Childfree (by choice) Disney Lovers!

[Mickey'snewestfan]

My husband just handed me an article about children on airplanes, which was printed last week in the USA Today. Allegedly some airlines want to treat unruly children the same way they treat drunks and divert airplanes at the parents' expense if necessary. What do you think of this?

I haven't read the article yet, but my husband said that one kid went down the aisle hitting passengers. The parents just thought that that was funny. If I saw a little brat doing that, I would tell him that if he hit me I was going to hit his mommy. Let's see how funny the parents thought that that was. Too young to behave on an airplane is too young to fly.

I'm not childfree (I'm actually a single mom by choice) but I saw this and had to comment.

I do think, 100%, that parents need much stronger incentives to control their kids in public. But, I would also be really annoyed if I were on a plane and it was rerouted for anything other than a huge immediate safety issue. I think there has to be another option to communicate to families that this behavior is a problem that doesn't eat into my vacation, my work trip, etc. . . . If I missed an important meeting, or a funeral, or my reservations with Mickey because the airline couldn't come up with a more creative way to solve the problem than this I'd be really really annoyed.

What about revoking return tickets, or fining parents, or in this case notifying CPS and the police at the arrival destination, or any other solution that doesn't involve me having to land, wait on the tarmac (probably for quite a while since this would likely mean a crew change since we're off schedule) and then take another flight.

 

[maddhatir]

I'm not childfree (I'm actually a single mom by choice) but I saw this and had to comment.

I do think, 100%, that parents need much stronger incentives to control their kids in public. But, I would also be really annoyed if I were on a plane and it was rerouted for anything other than a huge immediate safety issue. I think there has to be another option to communicate to families that this behavior is a problem that doesn't eat into my vacation, my work trip, etc. . . . If I missed an important meeting, or a funeral, or my reservations with Mickey because the airline couldn't come up with a more creative way to solve the problem than this I'd be really really annoyed.

This is true- not only would I be inconvenienced by a child acting up on a plane, they would also interfere with me getting to my destination on time. Now that I think about it, I would be pretty darn pissed if anyone got in my way of arriving in Disney on time- that is for sure

What about revoking return tickets, or fining parents, or in this case notifying CPS and the police at the arrival destination, or any other solution that doesn't involve me having to land, wait on the tarmac (probably for quite a while since this would likely mean a crew change since we're off schedule) and then take another flight.

Now, fining IS a great idea.

I am sure it is (most) parent's worst nightmare to have their child act up on a plane (or just the thought of it happening)- probably just as horrifying as the CF person who spots a child boarding the same plane

 

[Shyvioletisme]

Now, fining IS a great idea.

I am sure it is (most) parent's worst nightmare to have their child act up on a plane (or just the thought of it happening)- probably just as horrifying as the CF person who spots a child boarding the same plane

fining sounds great. perhaps based upon what behaviour the child was showing and the complaints turned in. With a review process done with the flight attendents to make sure there was actually a problem with the child and not just someone who couldn't sleep and decided to blame it on a child who wasn't actually causing problems.

 

[HockeyKat]

Now, fining IS a great idea.

I am sure it is (most) parent's worst nightmare to have their child act up on a plane (or just the thought of it happening)- probably just as horrifying as the CF person who spots a child boarding the same plane

I agree on fining.

Not as horrifying as an entire class of 8th graders, which happened to me once... then again, I think that is horrifying to CF and non-CF alike!!

 

[TKDizneyluver]

Hola everyone!!

I agree, a nice FAT fine would be perfect for parents who choose to let their little "angels" run around and be unruly on a plane. I had a kid sitting behind me once who insisted on kicking the back of my chair the entire flight to WDW!!! He was with his grandparents and they would ask him in a quite kind voice to "please stop doing that Johnny", but you know how that goes! Every time I'd look at the booger he gave me this sh!t eating grin and continue, harder!! They are lucky they got off the plane before we did because I would have strangled the little @!%#$ if I had the chance!!!

And the baby crying on a plane is somewhat understandable but they do make "Earplanes" which you insert into the childs ear that keeps the ear problem under control(not sure if they can be used in infants). I've seen them at many department stores right near the Dramamine!

