10 year-old Disney fan advice - friends don't get it

[weluvthecastle]

This is a post from my 10 year-old daughter. She was looking for some advice and I told her she could always count on the DIS crew and fans! I've tried to help her feel better about this, but I think some comments from some of you would help boost her confindence!

I want some advice on how to deal with my friends and other kids in my class that make fun of me and my love for Disney World. When I do reports or stories for school they are usually about Disney World. Some people whisper when I mention Disney. My mom tells me that I should ignore those who might make fun of me and I should just do what I enjoy. Thank you for any advice you can give me!

 

[catycatcat4]

I think there just jealous most of them probably have not even been to disney have they?

People just like having something to make fun of to make them selves feel better.

 

[ragtopday]

I want some advice on how to deal with my friends and other kids in my class that make fun of me and my love for Disney World. When I do reports or stories for school they are usually about Disney World. Some people whisper when I mention Disney. My mom tells me that I should ignore those who might make fun of me and I should just do what I enjoy. Thank you for any advice you can give me!

Your mom is right - you should always do what you enjoy and not worry about what other people think of you! This holds true whether you love Disney, dogs, daisies or drums. A person who is passionate about something and not afraid to share it is a person who will go far in life. If they make fun, you can say something as simple as "I love Disney and it's OK if you don't."

If you feel like you might be "over-Disneying" some of your assignments you might want to occasionally choose another topic, just for your own enrichment, and not to appease your peers.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

I know the advice has already been given by your mom (who sounds like a pretty smart lady) and seconded here, but yes, just try to ignore them.
However, that is easier said that done, especially at 10 years old. Kids at that age really want to fit in and be liked. Unfortunately, there will always be those kids who make themselves feel better by making someone else feel worse. I'd like to say that people grow out of that when they grow up, but some people just don't. Anyway, if you like doing reports on Disney World, and you're getting good grades on them, and you're learning from it, then that is all that should matter. It might be hard at times to ignore the whispers, but you'll be better for it. (Holy cow, I sound like my mother...)
And don't let them fool you into believing that Disney is just for little kids. There's plenty of "grown ups" on these boards that still believe in pixie dust!

 

[BRobson]

My daughter Molly gets the same!!!!! Her first trip to Disney World was for her first birthday and has been many time since.

She has been made fun of for her love of all things Disney and her love of Pokemon as well. I tell her the world would be a boring place if we all loved the same things and maybe some of the kids may be a bit jealous of your trips

Molly is 9 so if you would like you could maybe share your love of Disney and become pen friends. We live in Scotland and I am sure she would love a Disney loving penfriend.

Just get your mum to sent me a pm if you like that idea

 

[kafitty]

wow, i was literally JUST thinking about this sort of thing this morning!!

when i was in 6th grade, i really really liked these science fiction books, Animorphs. My best friend and i were obsessed! So we got made fun of...a lot. i still remember the boy, and i remember how much i hated him for it!! Admittedly, liking SciFi is pretty geeky....

so i was thinking how funny it is, that at age 23, how i am COMPLETELY accepting of the fact that i'm still a nerd, and even moreso, pretty much everyone else is okay with it too. My friends may give me crap about it once in awhile, (but not like, real seriously) but we all know i'm a geek, and it's totally okay!
i mean, i'm not a total nerd. But my love of Disney, and SciFi, and video games, and things like that do make me pretty nerdy. i like to think i'm well-rounded, though; i did theater/chorus in high school, played rugby in college, and now i'm a cheerleader. i know, fab resume. haha

i guess my point is, everyone likes what they like, and not everyone else likes what another person likes. Unfortunately, people at your age tend to be really cruel about these things - why, i have no idea, and i really wish it weren't true. Maybe it's overcompensating for things that they're insecure about, or maybe they're just jerks, who knows (both are likely to be true, to some degree, anyhow. ).

BUT I PROMISE YOU...it gets better. No, really! i know it's hard to hear that from older people, but HEY i'm 23, i'm not that old yet!! i really do remember this crap, and how hard it was, but REALLY, it does get better.

until then...your mom is right, the best thing to do is ignore it...even if it is the hardest thing in the world. But learning to ignore what other people think is definitely a life skill, so working on it now will deffo give you a leg-up on your peers when you get older. If you don't hold yourself back because you're afraid of what other people will think of you, you'll be able to accomplish wayyy more than the idiots judging you for having a passion. UM, hello - 3 young boys just won a Tony award for their dancing, and i'm sure they faced their fair share of taunting. i would MUCH rather say i won a Tony, than say no one made fun of me that day.

