List of rules for the kids

[penel3]

Wow at what point are they allowed to behave like kids, glad my parents had a far more laid back approach, gave me fond memories.

Seriously?! They are allowed to be kids the entire time they are on the cruise........respectful, thoughtful, SAFE kids...!

 

[bumbershoot]

Wow at what point are they allowed to behave like kids, glad my parents had a far more laid back approach, gave me fond memories.

What does it mean to "behave like kids"?

I'm not seeing "don't giggle", "don't have fun", or anything else on those lists. Just "how to be a decent human being who doesn't ruin the good time of others and doesn't get killed or assaulted".

Basically the same stuff my mom taught us when we were little back in the 70s (and what her mom taught her and her sibs in the 40s). Sure, we were a little more free-range, IMO that was a bit overboard back then. Not sure how the parents were so disconnected from us back then! On the other hand, I was (and still sort of am) convinced that my mom was psychic, as she always knew if we'd been up to something while she wasn't home!

 

[SamandWill1921]

These rules are fantastic! My parents raised me with manners and no matter how much fun you are having you should never forget those manners. It doesn't matter if you are on a cruise, at the mall with your friends, or at your great aunt's fancy dinner party you should always be a polite, pleasant person. There is no reason why you can't cut loose and have a good time on vacation but there is also no reason why all etiquette should go out the door.
There IS such a thing as having fun, and that does NOT have to include misbehaving. Are kids going to mess up? Of course. But that's the parent's job, to issue consequences so that they learn from the experience and become better people for it.

I don't have children but this is the way I was raised, as well as most of my close friends. This is how I intend to raise my children and how I am helping to assist in raising my younger brothers (10/8/4). I'm so happy to know that DCL has parents that have standards for their children. My DH and I were a little worried the place would be a evil spawn free for all

 

[Gina]

Wow at what point are they allowed to behave like kids, glad my parents had a far more laid back approach, gave me fond memories.

I just shared this response with my DS and he had a good laugh over it. It's amazing how well children/tweens/teens respond to rules and structure. The greatest gift any of us can give our children in the long run is independence, and with that comes self-reliance. Someplace like a cruise is a great place to give them a bit more freedom than they might have in an open city or something, and while bad things can absolutely happen anywhere, there are fewer opportunities on a cruise ship and the rules posted by everyone will pretty much avoid all of those "opportunities."

And my son says he has more fond memories than all of his friends. A framework of guidelines and trust that is held sacred = more freedom to have fun!

 

[Aurora's Mommy]

Wow, thanks for the great reponses. There was so much I didn't think of.

But, I have to say, Gina, . Wonderful list.

I'm going to assimilate all this information, and come up the list we will go over with the kids.

Thanks especially for the emergency information (we haven't sailed in 3 years). Also wanted to note that I don't know if I would be as comfortable giving the kids such freedom on a larger boat. I love the Magic because it is managable and feels cozy.

The kids will have a wonderful time, even if their Dad and I insist they wash their hands!

 

[Drew770]

This is the list I use for my DS. It has been altered and updated over the years as he has gotten older (he is 16 now) but the basics stay the same. Hope this helps.

CRUISE RULES
None of these are optional​

You are not to enter any cabin without me. Ever.

No one is to enter our cabin except you.

If you are in our cabin alone, hang the “DO NOT DISTURB” sign on the door. Remember to remove it when you leave.

You are not to drink any beverage unless it is handed to you by me or a CM. You are not to drink anything that you have let out of your sight.

If you change locations from where you last said you were going to be, you need to either swing by the stateroom and write it on the white board (including the time), or use a house phone somewhere and leave a message in our stateroom voicemail box.

Do not hang out, horse around or run in the stairwells, hallways or elevators.

Your curfew will be decided on each day. It will vary depending on the teen activities that are planned, and what time we need to start the next day.

Your KTTW card is tied to my credit card even though you have your own funds on there. It is up to you to check your balance daily. If you lose your KTTW card, notify Guest Services immediately.

Our dining time for dinner is 8pm, so you will need to make sure you allow yourself enough time to finish whatever you’re doing and head back to the cabin with enough time to get yourself ready and either leave with me at 7:45or meet me at the dining room entrance by 7:45 (or earlier if we’re taking pictures, which I will let you know about ahead of time.)