I love seeing everyone's kitty pictures!! They are all so adorable!! DH and I have not ventured out to the Humane Society to look at their cats. I guess since our two "kids" have been gone we are getting used to not having responsibilities which has been really nice. But I truly do miss having pets.

It's great to see all the new peeps on the thread, welcome all you newbies!!

 

[maddhatir]

Every time I'd look at the booger he gave me this sh!t eating grin and continue, harder!! They are lucky they got off the plane before we did because I would have strangled the little @!%#$ if I had the chance!!!

OMG- I am PMSL- was the kid's name Damien?

And the baby crying on a plane is somewhat understandable but they do make "Earplanes" which you insert into the childs ear that keeps the ear problem under control(not sure if they can be used in infants). I've seen them at many department stores right near the Dramamine!

I think it should be mandatory for all flight attendants to carry dart guns- instant sedation for those unruly passengers young and old

 

[TKDizneyluver]

OMG- I am PMSL- was the kid's name Damien?

It HAD to have been!!!

I think it should be mandatory for all flight attendants to carry dart guns- instant sedation for those unruly passengers young and old

That's it!! Remember Star Trek when the doctors would give a shot to the crew members? It looked like gun that sounded like a little air shooting out of it when they would give the shot? That would be perfect, nobody would know it was happening until the kids mouth would finally shut!!! Everyone would breathe a sigh of relief!!!

 

[zima-cheryl]

I think Cody is selectively deaf. She doesn't hear the word "no".

I think it should be mandatory for all flight attendants to carry dart guns- instant sedation for those unruly passengers young and old

Ummm... I think a flight attendent tried that a while back. Gave a kid benadryl or something & ended up getting fired for it. Too bad - I bet most folks on the plane were grateful.

 

[babyrich]

I am trying to add photos of my kitties but I dont know how, can anyone give me directions? Thank you

 

[PearlySwan]

fining sounds great. perhaps based upon what behaviour the child was showing and the complaints turned in. With a review process done with the flight attendents to make sure there was actually a problem with the child and not just someone who couldn't sleep and decided to blame it on a child who wasn't actually causing problems.

^^^ I'm not child free. I had to chime in here because I too would be very annoyed if my airplane had to be diverted due to unrully kids' behavior. I'm not one of those parents who thinks everything my kids do in public is cute. First off, my kids wouldn't be allowed to run and up down the isle hitting passengers. Neither DH nor I would find such behavior funny or cute. When we fly we bring several electronic gadgets for DS. DD is a book worm so a couple of books will keep her happy on any flight. However, if by chance either of my kids misbehave there are consequences for unacceptable conduct. My kids know it. Loss of privilege works wonders on the oldest. The mere threat of a time out still works with the youngest. All I have to do is threaten to put DS in time out and he stops whatever he's not supposed to be doing. All in all I'm very lucky to have very well behaved kids.

Now having said all that, let's not forget there are many kids with special needs who have to travel too. The special need may not be readily apparent to most. In case you are wondering what I'm talking about, 1 in 80 boys are on the autism spectrum. No, I'm not talking about Rain Man. Most people hear autism and they immediately think of the extreme scenario. The autism spectrum is quite vast. Some autism spectrum kids are very obvious while others not so much. Oftentimes with that type of disability comes the undesirable sensory integration dysfunction that triggers what appears, to the untrained eye, as nothing more than annoying or unruly behavior. The kid may simply be reacting to the sounds/vibrations of the engines or the sensation of being in the air. These sensations may seem imperceptible to most adults, but to kids with sensory defensiveness they feel overwhelming.

Before anyone suggests kids with autism shouldn't travel by air, let me relate a little annecdote from a close relative of mine. She was on a transatlantic flight from Europe coming back to the USA. In her plane there was a child who screamed for bread for hours and hours without stopping. The flight attendants tried to accomodate the child's request but the parents gave the flight attendants strict instructions not to bring the kid any bread. Apparently the child was on the glutten free diet (wheat free diet) and they didn't want the kid to have any bread. The flight attendants tried to reason with the parents who didn't budge on the issue. The end result was a very uncomfortable transatlantic flight for all the passengers on that plane. Who is to blame here? The kid? She was obviously suffering from a disability. The flight attendants? They tried to make the kid happy. The parents? They might have felt as if they were doing the kid a favor by witholding an offending ingredient (wheat) from her diet. To most passengers this type of behavior may have appeared as nothing more than an unruly spoiled little brat who wasn't getting her way. But if the kid was on the autism spectrum, then her disability wasn't visible. People often times will make judgements without realizing there might be more to it than meets the eye. Obviously that family couldn't have traveled by land from Europe to the USA. So not putting that kid on that plane was not an option. Personally I would have caved and given the kid the bread to make her and everyone else on that plane happy, but everyone is different.

