Are we spoiling our kids by owning DVC?

[Granny]

Originally posted by Disney1fan2002
Are we spoiling our kids?

No, DW and I are spoiling ourselves. The kids being spoiled is just collateral damage.

 

[sheryl0521]

The kids being spoiled is just collateral damage.

YES - going to WDW has been a favorite passtime for DH and I since we started dating 15 years ago. Taking the kids along just goes with the progression of our lives.

I never went to WDW as a kid growing up. My parents aren't FL fans. So I feel I am making up for lost time.

 

[DiznEeyore]

Originally posted by jimmytammy
They dont get spoiled to many things at home because we dont allow it. But they are only kids once so the memories from these trips will be with all of us. If that is spoiling then I dont feel bad about it. We know God has blessed us and we try to remember that and thank Him everyday.

ITA!!!

 

[k-wa]

My husband and I don't have kids yet, but are planning on it soon. In the past year, his mother built a beautiful vacation house on the Chesapeake Bay with a boat and my parents bought DVC. These are both Baby Boomers who didn't take us on lots of vacations but have saved money and now are ready to spend it on us and their grandchildren and grandchildren-to-be. My husband and I joke that we are going to have to watch it that our future kids don't become too spoiled, but I think as long as you remind them vacations are a privilege and not a right, then things will be great.

 

[poohj80]

I also think it's a great learning experience for your children to get out and see the country (and the world). People usually learn more through experience than by reading in a book plus traveling helps teach children that the world isn't such a big place (remember when driving 100 miles seemed like the other side of the world?) and they shouldn't be afraid to explore.

I never thought about this until I went to a smaller college in Colorado where at least 80% of the students were from in state. I was shocked to learn that SO many folks had never left the state of CO in their entire lives. They said they loved it there so why leave? My response was always that they could live there if they love it but that was no reason not to go out and experience new places and see new things.

I think your children will turn out to be adventurers now that you have started them traveling early and this is a good thing!

PJ

 

[joepoe]

How often did Dear MIL take your husband when he was young?

My parents could not afford to take a family vacation when I was a kid and I always wanted to go to Disneyland. Never could. I went for the first time with DW about 6 months before we were married, and we have been going to DL and esp WDW (when we bought DVC) ever since. I was 42. Now I am almost 54 and I still love to go and feel like a kid every time. We enjoy taking our three daughters who have been almost as many times as I have. I don't think of it as spoiling. I think of it as sharing a lot of time TOGETHER as a family doing something we all love to do.

Go and have fun and never mind what ANYONE thinks. It's your life and YOUR kids.

 

[Judique]

Are we spoiling our kids? (OK< I am second guessing myself now) [/B][/QUOTE]

No, I don't think so. I'm trying my best to spoil me! I didn't have Disney growing up. My older kids went with me when they were younger. Now they have jobs and school, and they are juggling life, same as all of us. My older daughter enjoys Disney and took a trip in the spring to OKW with 2 friends, but she also travels other places. She will go to Spain for 10 days next week. My son hasn't been to Disney in a while, but he is planning a trip to Japan. They both earn their own way, and may have inherited a travel bug from me, but I don't think they've been spoiled. The younger one will probably follow a similar path. Disney will be available to them through me for future trips, if that is what they choose.

 

[Par8hed]

Yes! Spoil the kids if you can! We will all be dead soon enough (sorry for the reality check). And what will we leave behind? Ultimately....it will be memories. And I want my Son to say " ...remember Dad.....sure he was an @#$%$$@ and everytyhing, but I'll be darned if he didn't devote himself to making my childhood as wonderful as he possibly could!"... I hope that my Son will miss me as much as much as I miss my own father. Spoil 'em, spoil 'em, spoil 'em.

 

[poohkie]

I'm 16. I took my first trip at 7 and didn't go back until I was 12. It was on the next trip when I was 15 that my parents bought into DVC. I've been to disney 4 times this year. One of those times was a one day trip. Having said all that. Am I spoiled? Most likely in some ways. Is that wrong? No. What parent hasn't spoiled there child at some point or in some way. That first trip I took my parent's didn't think we would ever be able to go back after that. We cramed everything we could into that trip. Now I get to go a couple times a year. Do I think it's my right to go to Disney every year? Not a chance. I realize what it takes for my parents to pay for DVC to plan the trips and to make sure everyone has a good time. And they'll never know how much those trips mean to me what I take from those trips and how greatful I am to them for giving me that. I love those trips. Everyone has fun everyone is happy. It's ok for my dad to act like an idoit. It's ok for my mom and I and even my dad to be as loud as we want. It's ok to just let go of it all and have fun with my family. I will keep going back to Disney as offen as I can DVC or no DVC. So am I spoiled? Like I said most likely. But if that's spoiled I would hate to be anything else. If your MIL has a problem with all that. That's just it. It's her problem.

