Now showing: baby's first feature films
It is a Monday afternoon at the Capitol Theatre in Arlington and half of the patrons are babbling to themselves. Over the next two hours, it will only get worse. In fact, at least 50 percent of the moviegoers will babble, cry, or yell.
It is the Capitol Theatre's Monday afternoon Baby Friendly Movie.
The theater has been running the program since 2004, and it continues to grow in popularity. "People would come and ask about bringing babies with them," said Capitol manager David Roy, who started the program. "There would be a question here, a question there. We listened."
Arlington is one of the few theaters in the area to offer the program consistently. Loews Boston Common used to offer a similar one, but cut it in November 2006 because of light attendance. The Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline offers a monthly baby-friendly matinee. But in Arlington, the weekly $5 shows are at least one-quarter full on a good day, which is a good turnout for a Monday matinee, Roy said.
Most of the babies who come are younger than 1 year. "Once they start walking, it seems the parents don't come back," Roy said. But for the parents of infants, the opportunity to get out of the house and see a movie is welcome.
"I was so busy at the end of my pregnancy, I felt like I saw no movies," said Shaina LaFlamme of Medford, whose infant daughter, Amira, stayed quiet and content during "Meet The Robinsons." But even those babies who were not so quiet were met with smiles and sympathetic glances.
As the theater went dark, one baby cried, then another, then a third. But nobody shifted in their seats, threatened to get management, or complained. Instead, they picked up their own infants, bounced them, and fed them in private corners of the theater. Some parents headed to the back row to rock their little ones to sleep. Others changed diapers in the front row.
"It is a pretty relaxed atmosphere, which makes it easier," LaFlamme said. "Before I had her, I was pretty appalled when people brought babies into movies and I have not yet been brave enough to bring her to regular movies, so it is either this or [
Roy said he is happy to provide a service for parents who still want to see movies and be social without the stigma that comes along with bringing a baby to the theater.
At the Capitol on Mondays, the lights are kept higher so that parents can see their children. The sound is kept lower. The movies shown on Mondays range from adult features to films for children. Each week, parents vote on a
Part of the appeal of the program is not just seeing the movies, said Tara Hamilton of Arlington, whose son, Brady, was only a few weeks old when she brought him to the Capitol. The program also provides new parents with an opportunity to venture out of their homes. "It was one of our first outings. It's a little bit intimidating to get out of the house at first with a new baby," Hamilton said.
Outside the theater, Hamilton was waiting for some women she met through her new mothers group. "It's a great way to get out of the house," agreed Wendy Bailey of Arlington, whose infant daughter slept in her carriage beside her.
For many stay-at-home parents, having someplace to go each day is the key to combating monotony and boredom. "We pick an outing each day," said LaFlamme, whose other activies include hiking, shopping, and walking. The Monday afternoon movies are a chance to beat the summer heat or stay dry on a rainy day while also socializing, said LaFlamme.
For Eric Houghton of Newton, the movies provided a structure for the first few months of being at home with his son. "We have been doing it pretty regularly since [last] September or October," said Houghton, whose son, Nicholas, is 11 months old.
In the early months, Nicholas slept through the movie, Houghton said. But his naps have become less frequent. "He is getting active and mobile enough that I will not be able to do this much longer," Houghton said. "It is a great program. I will be disappointed when we can no longer come."