If you order room service, don’t forget to tip them. You know where the tip money is. Also don’t forget to gather up any dishes/silverware/napkins/etc. as neatly as possible for the room steward.

If we arrange a check-in time and you miss it by more than 15 minutes, then you will spend the rest of that day with me or in the cabin.

I expect you to be the Southern gentleman you have been raised to be, using please, thank you, and excuse me at all times. Hold the doors for people, allow people to get off of the elevator before you step on. Being on vacation is never an excuse for leaving manners at home.

Handwashing is a must!! If unable to wash your hands with soap and water, you will always have hand sanitizer available. USE IT!

No going to the outside areas of the upper deck at night.

Do not leave the stateroom a mess. The room steward has enough to do!
Keep all of your valuables in the cabin safe.

Always, always treat the ship crew members with respect, every last one of them. You know how they always go out of their way to make our cruises special and happy – go out of your way to smile and say “hello”.


All those people on the Roll Call list? They’ve all seen your picture and know you’re my son. If you’re acting like an idiot somewhere onboard, I WILL find out about it.

I swear I was reading these rules and my mother's voice was what I heard! Some things are timeless.

The last one in particular hit a note! Mom and Dad always knew what I had done before I even got through the door!

 

[Clotho]

AH! You guys are nearly making me tear up with "GO, GREAT PARENTS, GO!"

These are great rules, and address common courtesy and common safety issues. Nothing in here makes me cringe with hover-parenting--the opposite in fact, it inspires the children to be independent with a compass!

These are all things my parents taught us, and I am constantly appalled at how rare it seems to be these days. Thanks for doing your part to support common courtesy and self-awareness in the next generation!

 

[McNabrat]

This is the list I use for my DS. It has been altered and updated over the years as he has gotten older (he is 16 now) but the basics stay the same. Hope this helps.

CRUISE RULES
None of these are optional​

You are not to enter any cabin without me. Ever.

No one is to enter our cabin except you.

If you are in our cabin alone, hang the “DO NOT DISTURB” sign on the door. Remember to remove it when you leave.

You are not to drink any beverage unless it is handed to you by me or a CM. You are not to drink anything that you have let out of your sight.

If you change locations from where you last said you were going to be, you need to either swing by the stateroom and write it on the white board (including the time), or use a house phone somewhere and leave a message in our stateroom voicemail box.

Do not hang out, horse around or run in the stairwells, hallways or elevators.

Your curfew will be decided on each day. It will vary depending on the teen activities that are planned, and what time we need to start the next day.

Your KTTW card is tied to my credit card even though you have your own funds on there. It is up to you to check your balance daily. If you lose your KTTW card, notify Guest Services immediately.

Our dining time for dinner is 8pm, so you will need to make sure you allow yourself enough time to finish whatever you’re doing and head back to the cabin with enough time to get yourself ready and either leave with me at 7:45or meet me at the dining room entrance by 7:45 (or earlier if we’re taking pictures, which I will let you know about ahead of time.)

If you order room service, don’t forget to tip them. You know where the tip money is. Also don’t forget to gather up any dishes/silverware/napkins/etc. as neatly as possible for the room steward.

If we arrange a check-in time and you miss it by more than 15 minutes, then you will spend the rest of that day with me or in the cabin.

I expect you to be the Southern gentleman you have been raised to be, using please, thank you, and excuse me at all times. Hold the doors for people, allow people to get off of the elevator before you step on. Being on vacation is never an excuse for leaving manners at home.

Handwashing is a must!! If unable to wash your hands with soap and water, you will always have hand sanitizer available. USE IT!

No going to the outside areas of the upper deck at night.

Do not leave the stateroom a mess. The room steward has enough to do!
Keep all of your valuables in the cabin safe.

Always, always treat the ship crew members with respect, every last one of them. You know how they always go out of their way to make our cruises special and happy – go out of your way to smile and say “hello”.


All those people on the Roll Call list? They’ve all seen your picture and know you’re my son. If you’re acting like an idiot somewhere onboard, I WILL find out about it.

I want to cruise with you and your family!! Way to go & well stated!

 

[ilovetexas]

Gina, you are my new best friend and I want to make sure that you (and your son) are always on my cruises! This is how my parents raised us, with an expectation that we would have fun while being decent people aware of the world around us and our place in it. Good job!