i swear, once you get older, you'll find other people that like the same things you do (hello, DISboards!) and you'll be able to band together. Even better, people around you will grow up, and realize that even if you do have your differences in interests & personality, that doesn't mean that people can't just be cool and friendly to one another. No, really, i swear this happens...to most people, anyway.

sorry for my book. It really is coincidental how i was thinking about that this morning. It really used to get me if someone made fun of me for something i liked - now, i really could not care less if someone thinks i'm a nerd or i'm weird for something i like. Learn it now, sweetheart: love yourself, no matter what. i know it sounds soooo cliche, but forreal, as long as you're cool with yourself and you're not hurting anyone else (and, uh, not disobeying your parents, of course! because i never, EVER did that...), do whatever you want to do, and LOVE IT.

 

[DWGal210]

My daughter Molly gets the same!!!!! Her first trip to Disney World was for her first birthday and has been many time since.

She has been made fun of for her love of all things Disney and her love of Pokemon as well. I tell her the world would be a boring place if we all loved the same things and maybe some of the kids may be a bit jealous of your trips

Molly is 9 so if you would like you could maybe share your love of Disney and become pen friends. We live in Scotland and I am sure she would love a Disney loving penfriend.

Just get your mum to sent me a pm if you like that idea

What a fabulous idea!! If your mom agrees to it, that would be neat to have another young person to share your love of Disney.

I am going to echo what the other wise people are saying here so far: I know it's hard, sweetie, 'cause I was teased as a child too. But I learned as I got older, that some of those kids who made fun of me were really insecure and felt they needed to put someone else down to feel better. You'll encounter people like this in different times of your life, and the best thing is just to ignore them.

In the meantime, with your mom's permission of course, you can come to sites like the Dis Boards and share with other Disney lovers!

Take care and have a great day!

 

[MyteJoe]

I try to visit Disney World as much as I can, and even at 30 people question me why?!? I always tell them "if you went you would know!" Its funny because the people that have been to visit WDW always seem to know why you get drawn back there! Its tough with school kids nowadays but when you get past feeling bad about what people think of you, you can do anything!

 

[Yvet]

I'm sorry but your mom is right.
You have to learn to ignore those people and deal with it.
It's no fun at all but the problem is that not only your friends at school will do this but later in live also you co-workers and a few more people.

This is not a thing where you are totally alone......
At some part we all have this problem in our surrounding.
My co-workers don't understand it and make fun of it.

But this is what we like and what we want to do, so just do whatever you feel is good.
Listen to your hart and i know that that little Mickey voice says that this is what you want to do and want to enjoy.
So just enjoy and let those other people make funny faces,whisper, or giggle what they want.

Maybe you can make your own account and go talk here on the DIS on the teen board.
I know you will get some support over there, maybe they even have some tips for you.
And maybe when you participate at the DIS teen board then you can talk about Disney with people that do understand and i think that when they make fun at you at school that that is not hurting anymore because you know when you get home and go on the internet that you can find people that have so much in common with you.

But remember: you are not alone.

 

[Cyrano]

It is not just children's friends who make fun of their love of Disney. As adults we get this too. Just know that you are in good company

At home we jokingly call each other Disney geeks. But my gang would not have it any other way

 

[tinkbutt]

Unfortunately people tend to make fun of things they don't understand. But all you need to know is that there are a lot of other people out there older, younger, and the same age as you who love Disney just as much as you do. You are not alone and you don't need to justify to anyone why you love something. Sometimes the purest love is the one you can't explain!

Just remember you are not alone and honestly in the end it doesn't matter what others say about your reports or you love for Disney all that matters is that you continue to do what interests you and what makes you happy!!!

 

[eazyeray]

Being a grown man and loving WDW I get hassled alot and my wife is constantly rolling her eye's when I mention WDW, and she's a WDW fan also. I have the chrome Mickey head on the back of my car and i've been asked a dozen times if my wife put that on. After I say "no, I did it because I love that place and I don't care if people think I'm wierd" I know people are thinking I'm wierd. I don't think that will help you feel better but it sure is hard liking WDW without getting some guff from the "non-believers" so just keep on keepin on, you're not alone.

 

[cslittle999]

Unfortunately people tend to make fun of things they don't understand. But all you need to know is that there are a lot of other people out there older, younger, and the same age as you who love Disney just as much as you do. You are not alone and you don't need to justify to anyone why you love something. Sometimes the purest love is the one you can't explain!

Just remember you are not alone and honestly in the end it doesn't matter what others say about your reports or you love for Disney all that matters is that you continue to do what interests you and what makes you happy!!!

