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Question for parents - When do I get to watch movies again? (1 Viewer)

Steve Kuester

Second Unit
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
271
Or - Will I ever get to use my HT again?

My wife and I have a two month old son, Calvin, and he's a pretty cool little guy. He's our first. Let me say right up front, in no way (anywhere in this post) am I complaining about my son. Words can't express how I feel about him.

However...

My question to all the knolwedgable parents at the HTF is simply this - when could you start watching movies again? I have not seen a movie in over two months! And I don't mean going to the theater, I'm talking about my dedicated HT in the basement.

I suppose its his sleep schedule (or lack therof) that is keeping us so busy. Or, is two months just too early to be able to have a couple hours to yourself?

Any tips or tricks you could share in finding some free time? Closest family is 5 hours away, so dropping him off at Grandma's for the afternoon is out of the question.

I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance that things will settle down where we'll have some time to ourselves - other than after 9PM when he's finally down for 3-4 hours.

Please, tell me movie night (or movie time) still exists...
 

DaveMcS

Second Unit
Joined
Jan 30, 2001
Messages
316
I'm right there with you. I sold off the HT setup when the first daughter was born (6 years ago!!!)..and only recently rebuilt it to a Yamaha YSP and matching sub. Still havent been able to watch the likes of Master and Commander, War of the Worlds or U571 the way I used to. Daughter #2 sleepd right above our family room where the plasma and HT setup live...once she goes down for the night its usually TV only and even then in night mode.
The only time I get to watch any "reference scenes" was when everyone was out @ Dancing school on Saturday mornings...and I used every second of it.

any chance of soundproofing the basement HT room so that you can watch DVD's at decent levels without reverbing the kids out of bed?
 

Jacinto

Second Unit
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450
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Jacinto
Steve,

My wife and I manage about one good movie night per year. By "good", I mean lights down, sound turned up, no concern about being interrupted. We watch many movies during the year, but mostly with the sound quiet so as not to wake any children. The HT still gets occasional workouts, but it's on films like Monster's Inc. or the Incredibles (awesome films, mind you, but it's healthy for adults to have some adult time, too). For the most part, the Velodyne sits unplugged in the corner, the Brystons laugh at the levels they're being asked to deliver, and the ambient light behind the TV longs to be switched on.

But that's not in a dedicated HT in the basement. I would think you're going to get more use out of your setup than we do with ours on the main level of a ranch with three kids (ages 6 and under) sleeping just down the hall. So hang in there! Things will likely never get back to the way they were before the little man arrived, but they will improve.
 

Chris Lockwood

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 21, 1999
Messages
3,215
> I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance that things will settle down where we'll have some time to ourselves - other than after 9PM when he's finally down for 3-4 hours.

Why can't you watch a movie at 9?
 

Steve Kuester

Second Unit
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
271
Thanks for the replies. I knew I wouldn't be the only one to ever go through this.

I'm not even thinking about volume levels or soundproofing at this point - I just assumed the amp powering my two SVS 20-39's will remain off for the next few years. I'm just wondering when I will find a two-and-a-half hour window to fit a movie in.

I suppose two months is a bit early to be expecting much. I just wanted hear first hand that I'm not alone.
 

Steve Kuester

Second Unit
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
271
Chris - I will probably try to do that myself someday, but my wife is completely exhausted at that point. Not that I've got a whole lot left in the tank at 9 PM anyway. Right now I think I'd feel guilty going down there to watch a movie by myself.
 

SDRANGER619

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Edgar
It's not THAT bad...either way it will definately get better before it gets worse again. Once the baby starts sleeping all night you get a well deserved break...then they turn 2. lol
 

Lew Crippen

Senior HTF Member
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May 19, 2002
Messages
12,060
Actually the main question is how Calvin gets any siblings—that would be higher on my priority list than watching a movie. ;)
 

andrew markworthy

Senior HTF Member
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Sep 30, 1999
Messages
4,762
Speaking as a father of kids aged 14 and 12 - it gets better, I promise.

As they get older, you'll probably find that any kids you have will be more than happy to sit down and watch a kids-oriented movie with you. And this is your great chance to watch all the kids movies you like guilt-free [this same general principle applies to buying toys ;)]. And as they get older still, you can start weaning them onto the more suitable mainstream movies. At the risk of being very serious for a moment, it's a great opportunity to talk about some key issues with them. I'm not suggesting that you feed your kids a never-ending diet of earnest 'message' movies, but it can be a good chance to talk about things.

I still get together with my kids every week or so to watch a movie. My son, whose tastes run to the precociously cerebral, is into Kurosawa in a big way. My daughter and I last sat down together to watch the Da Vinci Code (for the record - not as good as National Treasure, in her books).

One final thing - don't forget to pick up any Disney DVDs that are out for a limited time if you want them for your kids when they're a bit older.
 

