How have you told your kids?

[LindsayDunn228]

Memory,

As a child and as an adult, I LOVE WDW. Love it, love it love it!! I am going in December and am already planning everything about the trip. I just don't understand the big "how to tell the kids" deal.

 

[lasmickey]

Memory,

I just don't understand the big "how to tell the kids" deal.

Lindsay, If you have the chance to make a great vacation even more magical, then why NOT do it?

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

Memory,

As a child and as an adult, I LOVE WDW. Love it, love it love it!! I am going in December and am already planning everything about the trip. I just don't understand the big "how to tell the kids" deal.

I wasn't saying you don't love it, or get excited. How old are your kids? Let's say you went as a child a few times, or even never. And now as a mom, you are saving for a long time to get to take this trip that won't happen for a while after you do get to go. You really don't see why you trying to tell them in a bigger way than, "hey we are going to Disney World"...in the same tone you would let's go pick up some milk at the grocery, is a big deal? Sorry, guess I still don't understand why this bothers you that people want to make a huge deal out of it.

Keep in mind that I don't make a big deal out of it, because we go a lot..now, that it is just where we go for our vacation....we are fortunate enough to get to go as much as we do. But this trip is a huge deal, as 9 of the 12 going have never been and this trip for them is HUGE! Imagine you NEVER get to go on vacation, of any kind! This is the 9 of the 12 in my group. Not sure about anyone else on here.

I will agree with you on this in some ways though, but you make it sound like no one should be making a big deal out of surprising the kids or telling them in unique ways.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Thank God I don't have kids and never will, so I guess you just have to be a parent to "get" this.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Thank God I don't have kids and never will, so I guess you just have to be a parent to "get" this.

Not necessarily. The OP's question could have easily been "how do I surprise my husband" or "how do I surprise my parents". This has nothing to do with getting it or not getting it just because of being a parent. What about an engagement? There are those that will simply pop the question and others who go out of their way to make a big thing out of it. Some people shop for and wrap their own Christmas presents, while others love being surprised on Christmas morning.

I'm sort of "not getting" your comments, so I guess we're all even.

 

[the kabuki]

To be quite honest, I'm more excited thinking about how surprised DH will be than my kids'. We own our own business, for which I work ,hence no outside paycheck. It's very difficult to do this without hubby finding out.

Basically I have to sneak money here and there. Add a little more to the grocery bill, keep the bottle refund money(deposit law here in MI) instead of applying it to grocery bill. I've rolled loose change, even bought a shirt ,then taken it back for the cash. I know it's sounds silly, but he won't notice $20 here or there gone, but he'd surely notice $5000 missing!

It's going to take me almost a year to do this and I can't wait to see the look on his face. The only time I ever surprised him more was when I told him I was pregnant with our 3rd child(surprise, surprise!!)

So you see, it has nothing to do with if you have kids' or not. It has to do with the excitement, the anticipation, the planning of giving someone you love a magical surprise and seeing the joy on their face.

 

[Bugdozer]

Personally, I have never seen the big deal about suprising your kids. When I was a kid, and the topic of summer vacation came up (the only time we actually went anywhere), I would say I wanted to go to WDW. Usually we ended up going to Daytona Beach and taking a day and driving to WDW. There were no secrets about it.

And the whole, "How do I tell me kids?" question I have never gotten. What's wrong with, "Hey kids guess what? This summer we're going to WDW!" Why make sucha deal about it?

Not flaming, just my opinion.

I am SO glad I get it!

 

[heidica]

So you see, it has nothing to do with if you have kids' or not. It has to do with the excitement, the anticipation, the planning of giving someone you love a magical surprise and seeing the joy on their face.

Very well put. I know mom2mjm and I can't wait to see the looks on all the kids faces.

 

[pumpkinfish]

I wonder if the whole "not getting it" stems from how someone grew up. I know that my parent's never surprised us like this for Disney (they tried to surprise us when we got our puppy, but my sis and I were too sneaky), but we really loved our disney vacations.
We went twice to WDW and once to DL. I was very much included in the planning process, and I know if we ever HAD been surprised, it would have been just as much a joy.
Maybe if those surprises had been instilled in someone as a child they would want to be able to pass that on to someone else? Or maybe the opposite. What if they NEVER had those surprises and hence would WANT someone to feel that "specialness" they never had.

Just trying to view this from all sides

 

[MrToad]

And the whole, "How do I tell me kids?" question I have never gotten. What's wrong with, "Hey kids guess what? This summer we're going to WDW!" Why make sucha deal about it?

Not flaming, just my opinion.

OK, well here's my opinion then....I think it's crazy for you to even post in the topic if you have no interest in the subject. Not flaming either...just being honest.

Since you did post, I will answer your question. Think about Christmas morning when you were a child. Was that fun? Surprising your children with such a wonderful event is a fun thing to do. How's that?

 

[Metallicat]

I think that surprising someone with a trip to WDW has got to be one of the best surprises a person could get. but I know that my DD would rather know in advance that we were going so she could plan her outfits, watch the WDW videos a hundred times, do the countdown thing, etc.. for her alot of fun is the anticipation and planning. she even plans what she wants to eat in the parks, check to see if any concerts are going on and so forth. if I waited and told her in the car that we were headed down, half her fun (of planning) would be spoiled and I wouldn't do that to her. in fact, I wouldn't want it done to me. I like to know at least two weeks in advance of something that major so I can relish in the idea that in so-so many days I will be at WDW. get myself all worked up ya know. btw, we are going in 4 days and cannot wait!

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

Thank God I don't have kids and never will, so I guess you just have to be a parent to "get" this.

 

[tinkerbell60]

I organized a scavenger hunt around the house - at the end they found a kid's size suitcase filled with a Mickey Mouse t-shirt, autograph book and fat pen, and Epcot Passport ( I had ordered these from Gifts of a Lifetime). In the room where they found the suitcases I had the computer on set to the Mousetyme countdown clock ( we were leaving a week later). It was the best of both worlds. They were so excited, but could still be involved with the planning. The looks on their faces when they realized where we going was priceless.

 

[thatchicktrish]

great thread! Our next trip isn't until next year *pout* I am keeping it a secret from my ds and looking for ideas on how to surprise him. I started planning our last trip about 8 months out and those 8 months dragged on forever, ds was 7 at the time and was in pure agony waiting, it was his first trip. I don't plan on telling him until 2 weeks before we go so he can build up anticipation but it isn't agonizing counting hundres of days.

We're surprising him basically just to make it even more special. We don't get to WDW as much as we'd want and after this next trip we probably won't be back for a LONG time due to certain circumstances (money, job, planning on another baby etc) so I want the trip to be extra special.

 

[Briarmom]

Thank God I don't have kids and never will, so I guess you just have to be a parent to "get" this.

If you don't have kids and NEVER will, why are you even looking at this thread, much less posting mulitple times.
Thank God you don't have kids (not flaming, just re-stating the obvious).

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Briarmom,

1-Because I have seen threads like these a number of times.

2-Because I can.