By now, we’ve all heard of the horrific shooting during a midnight screening of the latest Batman movie. Twelve people are dead and another 38 are injured. And you’ve most certainly heard that a 6-year-old and 3-month-old were among those rushed to the hospital.
What was your reaction to this? Shock? Sadness? A sick feeling in the pit of your stomach? Or were you too busy judging to even feel those things? For all the “perfect” parents in the world, this is apparently the time to slam the parents of those kids hurt in the theater shooting. Since “perfect” parents have such perfect children, they have time to point their fingers and shake their heads at the parents whose children suffered in the hands of a killer. “I can’t believe those kids weren’t in bed. It was after midnight!”
You know what I can’t believe? The fact that anyone would even bring that up as a topic of conversation right now. Forget the fact that a crazy person managed to walk into a movie theater with tear gas and a gun and open fire on hundreds of people. Forget the fact that dozens of families are either mourning the loss of a loved one or waiting for updates on their loved ones in the hospital. Let’s talk about bedtimes instead. Heck, let’s talk about breastfeeding too! I bet you those parents didn’t breastfeed either. And I bet they let their kids watch more than an hour of television a day. Maybe they even let them eat cake. Bad, bad, bad parents.
What should we learn from this shooting?
That guns are too accessible? That there should be more security at movie theaters? That we should focus more on the treatment of the mentally ill?
I have no idea. It’s definitely a good time to think about all of these things and discuss them. But I’ll tell you what we should absolutely, positively not learn from this shooting: that kids who go to late night movies, or whose parents let them stay up past bedtime will be shot.
“Perfect” parents, I’m talking to you. Stop being so judgy, and try feeling a real emotion for a change.
Now seems like a great time to reiterate my stance on parenting: stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and focus on your own family.
What’s your stance on parenting? Are you in the MYOB camp with me, or are you full of opinions that you love to share?
I’m not gonna lie… I definitely thought to myself, after feeling sick to my stomach at the horror of it all, “huh.. why are there these young children at a midnight showing of a violent movie?” Maybe that means I am judgier than I thought. I don’t think it really takes away from my overall horror at the shooting, and the fact that I know people’s lives have been changed forever. But the thought did pop into my head.
Having a thought pop into your head is not what I’m talking about. Or even saying you wouldn’t take your kid to a midnight movie. I’m not sure if I would either. What bothers me is the the “what kind of a parent would [fill in the blank]” comments. Also the timing.
The only thing I wondered was why they chose to take their kid to that movie specifically. I personally feel like that’s not a good movie choice for children, but maybe the kid was asleep in his/her car seat anyway. I can tell you of several times when I took Gracie to the grocery store after midnight as an infant because she was a terrible sleeper and didn’t sleep through the night until 13 months. Does that make me a horrible parent? No! It helped me keep my sanity and keep from spending 3 hours at home fighting her to go to sleep. Did people stare at me when I did it? Absolutely! I know they were judging me for my choice too. I didn’t do it every single time she woke up either. It was probably 4 times when she wanted to be resistant. We made it through it though, and some crazy shooter could have easily come into the grocery store just like they did the theater, so I don’t feel like it’s anyone’s place to judge.
I feel your pain about the terrible sleeping. But I never thought about a trip to the grocery store– that seems like a wonderful idea to me! If you have to be awake, at least you can accomplish something.
I agree, Besa. I posted on FB about another ridiculous issue that’s been brought up: Is it the Left’s faut, or the Right’s? WHAT??? It’s disgusting to me that some people miss the point- as you so astutey observed. Sad day indeed, but no, I’m too busy pointing out how others are bad. Perhaps that makes me fee better. Idiots.
People will push their agenda no matter what the context. I’m surprised they’re not blaming Hollywood for making the movie.
FTR, I’m not addressing people who had feeting thoughts about these things, as Erin and I did, but those who make an issue of them, at a time such as this.
Word.
Erin took the words right out of my mouth.
My thought was wow, who got their 3 month old to sleep during a loud movie… nothing more. I can’t stand the pompus idiots who believe they are the queens and kings of perfect parenting. None of us are perfect, certainly not at parenting. I cry for the families of all the victims be they 3months or 33 years. To your other question, I believe guns, especially rifles, are too accessible!
The whole thing just makes me feel ill. On a separate note, I’m glad I don’t have to report on this.
I agree that people should not be so judgmental and should worry about their own family, but I am not quite with you on the gun controll or TSA for movie theaters. Those policies just take weapons out of the hands of people that would be following the rules any way. We can’t stop all bad things from happening and I am not willing to continue to give up my freedoms for the false hope that we can. My prayers go out to the families affected.
I didn’t say that I want more gun control or TSA, just that I think these are issues that could (and probably should) be discussed at times like these… instead of things like why parents have their kids out past midnight.
I often wonder what people who are following the rules need with a weapon that can kill up to 100 people in a matter of moments. If my right to purchase this weapon of mass murder was taken away, my freedom would still be intact.
The fact is that bad things happen all the time in the most innocent and unexpected places. This tragedy could have just as easily happen during a matinee. Any really, if you have ever been to a midnight movie, you shouldn’t be suprised to find young children there.
It’s true, it could happen any time. I was watching Brave with Lira yesterday and had an uneasy feeling, thinking about all that happened last week. I hate that my mind has to go there.
So sad! This shooter was just a young person, PHD candidate, prolly under lots of stress. My heart bleeds for those who’ve lost someone! Young or old. I think we all judge, but you are right, the timing is off. We shouldn’t be talking about it was the parents’ fault or whatever b/c this shooter is at fault. Should we say that parents who let their kids walk to school are putting them in danger of getting hit by a car or being kidnapped? No. People need to chill out, and like you said, see the forest beyond the trees! Tks for chiming in!