Michael Warner

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Sep 24, 1999
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When my two boys were babies I used the middle of the night feeding time to catch up on DVD bonus features while plugging the bottle in. And since they both slept with a small fan running for white noise I could turn up the HT to fairly loud levels without disturbing them.

I actually have it harder now that they're older (9 and 6) and want to stay up later (curse you 10PM sunset). I love watching movies with them but by the time I get them squared away it's too late for me to fire up any of my movies. If I try I almost always nod off. And I imagine things will continue this way for a long time. Maybe I can enroll them in college a few years early.
 

Scooter

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When they get around 6 years old....listen REALLY close for any sniffles or sneezing...they pull out the Children's NyQuil...the generic version knocks'em out quicker! ;)
 

Bob McLaughlin

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Steve, I feel your pain. Every day I come home to this:

By the time we get the two of them off to bed, I have little energy left to do anything but watch a movie! Of course, now I occasionally have to commit the cardinal sin of stopping a movie half-way through because I'm so tired I'm falling asleep!

Anyway, your kid will eventually start sleeping regularly and through the night. Actually at 2 months it should be happening pretty soon if not already. Then you'll be able to reclaim some movie time. Another good time is during afternoon naps. Luckily I have a dedicated basement theater and the kids sleep on the 2nd floor so there isn't much chance of the sound waking them up.
 

RickER

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Ahh, the good ol days. I never got to watch The X Files because it came on at 8, about the same time my kids went to bed when they were toddlers. So, i would miss the first 15 minutes. Yea, i could have taped it, and i did some times. I didnt catch up on my X Files until the DVDs came out, around 99...almost 10 years later. Couldnt watch Die Dard, and other movies like it. Didnt want a 3 year old saying Yippie, Kiaye, Mother....heck, i still cant watch R rated movies with my kids. My (now)ex would kill me if my now 17 and 15 year old kids saw Die Hard.

But we did watch the PG-13 Die Hard 4! ;)
 

Paul D G

Screenwriter
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Dec 25, 2001
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1,914

I'll let you know when I find out!

Actually, my time is almost at an end. This fall my 6 yr old starts first grade, and my 3 yr old starts full time preschool. Since I work nights this now means two things - I get to sleep more than three hours a day for the first time in 6+ years, and, since the kids will be gone all day I can finally watch movies uninterrupted. (in theory anyway)

Our kids have always slept through the night and we set a firm bedtime at 8pm (i would recommend this and stick with it. Even today at precisely 8pm the kids know it's bedtime and they go straight to bed without complaint. Everyone else we know has more flexible bedtimes for their kids and they have nothing but problems. but i digress). It would be nice to start a movie at 8.15p but my wife, like you Steve, is asleep on the couch by 9.15. Even when I've been up for 27+ hours I can still make it through a movie (what's her problem!!
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Plus my wife only likes chick flicks so most of the movies I enjoy watching she's uninterested in.

So get over the guilt of watching a movie while she goes to bed. I had that too but eventually said, screw it, I've had this DVD for two months now and I don't have any other time to watch it so I'm staying up. She understands, but she just doesn't like it when I do it too often.

-paul
 

Steve Kuester

Second Unit
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
271
Thanks for all the replies.

Lew, finding a 2.5 hour window is not necessary for Calvin to become an older brother, that process takes nowhere near as long as a movie. (At least for me!) ;)

We're definitely working hard towards establishing a schedule - I'd like bedtime to be between 7:30 and 8:00. Sleeping through the night is no big deal, he usually gets up only once. Getting him down for naps and bedtime is the hard part. I realize he's only two months, so I'm assuming that will get easier as he's able to self soothe.

My wife actually mentioned wanting to watch a movie yesterday, but then it all just kind of fell apart last night - a wide awake baby turned into an overtired baby. We'll definitely try to give it a shot this weekend. I'll keep you posted.
 

JoeyR

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Jan 1, 2003
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422
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Joey
Steve go to the site in my sig for some more insite on your situation

Bob, thats some cute kids you have
 

mattCR

Reviewer
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It depends on the kind of movie you want to watch. I've seen:

"Sword In the Stone" off and on, maybe every third night, for around 3 months. I know every piece of dialog in that film by now.

The bad news is, if you want to watch "R" rated material cranked in your den, it's going to be a while, at least until your kid can go to a "Parent's Night Out" a sitter, or somewhere.

But, there are plenty of films your kid will enjoy sitting and watching with you even at 2, 3 & 4 years old, and I've been pleasantly surprised at how many of them I really enjoy. Yes, there is a lot of crap, but thank goodness for Pixar and Classic Walt Disney Stuff.

Even some of the new Disney stuff I dismissed I've come to enjoy (Treasure Planet is now a guilty pleasure).

So, don't give up hope. And, after 9PM, there is still plenty of time for more "adult" films.

I'm sure your wife has already found the joys of "Tellytubies" and similar all over the place. Your TV is now dedicated to the channels "NOGGIN" "PBS" "NickJr" and "QUBO" / "PBS" type programming
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Give it a bit
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