WonkaKid
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2009
- Messages
- 4,718
Around noon last Wednesday, I took a tea break. It's something I like to do regularly: sit down with a cup on one of the benches that surrounds the main plaza. Tea is my one vice -- I hate coffee and don't drink or smoke -- and I enjoy it immensely. I usually bring my own, but sometimes buy the seven-out-of-ten tea from Starbucks (my own is closer to a nine out of ten 
).
Moments after I took my seat, I heard a child crying -- wailing, in fact. From her tone, I sensed it was a cry that was born of feeling overwhelmed and not knowing how to cope. Anyone that's spent more than an hour at Disneyland is familiar with the lament.
I love kids and I hate to hear them cry. I realize that many/most parents have learned that it's best to let them cry it out. But sometimes if I can catch a child's eye, it'll divert them momentarily, enough, seemingly, for them to forget why they're crying. It's also possible that they stop because they're embarrassed by a stranger seeing them cry. In either case, sometimes I'm lucky and it works.
This girl and her mother took the seat next to me. I caught the child's eye and her cry softened. I then noticed that she wore a bulky hearing aid. It became clear that she was deaf -- I also noticed her mother signing to her. I hate to hear any child cry but one that has to face challenges such as this touches me even deeper. It almost makes me cry.
Moments later, the girl spied a small group of ducks in the grass behind us and the cry evaporated entirely. Fortunately, I had some pecans left in my lunch bag. I asked the mom if I could give her daughter some to feed the ducks. Permission was granted and the child brightened immediately. Once she started to feed them, it was like it was her job. She loved it and it made me feel good that I was able to help her smile.
The attractions at DL are great, of course. And, yes, the other guests and CMs are almost uniformly wonderful. But this experience was decidedly the highlight of my day.
).Moments after I took my seat, I heard a child crying -- wailing, in fact. From her tone, I sensed it was a cry that was born of feeling overwhelmed and not knowing how to cope. Anyone that's spent more than an hour at Disneyland is familiar with the lament.
I love kids and I hate to hear them cry. I realize that many/most parents have learned that it's best to let them cry it out. But sometimes if I can catch a child's eye, it'll divert them momentarily, enough, seemingly, for them to forget why they're crying. It's also possible that they stop because they're embarrassed by a stranger seeing them cry. In either case, sometimes I'm lucky and it works.
This girl and her mother took the seat next to me. I caught the child's eye and her cry softened. I then noticed that she wore a bulky hearing aid. It became clear that she was deaf -- I also noticed her mother signing to her. I hate to hear any child cry but one that has to face challenges such as this touches me even deeper. It almost makes me cry.
Moments later, the girl spied a small group of ducks in the grass behind us and the cry evaporated entirely. Fortunately, I had some pecans left in my lunch bag. I asked the mom if I could give her daughter some to feed the ducks. Permission was granted and the child brightened immediately. Once she started to feed them, it was like it was her job. She loved it and it made me feel good that I was able to help her smile.
The attractions at DL are great, of course. And, yes, the other guests and CMs are almost uniformly wonderful. But this experience was decidedly the highlight of my day.
Wish more people would be as thoughtful as you! 
CM's are not the only one to make a little magic happen to make a day at Disney special!! 