 

[calypso726]

Popping in to say Hi and join the thread. DH and I are CF by choice and going on 14 years of marriage We are both Disney fanatics and visit about 4-5 times a year, mostly shorter trips which are easy to do being only a 3 hour drive away. I don't dislike kids (most of the time) and am a former elementary school teacher. When we come across screaming unruly children we always give oursleves a pat on the back and I usually murmur, "That's why we don't have kids" under my breath That said, I totally get a kick out of watching the expressions of the little ones when they see their favorite character, or the look of amazement and wonder on their faces during Wishes or Spectromagic Those looks are adorable to me and always bring a smile to my face. So, I can enjoy them, I just don't want to bring them home or be responsible for them. We do have 5 Golden Retrievers and one Devon Rex cat My mom is quite fine with the fact that her grandkids from me and DH have fur and four legs I have come across people who look at us like we are from outer space because we don't want to have kids I don't get why they wanted kids to begin with but figure it's not my business and to each their own Our favorite more adult oriented dining experiences at WDW have been Victoria & Albert's, California Grill, Jiko, Flying Fish and Narcoose's. Always looking for good suggestions on dining that is more adult oriented.

 

[PammieJ]

^^^
Now having said all that, let's not forget there are many kids with special needs who have to travel too.

I'm not saying that kids with handicaps or special needs should be prohibited from flying (or participating in any other activity, for that matter). But I think it's only fair for parents of any child, handicapped or not, to take responsibility for their child's behavior no matter where they take them.

I hope you don't mind if I rant....I too am not child-free, but this has always been a real hot topic for me. What kind of person would torture a plane full of people with her child's ear-splitting tantrum? What kind of parent views that kind of behavior as cute or entertaining? Surely, the kid isn't having the time of his life?? My point is that if people are going to take on the awesome and difficult challenge of raising children, they need to be prepared to step up when things get ugly. Many kids with autism can't handle excessive stimulation, so imagine what they must go through when they arrive at Magic Kingdom? Is it fair, as a parent, to over-stimulate your kid to the point that he's frantic and out of control? Whose vacation is it, anyway?? Perhaps it's not an appropriate vacation trip at this particular time. And those are the hard choices that parents have to make, don't you think?

OK, I feel better, now. I was not a perfect parent, and I sure didn't have perfect children. But as young adults, they are self-sufficient and healthy, so I guess I didn't screw them up too bad!
Hi, Calypso 726. We have found that mid-September is pretty adult-friendly.

 

[maddhatir]

Popping in to say Hi and join the thread. DH and I are CF by choice and going on 14 years of marriage When we come across screaming unruly children we always give oursleves a pat on the back and I usually murmur, "That's why we don't have kids" under my breath

Welcome Calypso!!!!

DH and I usually look at each other when we come across those kids and and say "Better them than us!" and continue strolling along peacefully!

I have come across people who look at us like we are from outer space because we don't want to have kids I don't get why they wanted kids to begin with but figure it's not my business and to each their own

ITA!!!!! I cannot even comprehend the idea of why people WANT kids just as much as they cannot comprehend why I do NOT want them! So why are WE the crazy ones?? Have you seen some of these parents? They look like THEY are the ones at their wits end, not me

You know, I just remembered something today! I said no one ever made a rude comment about me being childless, I was wrong. Someone made a comment elsewhere that I would not be a good mother b/c I like Marilyn Manson!

The person is just worthless and I would not even comment on their stupidity. But I thought that was pretty rude.

 

[Alesia]

Speaking of kids on airplanes, We had a bad experience on the way from Orlando last year.

We were in our seats for less than 5 minutes when the little girl behind us start in with the most ear-splitting whine I have ever heard. "I waaaaant to sit next to mommmmmmy. Why does Ethan get to sit next to mommy? I Don't want to sit next to daddy. I want to sit next to mommmmmyyyyyy!" She goes on and on like this for another 5 minutes until she is about to hit full-on tantrum mode.