I couldn't have said it better. My DD12's friends don't get her love of Disney either but she doesn't let it bother her. She knows that there is only 67 days until we're back in the happiest place on earth.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

I don't have any adivce really. My children are all Disney kids and not ashamed of it. Do kids sometimes snicker? Sure but they are really able to let it roll off. I think that they can do this because they know how much fun disney has brought to our family. No matter what other kids say about it they can't take that away from my kids!

My oldest son is 14, now if it sn't cool to be into Disney at your age imagine what most teenagers think of it! I send Disney trivia to him in his lunch, now you might think that this would make things even harder for him. Guess what the kids might giggle at him but when he pulls the trivia out, everyone wants to hear what it says. And some of it is even pertinant to what they are studying. One teacher even comes by to find out what the trivia is!

The point is kids will always find something to pick on others about. If you love Disney take comfort in knowing that you are among a good group of not just kids but lots of adults as well!

 

[wishspirit]

I know how you feel, I am 20 and people still take the mickey (no pun intended!)

Some people like putting others down cause it makes them feel better about the stuff they worry about. They think if they pick on people first, people won't pick on them, but they are wrong. Those who tease you probably have their own things that they love, but don't want anyone to know in case they get picked on.

It took me 20 years to admit to people my love of Disney, I wanted to be one of the 'cool' kids, then I realised the coolest thing I could do is be myself and be a nice person. I don't care who knows about my Disney obsession now, because I know true friends wouldn't care!

It's really hard to do when you are 10, I know I wouldn't have the guts, but know sometime people will stop trying to prove how cool they are, and you will still be there, being yourself and being a nice person.

I hope this helps, and that you know that there are loads of us out there going through the exact same thing!

 

[SFBayDon]

As an adult, some people snicker when i mention another trip to Disney or the Disney trip I just took. they just don't understand. Be happy that you have something you love and that even if they whisper behind your back you should know we all think you are a really cool kid. Look how popular Disney is on the DIS
Don

PS: Mom’s are almost always right, even when you get older.

 

[sanapunk]

I did a 5th grade research paper on Walt Disney and kids laughed at me.

I got to high school and did my 12th grade english final essay on Disney World. Kids laughed at me

I got an A on both projects for writing about a subject I love. Now kids tell me how jealous they are of me for being able to go to Disney as much as I do. Tell your daughter not to worry because as kids get older they'll grow up and not care so much about what people love and do for hobbies.

 

[auroralark]

I was a total Disney nut when I was a kid, too. It was pretty much the only place I ever wanted to vacation, went and saw all the movies and I read the guidebooks until I had parts of them memorized. People thought it was odd, but I never let that stop me.

As I've grown up, I've taking a liking to other things people might call "nerdy" or "dorky" or whatever, but I don't let that bother me. The important thing is to always be true to yourself and what you enjoy. You can't let other people's opinions bother you. It's always been my mantra that I don't judge what other people enjoy and that's the kind of respect I expect in return. Do I always get it? Of course not. But some people are always going to be small minded, and you're not going to be able to escape that.

Okay, that was kind of cheesy, I'm sure! I'm done rambling now. The important thing to always remember is that you are not alone!

 

[gr8leg8]

Dear Weluvthecastle Daughter,

Howdy

You sound like a cool kid to me.

I wanted to offer you a back up idea to go with "just ignore it".

People value different things.
Some people like the arts (movies, plays, dance, music)
Others like sports.

Ask a non Disney lover "What do you love/value?"
You may learn a lot about the people around you.
There might be things you have in common like
swimming, being with family, caring for pets, reading a book, playing outside.

What is it you love about Disney?
For my mom (who is in her sixties & a ride wimp) it's the music.
For my daughter (who is 7) it's the rides. Big Thunder Mountain is her current favorite. Princesses are no longer the big thing for her.

Kids are learning how to be grownups.
Sometimes they want to stay away from anything that feels little kid-ish. It's just part of growing up.
Have you noticed how much fun grownups have when they allow themselves to play (just like a kid)?

That's my favorite part about Disney.
I love being able to feel like a kid.
See the Princesses, squeal on the rollercoaster, hold my daughter's sticky hand while we eat cotton candy.
The best part is somebody else does the cooking and the cleaning.

Treasure that part of you that loves the joy Disney can bring!!

If you can find a common ground with the non Disney people you won't feel so separate.
When you need to be with your fellow Disney peeps,
you know where to find us.


A very wise Diser had a quote that went something like this:

For people who love Disney,
no explaination is needed.
For people who do not,
no explaination will do.

 

[natale1980]

I bet you have the best reports in the class because your writing about something you truly love!!!

-nat