bucket of Pepsi poured over me.
I needed to back up my first comment and assert myself further.
I leaned in closer and said...cringes..."I tell you what, if I was one of the people sitting down there that had been hit by food, I would have come back here and battered you."
When I'm angry or not concentrating, my accent goes scouse. I've spent years trying to erase it or at least ease it but sometimes I can't help it.
So in a scouse accent, technically, I threatened some children.
For the next 10 minutes or so, they whispered and giggled and I waited on edge for repercussions. But they refrained from any more food attacks and stopped being as loud.
On the way out, my girls asked what had been going on and my son proudly told them that I had told the teenagers off.
I will admit it, I enjoyed the film more than I should.
Good for you! I think as a society the more we turn a blind eye to this kind of behaviour, the worse it's going to get so think you were v brave but totally right to do what you did.
ReplyDeleteGo you! I would've been sooo p*ssed off although I'm not very good at standing up for myself so I would've probably been a bit sneaky and gone out to find someone from the management team to report them to!
ReplyDeleteIf they turned on me and started throwing food, I was going to run to cinema staff for help. I was also considering complaining anyway saying I had spent so much money but had my evening ruined. The luck I am having with customer service, they probably would have left the teenagers alone and removed me from the premises instead.
ReplyDelete