Keep in mind this was not a small child. She was at least 7 or 8 years old. Apparently this is pretty common behavior for her, because her younger sister turns to her and says, "Will you please stop whining??" Her answer was, "I'm not whininnnng."

Anyway - Mom and dad decide to change seats (mind you, they were on opposite sides of the plane) so dad has to jerk my seat back in order to get out of his seat. Then he has to shove it forward to get past his daughter in the seat next to him. Then mommy has to push and pull on my seat a few times while she gets settled in. Finally everyone is settled in and the little princess decides to start kicking my seat. Over and over and over. Finally I turn around and give her a good glare and she stops.

We had a lot of turbulence on that flight. I really wanted to turn around and tell that little girl that the turbulence was God's punishment for her whining

 

[zima-cheryl]

We do have 5 Golden Retrievers and one Devon Rex cat My mom is quite fine with the fact that her grandkids from me and DH have fur and four legs I have come across people who look at us like we are from outer space because we don't want to have kids I don't get why they wanted kids to begin with but figure it's not my business and to each their own Our favorite more adult oriented dining experiences at WDW have been Victoria & Albert's, California Grill, Jiko, Flying Fish and Narcoose's. Always looking for good suggestions on dining that is more adult oriented.

Welcome Calypso!

Your dog is just beautiful! And you have 5 of them. I'm envious.

How do you like Victoria & Albert's? We've never been, but I'm thinking it may be worth the splurge on our next trip. Is the food that good? Would you go again?

Right now I'm on the fence between Paradiso 37 and Ragalan Road as our favs. (can I call them 1A & 1B?) Both for very different reasons. I'm also very partial to Restaurant Marrakesh @ Epcot.
I know some folks complain food @ WDW can be a bit bland, but personally I've had some unique & tasty meals there.

 

[zima-cheryl]

So totally unrelated to anything on the last 10 pages -- who plans to see "Alice in Wonderland" opening weekend?

And is anyone else already disapointed that it is PG? I'm just afraid it will be like "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" so much potential but a big let down in the end.

 

[calypso726]

Welcome Calypso!!!!

You know, I just remembered something today! I said no one ever made a rude comment about me being childless, I was wrong. Someone made a comment elsewhere that I would not be a good mother b/c I like Marilyn Manson!

That is just ridiculous. What does one's musical tastes have to do with parenting. I actually like Hannah Montana. Does that mean I would be a good mother

Welcome Calypso!

Your dog is just beautiful! And you have 5 of them. I'm envious.

How do you like Victoria & Albert's? We've never been, but I'm thinking it may be worth the splurge on our next trip. Is the food that good? Would you go again?

Right now I'm on the fence between Paradiso 37 and Ragalan Road as our favs. (can I call them 1A & 1B?) Both for very different reasons. I'm also very partial to Restaurant Marrakesh @ Epcot.
I know some folks complain food @ WDW can be a bit bland, but personally I've had some unique & tasty meals there.

Thank you! Yes, 5, I show and breed Champion Goldens.

We love V & A!!! We have been twice now and am planning to take my parents there at some point down the line. I thought is was fabulous. At first we thought we'd be leaving hungry because each course is very small. However, we were both stuffed at the end. I did enjoy the overall experience and the food was fantastic. I also added the wine pairings and they were perfect. I definitely think it is worth the splurge at least once and cross it off the "bucket list" so to speak. We've only been to Marrakesh once. Haven't tried Raglan Road or Paradiso 37 yet. What do you like about each one?

 

[calypso726]

So totally unrelated to anything on the last 10 pages -- who plans to see "Alice in Wonderland" opening weekend?

And is anyone else already disapointed that it is PG? I'm just afraid it will be like "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" so much potential but a big let down in the end.

I really wanted to but have a good excuse for not seeing it opening weekend I will be in WDW for the D23 first Aniversary event and staying through the weekend

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I really wanted to but have a good excuse for not seeing it opening weekend I will be in WDW for the D23 first Aniversary event and staying through the weekend

We'll be in WDW too!

 

[HockeyKat]

I am going to add in a vote against V&A. I thought it was very good, don't get me wrong, but just a little above my price range for what you get.

Hi Calypso!!


T-2 days until Disney!