 

[Par8hed]

So nice to hear from a level-headed 16 year old. No doubt you make your parents proud! Don't change. Thanks.

 

[Bracho]

Man I hope so!!!!

 

[TandyR]

We have two little girls (DD 8 and DD 4)...we have taken them to WDW 3 times so far. The first trip we thought one be one of two trips...we had planned to go once when each girl reached "the perfect age" (don't asked me what that age is now...I have no clue...we thought it was 4 nearly 5 years old then...crazy us.). Any how my husband and I fell in love with WDW and the stuff there is for adults to do. So our girls come with us. We plan to go to WDW every other year. The last two trips the DD 8 helped us with our budget and she gave up something to help increase our budget and she helpped plan things so we stay within our budget. DD 4 will start taking part in this port of planning on our next trip. I think it is an important part of planning because they get to see where money comes from and where it goes and when we buy things that are "extras" like DVDs we talk about is it worth it to buy or rent....the price of the DVD equal X at WDW is it worth it to not have X at WDW in order to have the DVD at home....sometimes the answer is yes other times the answer is no.
So I guess my answer is spoilling only comes from lack of attention, lack of education and lack of love.
Oh BTW...in my family it is my mother who is the pain about our Disney trips....it is my MIL who drops everything to come down with us. We have a pretty good time with my MIL and her husband on our Disney trips...I think she loves Disney more then anyone I know. My mother on the other hand thinks it is stupid, boring, pedestrian and a waste of money. She is in AZ this week traveling around visiting gardens there...talk about a trip that I would think was boring a a waste of money...but everyone has their own tastes.

 

[TDC Nala]

I bet she's jealous.

 

[Deesknee]

When I get a little nervous we're spoiling our kids I like to remember what my sweetheart of a brother once reminded me.

He told me how much he loves ALL his neices and nephews, then he added that my kids are spoiled (I was complaining re: them being spoiled) but that they are NOT spoiled rotten there is a very big difference. Aren't brothers great?

Relatively speaking, some would say by having indoor plumbing WE are spoiled. lol

 

[JFrey4240]

Actually when you work hard and save your money then how can anyone say that you are spoiling yourself? It's all in the perspective. As long as we have the extra money to go and realize how fortunate we are, then why should we explain ourselves to others. Also making sure your children appreciate the trips and understand money doesn't grow on trees is important too. Life is too short not to enjoy what you can when you can.

 

[rufusrex]

We go once a year, every January, since my daughter was 1. Now she is 6 and my son is 3 (today1) and we are going again this January. People don't understand the beauty of DVC, it allows us to go every year at an affordable price. We buy APs and get 2 years out of them, don't eat in fancy restauraunts (kids won't sit still anyway), and almost always get a great deal on airfare. It really is no more expensive than other vacations. We have friends that brag "I'll take my kids once and that is plenty." They spend more on 1 trip than we spend on 3 or 4. So if DVC is spoiling your kids, then great. If it wasn't for DVC, there is no way I could/would spring for the BW or WLVs.

No one will take my yearly trips away and no one will make me feel guilty about them!!! I get the same eyes rolling or comments like "disney again" from family and friends, honestly, it really doesn't bother me. To each their own.

 

[sgtpet]

There is no doubt we are spoiling our children when it comes to DVC. They are almost guaranteed going to WDW annually and at amazing accommodations within WDW.

Heck I think my wife and I are spoiled as well.

 

[crazywig]

if you're spoiling your kids then i am headed down that path as well

my kids are too young (ds2 and dd 8wks) to realize they're spoiled but like others have said, we will make sure they understand this is a priviledge for them and not a right.


we're spoiling extended familiy as well, we're taking my sister and her 3 kids in sept 05!

 

[pat-rick]

We are Grandparents of 6, 5 boys and our 6th is a little girl. When my 2 DD's were growing we did not have the means to take trips to Florida but we did seasonal camp at the Jersey Shore where we now live. They, my daughters are always talking about those days and the fun they had camping, the beach etc. These are memories they have kept for many years because they were good memories. We, Family, spend the weekends and vacations together creating those memories.
The Girls and their families are now creating their own memories the way we did years ago. DW and I have also added to the family memories with the addition of DVC. We normally take a FAMILY trip 1 time a year all together.
Will the kids remember these family trips years from now, I hope so.
Will these trips help keep the family close, I hope so.
Is is worth the struggle for DW and I to keep DVC, Yes.
Are we spoiling the GrandKids, I believe we are creating memories for the future so when they are grown they will want to create happy memories for their families to share.

Are you spoiling your kids, I believe you are creating MEMORIES.

You don't need DVC to spoil, to spoil kids you just need to do nothing. No togetherness, no support, no memories then see what happens.

Take as many family vacations as you can.

 

[Sammie]

"Are we spoiling our kids" ?

Depends on whether they appreciate it or expect it or even worse "demand" it"

Only you can teach them the difference.