And yes, back in the good old days, our moms always had eyes in the backs of their heads.

 

[jennyjinx3]

This thread is one of the greats.

 

[mom-of-twins-2002]

I'm going to use a modified version of this with my 9yo DD's for our sept trip. Great ideas!!

 

[vickxo]

While I think actually giving a typed out list to a tween or teen is a bit silly, i do not think it is silly at all to make sure your kids know those rules. If my mom were to hand me a list when I was 15 and go here follow these rules - I would have probably laughed at her, but if she just talked to me instead I'd listen and follow them.
I just wish more parents took the time to teach their kids manners like you all are doing! If I had a dollar for every time I said "WHERE ARE THAT KIDS PARENTS?!?" on my last cruise lets just say I'd be going on A LOT more cruises!

A little boy on pirate night before all the activities started was running up and down on the stage - was opening the pirate chest & playing with the canons and was asked to stop MULTIPLE times by cruise staff members and told not to be on the stage - the mother goes to the kid - "go back up there so I can take a picture" - so the kid does - the mother than says sit on the chest - the kid doesn't want to because he just got in trouble for touching it not 2 minutes earlier, and tells his mom "i'm not supposed to touch it" the mom than says the most horrifying thing I ever heard - "IT'S DISNEY - YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT."

 

[Dreamscome2ru]

That is excellent advice. I plan to use that too. I'm always amazed at people who are completely unaware of their immediate surroundings. I've thought often about how to help my daughter develop that valuable instinct.

 

[Gina]

You guys are all awesome... Thanks for the kind words, and THANKS to the OP for starting this thread and giving us an avenue to share ideas in regards to our kids.

Honestly, I think a lot of what I have put into practice over the years has come from necessity. I've been divorced since DS was not even 2, and it has been just he & I since then. We've been going to WDW since he was 4, and cruising since he was 5, and since it's just me I can't be there with him ALL the time. But I've never been a hover-parent anyway -- I'm raising my son the same way my brother and I were raised, as Clotho so perfectly put it, "independent with a compass." We had freedom, but we were reminded often how quickly that freedom would go away if we took advantage.

While I think actually giving a typed out list to a tween or teen is a bit silly, i do not think it is silly at all to make sure your kids know those rules. If my mom were to hand me a list when I was 15 and go here follow these rules - I would have probably laughed at her, but if she just talked to me instead I'd listen and follow them.

Then you'll really laugh when I tell you that not only is the list printed, but my son and I both sign a revised copy before every trip. It's a contract -- and I believe strongly that the act of him signing off on it fosters accountability. But we all parent differently, and we all know our own kids best.

 

[ericalynn1979]

Thanks for the great lists everyone, filing them away for future reference.

DH and I expect the same behavior of our children when we are on vacation as when we are home. We expect them to be polite, decent little human beings. But the safety and checking in stuff is good to have.

 

[MissLiz]

Great lists!!!

So far, my DD's have been too young to check themselves out or be anywhere by themselves, but some of these rules would work for them, too.

And printing it out so it's right there? Priceless! I don't know how many times I've heard my 10-year-old say "You didn't tell me that." or "I didn't know." With it in writing? Guess what? Now you know.

 

[UCFALUM]

Great thread!
I just read all the rules to my 10 & 12 year old DS and will modify them for our trip. Love, love the idea of them signing the rules.
TFS!

 

[shandrananette]

Great advice...DS is 2, so of course he's not on his own (ever, much to his chagrin), but good ideas as he grows. Especially some of the safety things (not going into anyone's stateroom, etc.), which are good advice anywhere. I'm embarrassed to say I've never put much thought into how risky it is to open a hotel room to try and get inside if someone is nearby. I probably would, thinking I'd be safer inside. But now I won't!

 

[jmpooh]

Today while my DD and I got our hair done I went over the rules that Gina posted as well as the others on here. A lot of them she already knew but some of the made her think. I don't think giving them guidelines and structure is a bad thing! In fact many of my friends now tell me they wish there parents had given them a few more rules and guidance when they were growing up!

 

[stulaurie]

My DD is never allowed to use the elevator when coming back to the Cabin after her Club, or anytime at night. Too many people who have been drinking, and alot can happen behind closed doors. She is also not allowed to go outside at night for any reason by herself or with friends.